Berlin is the third solo studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released in October 1973 by RCA Records.

A concept album, Berlin tells the story of a couple's struggle with drug addiction and abuse.

[3][4] The album is a tragic rock opera about a doomed couple, Jim and Caroline, and addresses themes of drug use, prostitution, depression, domestic violence and suicide.

Specifically, Ezrin wanted to know what happened to the couple from "Berlin" – a song from Reed's first solo album.

[7] Director Julian Schnabel filmed the concert and released it in 2008 as Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse, which opened to strong reviews.

The Velvet Underground had also recorded an alternative demo of "Sad Song", which had much milder lyrics in its original form.

"Men of Good Fortune" had also been played by the Velvet Underground as early as 1966; an archival live recording, which can be heard only at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, features the song.

The album cover was conceived by Pacific Eye & Ear, which also designed Alice Cooper's Muscle of Love the same year.

[3] Robert Christgau in a February 1974 review for Creem felt that the story about "two drug addicts who fall into sadie-mazie in thrillingly decadent Berlin" was "lousy" and the music was "only competent".

[28] "Caroline Says II" has been covered by several artists, including the Soft Boys, Human Drama, Mercury Rev and Marc and the Mambas.