Walk on the Wild Side
Encyclopedia
"Walk on the Wild Side" is a Lou Reed
song from his 1972 second solo album Transformer
. It was produced by David Bowie
. The song received wide radio coverage, despite its touching on taboo topics such as transsexuality, drugs, male prostitutes and oral sex
and the term "colored" to refer to African Americans. In the United States, RCA released an edited version of the song as a single which eliminated the song's reference to oral sex.
The lyrics tell of a series of individuals and their journeys to New York City
, and refers to several of the regular "superstars" at Andy Warhol's
New York studio, The Factory
, namely Holly Woodlawn
, Candy Darling
, Joe Dallesandro
, Jackie Curtis
and Joe Campbell (referred to in the song by his nickname Sugar Plum Fairy). Candy Darling was also the subject of Reed's earlier song for The Velvet Underground
, "Candy Says".
The saxophone
solo played over the fadeout of the song was performed by Ronnie Ross
, who had previously taught David Bowie to play the saxophone during Bowie's childhood.
The backing vocals were sung by Thunderthighs
, a girl group that included founder Dari Lallou, Karen Friedman, Jacki Campbell and Casey Synge.
The song is also noted for its twin interlocking bass lines played by Herbie Flowers
on double-bass and overdubbed fretless bass guitar
. In an interview on BBC Radio 4 (Playing Second Fiddle, aired July 2005) Herbie Flowers claimed that the reason he came up with the twin bass line was that, as a session musician he would be paid double for playing two instruments on the same track.
Like many of Reed's songs, the chord progression mostly consists of a Plagal cadence, in this case F to C.
In the 2001 documentary Classic Albums: Lou Reed: Transformer, Reed says that it was Nelson Algren
's 1956 novel, A Walk on the Wild Side, that was the launching off point for the song, even though the song grew to be inhabited by characters from his own life. As with several other Reed songs from the 1970s, the title may also be an allusion to an earlier song, in this case Mack David
and Elmer Bernstein
's song of the same name, the Academy Award-nominated title song of the 1962 film
based on Algren's novel. During his performance of the song on his 1978 Live: Take No Prisoners
album, Reed humorously explains the song's development from a request that he write the music for the never completed musical version of Algren's novel.
The 2006 Isle of Wight Festival, at which Lou Reed performed, used the slogan "Take a walk on the Wight Side," although Lou Reed did not actually perform the song.
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
song from his 1972 second solo album Transformer
Transformer (album)
Transformer is the second studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released in November 1972.-Background:Unlike its predecessor, Lou Reed, eight songs of which were written during his Velvet Underground days, Transformer contains mainly new material...
. It was produced by David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
. The song received wide radio coverage, despite its touching on taboo topics such as transsexuality, drugs, male prostitutes and oral sex
Oral sex
Oral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus...
and the term "colored" to refer to African Americans. In the United States, RCA released an edited version of the song as a single which eliminated the song's reference to oral sex.
The lyrics tell of a series of individuals and their journeys to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and refers to several of the regular "superstars" at Andy Warhol's
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
New York studio, The Factory
The Factory
The Factory was Andy Warhol's original New York City studio from 1962 to 1968, although his later studios were known as The Factory as well. The Factory was located on the fifth floor at 231 East 47th Street, in Midtown Manhattan. The rent was "only about one hundred dollars a year"...
, namely Holly Woodlawn
Holly Woodlawn
Holly Woodlawn is a Puerto Rican-born transgendered actress and former Warhol superstar, who appeared in his movies Trash and Women in Revolt .-Early life:...
, Candy Darling
Candy Darling
Candy Darling was an American actress, best known as a Warhol Superstar. A male-to-female transsexual, she starred in Andy Warhol's films Flesh and Women in Revolt , and was a muse of the protopunk band The Velvet Underground.-Early life:Candy Darling was born James Lawrence Slattery in Forest...
, Joe Dallesandro
Joe Dallesandro
Joseph Angelo D'Allesandro , better known as Joe Dallesandro, is an American actor, and Warhol superstar. Although he never became a mainstream film star, Dallesandro is generally considered to be the most famous male sex symbol of American underground films of the 20th century, as well as a sex...
