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🔘 Walk On The Wild Side / Perfect Day – Double A-Side Single: Nov. 1972

  • Writer: Lou Reed
    Lou Reed
  • Nov 24, 1972
  • 3 min read

In the glittering underbelly of early 1970s New York, Lou Reed emerged from the ashes of The Velvet Underground as a solo artist with a sharp eye for the demimonde. Teamed with the visionary production of David Bowie and Mick Ronson at the height of Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust fame, Reed delivered Transformer — a stylish, sleazy, and sophisticated masterpiece that fused street-smart storytelling with glam polish. “Walk On The Wild Side,” its iconic lead single, painted vivid portraits of Warhol’s Factory superstars with a cool, spoken-sung delivery and that unforgettable Herbie Flowers bass line.


Released on November 24, 1972, the double A-side appeared on RCA Victor under catalogue number RCA 2303. Paired with the tender “Perfect Day,” the release brought Reed’s wry, transgressive vignettes into the mainstream charts while capturing the decadent spirit of the post-glam dawn.


Label: RCA Victor

Catalogue Number: RCA 2303

Format: 7" Vinyl Single (Push-Out/Solid Centre)

Released: November 24, 1972 (UK)


🔘 Track List

UK 7" Single — RCA Victor – RCA 2303 — 1972

A. Walk On The Wild Side

B. Perfect Day


Written by: Lou Reed (both tracks)

Produced by: David Bowie and Mick Ronson

Recorded: August 1972


🔘 Key Highlights

• Released November 24, 1972

• Double A-side featuring two future classics from the landmark Transformer album

• Iconic bass line by Herbie Flowers (double-tracked upright and electric bass) and saxophone solo by Ronnie Ross

• Chart debut: May 12, 1973

• Peaked at No. 10 in the UK

• Recorded at: Trident Studios, London


🔘 The Story

Fresh from the cult status of The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed found unlikely mainstream allies in David Bowie and Mick Ronson. Bowie, a longtime admirer, co-produced Transformer and helped Reed shape his raw vignettes into sleek, radio-friendly yet subversive pop. “Walk On The Wild Side” became the defining track — a deadpan tour through the lives of Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling, Joe Dallesandro and the rest of Warhol’s inner circle, complete with references to hustling, drugs, and gender fluidity that somehow slipped past censors thanks to its smooth, almost lullaby-like delivery.


“Perfect Day” on the flip offered a contrasting, deceptively gentle ballad laced with melancholy and addiction undertones. Together, the two sides showcased Reed’s range: street-level observation paired with emotional vulnerability, all wrapped in Ronson’s sophisticated arrangements and Bowie’s glam-infused production sheen. Though the single took several months to gain traction in the UK, it eventually became one of Reed’s signature hits and helped turn Transformer into his commercial breakthrough.


🔘 Variants (UK)

• 7", 45 RPM, Push-Out Centre — RCA Victor – RCA 2303 — UK — 1972

• 7", 45 RPM, Solid Centre — RCA Victor – RCA 2303 — UK — 1972

• 7", 45 RPM, Demo — RCA Victor – RCA 2303 — UK — 1972

• Issued in standard RCA company sleeve


🔘 Chart Performance

UK — Official Singles Chart

Entered the chart on May 12, 1973 and spent a total of 9 weeks on the chart, peaking at No. 10.


Total Weeks: 9


🔘 Context & Notes

• A-side: “Walk On The Wild Side” – cool, narrative-driven ode to Warhol’s Factory scene with one of rock’s most recognisable bass grooves.

• B-side: “Perfect Day” – poignant, string-laden ballad that would later gain even greater fame through its use in Trainspotting.

• Production: David Bowie and Mick Ronson — a dream team that brought glam polish and arrangement flair to Reed’s material.

• Sleeve notes: Standard RCA company sleeve.

• Historical placement: Released at the peak of the glam-rock era, helping bridge underground art-rock with mainstream success.

• Reissues / compilation appearances: Appears on nearly every Lou Reed greatest hits collection and multiple Transformer reissues.


🔘 Related Material

• Satellite of Love (1973 promo)

• Vicious (1973)

• Transformer (1972)

• Perfect Day (re-promoted in later years)


🔘 Discography

Satellite of Love (promo) — 1972/73

Walk On The Wild Side / Perfect Day — 1972

Vicious — 1973

How Do You Think It Feels — 1973


🔘 Mini‑Timeline

✦ August 1972 — Recorded at Trident Studios during Transformer sessions

✦ November 24, 1972 — UK single released

✦ May 12, 1973 — Enters UK Singles Chart

✦ June/July 1973 — Peaks at No. 10

✦ July 7, 1973 — Completes 9-week chart run


🔘 Glam Flashback

In the midst of platform boots and glitter, Lou Reed strolled onto the charts with a deadpan tale of New York’s wild side, proving that quiet cool and sharp storytelling could shine just as brightly as any Ziggy lightning bolt.



🔘 Sources

Primary reference sources: RCA Victor, Discogs, Official Charts Company, contemporary music-press documentation, archival references.








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