Take Five: Pop-leaning Tracks from the Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground are one of rock’s paradoxes. During the group’s time together, the New York City based band never achieved widespread popularity; their most commercially successful album – the 1967 debut The Velvet Underground & Nico – reached only the No. 171 spot on the Billboard 200 chart on its original release. And while the VU released several singles during their original run, not a single one of them charted.

Yet the Velvet Underground exerted a massive influence upon rock music, especially its avant garde and punk variants. The classic lineup – Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker – made music that was uncompromising, both sonically any lyrically. As Brian Eno famously said with only a touch of hyperbole, “The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band.”

The VU’s edgy, streetwise character certainly scared off some potential fans. And that’s unfortunate, because alongside skronky noisefests like “The Black Angel’s Death Song” and the horror show of “The Gift,” the band crafted some surprisingly tuneful songs, built around hooks, sweet melodies and even chirpy harmonies. On the 30th anniversary of the band’s career-spanning boxed set Peel Slowly and See, here are five catchy songs from the Velvet Underground.

“Sunday Morning” from The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
The dreamy pop of “Sunday Morning” would be one the Velvet Underground’s most uncharacteristic tunes. Written by Lou Reed, it features a plaintive vocal, lovely celesta work by John Cale, and washes of guitar that evoke the feel of a string orchestra.

“I’ll Be Your Mirror” from The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
At the behest of “manager” Andy Warhol, German vocalist Nico (born Christa Päffgen) was added to the group in time for its recorded debut. Nico would sing lead on three songs included on The Velvet Underground & Nico. As with most of the songs on that LP, the tunes were solely composed by Lou Reed. “I’ll Be Your Mirror” found Nico giving an unusually gentle vocal performance, as opposed to her more strident tone on the better known “Femme Fatale.”

“Stephanie Says” (recorded 1968, released on 1985’s VU)
Never a pop group in the traditional sense, the Velvet Underground did have the ability to craft accessible material. But oftentimes, such songs were seen as not fitting into the band’s overall aesthetic, and were shelved. That seems to have been the case with “Stephanie Says,” recorded in 1968 but held back from release until the posthumous VU album of rarities was released more than two decades after the group’s demise. On his 1973 solo album Berlin, however, Lou Reed re-recorded the song, titling it “Carolyn Says II.”

“Pale Blue Eyes” from The Velvet Underground (1969)
Singer, songwriter and violist John Cale had exited the Velvet Underground by the time the group recorded its third album. In his place came guitarist Doug Yule. That change brought a more mainstream and melodic character to the fore in the group’s songs. Lou Reed – who was now the de facto leader of the band – didn’t want his voice to be the only lead vocal on the album, so for “Candy Says,” a tune that Reed considered one of his best, Yule sang lead. Yet on the gentle “Pale Blue Eyes,” Reed sang lead. The song was memorably covered many years later by R.E.M.

“Who Loves the Sun” from Loaded (1970)
The Velvet Underground’s disparate qualities – gritty, ambitious musical ideas and an underutilized ability to craft pop gems – came together brilliantly on “Who Loves the Sun,” a standout track from their fourth album, Loaded. Written by Lou Reed, the song features a lead vocal by Doug Yule, with cheery “ba ba ba ba” backing vocals of the sort more commonly associated with the Turtles or Spanky and Our Gang than the edgy New Yorkers of the Velvet Underground. Yet for many listeners, it’s one of the greatest VU tracks of all time.