The Blue Mask

Lou Reed The Blue Mask Lyrics
1.My House

The image of the poet's in the breeze
Canadian geese are flying above the trees
A mist is hanging gently on the lake
My house is very beautiful at night

My friend and teacher occupies a spare room
He's dead, at peace at last the wandering jew
Other friends had put stones on his grave
He was the first great man that i had ever met

Sylvia and i got out our ouija board
To dial a spirit, across the room it soared
We were happy and amazed at what we saw
Blazing stood the proud and regal name delmore

Delmore, i missed all your funny ways
I missed your jokes and the brilliant things you said
My dedalus to your bloom, was such a perfect wit
And to find you in my house makes things perfect

I really got a lucky life
My writing, my motorcycle and my wife
And to top it all off a spirit of pure poetry
Is living in this stone and wood house with me

The image of the poet's in the breeze
Canadian geese are flying above the trees
A mist is hanging gently on the lake
Our house is very beautiful at night

Our house is very beautiful at night
Our house is very beautiful at night
Our house is very beautiful at night


2.Women

I love women, i think they're great
They're a solace to the world in a terrible state
They're a blessing to the eyes, a balm to soul
What a nightmare to have no women in the world

I love women
I love women
I love women
We all love women

I used to look at women in the magazines
I know that it was sexist, but i was in my teens
I was very bitter, all my sex was on the sly
I couldn't keep my hands off women, and i won't till i die

I love women
Ah, i love women
We love women
We all love women

A woman's love can lift you up, and women can inspire
I feel like buying flowers and hiring a celestial choir
A choir of castratis to serenade my love
They'd sing a little bach for us and then we'd make love

I love women
I love women
We all love women
We love women


3.Underneath The Bottle

Ooohhh-wheee, look at me
Looking for some sympathy
It's the same old story -
- of a man and his search for glory
And he found it, there underneath the bottle

Things are never good, things go from bad to weird
Hey gimme another scotch with my beer
I'm sad to say -
- i feel the same today as i always do
Gimme a drink to relax me

Ooohhh-wheee, liquor set free
I can't do no work, the shake's inside me
Ahhh, shucks
I got the lousiest luck, i'm sick of this
Underneath the bottle

Seven days make a week, on two of them i sleep
I can't remember what the heck i was doing
I got bruise on my leg -
- from i can't remember when
I fell down some stairs, i was lyin' underneath the bottle

Ooohhh0wheee, son of a b.
You get so down, you can't get any lower
So long world, you play too rough
And it's getting me all mixed up
I lost my pride and it's hiddin' there underneath the bottle


4.The Gun

The man has a gun
He knows how to use it
Nine millimeter browning
Let's see what he can do
He'll point at your mouth
Say that he'll blow your brains out
Don't you mess with me
Carrying a gun
Carrying a gun
Carrying a gun
Don't you mess with me
Carrying a gun
Carrying a gun
Carrying a gun
Don't mess with me
Ooohhh, carrying a gun
Get over there
Move slowly
I'll put a hole in your face
If you even breathe a word
Tell the lady to lie down
I want, ah, you to be sure to see this
I wouldn't want you to miss a second
Watch your wife
Carrying a gun
Shooting with a gun
Dirty animal

Carrying a gun
Carrying a gun
Watch you face
Carrying a gun
Carrying a gun
Carrying a gun
The animal dies with fear in his eyes
With a gun
Don't touch him, don't touch him
Stay away from him, he's got a gun


5.The Blue Mask

They tied his arms behind his back
To teach him how to swim
They put blood in his coffee
And milk in his gin
They stood over the soldier
In the midst of the squalor
There was war in his body
And it caused his brain to holler

Make the sacrifice
Mutilate my face
If you need someone to kill
I'm a man without a will
Wash the razor in the rain
Let me luxuriate in pain
Please don't set me free
Death means a lot to me

The pain was lean and it made him scream
He knew he was alive
He put a pin through the nipples on his chest
He thought he was a saint
I've made love to my mother, killed my father and brother
What am i to do
When a sin goes too far, it's like a runaway car
It cannot be controlled

Spit upon his face and scream
There's no oedipus today
This is no play you're thinking you are in
What will you say
Take the blue mask down from my face
And look me in the eye
I get a thrill from punishment
I've always been that way

I loathe and despise repentance
You are permanently stained
Your weakness buys indifference
And indiscretion in the streets
Dirty's what you are and clean is what you're not
You deserve to be soundly beat

Make the sacrifice
Take it all the way
There's no 'won't' high enough
To stop this desperate day
Don't take death away
Cut the finger at the joint
Cut the stallion at his mount
And stuff it in his mouth


6.Average Guy

I ain't no christian or no born again saint
I ain't no cowboy or marxist d.a.
I ain't no criminal or reverend cripple from the right
I am just your average guy, trying to do what's right

I'm just your average guy
An average guy
I am just your average guy
I'm just an average guy

Average guy, i'm just your average guy
I'm average looking and i'm average inside
I'm an average lover and i live in an average place
You wouldn't know me if you met me face to face

