Monday, October 30, 2023

Shoulder Pads 1 - The Fall

Shoulder Pads 1 - The Fall
1:56
Bend Sinister, 1986
Written by Mark E. Smith and Brix Smith

Who's Lou?

The Velvet Underground's influence is pretty clear on this driving post-punk track, although it's even more apparent on "Shoulder Pads 2," appearing later on this album.  I like the whistling motif, which is not very Velvety.   The song seems to be a diatribe against people the narrator finds uncool: "Walked, at shoulder, down the street, ridicule / They couldn't tell Lou Reed from Doug Yule."  The shoulder pads of the title might refer to the silly fashions of the '80s or possibly the pads worn by jocks.  It's not clear to me if Smith is being ironic and also targeting the uber-hipster who puts everyone down.

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