Lou Reed / New York (US, Sire, 9 25829 1) <January 10, 1989> その①

Lou Reed / New York (US, Sire, 9 25829 1) <January 10, 1989>
(1) B-33610-SR1 1-25829-A-SR1 1-2 SP-AR DMM MASTERDISK　　△23249 10-
(2) B-33743-SR2-DMM 1-25829-B-SR2 DMM MASTERDISK　SP 2-2 SP-AR △23249-× -1

ルー・リードって、聴くに堪えない作品も多いと思うのですが（特に70年代後半）、キャリアの後半は神がかり的な名盤を連発しました。その快進撃はこの89年の"New York"から始まったと思います。

"Good Evening Mr. Waldheim"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66qe76gkCxo

Good evening Mr.Waldheim
And Pontiff how are you?
You have so much in common
In the things you do

And here comes Jesse Jackson
He talks of Common Ground
Does that Common Ground include me
Or is it just a sound?

A sound that shakes
Oh Jesse, you must watch the sounds you make
A sound that quakes
There are fears that still reverberate

Jesse you say Common Ground
Does that include the PLO?
What about people right here right now
Who fought for you not so long ago?

The words that flow so freely
falling dancing from your lips
I hope that you don't cheapen them
with a racist slip

Oh Common Ground
Is Common Ground a word or just a sound?
Common Ground
Remember those civil rights workers buried in the ground

If I ran for President
And once was a member of the Klan
Wouldn't you call me on it
The way I call you on Farrakhan

And Pontiff, pretty Pontiff
Can anyone shake your hand?
Or is it just that you like uniforms
And someone kissing your hand

Or is it true
The Common Ground for me includes you too?
Oh, oh, is it true
The Common Ground for me includes you too?

Good evening Mr.Waldheim
Pontiff how are you?
As you both stroll through the woods at night
I'm thinking thoughts of you

And Jesse you're inside my thoughts
As the rhythmic words subside
My Common Ground invites you in
Or do you prefer to wait outside

Or is it true
The Common Ground for me is without you
Or is it true
The Common Ground for me is without you
Oh is it true
There's no Ground Common enough for me and you

この曲の"Mr. Waldheim"って未だに誰か分かりません。・・・それが分からずに言うのもどうかと思いますが・・ただ、この曲はPontiff（ローマカトリックの教皇）やジェシー・ジャクソン（1988年には大統領横補とも言われた公民権運動で有名な政治家）に「俺たちの"共通の場"って何なんだよ？」と皮肉に問いかける内容です。途中でルイス・ファラカン（ネーション・オブ・イスラムの代表にして黒人分離主義者の強硬派）まで登場させながら、「おまえが言う"共通の場"にPLOも入ってるのか？」「俺が"KKKメンバーだった"って告白したらどうするんだ？」「俺の"共通の場"に呼んだらおまえは入ってくるのか？？外で待つのか？？」「俺にとっての"共通の場"におまえはいないんだろうか」「俺たちには"共通の場"なんてないんだろうか？」と畳みかけ、人と人の相互の理解や共存の困難さについて考えさせられる内容です。