A new Lou Reed album featuring never-before-heard material and early demos is being released. Words & Music, May 1965 will come out on August 26 as part of the reissue label Light in the Attic‘s new archival series in partnership with Laurie Anderson. The album features songs written by a young Reed and recorded to tape by his future Velvet Underground bandmate John Cale. Reed mailed the tape to himself as a “poor man’s copyright,” and the envelope remained unopened for nearly 50 years. Listen to the 1965 demo of ‘I’m Waiting for the Man’ below.
In addition to ‘I’m Waiting for the Man’, Words & Music, May 1965 includes the earliest known recordings of ‘Heroin’ and ‘Pale Blue Eyes’. It will be available as a deluxe-edition LP, a regular LP, CD, cassette, as well as digitally, and features liner notes from Greil Marcus and archival notes from Don Fleming and Jason Stern. On the same day as the album’s release, a podcast hosted by TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe will premiere.
Words & Music, May 1965 Tracklist:
1. I’m Waiting for the Man (May 1965 Demo)
2. Men of Good Fortune (May 1965 Demo)
3. Heroin (May 1965 Demo)
4. Too Late (May 1965 Demo)
5. Buttercup Song (May 1965 Demo)
6. Walk Alone (May 1965 Demo)
7. Buzz Buzz Buzz (May 1965 Demo)
8. Pale Blue Eyes (May 1965 Demo)
9. Stockpile (May 1965 Demo)
10. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (May 1965 Demo)
11. I’m Waiting for the Man (May 1965 Alternate Version)
12. Gee Whiz (1958 Rehearsal)
13. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (1963/64 Home Recording)
14. Michael, Row The Boat Ashore (1963/64 Home Recording)
15. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (Partial) (1963/64 Home Recording)
16. W & X, Y, Z Blues (1963/64 Home Recording)
17. Lou’s 12-Bar Instrumental (1963/64 Home Recording)
