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
Narratively, Jack & Jane are an older couple the singer sees on the street. He immediately makes assumptions about them based on their dress. Jack is in a "corset"...a derisive metaphor for restrictive garb, likely a business suit. Jane is likewise dressed for work in a vest. But the singer catches himself in his derision by noting that he's also wearing something "put on"...his rock & roll band...and laughes at his own hypocrisy.
What follows is a reverie on what he imagines their life to have been...they were young once too and wild in their own right. Then they got older, settled into life, and made a trade-off (working for a living) in order to enjoy the comforts of love (settling down by the fire with their music). In particular, he wants the protest kids to hear that last part...those compromises they deride were all done for the love of Sweet Jane.
In the final verse, the singer acknowledges that although people make different choices, we're all basically the same...it's only self-deception that makes us intolerant of the other camp. Isn't he working at his band after all ("Just watch me now")? And all of those people who hurl dirt at the other camp -- call them dishonest and affected -- well they're just angry because they haven't found life's purpose yet. Maybe that's art (rock & roll) and maybe that's love (Jane), but without it there is no point. Along the way, we all put on dishonest garb in the morning and strip it off at the end of the day. So we all need to be a little more forgiving, because:
>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
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Sweet Jane Meanings & Lyrics Discussion | SongMeanings
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
Narratively, Jack & Jane are an older couple the singer sees on the street. He immediately makes assumptions about them based on their dress. Jack is in a "corset"...a derisive metaphor for restrictive garb, likely a business suit. Jane is likewise dressed for work in a vest. But the singer catches himself in his derision by noting that he's also wearing something "put on"...his rock & roll band...and laughes at his own hypocrisy.
What follows is a reverie on what he imagines their life to have been...they were young once too and wild in their own right. Then they got older, settled into life, and made a trade-off (working for a living) in order to enjoy the comforts of love (settling down by the fire with their music). In particular, he wants the protest kids to hear that last part...those compromises they deride were all done for the love of Sweet Jane.
In the final verse, the singer acknowledges that although people make different choices, we're all basically the same...it's only self-deception that makes us intolerant of the other camp. Isn't he working at his band after all ("Just watch me now")? And all of those people who hurl dirt at the other camp -- call them dishonest and affected -- well they're just angry because they haven't found life's purpose yet. Maybe that's art (rock & roll) and maybe that's love (Jane), but without it there is no point. Along the way, we all put on dishonest garb in the morning and strip it off at the end of the day. So we all need to be a little more forgiving, because:
>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
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Lou wrote lots of songs about drugs...and transvestites for that matter...but Sweet Jane is not either. It's about correcting the misplaced notion among the "protest kids" that prior generations were trapped in society's shackles and that only the current generation knows how to live free of them. The singer realizes the falsehood in those premises for both generations -- we all alternate between living honestly and dishonestly, following our heart and playing a part. The song is an appeal for inter-generational understanding, as clearly summed up in the final lines...which he screams to make sure you're hearing them:
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
Narratively, Jack & Jane are an older couple the singer sees on the street. He immediately makes assumptions about them based on their dress. Jack is in a "corset"...a derisive metaphor for restrictive garb, likely a business suit. Jane is likewise dressed for work in a vest. But the singer catches himself in his derision by noting that he's also wearing something "put on"...his rock & roll band...and laughes at his own hypocrisy.
What follows is a reverie on what he imagines their life to have been...they were young once too and wild in their own right. Then they got older, settled into life, and made a trade-off (working for a living) in order to enjoy the comforts of love (settling down by the fire with their music). In particular, he wants the protest kids to hear that last part...those compromises they deride were all done for the love of Sweet Jane.
In the final verse, the singer acknowledges that although people make different choices, we're all basically the same...it's only self-deception that makes us intolerant of the other camp. Isn't he working at his band after all ("Just watch me now")? And all of those people who hurl dirt at the other camp -- call them dishonest and affected -- well they're just angry because they haven't found life's purpose yet. Maybe that's art (rock & roll) and maybe that's love (Jane), but without it there is no point. Along the way, we all put on dishonest garb in the morning and strip it off at the end of the day. So we all need to be a little more forgiving, because:
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
Yes, fantastic. I had a sense that this was the sense, but you've nailed it. If by chance you're still following this (after almost 3 years!), maybe you can say a bit more about that refrain you touch on at the end ("…but anyone who ever had a heart, they wouldn't turn around and break it…"). Why "…it"? It sounds as if he's talking about people breaking their OWN hearts, where the sense would seem to require "…turn around and break one" (i.e., someone else's). The "it" confuses me, but maybe it's meant to. Maybe...
Yes, fantastic. I had a sense that this was the sense, but you've nailed it. If by chance you're still following this (after almost 3 years!), maybe you can say a bit more about that refrain you touch on at the end ("…but anyone who ever had a heart, they wouldn't turn around and break it…"). Why "…it"? It sounds as if he's talking about people breaking their OWN hearts, where the sense would seem to require "…turn around and break one" (i.e., someone else's). The "it" confuses me, but maybe it's meant to. Maybe the idea is that we all (whether or not we admit it) have a heart that can easily be broken, and we all must play roles–at some level, it's all the same sort of role-playing, and it's all the same human heart underneath it all?
