Covers for Sunday - The Velvet Underground edition

Before we begin there's a chance that you're not that familiar with The Velvet Underground. Maybe you've heard of them or you've heard Lou Reed's solo work or you have their first album or maybe even you're aware of them because I posted something by Mo Tucker last week. Maybe you don't know that this blog takes it's name from a Velvet Underground lyric. anyway. Back when this blog was new I did three posts about The Velvet Underground which I think serve a pretty decent introduction to them and to their music. So go and check them out:

The Velvet Underground part 1
The Velvet Underground part 2
The Velvet Underground part 3



I knew it'd be easier to do this than The Strokes' version from last week, but I wasn't really prepared for how many covers of The Velvet Underground I'd be able to find. I've been working on this through the week so it's only really now as I'm just about to post it that I realise just how many covers I've acumulated. There's got to be several somethings here for everyone, the covers range from heavy rock and metal to poppy, from huge bands to cult bands to bands that almost no-one has heard of. The influence of The Velvet Underground is immense, of course it goes far beyond just the covers but I think this is a really good snapshot of how they have and still do influence music.



So let's start with covers that I've featured before. There arn't many, which I find odd because they are my favourite band. anyway, there may only be four covers but each one of them is a slice of great music.

I'm Sticking with You - Mo Tucker and Jonathan Richman. On the original version Mo Tucker shares the vocals with Lou Reed. This time around she duets with Jonathan Richman, fan of The Velvet Underground, writer of a song called Velvet Underground (as well as Road Runner) and one of my favourite artists. You can hear his tribute song "Velvet Underground" here.

Temptation Inside Your Heart - The Morning Benders. A brilliant cover of a lesser known Velvet Underground song.

Candy Says - Anthony and the Johnsons. Anthony's voice is so haunting, it really suits this song.

Waiting For The Man - Belle and Sebastian. A nice, fun romp through the song, I have no idea who the vocalist is.



Now, onto the new covers. I've tried to get a good mix of songs, so it's not all the well known songs and there aren't dozens of covers of Sweet Jane. Of course some songs are covered more than others so there are a few versions of Venus In Furs, Femme Fatale & After Hours as well as Sweet Jane. But there's also covers of Foggy Notion and She's My Best Friend. All of Beck's Record Club covers are here as well at the end of the post.

As I've said there are lots of really well known musicians featured here, a quick list is The White Stripes, Joy Division, Of Montreal, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Patti Smith, Alex Chilton and Y La Tengo, Edwyn Collins & Paul Quinn, Jeff Buckley, Teenage Fanclub, The Black Crowes, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, My Morning Jacket, Thom Yorke, The Decemberists, Nirvana, David Bowie, REM and Billy Corgan. There are plenty of lesser known bands as well, but I've listed those to give you an idea of the variety of music contained in the covers below. That's enough from me, enjoy the music:

After Hours (live) - The White Stripes. Vocals, somewhat nervous, from Meg White.

Femme Fatale (live) - Alex Chilton & Yo La Tengo. Alex Chilton covering The Velvets, it doesn't get much better than that.

Sister Ray - Joy Division. Although, maybe this is better.

All Tomorrow's Parties (live radio session) - Jeff Buckley

Candy Says - Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man

Sunday Morning - Clinker

Foggy Notion - Ted Kedylon. Covered on the ukulele, this is lovely.

Venus In Furs - John Cale. Normally I don't like doing this sort of thing. But I allowed myself to use this as a cover because John Cale didn't sing the original recording so it's different enough to qualify as a cover and because it's really, really good. So good in fact here's the video:



Venus In Furs - Krieg

She's My Best Friend - Of Montreal

Pale Blue Eyes - Edwyn Collins & Paul Quinn

We're Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together - Patti Smith

After Hours - Red Hot Chili Peppers

New Age - Ride

Sunday Morning - Strawberry Switchblade

Sister Ray - Suicide

Femme Fatale - Teenage Fanclub

What Goes On - The Attic Boys

Oh! Sweet Nuthin' - The Black Crowes

What Goes On - The Feelies

Rock and Roll - The Psychedelic Rake

Heroin - High Delta

Who Loves The Sun (live acoustic session) - Kasabian

Venus In Furs - DeVotchKa

What Goes On - Ted Leo

Foggy Notion - Psychic TV

Here She Comes Now - Nirvana

I'm Set Free - Thom Yorke and Beck

Waiting For The Man - David Bowie feat Lou Reed. I thought as I've got a cover with John Cale and one with Mo Tucker it'd be only fair to have one with Lour Reed as well. Nothing with Stirling Morrison though, sorry.

Stephanie Says - Lady and Bird

Sweet Jane - Cowboy Junkies. You'll probably have heard this from the Natural Born Killers soundtrack. This is one of my personal favourites in terms of Velvet Underground covers.

All Tomorrow's Parties - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Proving once again that Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds can make anything sound sinister and brilliant at the same time.

All Tomorrow’s Parties - Calexico and Iron & Wine. Exactly as gorgeous as you'd think.

Stephanie Says - Emiliana Torrini

Sweet Jane - Low Sea

Pale Blue Eyes (live) - REM. There's about a minute of this before the actual song starts, but it's well worth the wait.

There She Goes Again - REM. This is from Dead Letter Office which is a b-sides and rarities REM compilation which I bought exactly one year before I bought The Velvet Underground & Nico]

Femme Fatale - Elisa. This isn't the greatest cover, but there's some really interesting steel drum sounds in it which make it worth listening to. I've included this as an example as just how much The Velvet Underground's influence different types of musicians.

Pale Blue Eyes - Hole

I'm Set Free - The Kills

I Heard Her Call My Name - The Dirtbombs

Oh! Sweet Nuthin' - My Morning Jacket

Sweet Jane and Beast Of Burden - The Kooks

I Can't Stand It - The Laureates

Venus In Furs - The Kills

Candy Says - Kathryn Williams

Lady Godiva's Operation - Fatima Mansions

I'm Sticking With You - The Decembrists

What Goes On - The Decembrists

I Found A Reason - Cat Power

Run Run Run - Capsula

Femme Fatale (live 31st August 2009) - Billy Corgan with Spirits In The Sky

Who Loves The Sun - Hafdis Huld

White Light, White Heat - David Bowie

White Light, White Heat (BBC Session version) - David Bowie

I promised you Beck's Record Club covers and here they are:

Sunday Morning
I'm Waiting for the Man
Femme Fatale
Venus in Furs
Run Run Run
All Tomorrow's Parties
Heroin
Heroin (alternative take) This feature vocals by Beck, both versions are great.
There She Goes Again
I'll Be Your Mirror
The Black Angel's Death Song
European Son