History Music / TheVelvetUndergroundAndNico

** "There She Goes Again" sounds a lot like Music/MarvinGaye's "Hitch Hike".

The album cover is equally famous: a huge banana, designed by Creator/AndyWarhol. On the original record cover the yellow skin could be peeled off. This was later nodded to in the title of their box set ''Peel Slowly And See'', which featured the same artwork and peel-able skin.

The Velvet Underground usually gets the praise they deserve, but Music/{{Nico}}'s contribution to this album is sometimes overlooked. Especially since she only sang three songs on the album and didn't appear on their other albums.

In 2006 ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' was included in Magazine/TimeMagazine's list of [[TimeAllTime100Albums 100 timeless and essential albums]], as well as inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry for being "historically, culturally and aesthetically significant." It was also listed at #13 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]]. A BigNameFan was influential British radio DJ Creator/JohnPeel who, in 1997, placed it at no. 2 in a list of his 20 personal favourite albums [[note]] It was by no means meant as a definitive list, as he felt that top albums lists "are terribly self-indulgent" and said "he'd change it to a completely different list if he would be asked again a week later". But it was the only time in his life he agreed to make such a list, so in that regard pretty close to being a definitive list [[/note]] when asked by the newspaper ''The Guardian''. Is currently #4 on Website/AcclaimedMusic, using their system of combining ranks on critics' lists for one overall result. Also recently won their user poll of the best albums of all-time.

* DarkerAndEdgier: The Velvet Underground's debut album featured songs about sadomasochism, drugs and sounds that most listeners would call gratuitous noise. Back in 1967, there weren't many rock groups like them.
* DaysOfTheWeekSong: "Sunday Morning".

* DrugsAreBad: "Run Run Run", "Heroin" and "I'm Waiting for the Man", though [[MisaimedFandom not all listeners got the message]]. Music/LouReed was horrified whenever fans told him that they took their first shot of heroin while listening to "Heroin".

* FemmeFatale: "Femme Fatale".

* GenreRoulette: Eastern drones ("Venus in Furs", "Heroin"), lullabies ("Sunday Morning"), pop ballads ("Femme Fatale", "I'll Be Your Mirror"), amphetamine-fuelled surf-rock ("European Son"), Motown ("There She Goes Again"), your basic Rock 'n Roll ("I'm Waiting for the Man", "Run Run Run") and an avant-garde folk-rock jig ("Black Angel's Death Song").

* LecherousLicking: "Venus in Furs".

* NewSoundAlbum: Both instrumentally and lyrically this album was quite unique when it came out: experimental rock; songs about heroin, male prostitution and sado-masochistic sex; weird instruments like the viola and to top it all off: Nico's bizarre CreepyMonotone singing.

* TheNotRemix: Several times over - for instance, the first CD issue had an alternate mix of "All Tomorrow's Parties", and with all the various remasters, re-releases and luxury editions the album has seen, you can pretty much be a collector of this one album.

* PepTalkSong: "I'll Be Your Mirror", where Nico offers to be "your mirror", "your eyes" and "your hand in the darkness, so you won't be afraid."

* RecordProducer: Creator/AndyWarhol. Although credited as producer, his influence primarily seems to have been just to pay for the recording like a film produce. The actual creative production work was done by Tom Wilson and the band themselves. Lou Reed acknowledged that Andy's pedigree allowed them to get away with a lot for their debut that might have otherwise been lost in {{executive meddling}}.
* RipVanWinkle: "Venus in Furs"

* GenreRoulette: Eastern drones ("Venus in Furs", "Heroin"), lullabies ("Sunday Morning"), pop ballads ("Femme Fatale", "I'll Be Your Mirror"), free jaz ("European Son"), Motown ("There She Goes Again"), your basic Rock 'n Roll ("I'm Waiting for the Man", "Run Run Run") and an avant-garde folk-rock jig ("Black Angel's Death Song").

* GenreRoulette: Eastern drones ("Venus in Furs", "Heroin"), lullabies ("Sunday Morning"), pop ballads ("Femme Fatale", "I'll Be Your Mirror"), free jazz ("European Son"), Motown ("There She Goes Again"), your basic Rock 'n Roll ("I'm Waiting for the Man", "Run Run Run") and an avant-garde flamenco tune ("Black Angel's Death Song").

* NothingLeftToDoButDie: What the Black Angel of Death seems to advise in "The Black Angel's Death Song".

* DeathSeeker: The narrator of "Heroin (Be The Death Of Me)" and the one in "The Black Angel Death Song".

