The Velvet Underground – Oh! Sweet Nuthin

Know something about this song or lyrics? Add it to our wiki.
Send "Oh! Sweet Nuthin" Ringtone to Cell

Say a word for Jimmy Brown
He ain't got nothing at all
Not a shirt right of his back
He ain't got nothing at all
And say a word for Ginger Brown
Walks with his head down to the ground
Took the shoes right of his feet
To poor boy right out in the street

And this is what he said
Oh sweet nuthin'
She ain't got nothing at all
Oh sweet nutin'
She ain't got nothing at all

Say a word for Polly May
She can't tell the night from the day
They threw her out in the street
But just like a cat she landed on her feet
And say a word for Joanna Love
She ain't got nothing at all
'Cause everyday she falls in love
And everynight she falls when she does

She said
Oh sweet nuthin'
You know she ain't got nothing at all
Oh sweet nutin'
She ain't got nothing at all

Oh let me hear you!
Say a word for Jimmy Brown
He ain't got nothing at all
Not a shirt right of his back
He ain't got nothing at all
And say a word for Ginger Brown
Walks with his head down to the ground
Took the shoes right of his feet
To poor boy right out in the street

And this is what he said
Oh sweet nuthin'
She ain't got nothing at all
Oh sweet nutin'
She ain't got nothing at all
She ain't got nothing at all
Oh sweet nutin'

She ain't got nothing at all
She ain't got nothing at all
She ain't got nothing at all

Send "Oh! Sweet Nuthin" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by capitol76

Track duration: 07:29

"Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" as written by Lou Reed

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Oh! Sweet Nuthin song meanings
Add your thoughts

25 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:One of the truly rare true blues songs by a white man.
    Flag muldrakeon September 17, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:religion?? having nothing and being ok with it?? really?? how does anyone get that from this song? it's about drugs. more than likely heroin considering it's lou reed, but definitely drugs and the plight of them and their endless cycle of addiction and the lengths people will go for them. the people in the song have nothing because of heroin, and the drug gives you the feeling of "sweet nuthin." remember, most druggies are trying to forget about or leave their current mindset/situation by using drugs. so, these people have given everthing to the drug, i.e. simple needs ("Not a shirt right off his back"), their home (And threw the poor boy right out in the street"), and their bodies ("Cos everyday she falls in love"). Yep, that's right, this last one is a prostitute. everyday she turns tricks to make money, and everynight she spends her money on dope, hence the "And everynight she falls when she does." remember, heroin is a downer. and, again, let's not forget who wrote this. if you look at lou reeds career he time and time again uses personification is his lyrics and speaks of drugs as women. here, he does it by calling heroin "she" in the chorus. if you seroiously think this is about religion or being ok with your nothingness, then you're an idiot and i would highly suggest hitting yourself in the head with with a tack hammer.
    Flagged scaredguitaron October 04, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is completely calming to me. i dont believe this song has to do with religion. it's about having nothing and being okay with it, although you know it might not be where you should be.
    Flag SEXYWHALE4LIFEon September 21, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:What's to figure out? Don't they have homeless junkies where you fuckers are from? This jam is a moment in time. I figure Harlem circa 1969 sounds right...
    gettyimages.com/detail/…
    Flag brainysmurphon July 27, 2010   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think the song is about the young people that took to the cities abandoning there quaint home lives to create a life amongst the counter cultures. Oftentimes these lifestyles although edgy and lucrative left these people with nothing but there names and experiences associated with there names which is why i think first and last names are used. These people have given all they have and still remain beautiful. I think that the song touches on religion too but he is almost saying i wont pray myself but if your going to do it for these people.
    Flag bijoumoonon February 15, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think immediately discrediting the people who said this song might have to do w/ heroine is silly.
    However let me finish, Its definatly not completely about drugs... but what better way to get to a place of sweet nothing than dope... I think that the overall tone of this song is bittersweet contentedness knowing you have nothing but not really being worried about it. I just think with peoples inside knowledge of how Lou reed was using in the 80's it would be dumb to completely ignore that influence.
    Flag Enlightenon November 09, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Having something and then losing it is a way of cleansing oneself, its like starting again right from the scratch. This is why it is 'sweet' I guess.

    Then again, I would not be surprised if it was a drug song.
    Flag ClydeFrogon September 29, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:i also agree thebodiesobtained, but i wouldn't call it true happiness. the song's bittersweet, like the title, having nothing can be sweet because you are completely free but it is still depressing to just have nothing. to me the song sounds depressing in general, but there's something oddly sweet sounding in the little guitar solo, no?
    Flag browsacookiemonstaon January 31, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i love the simple chords, and the melody is just amazing - especially the solo. lou reed is an underated gutarist, he doesnt need to play extremely fast like page and clapton were doin at the time, he plays with such a sweet tone. with respect to page and clapton of course.
    Flag RambleOnon July 15, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:lou reed didn't fuck around around with the black tar shit when he hit it big; he got the best fuckin smack around. its just about as likely hes talking about fecophilia as heroin.

    this song reminds me of that kind of sweet nothing like in like a rolling stone(although dylan never called it that) - just the "when you got nothing, you got nothing to lose" kind of nothing. i also see some connections with the buddhist nirvana of having no possessions.

    anyways, bitching guitar solo.
    Flag scottjefferieson April 22, 2008   Link
    • 1 Reply

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain