The Bells is the ninth solo studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released in April 1979 by Arista Records. It is recorded in binaural sound at Delta Studios in Wilster, West Germany. Production was handled by Reed with Michael Fonfara serving as executive producer. Three out of nine songs on the album are the product of a short-lived writing partnership between Reed and Nils Lofgren. More of the team's work appeared on Nils' album Nils, released the same year. Lofgren released his version of "Stupid Man" as "Driftin' Man" on Break Away Angel (2001).[1] Lofgren resurrected five songs he wrote with Reed in the late 70s on Blue with Lou (2019).[2]
The Bells | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 1979 | |||
Recorded | 1979 | |||
Studio | Delta Studios (Wilster, West Germany) | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 40:37 | |||
Label | Arista | |||
Producer | Lou Reed | |||
Lou Reed chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Bells | ||||
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The album features contributions from Michael Fonfara, Ellard "Moose" Boles, Don Cherry, Marty Fogel and Michael Suchorsky. The album peaked at No. 13 in New Zealand, No. 44 in Sweden, No. 58 in Australia, and No. 130 in the United States.
Reed said: "I mastered the art of recording known as 'capture the spontaneous moment and leave it at that'. The Bells was done like that, those lyrics were just made up on the spot and they're absolutely incredible. I'm very adept at making up whole stories with rhymes, schemes, jokes".[3]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chicago Tribune | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Village Voice | B+[6] |
In a contemporary review for Rolling Stone, music critic Lester Bangs wrote, "With The Bells, more than in Street Hassle, perhaps even more than in his work with The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed achieves his oft-stated ambition—to become a great writer, in the literary sense".[7] The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau said:
"Lou is as sarcastic as ever—the lead cut is called 'Stupid Man,' and in a typically acid rhyme he links 'capricious' and 'death wish.' But due in part to the music's jazzy edge and warmly traditional rock and roll base (special thanks to Marty Fogel on saxophone) he also sounds ... well-rounded, more than on Street Hassle. The jokes seem generous, the bitterness empathetic, the pain out front, the tenderness more than a fleeting mood. And the cuts that don't work—there are at least three or four—seem like thoughtful experiments, or simple failures, rather than throwaways. I haven't found him so likable since The Velvet Underground."[6]
In a less enthusiastic retrospective review, Select magazine wrote that "The Bells saw his music disappearing down the pan ... Even self-parody is barely achieved in these half-assed songs played by a bunch of dullards, with Lou sounding painfully uninspired".[8]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Stupid Man" | 2:33 | |
2. | "Disco Mystic" |
| 4:30 |
3. | "I Want to Boogie with You" |
| 3:55 |
4. | "With You" |
| 2:21 |
5. | "Looking for Love" | Reed | 3:29 |
6. | "City Lights" |
| 3:22 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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7. | "All Through the Night" |
| 5:00 |
8. | "Families" |
| 6:09 |
9. | "The Bells" |
| 9:17 |
Total length: | 40:37 |
Credits are adapted from the The Bells liner notes.[9]
Musicians
Production and artwork
Chart (1979) | Peak position |
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Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] | 58 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[11] | 13 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[12] | 44 |
US Billboard 200[13] | 130 |
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