* DrugsAreBad: "Run Run Run", "Heroin" and "I'm Waiting For The Man", though [[MisaimedFandom not all listeners got the message]]. Music/LouReed was horrified whenever fans told him that they took their first shot of heroin while listening to "Heroin".

* GenreRoulette: Eastern drones ("Venus In Furs", "Heroin"), lullabies ("Sunday Morning"), pop ballads ("Femme Fatale", "I'll Be Your Mirror"), free jazz ("European Son"), Motown ("There She Goes Again"), your basic Rock 'n Roll ("I'm Waiting For The Man", "Run Run Run") and an avant-garde flamenco tune ("Black Angel's Death Song").

* LiteraryAllusionTitle / FilkSong: "Venus In Furs" is based on [[Literature/VenusInFurs Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's novella of the same title]].

* ObligatoryBondageSong: "Venus In Furs". Potentially the originator of this trope, as they were one of the first bands to write and record songs of this nature.

* RipVanWinkle: "Venus In Furs"
--> ''I'm tired/ I'm weary''

** "Hotellounge (Be The Death Of Me)" from Music/{{dEUS}} album ''Music/WorstCaseScenario'' (1994) is a title shout-out to "Heroin (Be The Death Of Me)".

* SurprisinglyGentleSong: "I'll Be Your Mirror", which sounds really innocent between those other songs about sex and drugs.

->'''NICO''': "''When you think the night has seen your mind\\

The Album Cover is equally famous: a huge banana, designed by Creator/AndyWarhol. On the original record cover the yellow skin could be peeled off. This was later nodded to in the title of their box set ''Peel Slowly And See'', which featured the same artwork and peel-able skin.

->''Up to a brownstone, up three flights of stairs''
->''Everybody's pinned you, but nobody cares''

** At the end of the chorus for "I'll Be Your Mirror", the guitar riff from [[Music/TheKinks You Really Got Me]] is played.

* RecordProducer: Creator/AndyWarhol. Although credited as producer, his influence primarily seems to have been just to pay for the recording, the actual production work was done by Tom Wilson and the band themselves. Lou Reed acknowledged that Andy's pedigree allowed them to get away with a lot for their debut that might have otherwise been lost in {{executive meddling}}.

[[caption-width-right:280:''[[Music/VelvetUnderground The Velvet Underground]] & Music/{{Nico}}''.]]

In 2006 ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' was included in Magazine/TimeMagazine's list of [[TimeAllTime100Albums 100 timeless and essential albums]], as well as inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry for being "historically, culturally and aethestically significant." It was also listed at #13 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]]. A BigNameFan was influential British radio DJ Creator/JohnPeel who, in 1997, placed it at no. 2 in a list of his 20 personal favourite albums [[note]]It was by no means meant as a definitive list, as he felt that top albums lists "are terribly self-indulgent" and said "he'd change it to a completely different list if he would be asked again a week later". But it was the only time in his life he agreed to make such a list, so in that regard pretty close to being a definitive list[[/note]] when asked by the newspaper ''The Guardian''. Is currently #4 on Website/AcclaimedMusic, using their system of combining ranks on critics' lists for one overall result. Also recently won their user poll of the best albums of all-time.

# "I'm Waiting For The Man" (4:39)

# "Venus In Furs" (5:12)

!!Principal Members:

* Music/JohnCale - viola, piano, bass, vocals, celesta

!!"And what trope shall the poor girl wear to all tomorrow's parties?":

* AlliterativeTitle: "'''F'''emme '''F'''atale", "'''R'''un '''R'''un '''R'''un".

Because I see you''"\\

--'''The Velvet Underground''', "I'll Be Your Mirror"

'''''The Velvet Underground & Nico''''' is the debut studio album by Music/VelvetUnderground and Music/{{Nico}}, released in 1967. It is one of the most influential rock albums of all time. Together with Music/FrankZappa's ''Music/FreakOut'' from 1966 it's often considered to be the first underground rock album. Also a CultClassic, since it didn't sell well upon its original release, but did become one of the best known rock albums in history.

In 2006 ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' was included in Magazine/TimeMagazine's list of [[TimeAllTime100Albums 100 timeless and essential albums]], as well as inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry for being "historically, culturally and aethestically significant." It was also listed at #13 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]]. A BigNameFan was influential British radio DJ Creator/JohnPeel who, in 1997, placed it at no. 2 in a list of his 20 personal favourite albums [[note]]It was by no means meant as a definitive list, as he felt that top albums lists "are terribly self-indulgent" and said "he'd change it to a completely different list if he would be asked again a week later". But it was the only time in his life he agreed to make such a list, so in that regard pretty close to being a definitive list[[/note]] when asked by the newspaper ''The Guardian''.

