The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground
Label: | MGM Records – SE 4617, MGM Records – SE-4617 |
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Format: | |
Country: | US |
Released: | |
Genre: | Rock |
Style: | Art Rock, Folk Rock, Experimental, Blues Rock |
Tracklist
A1 | Candy Says | 4:09 | |
A2 | What Goes On | 4:52 | |
A3 | Some Kinda Love | 3:35 | |
A4 | Pale Blue Eyes | 5:40 | |
A5 | Jesus | 3:24 | |
B1 | Beginning To See The Light | 4:45 | |
B2 | I'm Set Free | 4:05 | |
B3 | That's The Story Of My Life | 2:05 | |
B4 | The Murder Mystery | 8:35 | |
B5 | After Hours | 2:05 |
Companies, etc.
- Record Company – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.
- Manufactured By – MGM Records Division
- Copyright © – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.
- Published By – Virpi, Inc.
- Pressed By – H.V. Waddell Co.
Credits
- Art Direction – Dick Smith (9)
- Composed By, Arranged By, Conductor [Conducted By] – The Velvet Underground
- Engineer [Director Of Engineering] – Val Valentin
- Mixed By [Uncredited] – Angel Balestier
- Photography By [Photos] – Billy Name
Notes
H.V. Waddell Co. pressing variant with 2.75" press ring on labels.
- Cat# SE 4617 printed on the left side of the label.
- Cat# SE-4617 on spine, at the top left of the front cover, at the top left and bottom right of the back cover.
- Label credit reads "All selections published by Virpi, Inc. (ASCAP)".
- Sounds of "Now" on MGM inner sleeve.
- Made in U.S.A. on labels.
®© Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc./Printed in U.S.A.
Original first press which features Lou Reed's "Closet Mix". All pressings have A-side label which lists "What Goes On" as 3:35 instead of 4:52 as correctly listed on back cover. This is a West coast pressing with "All Selections Published By Virpi. Inc. (ASCAP)" printed on label, East coast pressing has "All Selections Published By Virpi. Inc.—BMI".
Runouts are etched.
- Cat# SE 4617 printed on the left side of the label.
- Cat# SE-4617 on spine, at the top left of the front cover, at the top left and bottom right of the back cover.
- Label credit reads "All selections published by Virpi, Inc. (ASCAP)".
- Sounds of "Now" on MGM inner sleeve.
- Made in U.S.A. on labels.
®© Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc./Printed in U.S.A.
Original first press which features Lou Reed's "Closet Mix". All pressings have A-side label which lists "What Goes On" as 3:35 instead of 4:52 as correctly listed on back cover. This is a West coast pressing with "All Selections Published By Virpi. Inc. (ASCAP)" printed on label, East coast pressing has "All Selections Published By Virpi. Inc.—BMI".
Runouts are etched.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
- Rights Society: ASCAP
- Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variation 1): SE4617 Side1 MGS1824 Rev.BP
- Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variation 1): SE-4617 S-2 MGS-1825 SPECIAL REV
- Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variation 2): SE4617 Side1 MGS1824 Rev.BP
- Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variation 2): "W.C." Side 2: SE-4617 S-2 MGS-1825 SPECIAL REV
- Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, variation 3): SE 4617 Side1 MGS1824 Rev. BP.
- Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, variation 3): W.C. SE-4617 S-2 MGS-1825 SPECIAL REV
Other Versions (5 of 150)
View AllTitle (Format) | Label | Cat# | Country | Year | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Velvet Underground (LP, Album) | MGM Records, MGM Records | SE-4617, SE4617 | US | 1969 | |||
The Velvet Underground (LP, Album) | MGM Records | SE-4617 | Canada | 1969 | |||
Recently Edited | The Velvet Underground (LP, Album, Promo, Stereo, Yellow Label) | MGM Records, MGM Records | SE-4617, SE4617 | US | 1969 | ||
Recently Edited | The Velvet Underground (LP, Album, Stereo) | MGM Records, MGM Records | 665 114, 665114 | Germany | 1969 | ||
The Velvet Underground (LP, Album, Stereo) | MGM Records, MGM Records | SE4617, SE-4617 | US | 1969 |
Recommendations
Reviews
- Edited 7 years agoThe albums' all about the song "Pale Blue Eyes" ...
Not being one of the band’s favorite albums for most people, nearly all of the songs found on this outing are themed regarding freedom and love … though for me, the album was all about the song “Pale Blue Eyes,” which was rumored to have been considered as a B-Side, and as part of an EP, though never seemed to actually materialize. Rolling Stone magazine said, ”Pale Blue Eyes” is a folky ballad that never really gets off the ground either musically or lyrically.