, Jackie Curtis
Jackie Curtis
John Curtis Holder, Jr. , better known as Jackie Curtis, was an actor, writer, singer and Warhol Superstar.-Early life and career:...
and Joe Campbell (referred to in the song by his nickname Sugar Plum Fairy). Candy Darling was also the subject of Reed's earlier song for The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
, "Candy Says".
The saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
solo played over the fadeout of the song was performed by Ronnie Ross
Ronnie Ross
Albert Ronald "Ronnie" Ross was a jazz baritone saxophonist.Ross moved to England in 1946 and began playing tenor saxophone in the 1950s with Tony Kinsey, Ted Heath, and Don Rendell. During his tenure with Rendell he switched to baritone saxophone...
, who had previously taught David Bowie to play the saxophone during Bowie's childhood.
The backing vocals were sung by Thunderthighs
Thunderthighs
Thunderthighs were a high-profile UK backing vocal group, who quickly became artists in their own right.-Career:The female trio, consisting of Karen Friedman, Dari Lalou and Casey Synge, provided the backing vocals to Lou Reed's hit single, "Walk on the Wild Side"...
, a girl group that included founder Dari Lallou, Karen Friedman, Jacki Campbell and Casey Synge.
The song is also noted for its twin interlocking bass lines played by Herbie Flowers
Herbie Flowers
Herbie Flowers is an English musician specialising in bass guitar, double-bass and tuba. He is noted as a member of Blue Mink, T...
on double-bass and overdubbed fretless bass guitar
Fretless guitar
A fretless guitar is a guitar without frets. It operates in the same manner as most other stringed instruments and traditional guitars, but does not have any frets to act as the lower end point of the vibrating string...
. In an interview on BBC Radio 4 (Playing Second Fiddle, aired July 2005) Herbie Flowers claimed that the reason he came up with the twin bass line was that, as a session musician he would be paid double for playing two instruments on the same track.
Like many of Reed's songs, the chord progression mostly consists of a Plagal cadence, in this case F to C.
In the 2001 documentary Classic Albums: Lou Reed: Transformer, Reed says that it was Nelson Algren
Nelson Algren
Nelson Algren was an American writer.-Early life:Algren was born Nelson Ahlgren Abraham in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Goldie and Gerson Abraham. At the age of three he moved with his parents to Chicago, Illinois where they lived in a working-class, immigrant neighborhood on the South Side...
's 1956 novel, A Walk on the Wild Side, that was the launching off point for the song, even though the song grew to be inhabited by characters from his own life. As with several other Reed songs from the 1970s, the title may also be an allusion to an earlier song, in this case Mack David
Mack David
Mack David was an American lyricist and songwriter, best known for his work in film and television, with a career spanning from the early 1940s through the early 1970s. Mack was credited with writing lyrics and/or music for over one thousand songs...
and Elmer Bernstein
Elmer Bernstein
Elmer Bernstein was an American composer and conductor best known for his many film scores. In a career which spanned fifty years, he composed music for hundreds of film and television productions...
's song of the same name, the Academy Award-nominated title song of the 1962 film
Walk on the Wild Side (film)
Walk on the Wild Side is a 1962 film directed by Edward Dmytryk, adapted from the 1956 novel A Walk on the Wild Side by Nelson Algren. The film had a star-studded cast, including Laurence Harvey, Capucine, Jane Fonda , Anne Baxter, and Barbara Stanwyck, and was scripted by John Fante. Nonetheless,...
based on Algren's novel. During his performance of the song on his 1978 Live: Take No Prisoners
Live: Take No Prisoners
Live: Take No Prisoners is Lou Reed's third live album. Released in 1978, it was Reed's contribution to the double live album era. It was recorded at the Bottom Line in New York, and there is no overdubbing...
album, Reed humorously explains the song's development from a request that he write the music for the never completed musical version of Algren's novel.
The 2006 Isle of Wight Festival, at which Lou Reed performed, used the slogan "Take a walk on the Wight Side," although Lou Reed did not actually perform the song.
Covers, samples and media references
Covers
- This song was covered by Company BCompany B (band)Company B was a Latin freestyle dance-pop/Hi-NRG trio formed in 1986 by Cuban-American producer Ish "Angel" Ledesma , featuring members Lori L. , Charlotte McKinnon and Susan Johnson. Before the groups self titled Album was released, Charlotte McKinnon left and was replaced by Lezlee Livrano...
, on their album "Jam on Me." - In February 1990, two club/hiphop versions charted simultaneously in the UK - Jamie J. Morgan's cover produced by Richard MazdaRichard MazdaRichard Mazda is a record producer, writer and musician. In later life he also became an actor and director.-Music career:Mazda was one of the co-founders of Poole punk/mod band Tours, singing and playing lead guitar. They signed to Virgin Records in 1979 after selling large quantities of their...
reached #27, whilst Beat System got to #63. - In 1985, 79-year old veteran German actress Gerty Molzen recorded her own version of the song, cleaning up some of the lyrics in the process. She performed it on the David LettermanDavid LettermanDavid Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
show in the US and on Gay ByrneGay ByrneGabriel Mary "Gay" Byrne is a veteran Irish presenter of radio and television. His most notable role was first host of The Late Late Show over a 37-year period spanning 1962 until 1999...
's Late Late Show in Ireland. - Echo & the BunnymenEcho & the BunnymenEcho & the Bunnymen are an English post-punk band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson, supplemented by a drum machine. By 1980, Pete de Freitas had joined as the band's drummer, and their debut...
usually merge this in concert with Nothing Lasts ForeverNothing Lasts Forever (Echo & the Bunnymen song)"Nothing Lasts Forever" is a single by Echo & the Bunnymen which was released in 1997. It was the first single released after Ian McCulloch, Will Sergeant and Les Pattinson reformed the band. It was also the first single to be released from their 1997 album, Evergreen. It reached number 8 on the...
. - A 2005 song by artist RX featured George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
"singing" a mixture of John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
's "ImagineImagine (song)"Imagine" is a song written and performed by the English musician John Lennon. It is the opening track on his album Imagine, released in 1971...
" and the chorus from "Walk on the Wild Side". - Irish/Australian comedian JimeoinJimeoinJimeoin McKeown, who performs under the name Jimeoin , is a stand-up comedian and actor from Northern Ireland. He came to public attention between 2005 and 2008 while performing an "over the top" comedy tour Australia's outback and major cities, which was filmed for the BBC Northern Ireland...
covered the song in 1993 on his music/comedy CD, Goin' Off. The song featured the line "You should have seen them go go go, I said G-O-G-G-O, take a walk on the wildside" as a reference to the popular Yellow Pages ad on TV at the time. - The StrokesThe StrokesThe Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
and Robbie WilliamsRobbie WilliamsRobert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
played the full song or a snippet during their last tours. - The band SpongeSponge (band)Sponge is a post-grunge band from Detroit, Michigan formed in 1991 by Vinnie Dombroski, Mike Cross, Tim Cross and Joey Mazzola. Sponge was signed to Sony Records in 1994 but have since switched to other labels....
has been known to break into the song in the middle of playing their hit "Have You Seen Mary?" in live performances. - The RentalsThe RentalsThe Rentals are an American rock band fronted by vocalist Matt Sharp, best known as the former bass player for rock group Weezer. The band is best known for their mid-1990s hit single, "Friends of P.". The group has released two albums, Return of the Rentals and Seven More Minutes on Maverick...
also play it live before transitioning into their hit "Friends of P". - TrainTrain (band)Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....
sings this song for the Bay Area'sSan Francisco Bay AreaThe San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
local station KFOGKFOGKFOG is an FM radio station in San Francisco, California, broadcasting on 104.5 and sister station KFFG 97.7 FM MHz. The 97.7 transmitter is located near Cupertino, California, and it is a simulcast of 104.5 KFOG....
, on a CD called Live From The Archives: Vol. 11, as a part of the KFOG Kaboom Medley. - A short part of the song was often used by BonoBonoPaul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
during performances of BadBad (U2 song)"Bad" is a song by rock band U2 and the seventh track from their 1984 album, The Unforgettable Fire. A song about heroin addiction, it is considered a fan favourite, and is one of U2's most frequently performed songs in concert....
in the mid eighties. Most notably performed at Live AidLive AidLive Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. - At a charity event, Lou Reed played this song with comedians Conan O'BrienConan O'BrienConan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
, Jimmy FallonJimmy FallonJames Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
, Adam SandlerAdam SandlerAdam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
, and Jack BlackJack BlackJack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
. Each person took on one verse of the song. - Vanessa ParadisVanessa ParadisVanessa Chantal Paradis is a French singer, model and actress. She became a child star at 14 with the worldwide success of her single "Joe le taxi"...
covered the song in her album Variations sur le même t'aimeVariations sur le même t'aimeVariations sur le même t'aime is the second album by popular French singer Vanessa Paradis. It was released in France in 1990, and contains the hit singles "Tandem" and "Dis-lui toi que je t'aime".-Background and writing:...
