Between Thought and Expression: The Lou Reed Anthology is a box set by Lou Reed. This 1992 release covers the first 20 years of his solo career, including the unreleased studio tracks "Downtown Dirt," an early version of "Leave Me Alone", Francis Scott Key's "America (Star Spangled Banner)" from the 1980 Growing Up in Public sessions and an edited excerpt from the Metal Machine Music album. Additionally there are previously unreleased live tracks: "Heroin" from 1976 featuring jazz trumpeter Don Cherry,[3] "Here Comes the Bride" from 1978, and "Voices of Freedom" from the Amnesty International tour A Conspiracy of Hope.[4] The set also featured the 1975 B-side "Nowhere at All" and "Little Sister" from the soundtrack to the 1983 film Get Crazy.[5]
Jeffrey Morgan was asked by Rob Bowman to name the Lou Reed anthology that he was assembling with Reed for RCA Records. Morgan named it Between Thought and Expression, quoting from his favorite Velvet Underground song "Some Kinda Love". In return, Bowman thanked Morgan in his liner notes to the anthology.[6]