I agree with this interpretation. I owned the banana album with the pealable cover in the late 60's and loved the velvet underground. I loved the lyrics because they were real and raw. I remember sitting on the park bench with my buds and a guy in a suit walked by and my friend says "hey, how do you like wearing that uniform?'. The "suit" says, how do you like wearing yours?' Ha Ha We looked at each other and realized he was right! We all had on jeans, t-shirts, denim or leather jackets. Our uniform! I think This is...
I agree with this interpretation. I owned the banana album with the pealable cover in the late 60's and loved the velvet underground. I loved the lyrics because they were real and raw. I remember sitting on the park bench with my buds and a guy in a suit walked by and my friend says "hey, how do you like wearing that uniform?'. The "suit" says, how do you like wearing yours?' Ha Ha We looked at each other and realized he was right! We all had on jeans, t-shirts, denim or leather jackets. Our uniform! I think This is what I hear Lou Reed saying in Sweet Jane. Dont judge, you protest kids" because you will be old and conform some day.
Lou wrote lots of songs about drugs...and transvestites for that matter...but Sweet Jane is not either. It's about correcting the misplaced notion among the "protest kids" that prior generations were trapped in society's shackles and that only the current generation knows how to live free of them. The singer realizes the falsehood in those premises for both generations -- we all alternate between living honestly and dishonestly, following our heart and playing a part. The song is an appeal for inter-generational understanding, as clearly summed up in the final lines...which he screams to make sure you're hearing them:
Narratively, Jack & Jane are an older couple the singer sees on the street. He immediately makes assumptions about them based on their dress. Jack is in a "corset"...a derisive metaphor for restrictive garb, likely a business suit. Jane is likewise dressed for work in a vest. But the singer catches himself in his derision by noting that he's also wearing something "put on"...his rock & roll band...and laughes at his own hypocrisy.
What follows is a reverie on what he imagines their life to have been...they were young once too and wild in their own right. Then they got older, settled into life, and made a trade-off (working for a living) in order to enjoy the comforts of love (settling down by the fire with their music). In particular, he wants the protest kids to hear that last part...those compromises they deride were all done for the love of Sweet Jane.
In the final verse, the singer acknowledges that although people make different choices, we're all basically the same...it's only self-deception that makes us intolerant of the other camp. Isn't he working at his band after all ("Just watch me now")? And all of those people who hurl dirt at the other camp -- call them dishonest and affected -- well they're just angry because they haven't found life's purpose yet. Maybe that's art (rock & roll) and maybe that's love (Jane), but without it there is no point. Along the way, we all put on dishonest garb in the morning and strip it off at the end of the day. So we all need to be a little more forgiving, because:
right on!
right on!
That was excellent, thank you for posting it.
That was excellent, thank you for posting it.
Yes, fantastic. I had a sense that this was the sense, but you've nailed it. If by chance you're still following this (after almost 3 years!), maybe you can say a bit more about that refrain you touch on at the end ("…but anyone who ever had a heart, they wouldn't turn around and break it…"). Why "…it"? It sounds as if he's talking about people breaking their OWN hearts, where the sense would seem to require "…turn around and break one" (i.e., someone else's). The "it" confuses me, but maybe it's meant to. Maybe...
Yes, fantastic. I had a sense that this was the sense, but you've nailed it. If by chance you're still following this (after almost 3 years!), maybe you can say a bit more about that refrain you touch on at the end ("…but anyone who ever had a heart, they wouldn't turn around and break it…"). Why "…it"? It sounds as if he's talking about people breaking their OWN hearts, where the sense would seem to require "…turn around and break one" (i.e., someone else's). The "it" confuses me, but maybe it's meant to. Maybe the idea is that we all (whether or not we admit it) have a heart that can easily be broken, and we all must play roles–at some level, it's all the same sort of role-playing, and it's all the same human heart underneath it all?
I agree with this interpretation. I owned the banana album with the pealable cover in the late 60's and loved the velvet underground. I loved the lyrics because they were real and raw. I remember sitting on the park bench with my buds and a guy in a suit walked by and my friend says "hey, how do you like wearing that uniform?'. The "suit" says, how do you like wearing yours?' Ha Ha We looked at each other and realized he was right! We all had on jeans, t-shirts, denim or leather jackets. Our uniform! I think This is...
I agree with this interpretation. I owned the banana album with the pealable cover in the late 60's and loved the velvet underground. I loved the lyrics because they were real and raw. I remember sitting on the park bench with my buds and a guy in a suit walked by and my friend says "hey, how do you like wearing that uniform?'. The "suit" says, how do you like wearing yours?' Ha Ha We looked at each other and realized he was right! We all had on jeans, t-shirts, denim or leather jackets. Our uniform! I think This is what I hear Lou Reed saying in Sweet Jane. Dont judge, you protest kids" because you will be old and conform some day.
@ErikD This is such an insightful and convincing analysis. I've loved this song for ages but never really dug into the lyrics. Thanks!
@ErikD This is such an insightful and convincing analysis. I've loved this song for ages but never really dug into the lyrics. Thanks!
@ErikD
@ErikD
Not saying I agree - or don't. Don't matter.
Not saying I agree - or don't. Don't matter.
Just wanted to say thank you for taking the time and going to the effort of writing those thoughts.
Just wanted to say thank you for taking the time and going to the effort of writing those thoughts.
Provided me, mongst many, with a new perspective and ideas.
Provided me, mongst many, with a new perspective and ideas.
Much appreciated and so refreshing.
Much appreciated and so refreshing.
Props, fella'
Props, fella'