It’s seldom in our short sweet lives that we’re able to remember a seminal moment in our musical history, with “Pale Blue Eyes,” a haunting, almost frighteningly deeply personal relentlessly touching number laced with emotional longing and sadness that documents an experience that most of us have shared, though have been unable to bring into existence outside of our splintered souls, being that seminal moment for me.
The song was a brilliant success in my mind, both lyrically, emotionally and musically, with the fact that it didn’t really get off the ground making it all that more accessible and personal. “Pale Blue Eyes” had every element that would define my musical existence and serve as a temple, encapsulating at every turn all that I’d be looking for in music for the rest of my life. Of course the band Love would deliver the chilling “Signed D.C.” along with “A Message to Pretty,” but on a whole, these sort of low keyed, low flying songs were seldom delivered, seldom given voice, and never was an album themed along these lines until Spacemen 3 presented Perfect Prescription in 1989, and later The Darkside would float the more soaring, yet cut from the same cloth All That Noise, albums that just shivered me to the bone, making me realize that I wasn’t alone in my desire to capture these elusive moments of laid back, nearly drugged out, emotional stoner laced bits of intoxication that floated in darkness, seemed to singularly exist within the construct for those with damaged souls, and the need to touch the wounds.
Of course, then came Galaxie 500, and their three releases that breathed the same collective breath as mine, beat at the same heartbeat level and structured every chord, every note, and every verse around the emotional angst that’s hung around me like a hazy fog of interpersonal satisfaction.
These sort of songs are not meant to be shared with others, they’re designed to encompass those personal moments when one is alone with their own thoughts, their own shattered existence, though are neatly, almost embarrassingly tucked away, like a tattoo one keeps covered, because it reveals far too much as to the nature of one’s being.
As to the album as a whole, this was The Velvet Undergrounds third release, and their first with Doug Yule who was replacing John Cale, where they attempted to settle things down and bring a calmness to their music. There were other changes as well, with Yule singing the opening track “Candy Says,” and this time out, recorded in sunny California.
*** The Fun Facts: It’s claimed that the song “Pale Blue Eyes” was inspired by Shelley Albin who actually had hazel eyes, with Reed noting this in his book “Between Thought and Expression”, Lou Reed’s first true love [while at Syracuse University], and who was married to another man at the time. Shelley Albin would agin be referenced in the song “New Age” from the Loaded album. “New Age” in its original text includes a reference to Lou Reed’s bi-sexuality when he wrote “It seems to be my fancy to make it with Frank and Nancy.” Though later, the studio version is written from the point of view of a fan addressing a “fat blonde actress.”
The song “Candy Says” was about Candy Darling, a Warhol Factory hanger-on who would again make an appearance on the Lou Reed song, “Walk On The Wild Side.”
As to the album artwork, the images were taken by Billy Name, with whom Reed was also having a sexual relationship, and inspired the song “Some Kind Of Love,” saying that "No kinds of love are better than others ..." Billy was another Warhol Factory regular who’s skull & dagger tattoo showed up on the cover of White Light White Heat. The cover photo was taken with the band sitting on the infamous couch in The Silver Factory, and shows Lou Reed holding a copy of the magazine Harper’s Bazaar, dated October 1968.
Review by Jenell Kesler - Hi, does anyone know of a white (vs black) background version of this album? Same picture, just on a white backdrop.
I quickly saw one yesterday, in someone's collection. I didn't get the details, but can't find any reference to it on Discogs. The guy had a bunch of VU stuff, all orginal, he bought back in the day. Said the cover is rare....it must be, I can't find mention of it. Thanks! - Could someone let me know if they're selling the 'Bedroom Mix' of this disc ? My understanding is that the different mixes are so radically different as to be nearly different versions. The version I have came with a Velvets boxed set in the early 90s. It's a great record but I didn't notice any special intimacy in the production. So if you have the Bedroom Mix for a reasonable price (10ish or less but I'm flexible) please let me know and you've got a sale. [email protected]
- Definitely one of my favorite records ever. Some of the songs are just so calming, like Candy Says and Pale Blue Eyes, lacking that aggressiveness of Heroin from the Velvet Underground and Nico, instead honing in on that blissful apathy of the drug itself. In other places though the record shows some real nice experiments, e.g. The Murder Mystery, which i've heard in so many post-punk (revival) sounds, with its odd structure and krautrock-like piano jam ending. The ending couldn't be nicer with Moe Tucker playing us out with such a nice voice, just like on I'm Sticking With You. This is the perfect driving at night record.
Release
For sale on Discogs
Sell a copy6 copies from $208.33
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Videos (11)
EditLists
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