History Music / Loaded

''Loaded'' is the fourth studio album by Music/TheVelvetUnderground, released in 1970 through Cotillion Records. It is their last studio album with Music/LouReed (who left the band shortly before release) and Sterling Morrison, as well as their first without Maureen Tucker (who was still very much an official member, but couldn't appear on this album due to her pregnancy). The band -- ultimately ending up as [[IAmTheBand Doug Yule and a bunch of session musicians]] -- would release one final studio album called ''Music/{{Squeeze|1973}}'', which for better or worse is usually [[CanonDiscontinuity written out of the band's history]]. Even here though, Yule's presence had increased significantly, to the point where this album is considered to be a largely Reed and Yule album.

''Loaded'' is the fourth studio album by Music/TheVelvetUnderground, released in 1970. It is their last studio album with Music/LouReed (who left the band shortly before release) and Sterling Morrison, as well as their first without Maureen Tucker (who was still very much an official member, but couldn't appear on this album due to her pregnancy). The band - ultimately ending up as [[IAmTheBand Doug Yule and a bunch of session musicians]] would release one final studio album called ''Music/{{Squeeze 1973}}'', which for better or worse is usually [[CanonDiscontinuity written out of the band's history]]. Even here though, Yule's presence had increased significantly, to the point where this album is considered to be a largely Reed and Yule album.

Anyone looking for the now-defunct lads' magazine that set new standards in British publishing should go to ''Magazine/{{Loaded}}''

--> ''And when you kissed Creator/RobertMitchum''
--> ''Gee, but I thought you'd never catch him''

** "Sweet Jane" was covered by The Cowboy Junkies and appeared on the soundtrack of ''Film/NaturalBornKillers''.
** "I Found a Reason" was sampled in the song "Risingson" by Music/MassiveAttack on their album ''Music/{{Mezzanine}}'' (1998). The song has also been covered by Music/CatPower.

-> ''Something's got a hold on me''
-> ''And I don't know what''
-> ''Something's got a hold on me''
-> ''And I don't know what''
-> ''It's the beginning of a new age''
-> ''It's the beginning of a new age''
-> ''It's a new age''
--> '''"New Age"'''

''Loaded'' is the fourth studio album by Music/VelvetUnderground, released in 1970. It is their last studio album with Music/LouReed (who left the band shortly before release) and Sterling Morrison, as well as their first without Maureen Tucker (who was still very much an official member, but couldn't appear on this album due to her pregnancy). The band - ultimately ending up as [[IAmTheBand Doug Yule and a bunch of session musicians]] would release one final studio album called ''Music/{{Squeeze 1973}}'', which for better or worse is usually [[CanonDiscontinuity written out of the band's history]]. Even here though, Yule's presence had increased significantly, to the point where this album is considered to be a largely Reed and Yule album.

Much like its predecessor, ''Music/TheVelvetUnderground'' from the previous year, "Loaded" is a LighterAndSofter collection of songs, which even managed to crack the hit parade - if you hear any of the Velvet Underground's songs on the radio, it's likely to be one of the first three from this album. Sadly, the band was already dissolving during recording, and the studio distilled an album out of the finished recordings. Music/LouReed would later claim that the original versions of "Sweet Jane", "Rock and Roll" and "New Age" were corrupted, though Yule says this is incorrect. In any case, extended versions of these songs were later released on reissues of the album.

* LighterAndSofter: This album is in a similar vein to ''Music/TheVelvetUnderground''.

The album was listed at nr. #110 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]].

* BiTheWay: "New Age", as originally written, was about Reed's girlfriend at the time and included a reference to Reed's bisexuality: "It seems to be my fancy to make it with Music/{{Frank|Sinatra}} and Nancy."[[note]]There is ambiguity, probably intentional, as to whether the Nancy is Frank's first wife or daughter.[[/note]] These lyrics can be found on some of the earlier live performances of the song, such as the version on ''1969: The Velvet Underground Live''. However, the version included on the album is rewritten to be about a fan addressing a "fat blonde actress", apparently because Reed felt the original lyrics' humour fell flat when sung by Yule. (Reed was unable to sing some of the songs due to blowing out his voice; see PerishingAltRockVoice below.)

