Satellite of Love

"Satellite of Love"
Single by Lou Reed
from the album Transformer
B-side	"Vicious"
Released	February 1973
Genre	Glam rock, art rock
Length	3:42
Label	RCA
Writer(s)	Lou Reed
Producer(s)	David Bowie, Mick Ronson
Lou Reed singles chronology
"Walk on the Wild Side" / "Perfect Day" (1972) "Satellite of Love" (1973) "Vicious" (1973)

"Satellite of Love" is one of Lou Reed's best-known songs from his solo career. It is the second single from his 1972 album Transformer. At the time of its release, it achieved minor chart success, though it later became a staple of his concerts and compilation albums.

Background and recording

"Satellite of Love" first started off as a song that Reed originally composed in 1970 while he was still a member of The Velvet Underground. In a 2005 interview with Velvet Underground member Doug Yule, Yule recalled Reed first mentioning the song to him in the Summer of 1970 while he was riding in the back of a limousine with Reed and Steve Sesnick: "Steve [Sesnick] was there going on about "how we needed airplay", and Lou said "I have this song "Satellite of Love", and he mentioned the satellite that had just gone up which was a big deal in the news at the time, cause the space race was happening, and Steve Sesnick said "Yeah, yeah – that'll do it!"^[1] While the band soon recorded a demo track of the song in the Summer of 1970 during the sessions for Loaded, the song didn't make the final album.

Lyrically, the song is about a man who observes a satellite launch on television and contemplates what Reed describes as feelings of "the worst kind of jealousy" about his unfaithful girlfriend.^[2] The chorus is:

I watched it for a little while

I love to watch things on TV

Satellite of love

Satellite of love

David Bowie, who produced the album, can be heard providing background vocals, especially at the final chorus. Reed would write later: "He has a melodic sense that's just well above anyone else in rock & roll. Most people could not sing some of his melodies. He can really go for a high note. Take 'Satellite of Love,' on my Transformer album. There's a part at the very end where his voice goes all the way up. It's fabulous."^[3]

The existence of the original Velvet Underground version was largely unknown until the release of the box set Peel Slowly and See in 1995, and it also appears on the 1997 Rhino Records 2-CD version of the Loaded album.

In addition to being more up-tempo, the VU version contains a significant change in the lyrics. The lines:

I've been told that you've been bold

With Harry, Mark, and John

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday to Thursday

With Harry, Mark, and John

were originally recorded as:

I've been told baby you've been bold

With Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday to Thursday

To Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod

On the original lyrics, Reed said, "Jesus. Best left forgotten. Obviously, I didn't want to use real names yet. I probably wanted to make sure I wasn't using a name that really meant something to me."^[4]

Lou Reed personnel

• Lou Reed - guitar, lead vocals
• David Bowie & The Thunder Thighs - backing vocals, handclaps
• Trevor Bolder - trumpet
• Herbie Flowers - tuba
• Mick Ronson - piano, recorder
• Klaus Voorman - bass
• John Halsey - drums

Morrissey cover

"Satellite of Love"
Single by Morrissey
Released	December 2, 2013
Format	Digital download, 7", 12"
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:46
Label	Parlophone
Producer(s)	David Millward, Mick Ronson
Morrissey singles chronology
"The Last of the Famous International Playboys" (2013) "Satellite of Love" (2013) "World Peace Is None of Your Business" (2014)

Morrissey's live cover of the song was digitally released on December 2, 2013 as a tribute to Reed, following his death in 2013. The song was recorded on November 25, 2011 in at the Chelsea Ballroom of Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada.^[5][6][7] The 7" and 12" vinyl version and a three-track digital version were also released on January 28, 2014.^[8] All three versions of the single were supported by additional live tracks, including a rendition of The Smiths song, "Vicar in a Tutu," a cover of Buzzcocks song "You Say You Don't Love Me" and his 1992 song, "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side."^[8][9] The cover topped the U.S. Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart.^[10]

Track listing

12"

A-side

1. "Satellite of Love (Live)"
2. "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side"

B-side

1. "Vicar in a Tutu (Live)"
2. "All You Need Is Me (Live)"

7"

A-side

1. "Satellite of Love (Live)"

B-side

1. "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side"
2. "You Say You Don't Love Me (Live)" (Buzzcocks cover)

Digital download

1. "Satellite of Love (Live)"
2. "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side"
3. "Mama Lay Softly on the Riverbed (Live)"

Personnel

• Morrissey – lead vocals
• Boz Boorer – guitar, mixing
• Jesse Tobias – guitar
• Gustavo Manzur – piano, backing vocals
• Solomon Walker – bass
• Matt Walker – drums
• David Millward – recording, production
• Scott Minshall – design
• Bill Inglot – mastering
• Dan Hersch – mastering
• Renaud Monfourny – photography
• Mick Ronson – production ("You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side")

Chart positions

Other cover versions

• Issay of Der Zibet covered it live with Yoshiki of X Japan on piano and a small orchestra at Extasy Summit '91 at the Nippon Budokan. The performance was later included on the home video release of the concert.
• U2 released a cover version on the "One" singles in 1992. The song was given added exposure in 1992-1993 by its regular use on U2's satellite-themed Zoo TV Tour, where Bono sang it as a duet with a prerecorded video image of Reed (and on a few occasions Reed appeared on stage to sing it in person).
• A remake of the song made by Groovefinder, titled "Satellite of Love '04", was released in the United Kingdom in 2004, making it to #10 on the UK Singles Chart.
• Actress and occasional musician Milla Jovovich performed a cover for the film The Million Dollar Hotel with the MDH band – a group whose members included Bono and The Edge.
• Beck played the song at the Rock n' Roll Hall Of Fame 2015
• Other artists who have covered the song include The Bravery, Martin Plaza, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, Leo Sayer, Porno for Pyros, Eurythmics, The Polyamorous Affair and Danny Saber.

Cultural references

• The Satellite of Love spaceship is the primary setting of the TV comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000. The song itself, with lyrics reflecting the characters ("Gypsy, Tom, and Crow" instead of "Harry, Mark, and John", for example), was sung at the end of all live shows featuring the cast.
• The song is mentioned in the Def Leppard song "Rocket".
• The Ron & Fez Show closes every show with the song. Sometimes the show's cast and producers will sing along.
• In Adventureland, Mike Connell's (Ryan Reynolds) claims that he was formerly a musician with Lou Reed are proven false when he periodically demonstrates ignorance of Reed's music, including referring to "Satellite of Love" as "Shed a Light on Love".
• The song was used in the fourth season of the TV series Gilmore Girls. In the episode "Raincoats and Recipes," the song plays as Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) loses her virginity to her married ex-boyfriend Dean (Jared Padalecki).
• The Lou Reed version of the song is played in the 1998 movie Velvet Goldmine, with Ewan McGregor lip-synching the backing vocals.
• The Austin, Texas shot 2012 film Satellite of Love borrows its name from the Lou Reed song, directed by Will James Moore.

References