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Rating: For true Velvet Underground fans, this album is a must-have in the collection of the legendary New York group.
Released in 1993, it gathers the group's most famous tracks in a fantastic live performance held in Paris. After 25 years, the Velvet Underground reunited, only to disperse once again. There's no sweetness from Nico (who passed away prematurely), there's no anger and noise from the first albums, but the result is nonetheless superlative, because throughout these years Lou Reed and John Cale have refined their art, allowing them to reinterpret the Velvet classics and elevate them to a sublime artistic level (it's important to note that it was already art in the legendary 60s albums, and what art!). The novelty of this album lies in the fact that it's finally possible to hear tracks on which John Cale never laid a hand (essentially, Cale only worked on the first two albums of the group, the best albums, and the difference between Cale and Doug Yule is noticeable!). Alongside this, the powerful voice of Lou Reed interprets the V.U. classics with a theatricality and emotional intensity that's not easily found in the 60s records.
This is a different kind of art: if before, the Velvet expressed decadence, anger, paranoia, in this reunion, Reed's magnificent voice revitalizes the lyrics; in his voice, one perceives the distance from the pain of someone who has risked death, far away now, a voice that emerges with all its strength in affirming life in the light of dark memories. The tracks flow rapidly, even those that last longer; you don't even notice the time passing, carried by the obsessive rhythm of Maureen Tucker and Lou's rock arpeggios. After a Venus in Furs where Reed sings with indifference, John Cale (whose vocal style I've probably wrongfully despised before) offers here a masterpiece version of All Tomorrow's parties, surpassing even the original version with Nico!! He does a little less well with Femme fatale (the song was specifically written for the blonde model, it was tailored for her), but we can make up for it with The gift, which we can finally listen to without the recording flaws of White light white heat: cleaner sound, a text that seems very modern today, imagine what it was then!!! Lou Reed entertains and is entertained with the wildly exuberant Beginning to see the light and I heard her call my name; there's still time for the classics (Sweet Jane, White light, White Heat, Rock n' roll), and we quickly reach the climax. Cale's unique interpretation gives new vigor (though it certainly wasn't needed) to I'm waiting for my man, which, along with Heroin, regains the psychedelic fury of the "banana" album.
Among all the Velvet Underground live performances, it's only here that these two masterpieces in the history of music and of the group regain their proximity to the original perfection. Reed's deep voice still echoes in my head as he desperately screams, "Thank your god that I'm not aware", under the swirling vortex of Cale's violin, resonating with the notes of the splendid ballad Pale blue eyes, the quintessence of the entire album. Reed's voice takes on truly impressive tones, becoming almost epic, with words rich in pain that hit you in the stomach. On the other hand, we can finally listen to this classic by V.U. with the decisive contribution of Cale and his violin, which outlines decadent atmospheres.
Finally, the album closes with the unreleased Coyote, a typically Reedian classic rock song, a prelude to the end: from now on, everyone for himself, the Velvet Underground will play no more.
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Venus in Furs (05:30)
Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
Whiplash girlchild in the dark
Comes in bells, your servant, don't forsake him
Strike dear mistress, and cure his heart
Downy sins of streetlight fancies
Chase the costumes she shall wear
Ermine furs adorn the imperious
Severin, severin awaits you there
I am tired, I am weary
I could sleep for a thousand years
A thousand dreams that would awake me
Different colors made of tears
Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather
Shiny leather in the dark
Tongue of thongs, the belt that does await you
Strike dear mistress, and cure his heart
Severin, severin, speak so slightly
Severin, down on your bended knee
Taste the whip, in love not given lightly
Taste the whip, now bleed for me
I am tired, I am weary
I could sleep for a thousand years
A thousand dreams that would awake me
Different colors made of tears
Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
Whiplash girlchild in the dark
Severin, your servant comes in bells, please don't forsake him
Strike dear mistress, and cure his heart
02 Sweet Jane (05:23)
Standin' on a corner
Suitcase in my hand
Jack's in his corset, Jane is in her vest
and me I'm in a rock 'n' roll band. Huh.