--> ''Watch out the world's behind you/ there's always someone around you who will call''.

In 2006 ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' was included in Magazine/TimeMagazine's list of [[TimeAllTime100Albums 100 timeless and essential albums]], as well as inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry for being "historically, culturally and aethestically significant." It was also listed at nr. #13 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]]. A BigNameFan was influential British radio DJ Creator/JohnPeel who, in 1997, placed it at no. 2 in a list of his 20 personal favourite albums [[note]]It was by no means meant as a definitive list, as he felt that top albums lists "are terribly self-indulgent" and said "he'd change it to a completely different list if he would be asked again a week later". But it was the only time in his life he agreed to make such a list, so in that regard pretty close to being a definitive list[[/note]] when asked by the newspaper "The Guardian".

In 2006 ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' was included in Magazine/TimeMagazine's list of [[TimeAllTime100Albums 100 timeless and essential albums]], as well as inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry for being "historically, culturally and aethestically significant." A BigNameFan was influential British radio DJ Creator/JohnPeel who, in 1997, placed it at no. 2 in a list of his 20 personal favourite albums [[note]]It was by no means meant as a definitive list, as he felt that top albums lists "are terribly self-indulgent" and said "he'd change it to a completely different list if he would be asked again a week later". But it was the only time in his life he agreed to make such a list, so in that regard pretty close to being a definitive list[[/note]] when asked by the newspaper "The Guardian".

The Album Cover is equally famous: a huge banana, designed by Creator/AndyWarhol. On the original record cover the yellow skin could be peeled off. This was later nodded to in the title of their box set ''Peel Slowly and See'', which featured the same artwork and peel-able skin.

'''''The Velvet Underground & Nico''''' is the debut studio album by Music/VelvetUnderground and Music/{{Nico}}, released in 1967. It is one of the most influential rock albums of all time. Together with Music/FrankZappa's ''Music/FreakOut'' (1966) it's often considered to be the first underground rock album. Also a CultClassic, since it didn't sell well upon its original release, but did become one of the best known rock albums in history.

In 2006 "The Velvet Underground and Nico" was included in Magazine/TimeMagazine's list of [[TimeAllTime100Albums 100 timeless and essential albums]], as well as inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry for being "historically, culturally and aethestically significant." A BigNameFan was influential British radio DJ Creator/JohnPeel who, in 1997, placed it at no. 2 in a list of his 20 personal favourite albums [[note]]It was by no means meant as a definitive list, as he felt that top albums lists "are terribly self-indulgent" and said "he'd change it to a completely different list if he would be asked again a week later". But it was the only time in his life he agreed to make such a list, so in that regard pretty close to being a definitive list[[/note]] when asked by the newspaper "The Guardian".

* Crossover: Between The Velvet Underground and singer Nico, for whom it was both their debut album.

In 2006 "The Velvet Underground and Nico" was included in Magazine/TimeMagazine's list of [[TimeAllTime100Albums 100 timeless and essential albums]], as well as inducted in the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry for being "historically, culturally and aethestically significant." A BigNameFan was influential British radio DJ Creator/JohnPeel who, in 1997, placed it at nr. 2 in a list of his 20 personal favorite albums [[note]] It was by no means meant as a definitive list, as he felt that top albums lists "are terribly self-indulgent" and said "he'd change it to a completely different list if he would be asked again a week later". But it was the only time in his life he agreed to make such a list, so in that regard pretty close to being a definitive list. [[/note]] when asked by the newspaper "The Guardian".

'''Tracklist'''

----
!! Tracklist:

# "Sunday Morning"
# "I'm Waiting For The Man"
# "Femme Fatale"
# "Venus In Furs"
# "Run Run Run"
# "All Tomorrow's Parties"
# "Heroin"
# "There She Goes Again"
# "I'll Be Your Mirror"
# "The Black Angel's Death Song"
# "European Son"

* EroticEating: The risqué lyrics make it tempting to interpret the banana on the cover as a phallic image. It doesn't help that anyone who manages to "PEEL SLOWLY AND SEE" would see that the banana is a fleshy pink color.

* RecordProducer: Creator/AndyWarhol. Although credited as producer, his influence primarily seems to have been just to pay for the recording, the actual production work was done by Tom Wilson and the band themselves. Lou Reed acknowledged that Andy's pedigree allowed them to get away with a lot for their debut that might've otherwise been lost in {{executive meddling}}.