Least Favorite Velvet Underground Songs POX

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Squeeze doesn't count, yo. You know that.

The Murder Mystery
Run, Run, Run
One Of These Days
Prominent Men (this also represents the entirety of disc 1 of Peel Slowly And See)
Venus In Furs (the Live 1993 version - probably the worst of Lou's scat-shit on that recording)
Melody Laughter
I'm Waiting For My Man (the "1969 Live With Lou Reed" version...too fucking groovy by half)
I Found A Reason (mainly for the "girl..." spoken word part)
I'm Sticking With You (I said LEAST favorite, not bad)
Whatever song on Another View is the worst, cuz I still haven't bought that yet

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 28 September 2003 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I only listen to the Velvet Underground records I like :0

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Sunday, 28 September 2003 18:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmmmm...interesting concept. Lemme try....

1. "Femme Fatale" - Despite the great chorus, the band sounds like they're phoning it in, which they evidently were, if legend has it right. Supposedly Warhol asked them to write a song for Nico, who they didn't want in the band from the get-go.
2. "Coyte" - They came back twenty-eight years later to tell us this?
3."Velvet Nursery Rhyme" - Just SHUT UP, Lou...don't ruin it for me.
4. "White Light/White Heat" -- Live version from the Live MCMXCII travesty...but most notably for Lou's declaration of "Ohhh, she sho' is funk-ayyy!" Good lord, be quiet you bespecktackled, mulleted nimrod.
5. "Black Angel's Death Song" - I don't care, just put that damn viola down and move away from the microphone, John.

...that's as far as I can go, I think. I'm sure there are other clunkers hidden in there, but I can't go for twelve.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 28 September 2003 19:06 (twenty-two years ago)

2. Should read: "Coyote", of course.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 28 September 2003 19:06 (twenty-two years ago)

but I can't go for twelve.

Er....much less ten.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 28 September 2003 19:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Dunno if I can name ten but "Lonesome Cowboy Bill" bugs the hell outta me....

― Michael B, Sunday, 28 September 2003 19:13 (twenty-two years ago)

anthony have you heard the version of i'm sticking with you from the box set?
its really really good,the version that was on the car ad was truly awful though

― robin (robin), Sunday, 28 September 2003 19:25 (twenty-two years ago)

all of them

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Sunday, 28 September 2003 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I always kinda gagged at "Beginning to See the Light" myself. So sue me. And probably a bunch of other stuff on their frequently boring third album that I forget right now. (Not "What Goes On" or "After Hours," though - those are fine.) I've never really paid attention to anything from after *Loaded*, or from the outtake records or whatever they are, though. And I haven't heard a live album by them in years.

― chuck, Sunday, 28 September 2003 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I've never been that fond of White Light/White Heat - sounds like they're trying too hard for that '50s RnR thing (spec. Jerry Lee Lewis).

I think I'd love it if JLL had done the song, though.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Sunday, 28 September 2003 19:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Hahahaha...amazing - I'd never considered a similarity, but it's actually uncanny. Imagine VU singing Great Balls of Fire - almost identical!

― Jez (Jez), Sunday, 28 September 2003 20:26 (twenty-two years ago)

These six are my six least favourite Velvet Underground songs:

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=CASS70305170158&sql=Askd8vwvva9ek

To make it ten, add "European Son", "Heroin", "Venus In Furs" and "I'm Waiting For The Man". Absolutely awful all of them, and this from the band that also gave the world such wonderful songs as "Sunday Morning", "Who Loves The Sun", "Candy Says" and "Pale Blue Eyes"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 28 September 2003 21:49 (twenty-two years ago)

sister ray goes on for the length of five, so that and the second side of loaded.

― gaz (gaz), Sunday, 28 September 2003 21:56 (twenty-two years ago)

How can you like V.U. but not like Heroin? Heroin is like their mission statement.

Also, I consider I'm Sticking With You one of their best songs.

Worst has to be, I don't know, some of the stuff off their first album. It's ironic, actually, with the Velvet's, I hated Nico's singing. But I love her solo stuff. She works best with lush strings I think, not raw rock n roll.

― David Allen, Sunday, 28 September 2003 22:00 (twenty-two years ago)

How can you like V.U. but not like Heroin?

I don't like Velvet Underground. I like some of their songs (the nice and pleasant melodic pop ones that is), but generally I hate them. I absolutely despise "White Light/White Heat".

Lou Reed went on to record the excellent "Berlin" though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 28 September 2003 22:06 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, robin, the version of "I'm Sticking With You" I'm referring to is the one on the box set. There's parts of it I find sweet but overall it feels kind of disjointed. I think my POX would change everyday (and in all reality I did a PO9). Only the first 4 feel like ones that would be constant.

