The Velvet Underground - Beginning to See the Light

[az0r22]

I wore my teeth in mah hands ;D , so I could mess the hair of the night .

[smellenphant]

You might want to choose a different photo. Cale had left the band by the time they recorded this album, and he's in the picture.

[MowgliX]

OMG! One of my all time favorites!!!! And with Edie perched on top of the sofa at Panna Grady's apartment in the Dakota Building, too! Btw, those paintings are REAL Picasso originals.

[thenobs123]

does anyone know the accents on the chords?

[Rudeinfw]

@thenobs123 Yes.  They are slight French.

[thenobs123]

@Rudeinfw lollllll. you must be stoned. any serious answers?

[Jillian1950]

love love love them, always was always will:-*

[theerrorterm]

This is a very kind and loving song. Take care.

[Viccaay]

Wowwwwiiie!!! such a legendary song, just runnin' all around the room singing this.. SUPERB! :DDD

[krukdriver]

correction... (forgive me after two Margaritas and four beer..), """"but (whoooooo), NONE of them are mine!!!!!!!!!!""""""

[krukdriver]

... as someone who has studied many a-blues guitar technique and has drank many a beer.. the best rock and roll lyric that I have EVER come across is in this song.. it incapsulates all that rock and roll is and that should ever be... "there are problems in these times.. but (whoooooo) not of them of are mine." Brilliant.

[guilhermevideira17]

My Favorite V.U álbum!!!!

[bouli123]

Velvet Underground featuring Andy Warhol and his factory star: Edie Sedgwick !

[thinkingneon]

this sounds like the strokes! or i suppose the strokes sound like this. sometimes. all good.

[wcleighty]

Love the comments about conversations with the singer/band that follow the classic "I said" "He said" formula, or the ones the kids write about their experience with the song. Great formulas for getting famous I suppose. Quite conformist for supposed "velvet fans" however. 

[UnconcernedCitizen]

Whenever I lose my lighter, I play this song; then I buy another lighter.

[SnappyJones13]

There's an awesome live version of this from 1968...the La Cave club in Cleveland. It's slower, runs about 6 min. and change. Any hardcore VU fans out there please upload it...the whole show if you have it!!!

[MushroomCloud22]

"wine in the morning and some breakfast at night"

[genericusername337]

cool peeps (sometimes) but I would never for the life of me want to be part of that group

[mcnuggets127]

How does it feel to be loved?

[MrSedbarrette]

good song but the sound is shit i'll find the record and put, it on a stereo

[JohnnyLawrie25]

It's a good song. It can sometimes be a little repetitive, though.

[TURBOMAN103]

historia dela musica rock. great!!1

[danielsake]

2:40 Oh, now here she comes aaawwww (seems like a pretty awesome light)

[haiboriver]

amazing..bass functions as lead guitar..John Cale is magic..where is Sterling Morrison in this song? is he in?

[edenwoolever]

How DOES it feel to be loved, Lou?

[yellowpowerranger94]

fucking great album, love it.

[Bushidoforthesoul]

this song is exactly how a felt the first time i smoked weed and the first time a tripped on psychedelics (shrooms).

[chrispycritter2]

Seven people are in the dark!

[MegaIndulgence]

The band is ok. The lead singer needs to stop trying to be a loud reed clone. He should get his own style of singing.

[barebones138]

@MegaIndulgence wtf are you talking about The Band??

[JoaoSbw96]

@MegaIndulgence Lou Reed is the singer.

[burningrob]

@MegaIndulgence I despise you with every fiber of my being

[hockey225826]

@MegaIndulgence HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA yeah it's almost as if he's mimicking Lou Reed good call bro

[MsCrystal321]

another of my faves i hate some of the the crappy things people are listening to in recent timesbecause it just ruines the classics(im talking about j.b,mostly)

[squidster29yay]

wow vocals.

[WhiteTieUdie]

this is real rockn roll my friendsss

[b4u8me2day]

Some people work very hard but still they never get it right!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are problems in these times but wooooooooooo none of them are mine! Go Lou

[bubediscuss]

1:26-1:27 best ever

[WhiteTieUdie]

i met myself in a dream & just wanna tell ya everythin was allright!

[dialblova]

boy do those people around eddie look like parasites........

