#143 The Velvet Underground, 'The Velvet Underground' (1969)

Previously #314

This album completely leap-frogged over The Velvet Underground’s other two entries compared to their original places in the list. Their self-titled album was their first without John Cale, and first to feature Doug Yule in his place. Following the experimental record, ‘White Light/White Heat,’ Lou Reed had decided that at the risk of becoming a one-dimensional band, their new album would be more of a straightforward Rock album. To mark this change, the album opens with ‘Candy Says,’ a song about Andy Warhol model/actress, Candy Darling, sung by the band’s newest member, Yule. It’s a song that would have sat comfortably on their debut record with Nico. ‘What Goes On,’ the only single to be released from the record is an upbeat song so typical of the 1969 Hippy era. The organ riff was later lifted and used in Talking Heads’ ‘Once In A Lifetime.’ ‘Some Kinda Love,’ ‘Pale Blue Eyes,’ ‘Jesus’ and ‘I’m Set Free’ are all low-key straight-up folky songs, exactly what Reed had intended for this record.

‘That’s The Story Of My Life’ is another upbeat number so typical of its time. The most unusual song on the record is the almost-9-minute song, ‘Murder Mystery,’ a song on which Reed and Sterling Morrison read separate verses of poetry at the same time, while during the chorus Yule and Moe Tucker sing conflicting lyrics and melodies simultaneously. It’s a song that probably is more suited to its predecessor record, ‘White Light/White Heat.’ The album closes with a beautiful rare solo lead vocal by Tucker. While I enjoyed the record, I didn’t like it as the other two entries on the list so far. It took 16 years for the album to impact the Billboard charts, only hitting #197 on its reissue in 1985.

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