Magic and Loss
Encyclopedia
Magic and Loss is a concept album
by Lou Reed
, released in 1992. It was his sixteenth album. It was inspired in part by the illnesses and eventual deaths of two close friends: songwriter Doc Pomus
, who gave Reed his start in the music business some 25 years earlier, and 'Rita.' Some in the music community have assumed this to be Rotten Rita
, who along with Reed was a familiar figure at Andy Warhol
's Factory in the mid-to-late '60s. Photos of Pomus and a woman's face of who can be assumed again as 'Rita' can be seen at the center of the lyric booklet included with the CD release.
A live performance filmed on March 18, 1992 at Pinewood studios in London was released on VHS
and LD
.
"What's Good" was Reed's second #1 hit (after "Dirty Blvd.
") on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
chart, occupying the top spot for three weeks.
Jazz singer Little Jimmy Scott
performs the backing vocal on track 3, "Power and Glory".
unless otherwise stated.
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
by Lou Reed
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...
, released in 1992. It was his sixteenth album. It was inspired in part by the illnesses and eventual deaths of two close friends: songwriter Doc Pomus
Doc Pomus
Jerome Solon Felder, better known as Doc Pomus , was a twentieth-century American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lyricist of many rock and roll hits. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the category of non-performer in 1992. He was also inducted into...
, who gave Reed his start in the music business some 25 years earlier, and 'Rita.' Some in the music community have assumed this to be Rotten Rita
Rotten Rita
Rotten Rita , was an influential denizen of Andy Warhol's The Factory and was sometimes referred to as "The Mayor" there. Although he worked by day in a fabric store, he spent many nights at the Factory bringing his unique influences to encourage others to become artists...
, who along with Reed was a familiar figure at Andy Warhol
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...
's Factory in the mid-to-late '60s. Photos of Pomus and a woman's face of who can be assumed again as 'Rita' can be seen at the center of the lyric booklet included with the CD release.
A live performance filmed on March 18, 1992 at Pinewood studios in London was released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and LD
LD
LD may refer to:In science and mathematics:*Lethal dose#, where "#" represents the percentage of test organisms killed by a specific dosage , e.g...
.
"What's Good" was Reed's second #1 hit (after "Dirty Blvd.
Dirty Blvd.
"Dirty Blvd." is a Lou Reed song from his 1989 album, New York. The song contrasts the poor and the rich in New York City, and topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for four weeks in early 1989. Live versions appear on Perfect Night: Live in London and Animal Serenade...
") on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart, occupying the top spot for three weeks.
Jazz singer Little Jimmy Scott
Jimmy Scott
Jimmy Scott , aka "Little" Jimmy Scott, is an American jazz vocalist famous for his unusually high contralto voice which is due to Kallmann's syndrome, a very rare genetic condition. The condition stunted his growth at four feet eleven inches until, at age 37, he grew another 8 inches to the...
performs the backing vocal on track 3, "Power and Glory".
Track listing
All lyrics and music by Lou ReedLou 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...
unless otherwise stated.
- "Dorita - The Spirit" – 1:07
- "What's Good - The Thesis" – 3:22
- "Power and Glory - The Situation" – 4:23 (Lou Reed, Mike Rathke)
- "Magician - Internally" – 6:23
- "Sword of Damocles - Externally" – 3:42
- "Goodby Mass - In a Chapel Bodily Termination" – 4:25
- "Cremation - Ashes to Ashes" – 2:54
- "Dreamin' - Escape" – 5:07 (Reed, Rathke)
- "No Chance - Regret" – 3:15
- "Warrior King - Revenge" – 4:27
- "Harry's Circumcision - Reverie Gone Astray" – 5:28
- "Gassed and Stoked - Loss" – 4:18 (Reed, Rathke)
- "Power and Glory, Part II - Magic - Transformation" – 2:57 (Reed, Rathke)
- "Magic and Loss - The Summation" – 6:39 (Reed, Rathke)
Personnel
- Lou ReedLou ReedLewis 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...
- vocals, acoustic & electric guitar - Mike Rathke - guitar
- Rob WassermanRob WassermanRob Wasserman is an American bass player, who has played with a wide variety of musicians including David Grisman, Lou Reed, Bob Weir, Jerry Garcia, Bruce Cockburn, Van Morrison, Rickie Lee Jones, Brian Wilson, Elvis Costello, Mark Morris, Aaron Neville, Chris Whitley, Studs Terkel, Pete Seeger,...
- bass - Michael Blair - drums, percussion, background vocals
- Roger Moutenot - background vocals
- Little Jimmy Scott - background vocals