The View (song)

"The View"
Single by Lou Reed and Metallica
from the album Lulu
ReleasedSeptember 27, 2011
Recorded2011
Genre
Length
  • 5:17 (album version)
  • 3:45 (video edit)
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Lou Reed singles chronology
"Gravity/Safety Zone"
(2007)
"The View"
(2011)
Metallica singles chronology
"Broken, Beat & Scarred"
(2009)
"The View"
(2011)
"Lords of Summer"
(2014)
Music video
"The View" on YouTube

"The View" is a single by American singer Lou Reed and American heavy metal band Metallica. The View serves as the sole single for the album Lulu, released September 27, 2011.

Critical reception

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"The View" was released for streaming online in late September 2011. Examining reaction to the track and a previously released 30-second preview of the same, The New Zealand Herald reported that there was much negative reaction by fans online, and that the song had about twice as many "dislikes" as "likes" on YouTube.[3] Not all reaction to the song was negative; Rolling Stone gave "The View" a 4 out of 5 star rating[4] while the same song was rated 4.5 out of 5 by Artist Direct[5] and positively by One Thirty BPM.[6]

Music video

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The song's music video was directed by Darren Aronofsky and released on December 3, 2011,[7] with cinematography by Matthew Libatique and produced by Scott Franklin through Protozoa Pictures, his and Aronofsky's production company.[8] Originally it was planned that Aronofsky should helm a performance video for the album's second single "Iced Honey"[9] but "when everyone got together, it became obvious 'The View' was the way to go."[10]

In Internet culture

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The song led to Internet meme after its release, due to the line "I am the table", the history is documented on KNow Your Meme.[11]

Track listing

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iTunes single
No.TitleLength
1."The View"5:17

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ Hogan, Marc (September 19, 2011). "Lou Reed, Metallica Post 30-Second Collabo Preview". Spin. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  2. ^ Fricke, David (September 28, 2011). "Lou Reed and Metallica - "The View"". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 11, 2017. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  3. ^ "Full Metallica-Lou Reed track hits net". The New Zealand Herald. September 26, 2011. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
  4. ^ David Fricke (September 28, 2011). "The View | Song Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 11, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  5. ^ "Lou Reed & Metallica "The View" — Song Review 4.5 out of 5 stars – ARTISTdirect News". Artistdirect.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  6. ^ "Track Review: Lou Reed & Metallica – "The View"". One Thirty BPM. October 5, 2011. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  7. ^ "The Video for The View Debuts on December 3". LouReedMetallica.com. December 2, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  8. ^ Gottlieb, Steven (December 5, 2011). "Watch It: Lou Reed & Metallica "i am the table" (Darren Aronofsky, dir.)". Video Static. Archived from the original on December 6, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  9. ^ Stusoy, Brandon (November 3, 2011). "Darren Aronofsky to Direct Video for Loutallica's "Iced Honey"". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on November 5, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
  10. ^ Bumbery, Brian (December 2, 2011). "Darren Aronofsky-Directed Video for Lou Reed and Metallica "The View" From Their Album Lulu to Premiere Exclusively on IFC.com on Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 10 AM EST". Marketwire/Warner Bros. Records/BB Gun Press. Archived from the original on December 8, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  11. ^ "I Am The Table". Know Your Meme. October 23, 2011.