. - Jesse MalinJesse MalinJesse Malin is a rock musician. He has played with Heart Attack and D Generation. He is currently a solo recording artist.-Biography:...
covered it on On Your SleeveOn Your SleeveOn Your Sleeve is Jesse Malin's fourth studio album. It consists entirely of covers of other artists' songs. The album was first released in the UK on April 7, 2008...
, a cover album released in 2008. - Young@HeartYoung@HeartYoung@Heart is an entertainment group created by and for the elderly, comprised at present of people at least 70 years of age. Some have prior professional theater or music experience, others have performed at amateur level, and some have no experience whatsoever...
, an entertainment group created by and for the elderly, composed of people at least 70 years of age, perform this song in concert. - MobyMobyRichard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
includes the song in his concerts. During Exit Festival 2009, he referred to it as "his favourite song about New York." - EditorsEditorsEditors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...
covered this song on 2007. Cover can be found on album Rhythms del Mundo ClassicsRhythms del Mundo ClassicsRhythms del Mundo Classics is the follow-up album to the internationally successful album Rhythms del Mundo, featuring artists like The Killers, Amy Winehouse, Keane, Jack Johnson, The Rolling Stones, KT Tunstall and Rodrigo y Gabriela.-Charity:...
. - Australian band Yves Klein BlueYves Klein BlueYves Klein Blue was an Australian indie/rock band from Brisbane. The band are signed to Brisbane record label Dew Process, under which they re-released their debut EP Yves Klein Blue Draw Attention to Themselves...
covered the song on the radio segment 'Like a Version' on Triple JTriple Jtriple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
in 2010 - Trumpeter Rick BraunRick BraunRick Braun is a smooth jazz trumpet player.Before embarking on a solo career, Braun got his start by playing in several bands, including guitarist Jeff Golub's Avenue Blue...
covered the song from 2005 album "Yours Truly." - The German group Tok Tok TokTok tok tok-Awards:German Jazz Award for "it took so long" French Grand Prix SACEM for "about" German Jazz Award for "about" German Jazz Award for "i wish" best of 99/00...
covers this song in their album "I wish" in 2005. - The French group Pink Turtle gives this song a Jazz AgeJazz AgeThe Jazz Age was a movement that took place during the 1920s or the Roaring Twenties from which jazz music and dance emerged. The movement came about with the introduction of mainstream radio and the end of the war. This era ended in the 1930s with the beginning of The Great Depression but has...
twist in their album "Reprise! When jazz meets pop #3" (2007).
Samples
- Hip-hop group A Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
sampled the song in "Can I Kick It?Can I Kick It?"Can I Kick It?" was the third single from A Tribe Called Quest's debut album People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. It contains samples of "Walk on the Wild Side" by Lou Reed, "What a Waste" by Ian Dury, "Spinning Wheel" by Dr. Lonnie Smith and "Dance of the Knights" by Sergei...
", on their 1990 debut People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of RhythmPeople's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of RhythmPeople's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm is the debut album by the alternative hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released April 17, 1990 on Jive Records. Though the album was well-received critically, it had little mainstream appeal. The album did earn the band a devoted following,...
. The song "Can I Kick It?" was later sampled by rapper Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
for the track 22 Two's on his debut album Reasonable DoubtReasonable DoubtReasonable Doubt is the debut album of American rapper Jay-Z, released June 25, 1996 on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States and on Northwestside Records in the United Kingdom. The album features production by DJ Premier, Ski, Knobody and Clark Kent, and guest appearances from Memphis Bleek,...
. Rhode IslandRhode IslandThe state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
hip-hop artist Sage FrancisSage FrancisPaul "Sage" Francis is a hip-hop artist from Providence, Rhode Island.-Biography:Born Paul Francis in Miami, Florida, Sage Francis is a rapper/writer/performer from Providence, Rhode Island. He is the founder and CEO of the independent hip-hop record label Strange Famous Records...
also sampled the song with his own version of "Can I Kick It?," as has Swedish singer Lykke LiLykke LiLi Lykke Timotej Zachrisson , better known by her stage name Lykke Li , is a Swedish singer-songwriter. Her music often blends elements of pop, indie rock and electronic; various instruments can also be found in her songs, including violins, synthesizers, tambourines, trumpets, saxophones and cellos...
. - Marky Mark and the Funky BunchMarky Mark and the Funky BunchMarky Mark and the Funky Bunch was a hip-hop group led by Mark Wahlberg. The Funky Bunch consisted of Wahlberg , Scott Ross , Hector Barros , Terry Yancey and Anthony Thomas...
also sampled the song in "Wildside" in 1991. - Grateful DeadGrateful DeadThe Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
guitarist Jerry GarciaJerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
wrote the music for Robert HunterRobert Hunter (lyricist)Robert C. Hunter is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.-Biography:He was born Robert Burns in San Luis Obispo, California...
's composition Franklin's Tower using the "do-doo-doo" chorus as his jumping off point. - Coyote ShiversCoyote ShiversFrancis Coyote Shivers is a musician and actor.-Music and acting:Shivers produced the first single for the band Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. The B-side to that single, "Having an Average Weekend", became the theme to the television show The Kids in the Hall...
sings "& the colored girls sing doo doo doo..." in his song "Secretly Jealous" in 1999. - Primitive Radio GodsPrimitive Radio GodsPrimitive Radio Gods are an American alternative rock band from Southern California. Current members consist of frontman Chris O'Connor, who performs vocals and bass; percussionist Tim Lauterio; and Luke McAuliffe, who contributes various additional instrumentation as well as much of the art that...
use the "doo doo doo..." refrain as well as a modified sample of the song's signature bass chord in their song "Standing Outside A Broken Phonebooth With Money In My Hand".
Media Appearances
- In a scene from the film Hedwig and the Angry InchHedwig and the Angry Inch (film)Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a 2001 American musical comedy-drama film based on the stage musical of the same title about a fictional rock band fronted by an East German transgender singer. The film was adapted and directed by John Cameron Mitchell, who also portrayed the title role...
Hedwig starts singing it while in an oven. - This song is usually the opening to Danny MastersonDanny MastersonDaniel Peter "Danny" Masterson is an American actor and DJ best known for his role as Steven Hyde in That '70s Show.-Early life:...
's LA radio show, "Feel My Heat". - Natalie PortmanNatalie PortmanNatalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
sings the line "And the colored girls go Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo" in the film Beautiful Girls. - In the television show MediumMedium (TV series)Medium is an American television drama series that premiered on NBC on January 3, 2005, and ended on CBS on January 21, 2011. Themed on supernatural gifts, its lead character, Allison DuBois , is a medium employed as a consultant for the Phoenix, Arizona district attorney's office...
, the episode "Lady Killer" featured the tune of "Walk on the Wild side" (with no lyrics) during Patricia Arquette'sPatricia ArquettePatricia T. Arquette is an American actress and director. She played the lead character in the supernatural drama series Medium for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series....
character's dreams about a woman seducing men, and perhaps gave a clue to who the actual killer was. - The bassline of this song is used in the GatoradeGatoradeGatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
G2 commercial. - In the movie Guess WhoGuess Who (film)Guess Who is a 2005 American comedy film about race relations directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan. It is a loose remake of the 1967 film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, in the form of a romantic comedy...
this song is playing on the radio while Bernie MacBernie MacBernard Jeffrey McCullough , better known by his stage name, Bernie Mac, was an American actor and comedian. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L...
and Ashton KutcherAshton KutcherChristopher Ashton Kutcher , best known as Ashton Kutcher, is an American actor, producer, former fashion model and comedian, best known for his portrayal of Michael Kelso in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show...
are driving in the car. - In the film The Salton SeaThe Salton SeaThe Salton Sea is a 2002 American neo-noir film starring Val Kilmer and Vincent D'Onofrio directed by D. J. Caruso.-Plot:While playing the trumpet in a burning room, the protagonist's voice is heard in narration. His story begins with him posing as "Danny Parker", a speed freak addicted to...
an old man with a tracheotomy sings the song on a karaoke machine in a bar.