Walk on the Wild Side

Written by Lou Reed for his 1972 album Transformer and produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson, this song became Reed's biggest hit and signature song. The lyrics describe several regular "superstars" at Andy Warhol's Factory, including Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling, Joe Dallesandro, Jackie Curtis, and Joe Campbell (nicknamed "Sugar Plum Fairy"), touching on then-taboo topics including transgender people, drugs, male prostitution, and oral sex.