[ilovesurreyclowns]

if this were a girl i'd rape the shit out of it, with a dick army

this song is pure.... PURE

PURE AMAZING

words cannot asplain

[www41WorldUSAcom]

Baby, "Beginning to See the Light"...

[MegaDC04]

sounds like the beatles to me ha ha

[osvelhos]

see: Os Velhos da Montanha

[MundayMotion]

wine in the morning and some breakfast at night

[ZenPapageno]

@leamanc What I meant was, it also sounds like "I love you," which is more like the happy feeling of the music. Is this photo from the movie Lupe? Is Edie hitting Lou with a flower?

[kidcalabria]

@ZenPapageno

Yes, with her third arm that comes out of her arse, but you can see it only if you're on heroin, lsd and coke at the same time. If you then add amphetamine to the cocktail you'll notice that she's also masturbating John Cale and Andy Warhol with her fourth and fifth arms that look like a tail... that's why it's called a 'cocktail'...

[tickntimebombfun]

heard this song on shrooms, amazing

[bigdunk9]

This song comes on much louder than any other VU song on my iPod, it freaks me out.

[San5a]

it was wonderful to hear how lou could change his voice in different tracks on studio...

[MowgliX]

OK... I - Love - THIS!!!

[stoprejectingmynames]

This song made me see the light.

[ryko26]

great song!

[GoinDownToJunkieTown]

i love the picture, what a party capture photo, if ever i could transport myself to a party with anyone ever it would be with either Lou and the VU or Axl and the early days of GnR.

[guifazolo]

This is my favorite song of VU...so nice a masterpiece!!!

[aligcali]

there are so many idiots on the internet

[mitchgrrt]

Is that Andy Warhol seated on the couch with sunglasses next to Lou?

[PsychoPunk1965]

Yes.

[Rockyspence]

This is the greatest song of all time---fuck all of the rest of these phony rock and rollers--this is how I figured out how to play guitar.....listening to Lou...

[IM1NML]

@shuddupeyaface --Oh Wait I get it ,this stupid brit thinks he can possibly know about a scene that was dead and buried when you were born - you were filling your diapers with the shite that comes out of it -while we were going home from the Party -the VU. and so while i was watching this three people you say suspended the rooms full of lamp swinging partys you can only dream of in your new non-smokers world - you were crying for your mama...so how the fuck would you know shite?

[shuddupeyaface]

I love the Velvets and Nico, just wanted to mix things up a bit .

Test the American sense of humour.

After, some low abuse!

Who gives a fuck!

What's true is true, what's real is real and what is credible will resist the hype and stand the process of time!

Hence - these comments, 40 something years after.

(The last part of your comment was very strange - I smoke).

[IM1NML]

TEST US ! GO AHEAD SMART ASS! WELL TURN YOUR lITTLE iSLAND INTO AN ASHTRAY LIKE IRAQ ! ! WE CAN KICK YOUR FUKWIT ASSES BEFORE BREAKFAST AND WE CAN DO IT EVERY DAY -YOUR LEADERS SUCK OUR DICKS ! DO you understand Wanker? GO SHAG A HAGGIS!

[shuddupeyaface]

Hahah - CAPITALS!

Man you're strange.

What has your country done for you - to make you so angry?

I love America.

Our leaders don't suck "your" dicks, they just know that America is carrying out it's duties on our behalf.

Until America converts to islam or starts speaking and thinking like Russia - you are US.

[UcaughtWinVirus]

@IM1NML

All this over a good VU song? Jesus- you all need to chill the hell out and enjoy a good band

[UcaughtWinVirus]

@IM1NML

That's a nasty threat to a group of people who are our allies, Captain America- or captain Iraq- or whatever the hell you are...............

[IM1NML]

REALITY CHECK dont piss on my leg and say you were testing my humor you little child.. -Americans are smarter than you think child.Whats real is now you want to weasle out of insulting my coutrymen and homeland..ive got news for you...

[shuddupeyaface]

Calm down now, Don't be rash and hasty.

If you think the English are mounting at your door - see your Doctor and stop listening to the Velvet Underground.

IM1NML - Is that the medicinal compound you're on?

[UcaughtWinVirus]

@IM1NML

What news is that, big boy?

[IM1NML]

, LOOK; Austen Powers - Nobody gives a Sausage WHAT You Like You fucking Two Year Old.> You've taken your Piss on America so now You Can GO BACK TO Butt-Fucking your Barn Animals. MY ANCESORS SLAUGHTERED YOURS LIKE PIGS AS SOON AS WE COULD PRY THEIR FACES OFF OUR CROTCHES.