I'm just your average guy
Average guy
Average guy
I'm just an average guy

I worry about money and taxes and such
I worry that my liver's big and it hurts to the touch
I worry about my health and bowels
And the crime waves in the street
I'm really just your average guy
Trying to stand on his own two feet

I'm just your average guy
I'm just your average guy
I'm just your average guy
Average guy

Average looks, average taste
Average height, an average waist
Average in everything i do
My temperature is 98.2

I'm just your average guy
An average guy
Average guy
I'm just an average guy
Average guy
I'm just your average guy
I'm just your average guy
I'm just your average guy
Average


7.The Heroine

The heroine stood up on the deck
The ship was out of control
The bow was being ripped to shreds
Men were fighting down below
The sea had pummeled the boat for so long
That they knew nothing but fear

And the baby's in the box
He thinks the door is locked
The sea is in a state
The baby learns to wait for the heroine
Ohh, ohh, for the heroine
Locked in his defense, he waits for the heroine

The mast is cracking as he waves are slapping
Sailors roll across the deck
And when they thought none was looking
They would cut a weaker man's neck
While the heroine dressed in a virgin white dress
Tried to steer the mighty ship
But the raging storm wouldn't hear of it
They were in for a long trip

Baby's in the box
He thinks the door is locked
He finds it hard to breathe
Drawing in the sea
And where's the heroine to fire off the gun
To calm the raging seas
And let herself be seized, by the -

- baby in the box
The thinks the door is locked
The woman has the keys
But there is no moment she can seize
Here's to the heroine
Who transcends all the men
Who are locked inside the box
Will the lady let them out
Ohh, the heroine, ooohh, ooohhh, the heroine
Strapped to the mast, the pale ascendant heroine
Strapped to the mast, the pale ascendant heroine


8.Waves Of Fear

Waves of fear, attack in the night
Waves if revulsion, sickening sights
My heart's nearly bursting, my chest's choking tight

Waves of fear, waves of fear

Waves of fear, squat on the floor
Looking for some pill, the liquor is gone
Blood trips from my nose, i can barely breathe
Waves of fear, i'm too scared to leave

Waves of fear, waves of fear
Waves of fear, waves of fear

I'm too afraid to use the phone
I'm too afraid to put the light on
I'm so afraid i've lost control
I'm suffocating without a word

Crazy with sweat, spittle on my jaw
What's that funny noise, what's that on the floor
Waves of fear, pulsing with death
I curse my tremors, i jump at my own step
I cringe at my terror, i hate my own smell
I know where i must be, i must be in hell

Waves of fear, waves of fear
Waves of fear, waves of fear


9.The Day John Kennedy Died

I dreamed i was the president of these united states
I dreamed i replaced ignorance, stupidity and hate
I dreamed the perfect union and a perfect law, undenied
And most of all i dreamed i forgot the day john kennedy died

I dreamed that i could do the job that others hadn't done
I dreamed that i was uncorrupt and fair to everyone
I dreamed i wasn't gross or base, a criminal on the take
And most of all i dreamed i forgot the day john kennedy died

Oh, the day john kennedy died
Oh, the day john kennedy died

I remember where i was that day, i was upstate in a bar
The team from the university was playing football on tv
Then the screen want dead and the announcer said,
'there's been a tragedy
There's are unconfirmed reports the president's been shot
And he may be dead or dying.'

Talking stopped, someone shouted, 'what!?'
I ran out to the street
People were gathered everywhere saying,
Did you hear what they said on tv
And then a guy in a porsche with his radio hit his born
And told us the news
He said, 'the president's dead, he was shot twice in the head
In dallas, and they don't know by whom.'

I dreamed i was the president of these united states
I dreamed i was young and smart and it was not a waste
I dreamed that there was a point to life and to the human race
I dreamed that i could somehow comprehend that someone
Shot him in the face

Oh, the day john kennedy died
Oh, the day john kennedy died
Oh, the day john kennedy died
Oh, the day john kennedy died


10.Heavenly Arms

Heavenly arms reach out to hold me
Heavenly arms entice you to dance
In a world of ill will, the dancers are still
Heavenly arms reach out to me

Heavenly arms soft as a love song
Heavenly arms bring a kiss to your ear
In a world that seems mad, all the dancers seem sad
Heavenly arms reach out to me

Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia

Heavenly arms come to my rescue
Only a woman can love a man
In a world full of hate, love should never wait
Heavenly arms reach out to me

Heavenly arms strong as a sunset
Heavenly arms pure as the rain
Lovers stand warned of the world's impending storm
Heavenly arms reach out to me

Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia

Ohhh-wohhh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Ooohhh-ooohhh-ooohhh-ooohhh-ooohhh, oh-woh-woh
Ooohhh-ooohhh-ooohhh-ooohhh, ohh-woh-woh
(heavenly arms reach out to hold me)
(sylvia, you mean so much to me)
(heavenly arms reach out to hold me)
(sylvia, you mean so much to me)
(heavenly arms reach out to hold me)
(sylvia, you mean so much to me)
(heavenly arms reach out to hold me)