In 1967, an unknown band managed by artist Andy Warhol released an album that was a counter to the hippie countercultural ideas of the ’60s.
“The Velvet Underground and Nico” was The Velvet Underground’s debut album and, while not commercially or critically successful at the time, it influenced countless bands and helped start the punk genre.
The album starts with “Sunday Morning,” a quiet song in which lead singer Lou Reed shows a softer side to his usually edgy, drug-addled voice.
While “Sunday Morning” was primarily included to give the album a possible hit single, it gives listeners a pleasant intro to what is, at times, an intensely dark album.
“I’m Waiting for the Man” is where this album really differentiates itself from others of the ’60s.
Whereas bands like The Beatles sang about the fun, trippy parts of smoking marijuana, The Velvet Underground sang about trying to score $26 of heroin, a drug revisited later in the album.
“Femme Fatale” is the first track on the album to use German singer Nico as the lead vocalist, and her voice is a perfect fit for the song that was written about Warhol model Edie Sedgwick.
“Venus in Furs” is one of the most unsettling songs of the ’60s.
With an almost constant droning by band member John Cale’s viola, Reed sings about sadomasochism, bondage and submission in a haunting, almost hallucinatory voice.
“All Tomorrow’s Parties” was written to describe the people in Warhol’s Factory, and the song became one of Warhol’s favorites by The Velvet Underground.
“Heroin” is one of the best songs written about doing drugs ever recorded. Reed sings in a deadpan manner, and it’s easy to believe every word he says.
When Reed describes “rushing on his run” and “closing in on death,” he gives a more honest portrayal of drug use than any other band from the ’60s.
In stark contrast to “Heroin” is the light-hearted “I’ll be Your Mirror,” the third song to feature Nico as lead vocalist.
The song is beautiful in its simplicity as Nico sings about helping another see their beauty.
While there are other songs on “The Velvet Underground and Nico,” these are the album’s highlights. This isn’t to say the others are bad songs, though, as they all have something special about them.
The Velvet Underground managed to craft a remarkable debut album, and while it wasn’t widely accepted at first due to its dark subject matter that slapped the hippie movement in its face, the album managed to find a cult following and influenced punk, and other genres of bands, for decades to come.
Grade: A
matthew.armstrong@mail.wvu.edu
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