Author Topic: Best Velvet Underground Song?  (Read 12043 times)

HoyaSaxa03

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Best Velvet Underground Song?
« on: November 18, 2006, 03:10:00 pm »
is it possible that "sister ray" (the 17+ minute last track on "white light/white heat") is their best song?
 
 the repetitive "sucking on my ding-dong" and "searching for a main-line" lyrics get a little old, but the music is just mind-blowing shit ... it seems like every 4 minutes or so they switch up the guitar effects and cover A LOT of ground
 
 i guess it's almost impossible to compare "sister ray" to something like "stephanie says", but i think i'd put "sister ray" at #1
(o|o)

snailhook

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2006, 03:14:00 pm »
there are at least 18 best velvet underground songs.
 
 among them are every song on white light/white heat, "venus in furs," "i'll be your mirror," "heroin," "femme fatale," "sweet jane," "new age," "rock and roll,"  "pale blue eyes," "ride into the sun," "ocean"...

mrpee

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2006, 03:26:00 pm »
I suppose an argument could me made that the faux-boogie-woogie pianner, snarling guitars and barrelhouse stomp of "I'm Waiting For The Man", tied to the seamy, desperate lyrical thread that ripped open a side of urban life that had never been poked at so branzenly in popular song, was a moment that tied the 50's & 60's together in a watershed way. Which would make it a pretty good song within the band's canon...

BookerT

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2006, 03:44:00 pm »
the correct answer is ... "i heard her call my name"
 
 the guitar squeal after the second "and then my mind split open" is perhaps the best moment in rock history.
 
 thanks for playing!

chaz

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2006, 05:18:00 pm »
I don't think any band ever blew my mind so bad as the first time I heard the VU when I was 14 or 15.  "The Black Angel's Death Song" was some seriously dark and wicked shit for me to digest.  
 
 I can't pick a best song...mrpee's argument for Waiting for my Man is a good one, though it's far from my favorite song by them.  They just turned rock and pop music on it's ear with that whole album.
 
 And BookerT, I'm with you on that guitar squeal.

Relaxer

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2006, 06:00:00 pm »
'What Goes On' from 1969
oword

SPARX

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2006, 06:11:00 pm »
I'd have to go with Sister Ray. Tough question!

Herr Professor Doktor Doom

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2006, 06:27:00 pm »
Sooo hard to pick a "best," because their songs are great for such widely differing reasons... from brilliant noise to brilliant perfectly pristine pop.
 
 I think there IS one thing we can all agree on though -- that the Feelies' limp, soul-less cover of "What Goes On" didn't even come close to doing that song justice.
_\|/_

Firebutt McGee

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #8 on: November 18, 2006, 06:34:00 pm »
New Age. Specifically the version from the "Velvet Underground Live 1969" album.
Woof.

HoyaSaxa03

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #9 on: November 18, 2006, 08:30:00 pm »
the noise they tease out of their guitars around 10:30-11:10 in 'sister ray' sounds a lot like the sound that bands like the jesus & mary chain and ministry (especially on 'stigmata') would find 15 yrs later
(o|o)

Here's the thing

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #10 on: November 18, 2006, 09:04:00 pm »
Sunday Morning, but how can you really choose? Time to break out the well-worn cds out again. it seems like every few years something happens- a movie soundtrack, a conversation with an old friend, this post- and V.U. are back in the every day rotation. Great question!

thingsfallapart

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #11 on: November 18, 2006, 09:57:00 pm »
I was always a fan of Heroin.
 
 Oh, Sweet Nuthin!, Rock and Roll, Pale Blue Eyes, New Age, Sweet Jane, All Tomorrow's Parties...a few other favorites.

you be betty

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2006, 05:26:00 pm »
I can't fucking answer this question.  You're making my brain hurt.

Tom Servo

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2006, 06:01:00 pm »
Who's the Velvet Underground?  Are they coming to town soon?

Driveway

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Re: Best Velvet Underground Song?
« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2006, 07:59:00 pm »
Rock and Roll or I'm Sticking With You?  I really got into this band bigtime about 3 years ago when I got the box set.  I never have really gotten into White Light White Heat though.  Most people sat it is their best, but it doesn't do much for me...  Maybe it will click with me someday?