SONG OF THE DAY

“Perfect Day” by Lou Reed (Transformer, RCA Records, 1972). Written by Lou Reed.

INTERESTING FACTS (a la wikipedia)

– “Perfect Day” is a song written by Lou Reed in 1972, and originally featured on Transformer, Reed’s second post-Velvet Underground solo album.

– Unlike its predecessor, Lou Reed, eight songs of which were leftovers from his Velvet Underground days, this album contains mainly new material. However, there are still a few songs that date from his VU days—Velvet Underground-recorded versions of “Andy’s Chest” and “Satellite of Love” surfaced in 1985 and 1995, respectively; and “New York Telephone Conversation” and “I’m So Free” are known to have been played during the Velvets’ run at Max’s Kansas City in the summer of 1970.

– Transformer was produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson, both of whom had been strongly influenced by Reed’s work with the Velvet Underground—Bowie had obliquely referenced the Velvet Underground in the cover notes for his Hunky Dory album and regularly performed both “White Light/White Heat” and “Waiting for the Man” in concerts and on the BBC during 1971-1973. Mick Ronson, who was at the time the lead guitarist with Bowie’s backing band, the Spiders, played a major role in the recording of the album, serving as the co-producer and primary session musician (contributing guitar, piano, recorder and backing vocals) and arranger, notably the lush string arrangement for “Perfect Day”.

– The songs on the LP are now among Reed’s best-known works, including “Walk on the Wild Side”, “Perfect Day” and “Satellite of Love”, and the album’s commercial success elevated him from cult status to become an international star in his own right.

– In 2002, a 30th anniversary edition of the album was released. In addition to demos of “Hangin’ Round” and “Perfect Day”, it includes a hidden track featuring an advert for the album.

– In 1997, Transformer was named the 44th greatest album of all time in a Music of the Millennium poll conducted in the United Kingdom by HMV Group, Channel 4, The Guardian and Classic FM. Transformer is also ranked number 55 on NME ‘s list of “Greatest Albums of All Time.” In 2003, the album was ranked number 194 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It is also on Q Magazine’s list of 100 Greatest Albums Ever.

– The song’s fame was given a boost in the 1990s when it was featured in the 1996 film Trainspotting, and after its release as a star-studded charity single in 1997.

– Reed re-recorded the song for his 2003 album The Raven.

– A cover recorded by Duran Duran reached #28 on the UK Singles Chart in 1995. Reed has been cited as an inspiration by several members of Duran Duran, and the album Thank You was intended to be a tribute to the band’s influences, in the style of David Bowie‘s Pin Ups.

– The song has a somber vocal delivery and slow, piano-based instrumental backing balancing tones of sweet nostalgia (“it’s such a perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you”) with an undercurrent of menace (“you’re gonna reap just what you sow”). The line alludes to Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” The song’s lyrics are often considered to suggest simple, conventional romantic devotion, possibly alluding to Reed’s relationship with Bettye Kronstadt (soon to become his first wife) and Reed’s own conflicts with his sexuality, drug use, and ego. Some commentators have further seen the lyrical subtext as displaying Reed’s romanticized attitude towards a period of his own addiction to heroin; this popular understanding of the song as an ode to addiction led to its inclusion in the soundtrack for Trainspotting, a film about the lives of heroin users.

–  Several other cover versions of “Perfect Day” have been recorded by various artists, most notably  Patti Smith for her 2007 EP Two More.

– Lou Reed sang the verses with Luciano Pavarotti singing the chorus during his Pavarotti and Friends benefit concert for Angola in 2002.

– Coldplay played an acoustic version at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2006 after Reed had asked them to backstage after he had finished his set but forgot to perform it himself (as Martin explained beforehand).

– Wolfmother played it at the Andy Warhol Up Late gig in 2008.

– The village of Blagdon performed a version in 2007.

– In 1997 the track was showcased by the BBC in a lengthy corporate promotion of its diverse music coverage which was broadcast on BBC channels and in cinemas. It featured Lou Reed himself and other major artists in what the Financial Times described as “an astonishing line-up of world class performers”. The film ends with the message “Whatever your musical taste, it is catered for by BBC Radio and Television. This is only possible thanks to the unique way the BBC is paid for by you. BBC. You make it what it is.” This message appears over the repeated words “You’re going to reap just what you sow” which The Guardian described as “a none too subtle message: keep writing the cheque.” In response to accusations from commercial competitors that the corporation had wasted vast sums on the film it was revealed that each artist received a “token” £250 because of their belief in the BBC. Prompted by a huge public demand the track was released in October as a charity single for Children in Need, and Lou Reed said “I have never been more impressed with a performance of one of my songs.” It was the UK’s #1 single for three weeks, in two separate spells. Selling over a million copies, the record contributed £2,125,000 to the charity’s highest fundraising total in six years. The release featured two additional versions of the song: one entirely sung by female performers, one by male performers. The BBC also produced a Christmas version of the accompanying music video. The 1997 BBC version includes the following musicians (in order of appearance, with brackets indicating a repeated artist): Lou Reed, Bono, Skye Edwards of Morcheeba, David Bowie, Suzanne Vega, Elton John, Boyzone, Lesley Garrett, Burning Spear, [Bono], Sir Thomas Allen, Brodsky Quartet, Heather Small from M People, Emmylou Harris, Tammy Wynette, Shane MacGowan, Sheona White (on tenor horn), Dr. John, [David Bowie], Robert Cray, Huey from Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Ian Broudie from The Lightning Seeds, Gabrielle, [Dr. John], Evan Dando from The Lemonheads, [Emmylou Harris], Courtney Pine (on soprano sax), The BBC Orchestra, Brett Anderson from Suede, Visual Ministry Choir, Joan Armatrading, Laurie Anderson, [Heather Small], Tom Jones, [Heather Small], [Lou Reed]. [I HAVE INCLUDED THIS VERSION IN VIDEO FORM BELOW]

– A BBC live television event in 2000, which consisted of music programs around the clock, ended in another round-robin performance of “Perfect Day”. Although watched by millions, the recording of the show that was released as a single was not a chart success, reaching only #69 in mid-June 2000.

WHERE I HEARD IT

An AT&T commercial featuring snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler that ran during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

LYRICS

Just a perfect day
drink Sangria in the park
And then later
when it gets dark, we go home

Just a perfect day
feed animals in the zoo
Then later
a movie, too, and then home

Oh, it’s such a perfect day
I’m glad I spend it with you
Oh, such a perfect day
You just keep me hanging on
You just keep me hanging on

Just a perfect day
problems all left alone
Weekenders on our own
it’s such fun

Just a perfect day
you made me forget myself
I thought I was
someone else, someone good

Oh, it’s such a perfect day
I’m glad I spent it with you
Oh, such a perfect day
You just keep me hanging on
You just keep me hanging on

You’re going to reap just what you sow
You’re going to reap just what you sow
You’re going to reap just what you sow
You’re going to reap just what you sow

VIDEO OF THE DAY

And here’s the music video for the 1997 BBC version: