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In what is a beautiful homage to Lou Reed, and an amazing song in its own right, “Lou Reed Was My Babysitter” by Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy is a reminder that nothing is ever truly dead, not even rock and roll.
Dead Don’t Die
One of the most endearing parts of this song is the statement that the “dead don’t die.” While Tweedy says this in relation to Lou Reed and rock and roll, this can also be applied to anyone or anything. This also has the other meaning of saying that rock and roll did not die with Lou Reed. Instead, Tweedy is saying that because of his contributions to the genre, Reed during his life ensured that it would live on in artists like Jeff Tweedy
The video for this song, much in the same way the lyrics suggest, keeps the spirit of rock and roll alive. It has a DIY, underground feel to it. Shots of the crowd in a small, intimate venue dancing to “Lou Reed Was My Babysitter” being played by Tweedy take rock back to its grassroots origin.
More Than Wilco
One thing that was fun for me, not only with this song, but also with Jeff Tweedy in general, was discovering that he was more than just the lead man for Wilco. His solo career is special in its own right. Everything that he makes has the same DIY feel to it as “Lou Reed Was My Babysitter.” Every song feels like a call back to a simpler time in rock and the world.
Tweedy uses his control over his voice to give each of his songs their own feel, as he does on Wilco songs. What he does best is blend his voice with the rapid strumming of his guitar, to make even an acoustic performance feel as if there are multiple instruments accompanying him.
More Tweedy
More of Jeff Tweedy can be found basically everywhere. If you want to see him in a group setting, Wilco has a diverse catalog of music that is almost impossible to go wrong with. His solo work is also spectacular. Earlier this year, he released his new album Twilight Override, which has more music that you are sure to enjoy!
