The best class I took at The University of Texas was called History of Rock and Roll. I've probably mentioned it before. It had a huge impact on my life. The professor opened my eyes to new ways of listening and analyzing music. We listened to quite a bit of the Velvet Underground in this class. During that semester, I spent some gift money on Loaded, a Velvet Underground album. For some reason, I resisted this band at first. I had issues with the sound or something. Now I have come around.
Some would probably say that this band helped lay the ground work for punk. Perhaps that is true. Basically, what I would say is this band lays the ground work for me driving around town with a Shasta and a sunny attitude. I really like to listen to them in my car, and I don't know if that was the intention forty years ago, but I don't give a rat's ass! The Velvet Underground was founded by Lou Reed and John Cale and was huge in New York City during the mid-to-late sixties. Andy Warhol was their manager at one time and suggested the infamous collaboration with Nico. Nico is nuts! She has a crazy, deep voice.
Loaded has some of the best known VU songs. I chose "Sweet Jane" because of all the stink Lou Reed made about it when he quit the band in 1970. Supposedly, there was an extra verse left out on the final album cut and he was ticked! Who knows if he really knew about this or not. He's Lou Reed. He can pretty much do whatever.
I thought to blog about this band because I started drinking a Coke because I was really craving it. I never drink Cokes! But I really wanted it. This is sort of how I feel about the Velvet Underground. It's not music I listen to 24/7 like soul, but I really want it sometimes and it satisfies my urges. Also, it's fun to substitute your name instead of Jane when singing along to this song. Not that I know anything about that.
Velvet Underground - Sweet Jane
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