A tribute to Lou Reed
“Both guitars got the fuzz tone on/The drummer’s standing upright pounding along/A howl, a tone, a feedback whine/Biker boys meet the college kind/How in the world were they making that sound?/Velvet Underground”
Jonathan Richman, 1992
———————————————
1. The Modern Lovers – Roadrunner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy88-5pc7c8 (original video)
2. The Go-Betweens – Karen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPErA7NZISM
3. The Pastels – Nothing To Be Done
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47jH0wbnvIo
4. Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbDekaqw3lQ (live, 1977)
5. Jesus And Mary Chain – Just Like Honey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EgB__YratE
6. Spacemen 3 – Revolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg5D-CqDoI8
7. Suicide – Dream Baby Dream
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LayQ98lR8I
8. Sonic Youth – Teen Age Riot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPytYrYqDbA (original video)
9. Television – Marquee Moon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlbunmCbTBA
10. The Feelies – Crazy Rhythms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCManydw8aw (live, 1978)
11. Pulp – Common People
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuTMWgOduFM
12. Bushwalking – No Enter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce6VcZUZ0zc (live, 2013)
13. Thee Open Sex – Light Of Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgRaCxSLO_g
14. Smog – Bathysphere
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geK2tWWzCp0
15. Roxy Music – Virginia Plain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDULlMa8Hxc (live, 1972)
16. Mink DeVille – Spanish Stroll
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGVbEEp7-QM
17. Orange Juice – Falling And Laughing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyKvScfXcCg
18. Mazzy Star – Be My Angel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7JQ0dM6VqE
19. Primal Scream – Loaded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDK2svrGG_c (original video)
20. The Black Angels -Young Men Dead
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvKjpGP6P5Y
21. The Strokes – Last Nite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOypSnKFHrE
22. Patti Smith – Land
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWGk2R2gHEU
23. Nirvana – Here She Comes Now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mky-yfmoavQ
24. The Vivian Girls – Where Do You Run To
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRHSOH1S0QI
25. Pavement – Summer Babe (Winter Version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMjlhIWxfFI
26. Joy Division (New Order) – Ceremony
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV5BSrOU4eE
27. Galaxie 500 – Don’t Let Our Youth Go To Waste
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G48S-XLhac
28. LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXp1TQPf2pY
29. The Saints – This Perfect Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0B95FjppEs (live, 1977)
30. David Bowie – Oh! You Pretty Things
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBQ-S6njQQw (live, 1972)
31. The Pretenders – Brass In Pocket
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Hy7uAb_eU
32. Neu! – Hallogallo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbAWBElA6dA
33. The Garbage & The Flowers – Nothing Going Down At All
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsozoOUMEzc#t=42 (live video)
34. Bitch Prefect – Bad Decisions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjaA25yfhYY
35. James X Boyd & The Boydoids – Elissa Says
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLorimZDZC0
36. The Raincoats – The Void
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-p5OfsjxsQ
37. Cabaret Voltaire – Here She Comes Now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjihCRNBYuA
38. Beat Happening – Foggy Eyes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJd-eZo6chI
39. Look Blue Go Purple – Cactus Cat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtmlfuEukMs (original 1986 video)
40. Hookworms – Away/Towards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw5av46j21U
41. The Clean – Anything Could Happen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tf1wzg4rdE
42. Can – Yoo Doo Right
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gJFzPt1i-U
43. Shop Assistants – Somewhere In China
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyY6H8AXeIw (live, 1985?)
44. The Fall – Repetition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTKCKBu8CLI
45. Marine Girls – Honey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQA7wLYrSXo
46. Talking Heads – Psycho Killer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5zFsy9VIdM (live, 1977)
47. Violent Femmes – Good Feeling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhedKAhHqK8
48. Electrelane – On Parade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwLu4h1Q9U0 (acoustic)
49. The Stooges – Real Cool Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBF6tJGmZcc
50. Pere Ubu – Non-Alignment Pact
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZty5DTmpMY
51. The Cure – Three Imaginary Boys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5iHouB9ODk (live, 1979)
52. Tangerine – Feel This Way
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTLeC5XRwjk
53. Siouxsie And The Banshees – Overground
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScHnG0y-vkk (John Peel session, 1978)
54. Pylon – Stop It
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwtxUwoWr6M (live, 1978)
55. Wire – Mannequin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9Bzpi3uCUo
56. Television Personalities – A Sense Of Belonging
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6pZI65jHsI
57. The Verlaines – Death And The Maiden
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P96cFKd4irY (original video)
58. Throbbing Gristle – United
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_mKDKKySls
59. Hissey Miyake – Ghosts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HfuCjJUXHM
60. Tronics – TV On In Bed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOgz1OCrswM (the greatest!)
61. Blondie – Rip Her To Shreds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsMefrj_ICE (live, 1978)
62. The Psychedelic Furs – We Love You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDoyK9Dx4_o (early, live)
63. Dirty Three – Some Summers They Drop Like Flys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TLulYTwO1k
64. Pussy Galore – Dick Johnson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IK9pBpOFpk (original video)
65. Straitjacket Fits – She Speeds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLTtOXIhrow (original video)
66. The Vaselines – Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcLM_gqLlYc
67. Rainy Day – I’ll Keep It With Mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5ZehtWDRUE
68. CocoRosie – Child Bride
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMidZnR7Nt4
69. Jonathan Richman and Mo Tucker – I’m Sticking With You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4ppCtmpNJU
70. Hole – Pale Blue Eyes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mljf-IIGstA
71. Howe Gelb – Felonious
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DvcI9mZDCY
———————————————————-
They were wild like the USA
A mystery band in a New York way
Rock and roll, but not like the rest
And to me, America at it’s best
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
A spooky tone on a Fender bass
Played less notes and left more space
Stayed kind of still, looked kinda shy
Kinda far away, kinda dignified.
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
Now you can look at that band and wonder where
All that sound was coming from
With just 4 people there.
Twangy sounds of the cheapest types,
Sounds as stark as black and white stripes,
Bold and brash, sharp and rude,
Like the heats turned off
And you’re low on food.
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
Like this…
Wild wild parties when they start to unwind
A close encounter of the thirdest kind
On the bandstand playing, everybody’s saying
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
Well you could look at that band
And at first sight
Say that certain rules about modern music
Wouldn’t apply tonight.
Twangy sounds of the cheapest kind,
Like “Guitar sale $29.99,”
Bold and brash, stark and still,
Like the heats turned off
And you can’t pay the bill.
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
Both guitars got the fuzz tone on
The drummer’s standing upright pounding along
A howl, a tone, a feedback whine
Biker boys meet the college kind
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
Wild wild parties when they start to unwind
A close encounter of the thirdest kind
On the bandstand grooving, everybody moving
How in the world are they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
Jonathan Richman
You can find the Spotify playlist here, and the Rdio playlist here (with a few bonus added tracks). Many thanks to Mike and Scott for doing these.
Related posts:
A tribute to Lou Reed, pt 2
When I was young I used to sing/I didn’t care for anything | A tribute to Lou Reed, pt 3
Pingback: “Lou Reed es la razón por la que hago todo” | jenesaispop.com
Pingback: A Tribute to Lou Reed | Beautiful Freaks – Features
Pingback: reasons I am not a David Bowie fan | Music That I Like