An underground railway, an underground band, and a perfect musical connection.
What could the opening of New York’s subway, the death of a rock legend and the birthday of an eighties pop star possibly have in common?
Today, 27 October, gives us three anniversaries separated by more than a century. And the connections are surprisingly direct.
🚇 1904 — New York goes underground
On 27 October 1904, New York City’s first subway line opened.
The inaugural train departed from City Hall station, with Mayor George B. McClellan Jr. at the controls. The new 9.1-mile railway connected City Hall with 145th Street in Harlem, serving 28 stations.
New York had entered the underground age.
🎸 2013 — Farewell to Lou Reed
On 27 October 2013, Lou Reed died, aged 71.
Reed had been the frontman of The Velvet Underground, the influential New York rock band associated with Andy Warhol and the city’s experimental music scene.
The connection is irresistible: New York’s underground railway meets New York’s musical underground.
But our journey doesn’t end there.
After leaving the Velvet Underground, Reed released Perfect Day on his 1972 solo album Transformer.
And that brings us to our third anniversary.
🎤 1958 — Happy birthday, Simon Le Bon
On 27 October 1958, Simon Le Bon was born in Bushey, Hertfordshire.
He became the lead singer of Duran Duran, one of the defining British bands of the 1980s.
In 1995, Duran Duran released their own version of Lou Reed’s Perfect Day, from their covers album Thank You.
Remarkably, Reed admired their interpretation, describing it as one of the finest covers of his work.
So our three anniversaries are connected:
New York Subway → Velvet Underground → Lou Reed → Perfect Day → Duran Duran → Simon Le Bon.
Three events. One date. A perfect connection.
🎬 One more stop: Trainspotting
The journey takes another unexpected turn.
Lou Reed’s original recording of Perfect Day appeared in Danny Boyle’s 1996 film Trainspotting, accompanying Renton’s harrowing overdose.
It’s an extraordinary contrast between the apparent happiness of the song and the darkness of the scene.
And, of course, Trainspotting gives us another railway reference, even if its title isn’t really about trains.