Lyrics Heroin - May 1965 Demo - Lou Reed

Heroin
Wor-, uh, words
Music and lyrics, Lou Reed

I know just where I'm goin'
I'm gonna try for the kingdom, if I can
'Cause you know it makes me feel that I'm a man
When I put the spike into my vein
Then you know that things aren't quite the same
When I'm rushin' from my run
And I feel like Jesus' son
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know

I have made a big decision
I'm gonna nullify my life
'Cause when the blood begins to flow
When it squirts up the dropper's neck
When the smack goes and hits my blood
When I'm closin' in on death
And my head begins to whirl

You can't help me, not you girls
All you guys with all your talk
You can all go take a walk
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know

I wish that I lived a hundred years ago
I wish that I'd sailed the darkened seas
On a great big clipper ship
From this land here to that
In a sailing suit and cap

Go away from the big city
Where a man cannot be free
From all the evils of this town
Himself and those around
And wished I traveled all around
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess I just don't know

Heroin's gonna be the death of me
Heroin, it's my wife and it's my life
'Cause a mainer to my vein
Leads to a center in my head
And then I'm better off than dead
With that smack blood startin' to flow
Then I really don't care no more

'Bout those Jim-Jims in this town
And the animals makin' sound
People sellin' people pound by pound
And the politicians and the clowns
And the do-gooders with their frowns
Their bodies piled in mounds
All while that heroin is in my blood

And that blood is in my head
And thank God I'm as good as dead
And thank God I'm not aware
And thank God that I don't care
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know