[UcaughtWinVirus]

@IM1NML

You are aware that this is an American band, right? One or two members hailed from the UK- but this was NYC in the 60s. Do you rant in the same way about the 60s scene in San Fransisco? I'm gobsmacked........

[shuddupeyaface]

Haha - such horror over a beautiful tune like this.

If it wasn't for the British, you americans would still be hanging minorities and screwing your cousins.

[iamboycharles]

and if it wasnt for america, you'd still be listening to shitty music.

[shuddupeyaface]

NO!!!!

[shuddupeyaface]

The US never took to the Velvets.

Ok there was 17 liberals in New york "who got it", but the rest of america was more than happy listening to shitty music.

If it WAS for america, the vast majority of your unrivalled contribution to 20th century musical culture, would have died with the black guys and girls who made it.

But, c'mom - why the hell did ( I mean heck ) did I carry this on?

[IM1NML]

@shuddupeyaface Go to school before you call yourself a professor junior.You dont know shot about the U>S>

underground movement - plus Every Scene begins with a handful of people, try making sense...liberals what the hell are you talking about ?We werent liberals idiot! We were middle class kids in a New World. ,everyone was in a new world ...

[psychkoala]

^ ^ = troll

[ledneck12]

ur a fucking retard... and you bash on america for persecuting people of a diffrent race while at the sametime Britain treated the non whites in their empire like shit and in some areas even gave them less rights then the minorities in America had.

[IM1NML]

And it isnt Over ,They Still do all of that. Now they attack refugees from the Wars... .the Pakistani,the Afghani, these refugees are savaged by bigoted youth gangs on a nightly basis ... For finding work .and working hard Once they have a job;they are resented ; persecuted,and Killed

[k75ngh]

wine in the mornin and some breakfast at night, good night, lou

[shuddupeyaface]

Thank the Lord, Lou Read has found the truth of Christianity.

AAAHHHHH, my cockles are warmed.

[MrJakeswain1]

you fucking idiot

[shuddupeyaface]

Oh, duh - thought this was a spiritual ode.

You're american!

Makes sense now.

You poor people.

My Church group collects old History and text-books to send over there.

Please resist the urge to burn them!

[MrJakeswain1]

Oh good history books so i can learn about all the people you Christians have killed and tortured.

[shuddupeyaface]

But i'm not a Christian.

My first comment 'bout Lou Reed was "ironic" - you get that retard?

You calling me a "fucking idiot", was equally ironic.

Maybe the velvets were positioning themselves against the likes of you Jake??

You see the light yet?

[MrJakeswain1]

I don't think you know what the definition of irony is. And no i don't see the light, your light anyway

[ledneck12]

@shuddupeyaface fuck you and everything you stand for idiot....and next time spell Lou Reed right you fucking moron.

[shuddupeyaface]

What is with you american retards.

What fuck is the matter with you dead headed morons.

You think Lou Reed gives a shrivled up shit about boneheaded cunts like you.

Swear at me again an it's fuckin all out war, you parrasitic fuckwits.

[ledneck12]

Bring it on. We will kick your ass again just like we did back in the 1700's and Lou Reed will be on our side because he is a Fucking American you dumb ass cunt

[Morrisseyisdead]

I don't mean to get involved but technichally we kicked our own "ass" in 1700. Only then did that former British colony become America.

[MrJakeswain1]

He cares more about us then idiotic, middle aged, racist, British assholes

[jumpinggirl]

I think you need to exercise tolerence and get a lesson on prejudice dear. Im not just referring to "shuddupeyaface" but anyone who can't just be happy/sad or w/e and appreciate this music, and instead would rather argue about whose country is superior.

Really people, can't we just all agree that this band is amazing and that be that?

Every country has had its moments of glory and its moments of weakness. what im trying to say is, lets not let borders divide us, just let music unite us.

[formsofthingsunknown]

This record has been a guiding light to me for 35 years!

[steeeveg]

There are problems in these times, but WOOOO none of them are mine!

Love it....

[paolosilv]

If I hit favorites, will this show up on my blog? I can't see it....

thanks Paul

[bonesintheriver]

I see it. It's there.

[MundayMotion]

@bonesintheriver I'm Beginning to See the Light...