I really like the randomness of everybody's selections. I hope more people put theirs!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 28 September 2003 22:09 (twenty-two years ago)

"black angel's death song" and "european son" and virtually all of loaded. i can't find a duff moment on WLWH or the grey album

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 28 September 2003 22:35 (twenty-two years ago)

1. Who loves the sun
2. Sweet Jane
3. Rock 'n' roll
4. Cool it down
5. New age
6. Head held high
7. Lonesome Cowboy Bill
8. I found a reason
9. Train round the bend
10. Oh sweet nuthin'

Q - I had this record, hated it and then sold it. Is it worth reappraisal?

― Ben Dot, Sunday, 28 September 2003 22:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Ben, I gave it away

the grey album
Is there a different cover in Australia or is this grey?
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc500/c575/c57505u8899.jpg
(strikes me as black... not to nitpick, but if there's a different cover I'd like to see it)

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Sunday, 28 September 2003 22:50 (twenty-two years ago)

i was never quite sure why it was referred to as "the grey album" but i've heard people call it that a few times..

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 28 September 2003 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Prominent Men
Venus In Furs (aargh aargh aargh--and people have actually modeled their sexuality on this song, aargh aargh)
There She Goes Again
Jesus
Cool It Down
Sweet Bonnie Brown
Over You
European Son
Follow the Leader
Ferryboat Bill

― Douglas (Douglas), Sunday, 28 September 2003 22:52 (twenty-two years ago)

second vote for Jesus. ugh.

― seanp (seanp), Sunday, 28 September 2003 22:58 (twenty-two years ago)

*sob*

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 28 September 2003 23:08 (twenty-two years ago)

the only vu songs that i actively hate are heroin and pale blue eyes, but i simultaneously like them too. i like the tall dwarfs send-up of heroin in "get outta the garage" a lot. theres probably a bunch of VU songs that i don't care that much for, but i can't remember what they are called.

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Sunday, 28 September 2003 23:11 (twenty-two years ago)

over you is fairly bad if its the same one i'm thinking of
i love i'm sticking with you,if only for the last 30 seconds
i even went so far as to start a thread about it a while ago

― robin (robin), Sunday, 28 September 2003 23:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't get what's bad about "Over You."

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 28 September 2003 23:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't see how anyone can hate Pale Blue Eyes.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Sunday, 28 September 2003 23:48 (twenty-two years ago)

overexposure? let's not forget Hole's atrocious cover of it

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 28 September 2003 23:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Heroine sucked.

― wangsta, Sunday, 28 September 2003 23:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I never heard the Hole version. Which I should probably be thankful for.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Sunday, 28 September 2003 23:53 (twenty-two years ago)

correct. it's more horrible than a thousand dogs hurting your head

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 28 September 2003 23:53 (twenty-two years ago)

run run run
train round the bend
ride into the sun
lonesome cowboy bill
oh gin
walk and talk
here she comes now

― geeta (geeta), Monday, 29 September 2003 00:18 (twenty-two years ago)

what's wrong with "ride into the sun"?

― Annouschka Magnatech (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 29 September 2003 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I was totally about to say "yippee someone else doesn't like run run run" but then your choice underneath it made me all sad, geeta. What's wrong with "train round the bend"? I love enthusiastic "woah woah" Lou songs.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 29 September 2003 00:20 (twenty-two years ago)

generally the ones i dont like anymore i don't like for personal reasons (somehow involved in a failed romance or a bad trip or something). aw every song of theirs is permanently imprinted in my brane: i did nothing but drink beer and listen to the vu and trip out for years (my fave song for this wz 'ocean' cuz its uber-trippy)

― geeta (geeta), Monday, 29 September 2003 00:33 (twenty-two years ago)

you had a failed romance or a bad trip to "walk and talk"? you crazy.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 29 September 2003 00:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't see how anyone can hate Pale Blue Eyes.

it used to be a favourite, the reason why i hate it is very personal.

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Monday, 29 September 2003 00:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I think we need to get back to Jerry Lee covering VU songs and vice versa. All the relevant parties are still alive, let's get this done.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 29 September 2003 01:26 (twenty-two years ago)

sterling isn't.

― A Nairn (moretap), Monday, 29 September 2003 01:57 (twenty-two years ago)

*sob*

― the surface noise (electricsound), Monday, 29 September 2003 02:19 (twenty-two years ago)

is it ok to say "everything on squeeze" and leave it at that?

this list would also be predominated by loaded songs.

― Little Big Macher (llamasfur), Monday, 29 September 2003 05:47 (twenty-two years ago)

oh yeah, i am *so* not surprised by geir's answers to this thread. and i suspect that no-one else here was, either.

