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The 1991 song that made Roger Waters feel physically sick: “That affects me”
Roger Waters said Marky Mark’s 1991 hit ‘Wildside’ made him feel physically sick because it sampled Lou Reed’s ‘Walk on the Wild Side’. His reaction reflects his broader objection to sampling when he believes an original work’s character or meaning has been repurposed into a commercial product.
‘Wildside’, released by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, used elements of Reed’s 1972 song, with Reed reportedly accepting the use. Waters nevertheless said the track “turned [his] stomach”, while acknowledging that the songwriter’s approval made his own objection less consequential. The article contrasts this with A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Can I Kick It?’, which it presents as a more sympathetic use of Reed’s music.
In short
- Waters disliked Marky Mark’s sampling of Lou Reed.
- He felt ‘Wildside’ commercialised a revered song.
- Lou Reed reportedly did not object.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the critical view argue that recontextualising artistic works—particularly transforming their original character into commercial contexts—raises legitimate concerns about artistic integrity. Even with financial permission, such appropriation can fundamentally alter an original work's artistic meaning, which some view as disrespectful to the creator's vision.
The case against
Supporters of sampling argue that musical evolution has long involved artists building upon previous work, and sampling represents a legitimate continuation of this tradition. With proper licensing and copyright holder approval, artists exercise valid creative rights, and recontextualisation through sampling both honours the original whilst creating new meaning.
Explained simply
Roger Waters is a musician and songwriter. In 1991, a song called 'Wildside' by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch was released, which sampled Lou Reed's 1972 song 'Walk on the Wild Side'. Sampling involves taking elements or portions from an existing recording and reusing them in a new piece of music.
Waters objected to this sampling practice, saying the track made him feel physically sick. His concern stems from a broader view that sampling can repurpose an original song's meaning or character for commercial purposes, detaching it from its creator's original intent. Although Lou Reed, who wrote 'Walk on the Wild Side', apparently approved its use in 'Wildside', Waters still objected to the practice itself. He acknowledged, however, that Reed's consent made his own personal objection less consequential.