Tag Archives: The Velvet Underground

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Song of the Day #1,043: ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ – The Velvet Underground

While choosing songs for two straight weeks of covers, I reflected back on R.E.M.’s version of this Velvet Underground classic. But rather than post their version, I’m reaching back to the original.

I didn’t know anything at all about The Velvet Underground before I heard R.E.M.’s ‘Pale Blue Eyes,’ released on their album of B-sides and outtakes, Dead Letter Office. If you’d asked me, I would have predicted they had more of a hard rock sound.

And they did, at times, but when I tracked down their self-titled album I discovered that they also could be incredibly tender.

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Song of the Day #128: ‘After Hours’ – The Velvet Underground

velvetIt has been said that only a hundred people bought The Velvet Underground’s debut album but every one of them started a band. They are certainly one of the most influential groups in rock history, though I’m not very familiar with their output.

The one album of theirs I own is their third, self-titled disc. I picked it up because it contains the original version of ‘Pale Blue Eyes,’ which I fell in love with via an R.E.M. cover. The original is quite lovely, as is much of the album. ‘Candy Says’ and ‘That’s the Story of My Life’ are two other favorites of mine.

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