Riding a Stutz Bearcat, Jim
ya know, those were different times
all the poets studied rules of verse
and those ladies they rolled their eyes
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Now Jack, he is a banker
and Jane, she's a clerk
and both of them save their monies
when they get home from work
sittin downby the fire
Ooo, the radio does play
the classical music there, Jim
The March of the Wooden Soldiers
All you protest kids
you can hear Jack say
03 Afterhours (02:44)
Reed)
one, two, three
If you close the door
the night could last forever
Leave the sunshine out
and say hello to never
All the people are dancing
and they're having such fun
I wish it could happen to me
But if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
If you close the door
the night could last forever
Leave the wine-glass out
and drink a toast to never
Oh, someday I know
someone will look into my eyes
And say hello
you're my very special one
But if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
Dark party bars, shiny Cadillac cars
and the people on subways and trains
Looking gray in the rain, as they stand disarrayed
oh, but people look well in the dark
And if you close the door
the night could last forever
Leave the sunshine out
and say hello to never
All the people are dancing
and they're having such fun
I wish it could happen to me
Cause if you close the door
I'd never have to see the day again
I'd never have to see the day again, once more
I'd never have to see the day again
04 All Tomorrow's Parties (06:36)
And what costume shall the poor girl wear
To all tomorrow's parties
A hand-me-down dress from who knows where
To all tomorrow's parties
And where will she go, and what shall she do
When midnight comes around
She'll turn once more to Sunday's clown and cry behind the door
And what costume shall the poor girl wear
To all tomorrow's parties
Why silks and linens of yesterday's gowns
To all tomorrow's parties
And what will she do with Thursday's rags
When Monday comes around
She'll turn once more to Sunday's clown and cry behind the door
And what costume shall the poor girl wear
To all tomorrow's parties
For Thursday's child is Sunday's clown
For whom none will go mourning
A blackened shroud
A hand-me-down gown
Of rags and silks - a costume
Fit for one who sits and cries
For all tomorrow's parties
05 Some Kinda Love (09:07)
Some kinds of love
Marguerita told Tom
Between thought and expression lies a lifetime
Situations arise because of the weather
and no kinds of love
are better than others
Some kinds of love
Marguerita told Tom
like a dirty French novel
combines the absurd with the vulgar
and some kinds of love
the possibilites are endless
and for me to miss one
would seem to be groundless
I heard what you said
Marguerita heard Tom
And of course you're a bore
but at that you�re not charmless
�cause a bore is a straight line
that finds a wealth in division
and some kinds of love
are mistaken for vision
la-de-ta-ta-ta
Put jelly on your shoulder
Let us do what you fear most
That from which you recoil
but which still makes your eyes moist
Put jelly on your shoulder, baby
lie down upon the carpet
between thought and expression
let us now kiss the culprit
(Moving on..)
I don't know just what it's all about (tell ya somethin�)
Put on your red pajamas and find out
08 I'm Waiting for the Man (05:16)
I'm waiting for my man
Twenty-six dollars in my hand
Up to Lexington, 125
Feel sick and dirty, more dead than alive
I'm waiting for my man
Hey, white boy, what you doin' uptown?
Hey, white boy, you chasin' our women around?
Oh pardon me sir, it's the furthest from my mind
I'm just lookin' for a dear, dear friend of mine
I'm waiting for my man
Here he comes, he's all dressed in black
PR shoes and a big straw hat
He's never early, he's always late
First thing you learn is you always gotta wait
I'm waiting for my man
Up to a Brownstone, up three flights of stairs
Everybody's pinned you, but nobody cares
He's got the works, gives you sweet taste
Ah then you gotta split because you got no time to waste
I'm waiting for my man
Baby don't you holler, darlin' don't you bawl and shout
I'm feeling good, you know I'm gonna work it on out
I'm feeling good, I'm feeling oh so fine
Until tomorrow, but that's just some other time
I'm waiting for my man
09 Heroin (09:49)
I don't know just where I'm going
But I'm gonna try for the kingdom, if I can
'Cause it makes me feel like I'm a man
When I put a spike into my vein
And I'll tell ya, things aren't quite the same
When I'm rushing on my run
And I feel just like Jesus' son
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know
I have made the big decision
I'm gonna try to nullify my life
'Cause when the blood begins to flow
When it shoots up the dropper's neck
When I'm closing in on death
And you can't help me not, you guys
And all you sweet girls with all your sweet silly talk
You can all go take a walk
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know
I wish that I was born a thousand years ago
I wish that I'd sail the darkened seas
On a great big clipper ship
Going from this land here to that
In a sailor's suit and cap
Away from the big city
Where a man can not be free
Of all of the evils of this town
And of himself, and those around
Oh, and I guess that I just don't know
Oh, and I guess that I just don't know
Heroin, be the death of me
Heroin, it's my wife and it's my life
Because a mainer to my vein
Leads to a center in my head
And then I'm better off than dead
Because when the smack begins to flow
I really don't care anymore
About all the Jim-Jim's in this town
And all the politicians makin' busy sounds
And everybody puttin' everybody else down
And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds
'Cause when the smack begins to flow
Then I really don't care anymore
Ah, when the heroin is in my blood
And that blood is in my head
Then thank God that I'm as good as dead
Then thank your God that I'm not aware
And thank God that I just don't care
And I guess I just don't know
And I guess I just don't know
10 Pale Blue Eyes (06:17)
Sometimes I feel so happy
Sometimes I feel so sad
Sometimes I feel so happy
But mostly you just make me mad
Baby you just make me mad
Linger on, your pale blue eyes
Linger on, your pale blue eyes
Thought of you as my mountain top
Thought of you as my peak
Thought of you as everything
I've had but couldn't keep
I've had but couldn't keep
Linger on, your pale blue eyes
Linger on, your pale blue eyes
If I could make the world as pure and strange as what I see
I'd put you in the mirror I put in front of me
I put in front of me
Linger on, your pale blue eyes
Linger on, your pale blue eyes
Skip a life completely, stuff it in a cup
She said money is like us in time
It lies but can't stand up
Down for you is up
Linger on, your pale blue eyes
Linger on, your pale blue eyes
It was good what we did yesterday
And I'd do it once again
The fact that you are married
Only proves you're my best friend
But it's truly, truly a sin
Linger on, your pale blue eyes
Linger on, your pale blue eyes
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By GATTINATOR
I love The Velvet Underground! For all they have given to rock: glam, decadence, scorching lyrics, the use of the violin so perversely.
Lou Reed honors his gems and when he opens with 'Heroin' and 'Pale Blue Eyes' there is an uproar.
