Lou Reed, "Bottoming Out" (1983)

(listen)

"One of the greatest songs written about alcoholism, spousal abuse and suicide ever!" says a YouTube comment at the video at the link. You have to give it up to that person. Setting aside how many songs are written about alcoholism, spousal abuse, and suicide in the first place, it's not far wrong, although it's not the alcoholism, spousal abuse, and suicide that make it one of the greatest songs written ever. A lot of the credit has to go to bass player Fernando Saunders, whose soaring, loping playing style provides one of the most important dynamics to Lou Reed's band in this period, one of his best, and this is one of his best showcases. The Blue Mask and Legendary Hearts, which is the home of this track, both feature Saunders, guitar player Robert Quine, and Reed in one of his best songwriting periods. "Bottoming Out" is told from the point of view of a person an awful lot like Lou Reed at the time, but not exactly, into discipline and control but weakened and tortured by addiction and a deep hunger for redemption, a drunk by the sound of it, with a searing drama about a terrible night and a bad accident, a relationship and bitter fights and making up and calling it love all over again, etc. Personal growth on public display, and it's bracing enough on that level, kudos to Reed of course. But I have to bring it back around again to Saunders. Because the way he lives inside this song, and the best of all these songs, the way he feels for the big moments in the tawdry rubble of Reed's stories, it's really something. Gorgeous. He makes it positively heroic. Alcoholism, spousal abuse, and suicide. Also a chopper, child bride, and open road "drunk but my vision's good"—straightforward bottoming out style. You don't forget it.