*** As originally written, it refers to Music/FrankSinatra instead (see BiTheWay above).

* BiTheWay: "New Age", as originally written, was about Reed's girlfriend at the time and included a reference to Reed's bisexuality: "It seems to be my fancy to make it with Music/{{Frank|Sinatra}} and Nancy."[[note]]There is ambiguity, probably intentional, as to whether the Nancy is Frank's first wife or daughter.[[/note]] These lyrics can be found on some of the earlier live performances of the song. However, the version included on the album is rewritten to be about a fan addressing a "fat blonde actress", apparently because Reed felt the original lyrics' humour fell flat when sung by Yule. (Reed was unable to sing some of the songs due to blowing out his voice; see PerishingAltRockVoice below.)

Much like its predecessor, ''Music/TheVelvetUnderground'' from the previous year, "Loaded" is a LighterAndSofter collection of songs, which even managed to crack the hit parade - if you hear any of the Velvet Underground's songs on the radio, it's likely to be one of the first three from this album. Sadly, the band was already dissolving during recording, and the studio distilled an album out of the finished recordings. Music/LouReed would later claim that the original versions of "Sweet Jane", "Rock And Roll" and "New Age" were corrupted, though Yule says this is incorrect. In any case, extended versions of "Sweet Jane" and "New Age" were later released on reissues of the album.

* BiTheWay: "New Age", as originally written, was about Reed's girlfriend at the time and included a reference to Reed's bisexuality: "It seems to be my fancy to make it with Frank and Nancy." These lyrics can be found on some of the earlier live performances of the song. However, the version included on the album is rewritten to be about a fan addressing a "fat blonde actress", apparently because Reed felt the original lyrics' humour fell flat when sung by Yule.
* BreakupSong: "Who Loves the Sun", where the protagonist doesn't care about sun, wind or rain "since you broke my heart".

* DancingIsSeriousBusiness: "Rock And Roll"

* SillyLoveSongs: "I Found A Reason" is as close as anything in the VU catalogue will ever get.

* SirNotAppearingInThisTrailer: Maureen "Moe" Tucker is credited playing on the album, despite the fact that she was totally absent due to her pregnancy.

--> ''The evil mothers tell you everything is just dirt.''

* UpdatedRerelease: The 1997 "Fully Loaded Edition" restored the original edits of the songs "Sweet Jane" (including the "heavenly wine and roses" break), "Rock and Roll" and "New Age" cut from the initial version.

Much like its predecessor, ''Music/TheVelvetUnderground'' from the previous year, "Loaded" is a LighterAndSofter collection of songs, which even managed to crack the hit parade. Sadly the band was already dissolving during recording and the studio distilled an album out of the finished recordings. Music/LouReed would later claim that the original versions of "Sweet Jane", "Rock And Roll" and "New Age" were corrupted; though Yule says this is incorrect.

The album was listed at nr. #110 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]]

Much like its predecessor, ''Music/TheVelvetUnderground'' from the previous year, "Loaded" is a LighterAndSofter collection of songs, which even managed to crack the hit parade (in fact, the album is allegedly named as the label wanted an album 'loaded with hits'). Sadly the band was already dissolving during recording and the studio distilled an album out of the finished recordings. Music/LouReed would later claim that the original versions of "Sweet Jane", "Rock And Roll" and "New Age" were corrupted; though Yule says this is incorrect.

Much like its predecessor, ''Music/TheVelvetUnderground'' from the previous year, "Loaded" is a LighterAndSofter collection of songs, which even managed to crack the hit parade. Sadly the band was already dissolving during recording and the studio distilled an album out of the finished recordings. Music/LouReed would later claim that the original versions of "Sweet Jane", "Rock And Roll" and "New Age" were corrupted; though Yule says this is incorrect.

# "Sweet Jane" (3:18)

# "New Age" (4:39)