[WillemMijndert]

Some people work very hard, but still they never get it right. That is so truth and still update this very moment! This line is my guide, saying Rock 'n' Roll is allright.

[LHUPA]

I just discover the tune from the radio and I like it! So, a little search on YouTube has permitted to get it! Bravo!

[nasty6uldv8]

gay blade a oueen for a day how feel to be love hey baby face

[punkrockxzz]

they dont have a song i dont love

[jsonandon]

Who are the people in the photo, some of the faces are faces but who were or are the others? Great song great band.

[Gelfinia]

you mean the ones without faces?

[agricola011]

I'm not sure who's first on the left, but after that it's Danny Williams, Andy Warhol, Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, and John Cale on the couch. Above them is Edie Sedgwick, and behind her leg is Gerard Malanga. Not sure who's hiding behind him -- looks like a man at first glance, but I think it just might be Barbara Rubin. Of the women on the floor, the one looking up at Edie is Martha Dargan; the other one possibly Mary Woronov?

[jsonandon]

Thank you agricola : )

[agricola011]

No problem. My identifications are based on a photo from the same session in Bockris & Malanga, 'Up-Tight: The Velvet Underground Story', pp. 24-5, which includes Barbara Rubin in tinted glasses (which is why I think she may be the one behind Malanga above). Looking again, I don't think that is Mary Woronov ... possibly Panna Grady, at whose apartment the photo was taken? Can't find any images of her to compare. Photo was taken by Nat Finkelstein, during the shooting of 'Lupe', Dec. 1965.

[msane4XX]

Wine in the mornin' , aand some breakfast at night

[Tunnelof]

Fantastic band

[paolosilv]

I thought the lyric was, "I wore my teeth in my hair so I could make a helluva night"

[albionmoonlight1]

mondegreen! ah this song reminds me of the taste of vodka in the high school bathroom stalls during early mornings. Haven't seen the light as clearly as back then

[paolosilv]

Sounds fun.; Did you learn anything?

[albionmoonlight1]

I remember reading that in India the color blue signified eternity, so a lot of Buddhas on shrines are blue. And I stole Joseph Conrad's Lord Jim from the book stockpile room. I read it that summer too. Changed my life.

[paolosilv]

Great novel. I just read it last Jan.

[albionmoonlight1]

Another novel thats pretty dense but worth it is this really kind of rare gem called The Opposing Shore by Julien Gracq

[paolosilv]

Thanks. You're welcome to join my blog.

[GimmeKitty]

Love this song and "I'm waiting for the man", as well.

[Abortive]

say what happened to lou six years after?

[KiffffiK]

good stuff

[pompitus]

"I wore my teeth in my hands so I could miss the hell of a night."

[dugitomi]

"i wore my teeth in my hand so I could get ahead of the night." surely some of his most inspired poetry whatever he happened to have said. it probably changed from time to time as well. He took artistic liberties with his lyrics, which is fine since he painted some of the most visceral visual images of any lyricist in rock. I speak in the past tense, because his work over the past few years has failed to impress me. Mr. Jagger suffers from the same problem. Mr. Richards however is sharp.

[snowuninc]

Its "I wore my teeth in my hands so I could mess up my hair at night" and this actually makes sense.

[paulparker215]

I believe the lyric is, "I wore my teeth in my hands so I could mess the hair of the night".

[bonesintheriver]

The line doesn't make sense to me either way but thank you.

[chonnom03]

Take at least 30mg. of Hydrocodone or any reputable narcotic.

Now get it?

See: Poetry 101A

[xXPinkGoddessXx]

I take it to mean wearing your teeth in your hands makes it impossible for them to be knocked out so you can mess up the hair of the night (i.e. cause trouble) and you will be invincible from others.

[owsleythebear]

@bonesintheriver

I always thought it was,"I wore my teeth in my hands so I could MISS the hair of the night." I think that it's about pasting your dentures to your hands while you sleep to keep you from masturbating...thus 'missing' the the hair of the night....because there was some superstition that if you masturbated you would grow hair on your palms.

[slowthunder416]

@owsleythebear o.O

[chonnom03]

Take at least 30mg. of Hydrocodone.

Heroin; even better.

Now, get it?

LOL

[leamanc]

Quite possibly my favorite song from my favorite band. Everything that makes Lou a great songwriter wrapped up into one song.

Where did you find this photo? It's really great, considering most of the photos from the Warhol era are in black and white. Quite a trip to see them so young and in color.

[bonesintheriver]

I'm pretty sure I just stole it off Google image search or something :]

[666adamski]

@leamanc mine too mate ,just rediscovered this album fantastic every track .

[666adamski]

@leamanc mine too mate ,blinding !

[leamanc]

@666adamski The banana album always gets the most praise, but I just love the 3rd album more than anything else. So I'm glad someone else loves it too!

Such a perfect album, with each song showing off a different strength: Lou's lyrics and relentless rhythm guitar, Sterling's jackhammer guitar attack, Moe's drumming and innocent girly vocals, and some nice contributions from the underrated Doug Yule.

So great, and it still sounds like it could have come out recently, even in 2010.

[Natalie78644]

@leamanc well said

[fheisk]

well i'm beginnin to see the light!

[7demian7]

aaawoooooooh!

[ElectricSexPants]

Love the whole album.

[54spiritedwill54]

This Song Awesome!!! i love this!

[tugsandtost]

My favourite Lou Reed song. He writes such sweet kind loving music.

[vegastr0n]

one of VU's best most definetly.

[honeymoon12]

The best of the velvet with after hours !!!!!!!

[OSCAR588888]

i wish the velvet underground songs were recorded with better quality, it sounds so grainy..

[bonesintheriver]

I love that sound :]

[KHeyHeyHey]

That's part of what makes the songs so good.

[oddmanout1792]

i'd have to agree with you there. i wish contemporary music sounded more like this.

[frilloman828]

thats the beauty of VU. They were raw and edgy and its true rock and roll in its most honest form.

[ZenPapageno]

"How does it feel to be loved?" 2 meanings.

[leamanc]

@ZenPapageno In an interview around the time the album came out, Lou said "What that means is it's just so sad. If the narrator has to ask how it feels to be loved, the means he has never known it."

What other meaning comes to your mind? Being loved in the sexual sense?

[beckerleyanna]

....wine in the morning, and some breakfast at night haha! Top tune, great lyric's!

[ItsCassieFoo]

My favorite verse ever:

There are problems in these times, but WOO! none of them are mine. (:

[Nikolaii257]

I began to see the Bringer of Light, the Angel of Light. I too, met mySelf in my Dream

and everything was cool and all right. But although I work very hard, I still got it right. I love his lyrics: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE LOVED???

[plasticsoulman66]

Is that Keith Moon or Sterling Morrison?If it's Moon this photo is unique because he seems to be the one having the least fun!

[plasticsoulman66]

Wait,that's Sterling Morrison,my bad!

[jwblhojer]

hands down my favorite vu song.

[AsphaltedLife]

Everyone's on Speed or H on this picture, that's an Ooomph factor whatever that is.

[baber62]

Hey I have Max's Kansas City from 1969 but unfortunately (or fortunately as the case maybe) I got it on vinyl ... it has a crispiness edge to the sound and ever such a light crackle to it ... but even after ten years the album still sounds great!!!

[keith25658]

i have been waiting for this song so long!Thanks a lot for sharing!!

[vequirewind]

mmmh luvyaaa lou

[chalkietalkie]

Is that Warhol, Lou Reed and Keith Moon all in a row?

[glitchesandglitter]

that's sterling morrison and next to him is john cale.

[pizzawar]

The live version from Max's Kansas City some time in 1969 (Jeez, I sound like a deadhead...) is like 10x faster than this and fucking ACE. I wish I could find it online...

[mybldyvlntn]

what, one of the most famous velvet underground bootlegs of all time that is all over the web? lols

[pizzawar]

I heard it on college radio but twict ten years ago and haven't heard it since. Is good news!

[Dylanzx9]

Awesome! Lou still rocks!!!!

[ZeeUndertaker]

Yeah thanks.

[LaVelvetUnderground]

thank you

[paranoidcaesar]

This Song Awesome!!! i love this!

[person12013]

This video lacks an OOOMPH factor.

[bonesintheriver]

who cares

[bergerlimb99]

I like the photo, OOOMPH or no OOOMPH. Very casual, candid, looks like any photo you might see in any photo album, except look at who's in it!

[lonelyboy03]

Danke.

[svobobo]

oh thanks a lot for this song. i've been searching this for some time and couldn't find it with youtube, but finally find this by using video.google :) this one goes to my favorites immediately.