Today in Music (1969): Velvet Underground released self-titled third album

The Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground

Released: March 31, 1969 Peak: 197 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Genre: experimental rock/proto punk

Tracks: Candy Says [4:04] What Goes On [4:55] Some Kinda Love [4:03] Pale Blue Eyes [5:41] Jesus [3:24] Beginning to See the Light [4:41] I’m Set Free [4:04] That’s the Story of My Life [2:04] The Murder Mystery [8:56] After Hours [2:07] Total Running Time: 42:56 Also from This Era: Stephanie Says [2:49] Temptation Inside Your Heart [2:30] Hey Mr. Rain (version I) [4:56] Hey Mr. Rain (version II) [5:16] The Players: Lou Reed (vocals, guitar) Doug Yule (vocals, bass, keyboards) Sterling Morrison (guitar) Maureen Tucker (drums)

Rating: 4.392 out of 5.00 (average of 24 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

The Original Sound of the Velvet Underground “Obviously, the importance of the Velvet Underground in the development of punk and alternative important is impossible to ignore. Their debut album, The Velvet Underground and Nico, is one of the 3 or 4 most influential albums in rock history -- more bands cite it as an influence than almost anything since. Bands from R.E.M. to Sonic Youth (not to mention more direct descendants like Yo La Tengo and the Feelies) are impossible to imagine without the Velvet Underground’s precedents. Led by Lou Reed, the VU were genuine groundbreakers; at a time when most bands were moving to San Francisco, getting stoned, and singing about flowers and peace, the VU were singing about heroin, sadomasochism, and society’s outcasts. And instead of feel-good jangle-pop, they churned out noisy, distorted blasts of sonic tapestry. These songs were set alongside some heart-wrenchingly beautiful ballads and quiet folky pop-jangle. It’s all there on the first album, and if you don’t own that one, you’re missing out on an essential piece of rock history.” PK Lou Reed Assumes Control As influential as the Velvets’ first album is, it is stunning to watch how the band changed in just a few short years. Lou Reed started out “writing knock-off doo-wop tracks for Pickwick Records – and despite experimental detours and transgressive, literate lyrics scattered across his body of work spanning decades, he never really strayed too far from his roots as a pure pop songwriter.” PM The Velvet Underground’s first two albums tested “the limits of how musically and thematically challenging rock could be.” AM However, benefactor Andy Warhol left after their first album and member John Cale departed after the second. This left Reed “with the lion’s share of control over The Velvet Underground.” PM “Without the sonic terrorism of The Velvet Underground & Nico and White Light/White Heat” AZ “Reed stripped his songs down, moving from heavy metal to near acoustic settings.” RV “Velvet Underground proves less is more, and Reed gave listeners gorgeous songs he didn’t seem capable of writing.” RV “Gone was the noise, leaving nothing but Lou’s ‘sensitive’ side. The lyrics are both gritty and poignant.” PK “The album’s songs are free to stand on their own merit,” AZ leaving a sound that’s almost beautiful.” RV “Lou Reed’s lyrical exploration of the demimonde is as keen here as on any album he ever made, while displaying a warmth and compassion he sometimes denied his characters.” AM He wrote “some of his most meditative, emotional songs to date, spanning everything from bittersweet semi-love songs (‘Pale Blue Eyes,’ ‘Some Kinda Love’), ebullient guitar workouts (‘What Goes On’) and empathetic portraits of those he met in Warhol’s factory (‘Candy Says’).” PM A Surprising New Sound This meant the third album “must have surprised their fans nearly as much as their first two albums shocked the few mainstream music fans who heard them.” AM It “sounds like nothing else the band has done before.” RV This album is a more personal effort, an almost gentle song cycle comparable to Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks.” RV “It’s as personal, honest, and moving as anything Lou Reed ever committed to tape.” AM It is “spare, quiet, and contemplative, as if the previous albums documented some manic speed-fueled party and this was the subdued morning after.” AM “ This “is an album you can play for people who might otherwise be afraid of the Velvets.” PK Drummer Maureen Tucker said, “I was pleased with the direction we were going and with the new calmness in the group, and thinking about a good future, hoping people would smarten up and some record company would take us on and do us justice.” WK “The 1967 debut might have been the album to launch a thousand bands, but this might be the Velvet Underground album whose influence on music is most clearly still felt.” PM It “may well be the finest record of the band’s career.” AZ Doug Yule and Stolen Amps As already mentioned, a big part of the band’s new sound was “the departure of the band’s most committed avant-gardist, John Cale.” AM However, it also had to do with “the arrival of new bassist Doug Yule.” AM The album was “created in a comparatively relaxed atmosphere.” RD “There were fewer extremes in the lyrics or the band’s sound.” RD Part of the new sound was also due to the band’s usual equipment being stolen at the airport on the way to the studios in L.A. where the album was recorded. RD Guitarist Sterling Morrison said, “We did the third album deliberately as anti-production. It sounds like it was done in a closet – it’s flat, and that's the way we wanted it. The songs are all very quiet and it’s kind of insane. I like the album.” WK The Songs Here are thoughts on the album’s individual songs.

