The title song of Lou Reed’s fourth solo studio album “Sally Can’t Dance, describes the morning after a long night of heavy partying. It’s a cruel look at a fading star, a wasted beauty.
Some conjure that is was written about The Velvet Underground chanteuse Nico or former Warhol-Sidekick Edie Sedg...
[Verse 1]
Sally dances on the floor
She says that she can't do it anymore
She walks down St. Marks Place
And eats natural food at my place
[Chorus]
Now Sally can't dance no more
She can't get off of the floor
Sally can't dance no more
They found her in the trunk of a Ford
Ooh, she can't dance no more
[Verse 2]
Sally is losing her face
She lives on St. Marks Place
In a rent-controlled apartment, eighty dollars a month
She has lots of fun, she has lots of fun, but
[Chorus]
Sally can't dance no more, ooh
Sally can't dance no more
She took too much meth and can't get off o the floor
Now Sally, she can't dance no more
[Bridge]
She was the first girl in the neighborhood
To wear tied-dyed pants, ah, like she should
She was the first girl that I ever seen
That had flowers painted on her jeans
She was the first girl in her neighborhood
Who got raped on Tompkins Square, real good
Now she wears a sword, like Napoleon
And she kills the boys and acts like a son
[Chorus]
Sally can't dance no more, ooh now
Sally can't dance no more
She can't get herself off the floor, huh
Sally, ooh, she can't dance no more
Watch this, now
[Verse 3]
Sally became a big model
She moved up to Eightieth and Park
She had a studio apartment
And that's where she used to ball folk singers
And that's where she used to ball folk singerss, but
[Chorus]
Sally, she can't dance no more
Sally, she can't dance no more
Sally can't get herself off of the floor
Now, Sally, she can't dance no more
(Sally can't dance)
(Sally can't dance)
[Verse 4]
She knew all the really right people
She went to Le Jardin
She danced with Picasso's illegitimate mistress
And wore Kenneth Lane jewels, really it's trash, but
[Chorus]
Sally can't dance no more, woo
Sally can't dance no more
She can't get herself off of the floor
Now, Sally, ooh, she can't dance no more, more
Dance, no more can't
[Outro]
(Sally can't dance, Sally can't dance)
(Sally can't dance, Sally can't dance)
(Sally can't dance, Sally can't dance)
(Sally can't dance, Sally can't dance)
Sally Can’t Dance was written by Lou Reed.
Sally Can’t Dance was produced by Lou Reed & Steve Katz.
Lou Reed released Sally Can’t Dance on Thu Aug 01 1974.