LOU REED
- Last Great American Whale Lyrics / with translationsLOU REED - LAST GREAT AMERICAN WHALE
They say he didn't have an enemy
His was a greatness to behold
He was the last surviving progeny
The last one on this side of the world
He measured half a mile from tip to tail
Silver and black with powerful fins
They say he could split a mountain in two
That's how we got the Grand Canyon
Some say they saw him at the Great Lakes
Some say they saw him off the coast of Florida
My mother said she saw him in Chinatown
But you can't always trust your mother
Off the Carolinas the sun shines brightly in the day
The lighthouse glows ghostly there at night
The chief of a local tribe had killed a racist mayor's son
And he'd been on death row since 1958
The mayor's kid was a rowdy pig
Spit on Indians and lots worse
The old chief buried a hatchet in his head
Life compared to death for him seemed worse
The tribal brothers gathered in the lighthouse to sing
And tried to conjure up a storm or rain
The harbor parted and the great whale sprang full up
And caused a huge tidal wave
The wave crushed the jail and freed the chief
The tribe let out a roar
The whites were drowned
The browns and reds set free
But sadly one thing more
Some local yokel member of the NRA
Kept a bazooka in his living room
And thinking he had the chief in his sights
Blew the whale's brains out with a lead harpoon
Well Americans don't care for much of anything
Land and water the least
And animal life is low on the totem pole
With human life not worth more than infected yeast
Americans don't care too much for beauty
They'll shit in a river, dump battery acid in a stream
They'll watch dead rats wash up on the beach
And complain if they can't swim
They say things are done for the majority
Don't believe half of what you see
And none of what you hear
It's a lot like what my painter friend Donald said to me
"Stick a fork in their ass and turn them over, they're done"
They say he didn't have an enemy
His was a greatness to behold
He was the last surviving progeny
The last one on this side of the world
He measured half a mile from tip to tail
Silver and black with powerful fins
They say he could split a mountain in two
That's how we got the Grand Canyon
Some say they saw him at the Great Lakes
Some say they saw him off the coast of Florida
My mother said she saw him in Chinatown
But you can't always trust your mother
Off the Carolinas the sun shines brightly in the day
The lighthouse glows ghostly there at night
The chief of a local tribe had killed a racist mayor's son
And he'd been on death row since 1958
The mayor's kid was a rowdy pig
Spit on Indians and lots worse
The old chief buried a hatchet in his head
Life compared to death for him seemed worse
The tribal brothers gathered in the lighthouse to sing
And tried to conjure up a storm or rain
The harbor parted and the great whale sprang full up
The wave crushed the jail and freed the chief
The tribe let out a roar
The whites were drowned
The browns and reds set free
But sadly one thing more
Some local yokel member of the NRA
Kept a bazooka in his living room
And thinking he had the chief in his sights
Blew the whale's brains out with a lead harpoon
Well Americans don't care for much of anything
Land and water the least
And animal life is low on the totem pole
With human life not worth more than infected yeast
Americans don't care too much for beauty
They'll shit in a river, dump battery acid in a stream
They'll watch dead rats wash up on the beach
And complain if they can't swim
They say things are done for the majority
Don't believe half of what you see
And none of what you hear
It's a lot like what my painter friend Donald said to me
"Stick a fork in their ass and turn them over, they're done"
Facts about Last Great American Whale
✔️
Last Great American Whale is written and performed by Lou Reed.
✔️
It is first released on January 10, 1989 as part of Lou Reed's album "New York" which includes 14 tracks in total. This song is the 5th track on this album.
✔️
When we take a closer look to the meaning, the song 'Last Great American Whale' by Lou Reed tells a story filled with metaphors about societal issues in America. The great whale symbolizes a force of nature that brings justice and freedom to the oppressed, which exists in opposition to human behavior that destroys everything because humans choose their own interests above all else. The lyrics of Last Great American Whale demonstrate social commentary while expressing feelings of anger, despair, and angst through their reflective content. The song identifies three main elements which need protection from destruction: environmental destruction, cultural conflict, and racial injustice, combined with the experience of losing everything through extinction. The lyrics contain mature themes, which include violence and death references and racism, that make the content unsuitable for children who are younger than 13 years old. The depiction of violence, especially through the whale's death and historical references, raises the film's rating to PG-13.
✔️
Last Great American Whale falls under the genre Rock.
✔️
Last Great American Whale is produced by Lou Reed, Fred Maher.
✔️
Last Great American Whale song length is 3 minutes and 42 seconds.
Who wrote Last Great American Whale lyrics?
Last Great American Whale is written and performed by Lou Reed.
✔️
When was Last Great American Whale released?
It is first released on January 10, 1989 as part of Lou Reed's album "New York" which includes 14 tracks in total. This song is the 5th track on this album.
✔️
What is the meaning behind Last Great American Whale lyrics?
When we take a closer look to the meaning, the song 'Last Great American Whale' by Lou Reed tells a story filled with metaphors about societal issues in America. The great whale symbolizes a force of nature that brings justice and freedom to the oppressed, which exists in opposition to human behavior that destroys everything because humans choose their own interests above all else. The lyrics of Last Great American Whale demonstrate social commentary while expressing feelings of anger, despair, and angst through their reflective content. The song identifies three main elements which need protection from destruction: environmental destruction, cultural conflict, and racial injustice, combined with the experience of losing everything through extinction. The lyrics contain mature themes, which include violence and death references and racism, that make the content unsuitable for children who are younger than 13 years old. The depiction of violence, especially through the whale's death and historical references, raises the film's rating to PG-13.
✔️
Which genre is Last Great American Whale?
Last Great American Whale falls under the genre Rock.
✔️
Who produced Last Great American Whale?
Last Great American Whale is produced by Lou Reed, Fred Maher.
✔️
How long is the song Last Great American Whale?
Last Great American Whale song length is 3 minutes and 42 seconds.
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Songwriter(s): Lou ReedRecord Label(s): 1988, 1989 Sire Records Company
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Meaning to "Last Great American Whale" song lyrics
Last Great American Whale
Lou Reed
Lou Reed
