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"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.
"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 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!" 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. 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."
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."
This song is also featured on the soundtrack of the film, Adventureland (2009).
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