Stephanie Says (aka “Caroline Says II”) The Velvet Underground/Lou Reed

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: February 13, 1968, at A&R Studios in New York (Velvet Underground), June 25 – July 29, 1973, at Morgan Studios in London and the Record Plant in New York (Reed) Released (Lou Reed): Berlin (1973), Between Thought and Expression (box set, 1992), Different Times: Lou Reed in the ‘70s (compilation: 1996), The Very Best of (compilation: 2000) Released (Velvet Underground): VU (archives, 1985), The Best of: Words and Music of Lou Reed (compilation: 1989), Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995), The Very Best of (compilation: 2003), Gold (compilation: 2005) Peak: 7 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 33.44 streaming

Temptation Inside Your Heart The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: February 14, 1968 at A&R Studios in New York Released: VU (archives, 1985), Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995), Gold (compilation: 2005) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.78 streaming

Hey Mr. Rain (version I) The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker Recorded: May 29, 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: Another View (archives, 1986), Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995), Gold (compilation: 2005) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.70 streaming

Hey Mr. Rain (version II) The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker Recorded: May 29, 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: Another View (archives, 1986) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.24 streaming

Candy Says The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: November/December 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: The Velvet Underground (1969), Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995), The Best of Lou Reed & Velvet Underground (compilation: 1995), Gold (compilation: 2005) Peak: 44 CL, 38 CO, 10 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 33.08 streaming About the Song: On Candy Says Lou Reed paints “empathetic portraits of those he met in Warhol’s factory.” PM The song was named for Candy Darling, a transvestite. RD Doug Yule takes on the vocal duties. That song, along with “Pale Blue Eyes” and “Jesus” “are some of the most delicately gorgeous songs Lou Reed has ever penned.” AZ

What Goes On The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: November/December 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: single (March 1969), The Velvet Underground (1969), The Best of: Words and Music of Lou Reed (compilation: 1989), live and album versions: Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995), 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection (compilation: 2000), The Very Best of (compilation: 2003), Gold (compilation: 2005) Peak: 45 CL, 38 CO, 12 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.76 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: This song and “Beginning to See the Light” “may be the finest flat-out rockers in the band’s catalog.” AZ Both are some of the band’s “finest near-mainstream pop music.” PK

Some Kinda Love The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: November/December 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: The Velvet Underground (1969), live and album versions: Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995), The Very Best of (compilation: 2003), Gold (compilation: 2005) Peak: 35 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.66 streaming About the Song: “The slow, sexy Some Kinda Love” RD is “the album’s understated peak” RD with “Reed and guitarist Sterling Morrison trading infectious licks.” RD

