"Satellite of Love" is a song by Lou Reed. 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.
Background and recording
"Satellite of Love" was composed in 1970 while Reed was still a member of the Velvet Underground. Fellow member Doug Yule, in a 2005 interview, recalled Reed's first mentioning the song to him in the summer of 1970 while they were riding in the back of a limousine with 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 had soon recorded a demo track in the summer of 1970 during the sessions for Loaded, it didn't make the final album. 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: David Bowie, who produced the album with Mick Ronson, provided background vocals, especially for the final chorus. Reed wrote 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 unknown until the release of the box setPeel Slowly and See in 1995. It also appears on the 1997 Rhino Records 2-CD version of the Loaded album. In addition to being more up-tempo, the band's version contains a significant change in the lyrics. The lines: were originally recorded as: Reflecting 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."
Morrissey's live cover of the song was digitally released on 2 December 2013 as a tribute to Reed, following his death in 2013. The song was recorded on 25 November 2011 in at the Chelsea Ballroom of Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in Nevada. The 7" and 12" vinyl version and a three-track digital version were also released on January 28, 2014. All three versions of the single were supported by additional live tracks, including a rendition of the Smiths' song "Vicar in a Tutu", a cover of Buzzcocks' song "You Say You Don't Love Me" and his 1992 song "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side". The cover topped the U.S. BillboardHot Singles Sales chart.
In U2's performance of the song "Bad" at Live Aid in 1985, Bono sang part of the song in the first minute, and also sang part of "Walk on the Wild Side" later in the performance. U2 released a cover version of the song on the "One" single in 1992. The song was given added exposure in 1992–1993 by its regular use on U2's satellite-themed Zoo TV Tour, where Bono sang it as a duet with a prerecorded video image of Reed. U2 performed it again on tour for the first time in over 20 years on July 30, 2015 in their 7th of 8 shows at Madison Square Garden to close out the first leg of their Innocence + Experience Tour.
A remake of the song made by Groovefinder's Dab Hands, titled "Satellite of Love '04", was released in the United Kingdom in 2004, making it to #10 on the UK Singles Chart. Its music video, which existed two versions, was an animated parody of the Space Race.
Actress and occasional musician Milla Jovovich performed a cover for the film The Million Dollar Hotel with the MDH band – a group whose members included Bono and The Edge.
The Satellite of Love spaceship is the primary setting of the TV comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000. The song, with lyrics reflecting the characters, was sung at the end of all live shows featuring the cast.
The song is mentioned in the Def Leppard song "Rocket".
The Ron & Fez Show closed every show with the song. Sometimes the show's cast and producers will sing along.
In Adventureland, Mike Connell's claims that he was formerly a musician with Lou Reed are proven false when he periodically demonstrates ignorance of Reed's music, including referring to "Satellite of Love" as "Shed a Light on Love".
The song was used in the fourth season of the TV series Gilmore Girls. In the episode "Raincoats and Recipes," the song plays as Rory Gilmore loses her virginity to her married ex-boyfriend Dean.
The Lou Reed version of the song is played in the 1998 movie Velvet Goldmine, with Ewan McGregor's lip-synching the backing vocals.
