Loaded
Studio album by The Velvet Underground
Released September 1970 (1970-09)
Recorded April–August 1970, