Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

Album: The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)

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Songfacts®:

Lou Reed wrote this on a Sunday morning around 6 a.m. Andy Warhol, who helped finance the album, suggested he write a song about the paranoia associated with the effects of a drug wearing off.
Reed wrote this for Nico but then decided not to let the German ex-model sing it. Instead he impersonated her himself.
The production on this song is more lavish than the other tracks on the album. It was intended for release as a single and they wanted to make it radio friendly. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for all above
In The Velvet Underground: An Illustrated History of a Walk on the Wild Side, it is reported that Nico thought of this uncharacteristically upbeat tune as "Sun Day Mourning." It tells you a bit about how Nico's mind worked, and also the split that The Velvet Underground would have with Nico and her mentor Andy Warhol.
This song is all about last-minute changes. The inclusion of the track on their first album was literally penciled in, Reed decided to take over vocals at the last minute as they walked into the studio to record it, and John Cale noticed a celesta in the studio and decided to include the instrument for the song on the spot. Cale also played the viola on the song.
Submitted for your consideration: The name of Velvet Underground's five-disk boxed set is Peel Slowly and See, featuring the iconic Warhol banana from the cover of The Velvet Underground & Nico. And here is the video for Lou Reed's song "No Money Down," from his 1986 album Mistrial. Watch it all the way through. Draw your own conclusions.
Air France, the French airline, used this in commercials. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 6

Melsh from Carrboro, NcThe Monkees should have recorded this one for their first album, which was released about the same time this song was released by the VU. I could definitely hear Davy Jones singing lead on this one. Micky, if it was pitched higher. It's got Monkees written all over it. It is quite possibly my favorite VU song.
Lee from Alameda, CaIt sounds as though the recording may have been sped up in order to give Reed a more youthful and innocent sound on his vocals, as was often done to David Cassidy's vocals on the first couple of Partridge Family albums. The reason I say this is because it is kinda sharp for playing in standard tuning
Anne from York , EnglandThis would have been a big hit if done by the Beatles and it really one of their best songs.
Nathaniel from Pittsburgh, PaMy favorite VU song. Never knew it was intended for Nico.
Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI meant I could see why it was intended for Nico, and if you listen closely you can hear her singing backing vocals in this song, on some parts.
Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScThis song sounds a lot different from most of the songs on the album. I can why it was intended for Nico, and it sounds more like the songs she sang on this album. It has a feeling of restless calm. Good song.

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