Lou Reed at Lollapalooza, 2009 (Getty Images/Roger Kisby)

On March 2, 1943, [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Lou Reed[/lastfm] was born in Brooklyn. He co-founded the influential [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Velvet Underground[/lastfm] in 1965; their 1967 debut album, Velvet Underground and Nico, didn’t sell especially well, but it’s considered one of the most important albums of all time.

After leaving the Velvets in 1970, Reed began a solo career that Allmusic.com describes as “mutating from theatrical glam rocker to scary-looking junkie to avant-garde noiseman to straight rock & roller to your average guy.” Sounds about right.

One of Reed’s best-known songs is “Sweet Jane,” which he originally recorded with the Velvet Underground. He revisited the song as a solo artist, too–a classic version that appeared on his 1974 album Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal.

The performance below is from an oft-bootlegged 1974 show at L’Olympia in Paris.