Lyrics for Sweet Jane as interpreted by capitol76

Sweet Jane Lyrics
Standin' on a corner
Suitcase in my hand
Jack's in his corset, Jane is in her vest
and me I'm in a rock 'n' roll band. Huh.
Riding a Stutz Bear Cat, Jim
ya know, those were different times
all the poets studied rules of verse
and those ladies they rolled their eyes
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Now Jack, he is a banker
and Jane, she's a clerk
and both of them save their monies
when they get home from work
sittin downby the fire
Ooo, the radio does play
the classical music there, Jim
The March of the Wooden Soldiers
All you protest kids
you can hear Jack say
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Some people they like to go out dancin
and other people they have to work. Just watch me now
and there's even some evil mothers
Well there gonna tell you that everthing is just dirt
you know that women never really faint
and that villians always blink their eyes
that children are the only ones who blush
and that life is just to die
But anyone who ever had a heart
they wouldn't turn around and break it
and anyone who ever played a part
They wouldn't turn around and hate it
Sweet Jane, Sweet Sweet Jane

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  • 40 Comments
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evilfishman
09-03-2002

Rated 0 
Sneers and fist shaking. God bless you, Lou Reed.

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*mLe*
03-07-2003

Rated 0 
one day..i will have sex to this song...as a tribute to lou reed ...and because i want to -grins-

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Gratefate
03-18-2003

Rated 0 
This is a great song. Really catchy. Lou Reed is perhaps the only person who knows what all the parts to this song means, and maybe it doesnt matter. This song, on Loaded, shows VU's obvious progression towards complete Lou Reed control. This song could have easily been in his solo career, and many think it is. Thanks Lou

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SisterRay
03-26-2003

Rated 0 
i think its good to note that it was originally written without the transvestitism at the beginning.

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crashbangboom
04-05-2003

Rated 0 
have you ever cried because you DIDN'T write the song?

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frty0z
06-22-2004

Rated 0 
I'm convinced this is the greatest song ever.

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Monkey Boy
11-09-2004

Rated 0 
This is the greatest song ever.

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thisisfalse
11-13-2004

Rated 0 
Ya i must agree that this is the greatest song. (well at least one of them - i'm far to indecisive to pick just one)

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Chinup
12-11-2004

Rated 0 
one of the few songs that still gives me shivers...it's only 3 minutes long, but it seems somehow epic. I can't explain, maybe it's the storytelling lyrics, or maybe it's that evertime I listen to it, I play it over and over. That intro is stunningly beautiful.

Does anyone know the significance to the line
Riding a Stutz Bear Cat, Jim?
It's the only line that's puzzled me for years...I never even knew what he was saying until recently.

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ZipperHead
12-25-2004

Rated 0 
It's about heroin again kids. Jane = H. The bank's money goes out through the clerks. Even the everyman is doing it - Lou Reed's reflection on the hypocracy of the middle class (see "Mother's Little Helper"). Perfectly subversive. See Jane's Addiction "Jane Says" for Jack & Jane's child.

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Zeratul
12-26-2004

Rated 0 
This is the song that made me fall in love with the VU. Their greatest song, for sure.

That's an interesting take on the banker and clerk lines, Zipper. I never thought of it that way. What about the reference to The March of the Wooden Soldiers--they're talking about the movie, right? Anyone have any insight on that?

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1 Reply
SaveMoe
01-10-2005

Rated 0 
I really liek this song. Is it about pot...? "jane"//mary jane? Who is he reffering to when he says Jim?

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1 Reply
ceruleancaterpillar
01-25-2005

Rated 0 
"But anyone who ever had a heart
they wouldn't turn around and break it
and anyone who ever played a part
They wouldn't turn around and hate it"

Man, that line gets me every time...

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ceruleancaterpillar
01-25-2005

Rated 0 
Seriously, though, I don't think the lyrics are that secret or subversive. Its really about regular everyday types having fun, and how fun is in no way the property of the ruling class because even clerks and bankers can have it. A Stutz Bearcat is an old-timey racing car, probably a symbol of carefree fun. Sweet Jane is probably a girl he met one day when he was out having fun.

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_JJohnson
02-05-2005

Rated 0 
This was the first VU song I heard (from a movie called SLC Punk! which I highly recomend) I have been hooked to VU since. This is easily an all-time top 5 song. Enjoy

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1 Reply
Sweet Jane
04-05-2005

Rated 0 
did you all see my nickname?
I think it explains everything :-)

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pogue mahone
06-15-2005

Rated 0 
just an irrelevant sidenote: "jane says" wasn't a reference to this song, it's about a prostitute that the band knew, from which they take their name

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venus in furs 28
12-23-2005

Rated 0 
in the loaded box set it says that jane is an autobiographical character. cause lou's life was changed by rock n roll, jane is sposed to be him.

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venus in furs 28
12-23-2005

Rated 0 
uh. sosrry. posted that for the wrong song its meant for rock n roll

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Bluejay Fusion
02-23-2006

Rated 0 
I don't speculate about the meaning. It's about working people to me... and Lou Reeds incredible transcendent lyrics delivered with such gnarlyness. sometimes I admit I just burst out- SWEET JA-YANE!

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Carolyn
02-25-2006

Rated 0 
A really good rock 'n' roll song. I don't care about the meaning, it's just good.

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HeWhoF*cksNuns
06-06-2006

Rated 0 
The greatest song ever is an understatement. I couldn't sum up what it means in words....so i won't. But it rocks, if more people listened to the VU the world would be a better place.

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my-apple-your-eye
08-06-2006

Rated 0 
waaa!!! grin grin (listening to it now) what a great song, oh man, such great lyrics but its so catchy too! i could listen to it over and over forever.. its simple, but so very effective and always puts me inthe best mood. ..

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TheSilverNoble
09-06-2006

Rated 0 
The last lines of the third verse still get me, man.... I love that whole verse.

And I really, really don't think this song is about Heroin. That actually doesn't make any sense at all. I think each of the verses are about something different, and even proving that the second one is about drugs is a huge stretch.
so yeah.

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dieloony
10-08-2006

Rated 0 
i think this song is about common people. and how they wouldnt mind being jsut common people as long as they got to do what they wanted.

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