Pale Blue Eyes The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: November/December 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: The Velvet Underground (1969), Rock and Roll Diary (compilation: 1980), The Best of: Words and Music of Lou Reed (compilation: 1989), Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995), The Best of Lou Reed & Velvet Underground (compilation: 1995), 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection (compilation: 2000), The Very Best of (compilation: 2003), Gold (compilation: 2005) Peak: 30 CL, 11 CO, 7 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 186.92 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Pale Blue Eyes is an “exquisite confessional.” RD “Lou Reed keeps his irony intact, pairing together” RV on that and “Jesus, two songs asking for different kinds of love.” RV Those songs, along with “Candy Says,” “are some of the most delicately gorgeous songs Lou Reed has ever penned.” AZ Author Toby Creswell echoes that sentiment, asserting that “Pale Blue Eyes” is “amongst the most sublime love ballads in all of popular music.” TC Sterling Morrison explained that it was a song about Lou’s old girlfriend in Syracuse. He said to Lou, “If I wrote a song like that I wouldn’t make you play it.” TC He did say, though, that he liked the anti-production of the album. “It sounds like it was done in a closet – it’s flat, and that’s the way we wanted it. The songs are all very quiet and it’s kind of insane. I like the album.” TC

Jesus The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: November/December 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: B side of “What Goes On” (March 1969), The Velvet Underground (1969), Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995) Peak: 34 CO, 18 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 5.49 streaming About the Song: “Lou Reed keeps his irony intact, pairing together Pale Blue Eyes and Jesus, two songs asking for different kinds of love.” RV Those songs, along with “Candy Says,” “are some of the most delicately gorgeous songs Lou Reed has ever penned.” AZ

Beginning to See the Light The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: November/December 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: The Velvet Underground (1969), The Best of: Words and Music of Lou Reed (compilation: 1989), Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995), The Best of Lou Reed & Velvet Underground (compilation: 1995), 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection (compilation: 2000), The Very Best of (compilation: 2003), Gold (compilation: 2005) Peak: 10 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 6.75 streaming About the Song: The band “rocks with the adrenaline rush of Beginning to See the Light.” RV That song and “What Goes On” “may be the finest flat-out rockers in the band’s catalog.” AZ Both are some of the band’s “finest near-mainstream pop music.” PK

I’m Set Free The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: November/December 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: The Velvet Underground (1969), Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 6.10 streaming About the Song: “The redemptive I’m Set Free” RD “may be more muted in approach than what the band had done in the past.” AM

That’s the Story of My Life The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: November/December 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: The Velvet Underground (1969), Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995) Peak: 24 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.79 streaming

The Murder Mystery The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: November/December 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: The Velvet Underground (1969), Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995) Peak: 36 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.42 streaming About the Song: “The Murder Mystery, which mixes and matches four separate poetic narratives, is as brave and uncompromising as anything on White Light/White Heat.” AM It is “an experimental narrative-type piece which doesn't entirely work.” PK

After Hours The Velvet Underground

Writer(s): Lou Reed Recorded: November/December 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood Released: The Velvet Underground (1969), Peel Slowly and See (box set: 1995) Peak: 44 CL, 38 CO, 6 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 64.54 streaming About the Song: After Hours offers the album an “unforgettable final scene” RD “featuring the childlike voice of drummer Maureen Tucker.” RD

Resources/References: AM AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine AZ Amazon.com review by Dan Epstein TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Page 13. RD Robert Dimery (2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Quintet Publishing Limited: New York, NY. Page 172. PM PasteMagazine.com (6/3/2024). “The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time” PK Pop Kulcher/Marc Fagel Greatest Rock & Roll Albums of All Time RV The Review (Oct./Nov. 2001). “The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time” by Clarke Speicher WK Wikipedia Related DMDB Pages: First posted 8/26/2010; last updated 9/2/2026.

 

Paul Whiteman’s Top 100 Songs

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Dave’s Music Database Hall of Fame: Music Maker Inductees (March 2019)

Originally posted 3/22/2019; last updated 5/21/2021. January 22, 2019 marks the 10-year anniversary of the DMDB blog! To honor that, Dave’s Music Database announces its own Hall of Fame. Each month, new inductees will be added. In January, the first dozen inductees were songs. In February, 9 albums were inducted. This month, the top 10 acts of all-time (according to Dave’s Music Database) are being inducted. Note: click on the name of the act to see the full DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry. See the full list of music maker inductees here.

The Beatles (active 1960-1970) Inducted March 2019 as a “Top 10 All-Time Act.”