― Little Big Macher (llamasfur), Monday, 29 September 2003 05:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Squeeze doesn't count, yo. You know that.

i also apparently can't read ... ;-p

― Little Big Macher (llamasfur), Monday, 29 September 2003 05:50 (twenty-two years ago)

"Run Run Run" thirded. Godawful.

Hey Douglas, what's wrong with European Son?

― Dave M. (rotten03), Monday, 29 September 2003 06:10 (twenty-two years ago)

least fave VU songs:

I Heard Her Call My Name
Sister Ray
Foggy Notion
Venus in Furs
The New Age
Beginning to See the Light
Cool It Down
Lonesome Cowboy Bill

most of the stuff off the S/T with them on the couch

― enoughrope, Monday, 29 September 2003 06:44 (twenty-two years ago)

the second i saw this thread i thought "if anyone says 'after hours,' i'm gonna cry." and no one did!

di how can you hate "heroin"?

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Monday, 29 September 2003 06:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I was all set to turn the iconoclasm phaser on 'vaporise' and then I...I...could not think of a single song by them I actually dislike. Well, that's me fucked as a critic. Come to think of it, there's nothing I dislike by Can or the Stooges either. Backlash against the backlash starts here!

― dave q, Monday, 29 September 2003 08:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh OK...if pressed, the one I wouldn't commit suicide (Cher to thread!) over never hearing again would be "Venus in Furs" because a) I'm kind of sick of it, and b) I'd rather hear the Stones' "Stray Cat Blues" + "Lady Jane" back-to-back, or better yet mashed up

― dave q, Monday, 29 September 2003 08:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I go along with dave q actually.

Although, I would probably say "Wrap your troubles in dreams" is one I would like to hear again the least...

That version of "Venus in furs" from Live MDCVGTIE, dyk that is their only 'hit' in the UK singles chart? (definition : top 75) (only chart album = VU)

Grey album: was grey in the UK, my japanese import is black, so whatever shade...

Oh and Can never made a duff track? that unlimited edition one has plenty...

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 29 September 2003 09:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Not to pick on Geir, but....

I don't like Velvet Underground. I like some of their songs (the nice and pleasant melodic pop ones that is), but generally I hate them.

B-b-b-but, if not for their NON-"nice & pleasant" songs (like "Heroin", "Venus in Furs", "Sister Ray"), they were just a shitty pop band. It's their moments of black-hearted abrassion (juxtaposed with their "nice & pleasant" bits) that made their name. Otherwise, they were juts lo-fi Petula Clark.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 29 September 2003 10:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey Mr. Rain (Version 1)
Hey Mr. Rain (Version 2)
Ferryboat Bill
The Murder Mystery
Oh Gin
It's Just too Much
Walk and Talk
The Black Angel's Death Song
It was a Pleasure Then
New Age

That was a lot harder than picking 10 favorites

― BrianB, Monday, 29 September 2003 13:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Otherwise, they were juts lo-fi Petula Clark.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 29 September 2003 14:09 (twenty-two years ago)

This POX is really hard for me, because every VU song has some redeming quality for me. I went through them all a few years ago trying to find a bad song, and all of them had some part where I was like "whoa, ok that's a good one"
but haven't heard some of the non-albums tracks that some people have mentioned, so maybe some of them would be bad.

― A Nairn (moretap), Monday, 29 September 2003 16:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Run Run Run drags a bit but you know I like 'em all in the first two records.

The third record has too many ballads and it kind of drags if taken in but nothing too horrifying if you listen to the tracks one at a time (as i recall, i haven't this stuff for quite a while).

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 29 September 2003 17:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Otherwise, they were juts lo-fi Petula Clark.

A lo-fi Petula Clark sounds like a good idea, particularly if he/she (as opposed to the "original") wrote his/her own songs. :-)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 29 September 2003 22:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, whatever mows yer lawn, Geir mon Frere.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 29 September 2003 23:03 (twenty-two years ago)

No, Geir is actually right. As he usually is.

― harveyw (harveyw), Tuesday, 30 September 2003 13:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I like all VU songs, but I will confess to usually skipping "Sister Ray" if I play White Light White Heat. Also, my enjoyment of that same record's title song is diminished somewhat by some of the worst recorded sound ever. This kind of thing doesn't usually bother me, but this time it really robs the song of much of its power. I do own an lp copy produced before the remastered versions came out (at least ten years ago), so maybe it sounds a bit better now, but somehow I doubt it.

― Sean (Sean), Tuesday, 30 September 2003 16:13 (twenty-two years ago)

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