Sister Ray

Lou Reed · Other Songs - Lou Reed

Duck and sally inside

They took her forty down five

Who's laying in the graveyard

She's licking up her pig pen

Oh, you shouldn't do that

Don't you know you'll stain the carpet

Oh man, don't you know you'll stain the carpet

Ain't that just like sister ray said

I'm searching for my mainline

Oh babe, I couldn't hit it sideways

Yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah, I couldn't hit it, hit it sideways

Then i, woh-oh, not that just like sister ray said



Now rosie's got a new piece

She cocks and shoots it bang between three and four

Oh, she aims it at the sailor

Shoots her down dead on the floor

You shouldn't do that

Now don't you know you'll stain the carpet

No baby, don't you know you'll stain the carpet

And by the way you got a dollar



I'm searching for my mainline

'cause, baby-baby, hit it, oh, sideways

Hey baby now, I couldn't hit it sideways

Now ....

Oh baby, it's like sister ray said

Give it to me, babe



Who is that knocking

Who's knocking on my chamber door

Could it be the police

They come and take me for a ride

I haven't got the time-time

She's, ah baby, sucking on my ding-dong

She's sucking on my ding-dong

Oh, just like sister ray said



But I'm searching for my mainline

I couldn't hit it, oh, side, oh, sideways

I said I couldn't, I couldn't

I couldn't hit it sideways

Just like

Baby, just like that

Baby, just like now

'cause just like sister ray

About Sister Ray

Lou Reed's "Sister Ray" stands as a defining masterpiece of the 1972 album *Transformer*, showcasing his ability to blend rock with avant-garde experimentation. The track features a distinctive, looping guitar riff that builds into a chaotic, psychedelic crescendo, reflecting the band's exploration of sound as an end in itself rather than mere accompaniment. Recorded during a period when Reed was pushing the boundaries of the electric guitar, the song captures a frenetic energy that anticipates the noise rock movement of the 1980s. Its structure, characterized by abrupt shifts in tempo and volume, creates a hypnotic and unsettling atmosphere that remains a staple of progressive and experimental rock. The recording exemplifies Reed's commitment to capturing the raw, unfiltered intensity of live performance, cementing his legacy as a visionary figure in American music history.