"I Love You, Suzanne" is a song written and recorded by American musician Lou Reed, released as both a 7" and 12" single from his thirteenth solo studio album, New Sensations (1984). The lead and only single to chart from the album, it peaked at No. 78 on the UK Singles Chart. The music video for "I Love You, Suzanne" received light rotation on MTV.

"I Love You, Suzanne"
Single by Lou Reed
from the album New Sensations
ReleasedMay 1984[1]
StudioSkyline Studios (New York City)
Genre
Length3:19
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Lou Reed
Producer(s)
Lou Reed singles chronology
"Martial Law"
(1983)
"I Love You, Suzanne"
(1984)
"My Red Joystick"
(1984)
Music video
"I Love You, Suzanne” on YouTube

Composition

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Years after the song's release, bassist Fernando Saunders claimed that Robert Quine had composed the guitar riff for "I Love You, Suzanne" in the studio while the band was rehearsing. Upon hearing Quine's riff, Reed had written the lyrics to the song, but he had failed to give Quine a co-writing credit for the song in the album credits, thus cutting Quine out of royalties which added further strain to their relationship.[2]

Elsewhere, Reed had a different story. "I must have had that riff in my head for six months. It's just a cheap D chord because for what I'm interested in, you don't need a lot of chords. It just came out full-blown, and it was always like that. I sat playing that riff for six months because I'm capable of sitting and playing one riff for hours, and then I said, "Well, it's so simple, why not use it?"[3]

Track listing

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7" single

  1. "I Love You, Suzanne"
  2. "Vicious"

12" single

  1. "I Love You, Suzanne"
  2. "Vicious"
  3. "Walk on the Wild Side"

Chart performance

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Chart (1984) Peak
Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 71
UK Singles Chart[5] 78

References

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  1. ^ "The Great Rock Discography". p. 681.
  2. ^ Sounes, Howard (2015-10-22). Notes from the Velvet Underground: The Life of Lou Reed. ISBN 9781473508958.
  3. ^ Bill Holdship. "Lou Reed: New Rock Sensations". Rock's Backpages.(Subscription required.)
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 249. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 11. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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