“They were the greatest and most influential act of the rock era, and introduced more innovations into popular music than any other rock band of the 20th century. Moreover, they were among the few artists of any discipline that were simultaneously the best at what they did, and the most popular at what they did. Relentlessly imaginative and experimental, the Beatles grabbed a hold of the international mass consciousness in 1964 and never let go for the next six years, always staying ahead of the pack in terms of creativity, but never losing their ability to communicate their increasingly sophisticated ideas to a mass audience. Their supremacy as rock icons remains unchallenged to this day.” RU1 Read more.

Bing Crosby (1903-1977) Inducted March 2019 as a “Top 10 All-Time Act.”

Bing Crosby was the undisputed best-selling artist until well into the rock era (with over half a billion records in circulation). His everyman persona gave America a symbol of what their country was about during the Depression and World War II. With a far less formal style than the European-influenced classical and popular music of the 1910s and '20s, Crosby put his own stamp on showtunes, film music, country & western songs, patriotic standards, religious hymns, holiday favorites, and ethnic ballads (most notably Irish and Hawaiian). His recording of “White Christmas” ranks as the #1 song of all time according to the DMDB. Read more.

Tommy Dorsey (1905-1956) Inducted March 2019 as a “Top 10 All-Time Act.”

“Among the greatest trombonists in jazz history. He and his brother Jimmy played with the California Ramblers, Charleston Chasers, Jean Goldkette, Red Nichols, and Paul Whiteman, among others. Tommy also played with Vincent Lopez and Rudy Vallee. Started his band in 1935 with the heart of the Joe Haymes ensemble, and over the years led an extraordinary array of top musicians. The jazz arrangements of Sy Oliver were among the most acclaimed of the era, and during the early ‘40s the band got a sensational new star in Frank Sinatra.” PM Read more.

Michael Jackson (1958-2009) Inducted March 2019 as a “Top 10 All-Time Act.”

“Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the ‘80s, and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time.” SH He started as a child star in the ‘60s performing with his brothers and became a solo star in the ‘70s. He achieved his greatest success with Thriller, the biggest-selling album of all time and a DMDB Hall of Fame inductee in the first class. Read more.

Elton John (1947-) Inducted March 2019 as a “Top 10 All-Time Act.”

Elton John has been “one of the most successful purveyors of hit songs and records in the history of the music industry.” SHOF “A multifaceted talent, John excels as both a ballad-oriented singer/songwriter and a flamboyant rock and roll star.” RH “He and lyric writer, Bernie Taupin, comprise one of the longest-running and most successful songwriting teams of all time.” SHOF “In terms of sales and lasting popularity, Elton John was the biggest pop superstar of the early ‘70s.” STE His “output was as critical to this decade as the Beatles were to the Sixties and Presley to the Fifties.” RH “Moreover, his longevity as an active recording artist surpasses both of them.” RH Read more.

Billy Murray (1877-1954) Inducted March 2019 as a “Top 10 All-Time Act.”

At a time before radio ruled the waves and recording technology remained primitive, Billy Murray’s success gave the fledgling recording industry the credibility to develop into a popular form of entertainment. He became the most sensational record seller of the entire pre-1920 pioneer era, recording as a solo artist, in duets with Ada Jones, and on group hits with the Haydn Quartet, American Quartet, and the Heidelberg Quintet. In all, he sang on 30 #1 songs. The recording careers of Bing Crosby or Elvis Presley pale in comparison. Read more.

Elvis Presley (1935-1977) Inducted March 2019 as a “Top 10 All-Time Act.”

As the “musician most responsible for popularizing rock & roll on an international level” RU2 it could be argued that Elvis Presley is “the single most important figure in American 20th century popular music.” RU2 While he wasn’t the first white man to sing R&B, he was “the first…to assertively fuse country and blues music into the style known as rockabilly.” RU2 However, he didn’t stop there, also touching on “pop, gospel, and even some bits of bluegrass and operatic schmaltz” RU2 during his 20+ year career. Read more.

The Rolling Stones (active 1963-) Inducted March 2019 as a “Top 10 All-Time Act.”

