This post is probably tilted a little more about the subject of the song than the song…I was interested in Edie when I was a teenager…she was an interesting and troubled person.
I watched the movie Ciao! Manhattan when I was around 15 years old. Her life was a mess and I started to read more about her. In the mid-sixties she was hanging out with Bob Dylan, Bob Neuwirth, Robbie Robertson and Andy Warhol.
This song of course is about Edie Sedgwick, a socialite who formed part of the artist Andy Warhol’s Factory scene in New York in the ’60s. Sedgwick was featured in several underground Warhol films, including Poor Little Rich Girl and Beauty No. 2. She soon would break from Warhol and wanted to start a legitimate film career but that never really got off the ground.
Her final movie role was as Susan Superstar in Ciao! Manhattan, which was written and directed by John Palmer and David Weisman.
She lived a troubled life that was plagued by mental health issues and drug addictions. In 1971, Sedgwick died of an overdose. She was 28 years old. She was filming Ciao Manhattan when she died…they wrote that in the film.
The 2008 film, Factory Girl, starring Sienna Miller, is about Sedgwick.
The song peaked at #93 in the Billboard 100, #62 in Canada, #17 in New Zealand, and #32 in the UK in 1989.
The song was on the album Sonic Temple that peaked at #10 in the Billboard Album Charts, #2 in Canada, and #3 in the UK Album Charts.
From Songfacts
The Cult’s front man, Ian Astubury, became interested in Sedgwick while the band were recording their Electric album in New York: “It was kinda like I was really interested in Warhol’s scene, The Velvet Underground [who Warhol managed between 1965-1967], and really interested in Edie Sedgwick and just was compelled to write something about it.” Guitarist, Billy Duffy added: “Just being in New York you can get wrapped up in it. It’s a very special place. That’s just basically what the songs about. It’s not really about her particularly, it’s her used as an example.”
Sedgwick was quite a muse: she had a brief affair with Bob Dylan and his song “Just Like A Woman” is reportedly about her.
Edie (Ciao Baby)
Always said you were a youthquaker, Edie
A stormy little world shaker
Oh, Warhol’s darling queen, Edie
An angel with a broken wing
The dogs lay at your feet, Edie
Oh, we caressed you cheek
Oh, stars wrapped in your hair, Edie
Life without a care
But your not there
Oh, caught up in an endless scene
Yeah, paradise a shattered dream
Oh, wired on the pills you took, Edie
Your innocence dripped blood, sweet child
The dogs lay at your feet, Edie
Oh, we caressed your cheek
Oh, stars wrapped in your hair
Oh, life without a care
Ciao baby
Shake it, boy
Oh, sweet little sugar talker
Paradise dream stealer
Oh, Warhol’s little queen, Edie
An angel with a broken wing, oh
The dogs lay at your feet, Edie
Oh, we caressed your cheek, well
Stars wrapped in your hair
Life without a care yeah, yeah, yeah
Don’t you know paradise takes time?
Ciao baby, yeah
Ciao baby
Ciao baby, yeah
Ciao baby
…
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It has been speculated that ‘Like A Rolling Stone’, ‘Leopard Skin- Pill-Box- Hat’ and “Fourth Time Around’- were also about Sedgwick.
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That is some kind of muse…from what I read she was bright and funny but it went south quick around 67-68 or so.
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Wow. She clearly appeared to have had a strong impact on Dylan!
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Great track from a stellar album. When they recorded this they had real cellist’s in one studio and the band in the other. Surprising the song didn’t chart higher.
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Deke I’m surprised it didn’t chart higher also…it’s a great song and commercial.
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Cool song, and an interesting back-story. I didn’t know much about her.
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She was interesting and sad… from hanging out with the brightest to not being there anymore.
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What a sad background story!
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Yes it is Christian…she was at one time was a bright, funny, and beautiful woman.
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People say that Dylan also wrote the songs ‘Like A Rolling Stone’, ‘Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat’, and ‘Just Like a Woman’ about Edie Sedgwick.
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That is getting up there in Pattie Boyd territory.
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She seems to haunt people. It’s a troubling story. The song is nice.
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I was obsessed with her when I was a teenager. Something about her and her story drew me in. Ciao! Manhattan is odd to say the least.
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I somehow never heard of her until maybe 10 years ago. This many years after her passing, it’s hard to discern real vs legend.
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Good song. I’d never heard of her until this song came out, then a lot of DJs and VJs kept talking about her being the inspiration so The Cult really helped keep her memory alive.
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They really did…I just grew up with her and knew more about her than the making of the song…I’m really happy they made it because another generation of people know of her.
I watched that crazy movie again tonight…the one she was in….Ciao! Manhattan
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Wow. I’d never heard of her. But, I understand why she was into drugs and had an eating disorder. Talk about having s*** parents. That father of hers should have been arrested for child abuse. Damn.
I’ve never heard the song, either but, I love it!
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Oh yea he was terrible…she had magnetism that is for sure. My eyes stay on her when I see her. I watched that odd movie again last night. It was basically about her.
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She was a pretty thing.
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Oh yes she was…as a 15 year old I had the biggest crush…of course the dying thing sucked.
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LOL!
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She inspired a lot of songs, but you can’t go wrong with anything off Sonic Temple (or from The Cult)
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I agree with that… I remember when it came out…I was happy they kept her memory going with this.
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Didnt know any of the stuff. I do like the Cult.
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A good song inspired by a very tragic life.
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Yes it was Jeff. The title hooked me but yes bad circumstance.
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