Agli inizi degli anni '80 Lou Reed riesce a risolvere la sua dipendenza dalla droga, a causa della quale aveva anche rischiato la vita, e dall’alcool, iniziando così una nuova fase della sua vita. Abbandonati gli eccessi degli anni '70 e felicemente sposatosi con Sylvia, anche la produzione musicale risente del cambiamento: i testi si fanno più intimi e personali, Lou ritorna a suonare la chitarra elettrica e si fa supportare da Robert Quine (chitarra), Fernando Saunders (basso) e Doanne Perry (batteria), un trio che coniuga al meglio potenza e precisone. L'apice di questo periodo è raggiunto proprio con "The Blue Mask", un punto fermo della carriera di Reed.
L'album è composto da dieci pezzi, tutti di discreta qualità e senza particolari cali di tensione durante l'ascolto. "My House", che apre il disco, è dedicata a Delmore Schwartz, poeta e punto di riferimento per Lou Reed. La successiva "Women" è forse la canzone più easy del disco ed è seguita dalla vivace "Underneath The Bottle", in cui riemerge il tema dell'alcolismo. "The Gun" è invece pervasa da un senso di angoscia e tensione: "The man has a gun/ he knows how to use it/......He'll point it at your mouth/ says that he'll blow your brains out"
. Una sorta di thriller in musica! La potente title-track raccoglie tutta l’adrenalina accumulata con il pezzo precedente e la sfoga con chitarre elettriche a tutto spiano e una batteria indiavolata. "Heroine" rallenta nuovamente il ritmo e prepara la strada alla scatenata "Waves Of Fears", in cui Reed esprime la paranoia con il linguaggio del rock. Chiudono il disco la struggente "The Day John Kennedy Died" e "Heavenly Arms", dedicata alla moglie, che testimonia una volta per tutte quanto gli anni '70 sono ormai lontani.
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04 The Gun (03:41)
The man has a gun
he knows how to use it
Nine millimeter Browning
let's see what he can do
He'll point at your mouth
say that he'll blow your brains out
Don't you mess with me
carrying a gun
Carrying a gun
carrying a gun
Don't you mess with me
carrying a gun
Carrying a gun
carrying a gun
Don't mess with me
ooohhh, carrying a gun
Get over there
move slowly
I'll put a hole in your face
if you even breathe a word
Tell the lady to lie down
I want, ah, you to be sure to see this
I wouldn't want you to miss a second
watch your wife
Carrying a gun
shooting with a gun
Dirty animal
Carrying a gun
carrying a gun
Watch you face
carrying a gun
Carrying a gun
carrying a gun
The animal dies with fear in his eyes
with a gun
Don't touch him, don't touch him
stay away from him, he's got a gun
06 Average Guy (03:12)
I ain't no Christian or no born again saint
I ain't no cowboy or Marxist D.A.
I ain't no criminal or Reverend Cripple from the right
I am just your average guy, trying to do what's right
I'm just your average guy
an average guy
I am just your average guy
I'm just an average guy
Average guy, I'm just your average guy
I'm average looking and I'm average inside
I'm an average lover and I live in an average place
you wouldn't know me if you met me face to face
I'm just your average guy
average guy
Average guy
I'm just an average guy
I worry about money and taxes and such
I worry that my liver's big and it hurts to the touch
I worry about my health and bowels
and the crime waves in the street
I'm really just your average guy
trying to stand on his own two feet
I'm just your average guy
I'm just your average guy
I'm just your average guy
average guy
Average looks, average taste
average height, an average waist
Average in everything I do
my temperature is 98.2
I'm just your average guy
an average guy
Average guy
I'm just an average guy
Average guy
I'm just your average guy
I'm just your average guy
I'm just your average guy
Average
08 Waves of Fear (04:11)
Waves of fear, attack in the night
waves if revulsion, sickening sights
My heart's nearly bursting, my chest's choking tight
Waves of fear, waves of fear
Waves of fear, squat on the floor
looking for some pill, the liquor is gone
Blood trips from my nose, I can barely breathe
waves of fear, I'm too scared to leave
Waves of fear, waves of fear
waves of fear, waves of fear
I'm too afraid to use the phone
I'm too afraid to put the light on
I'm so afraid I've lost control
I'm suffocating without a word
Crazy with sweat, spittle on my jaw
what's that funny noise, what's that on the floor
Waves of fear, pulsing with death
I curse my tremors, I jump at my own step
I cringe at my terror, I hate my own smell
I know where I must be, I must be in hell
Waves of fear, waves of fear
waves of fear, waves of fear
10 Heavenly Arms (04:47)
Heavenly arms reach out to hold me
Heavenly arms entice you to dance
In a world of ill will, the dancers are still
Heavenly arms reach out to me
Heavenly arms soft as a love song
Heavenly arms bring a kiss to your ear
In a world that seems mad, all the dancers seem sad
Heavenly arms reach out to me
Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia
Heavenly arms come to my rescue
Only a woman can love a man
In a world full of hate, love should never wait
Heavenly arms reach out to me
Heavenly arms strong as a sunset
Heavenly arms pure as the rain
Lovers stand warned of the world's impending storm
Heavenly arms reach out to me
Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia
Ohhh-wohhh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Ooohhh-ooohhh-ooohhh-ooohhh-ooohhh, oh-woh-woh
Ooohhh-ooohhh-ooohhh-ooohhh, ohh-woh-woh
(Heavenly arms reach out to hold me)
(Sylvia, you mean so much to me)
(Heavenly arms reach out to hold me)
(Sylvia, you mean so much to me)
(Heavenly arms reach out to hold me)
(Sylvia, you mean so much to me)
(Heavenly arms reach out to hold me)
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