In 1980, Reed married Sylvia Morales. They were divorced more than a decade later. While together, Morales inspired some of Reed's strongest love songs, particularly "Think it Over" from 1980's Growing Up in Public and "Women" from 1982's The Blue Mask. After Legendary Hearts (1983) and New Sensations (1984) fared adequately on the charts, Reed was sufficiently rehabilitated as a public figure to become spokesman for Honda scooters. In 1986, he joined the Amnesty International A Conspiracy of Hope Tour and was outspoken about New York's political issues and personalities on the 1989 album New York, commenting on crime, AIDS, Jesse Jackson, Kurt Waldheim, and Pope John Paul II.

Reed also took movie roles that echoed aspects of his personality—or at least his reputation. He played "metaphysical folk singer" Auden (a satire of Bob Dylan) in the 1983 Allan Arkush film Get Crazy, for which he wrote and performed the song "Little Sister". Reed also provided the singing voice for the character Mok in the 1983 film Rock & Rule and wrote the songs "My Name Is Mok" and "Triumph" for the film's soundtrack.

Following Warhol's death during routine surgery in 1987, Reed again collaborated with John Cale on 1990's Songs for Drella (Drella - Warhol's nickname - is a blend of the words "Dracula" and "Cinderella"). The album marked an end to a 22-year estrangement. The album took the shape of a Warhol biography; on the album, Reed sings of his love for his late friend, but also criticizes both the doctors who were unable to save Warhol's life and Warhol's would-be assassin, Valerie Solanas.

Source: Lou Reed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia