Last week’s lyric challenge was about – well, not to beat about the bush (sic) – sex. For this Sunday, however, we’re back on safer ground with astronomy.

Or are we? One of the key words for this week is ‘planets’. In this case, Venus – and the Velvet Underground. From the seminal (a word often overused but entirely justifiable in this case) 1967 album ‘The Velvet Underground and Nico’.

Perhaps not entirely in the spirit of the prompt, but at least it segues well from last week’s topic.

Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
Whiplash girlchild in the dark
Comes in bells, your servant, don’t forsake him
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart

Downy sins of streetlight fancies
Chase the costumes she shall wear
Ermine furs adorn the imperious
Severin, Severin awaits you there

I am tired, I am weary
I could sleep for a thousand years
A thousand dreams that would awake me
Different colors made of tears

Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather
Shiny leather in the dark
Tongue of thongs, the belt that does await you
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart

Severin, Severin, speak so slightly
Severin, down on your bended knee
Taste the whip, in love not given lightly
Taste the whip, now bleed for me

I am tired, I am weary
I could sleep for a thousand years
A thousand dreams that would awake me
Different colors made of tears

Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
Whiplash girlchild in the dark
Severin, your servant comes in bells, please don’t forsake him
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart

Written by Lou Reed

Song Lyric Sunday 10 October 2021