This London based-band has often been referred to as the greatest rock and roll band of all time. They formed in the early 1960s as a contemporary to the Beatles, but were shaped as a rougher, tougher, and grittier band. True to the band’s guitarist Keith Richards’ reputation as one of the few living beings who would still be kicking after a worldwide holocaust, the band has remained active for six decades, releasing albums and touring. Read more.

Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) Inducted March 2019 as a “Top 10 All-Time Act.”

Frank Sinatra was one of the most important acts of the 20th century, rivaled only by Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles. Through his ability to make classics from his interpretations of others songs, Sinatra survived ‘50s’ rock and ‘70s’ punk, winning over new fans while retaining a loyal, if aging, group of aficionados. Besides recording nearly 1,500 songs, Sinatra starred in nearly 60 motion pictures (many with his Rat Pack buddies). His turbulent personal life and tough-guy posturing also made him a well-known media figure. Read more.

Paul Whiteman (1890-1967) Inducted March 2019 as a “Top 10 All-Time Act.”

The most popular bandleader of the pre-swing era. Played violin and viola in the Denver & San Francisco Symphony Orchestras before forming his band in 1919 featuring Henry Busse (trumpet) and Frede Grofe (piano/arranger). Almost immediately after the blocbuster debut hit “Whispering,” the Whiteman band became the dominant force in American popular recording, with a staggering profusion of hits. Whiteman’s historic premiere of George Gershwin’s classic “Rhapsody in Blue,” his late-’20s addition of Bix Beiderbecke and other jazz greats, and his introduction to America of Bing Crosby, solidified his stature in popular music history. PM Read more.

Resources and Related Links: See individual song pages for keys to the footnotes. Dave’s Music Database Hall of Fame Dave’s Music Database Hall of Fame: Albums Dave’s Music Database Hall of Fame: Songs The Five-Year Anniversary of Dave’s Music Database Blog

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50 years ago: Frank Sinatra charted with “My Way”

My Way Frank Sinatra

Writer(s): Jacques Revaux (music), Giles Thibaut and Claude François (original French lyrics), Paul Anka (English lyrics) (see lyrics here) First Charted: March 21, 1969 Peak: 27 US, 29 CB, 17 GR, 28 HR, 2 AC, 5 UK, 28 CN, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 1.05 UK Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 3.0 radio, 286.8 video, 314.67 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: “My Way” originated as a song composed by Jacques Revaux in 1967. It originally was called “For Me” and had English lyrics about a couple falling out of love. Revaux shopped the demo around to Petula Clark, Claude François, and others. François worked with Giles Thibaut to give the song new French lyrics. The song was retitled “Comme d’habitude” (“As Usual”). It was released in November 1967 and reached the top of the French pop chart. WK Paul Anka heard the song on the radio while on holiday in France. He liked it so much that he bought adaptation, recording, and publishing rights for one dollar, under the condition that the composers of the melody retained royalty rights. After Anka had dinner with Frank Sinatra in Florida and Sinatra announced that he was quitting the business, Anka re-wrote the original song with Sinatra in mind. He said as he wrote it he thought, “If Frank were writing this, what would he say?” WK Sinatra recorded the song on December 30, 1968. It was released as a single in early 1969 and while it only reached #27 on the Billboard Hot 100, it became his signature song. It peaked at #5 in the UK, but set a record for spending 108 weeks in the top 40 WK and became the most popular song to play at funerals in the UK. LW According to Sinatra’s daughter Tina, he came to hate the song, thinking it was self-serving and self-indulgent. WK Other artists who have charted with the song include Brook Benton (#25 RB, 1970), Dorothy Squires (#10 UK, 1970), Elvis Presley (#22 US, 6 AC, 2 CW, 9 UK, 1973), Sid Vicious (#7 UK, 1978), and Shane MacGowan (#29 UK, 1996). David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Pearl Jam, the Platters, and Nina Simone are among the other artists to record the song. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Frank Sinatra LW Alan Lewens (2001). Popular Song – Soundtrack of the Century. Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 130. WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 11/25/2022.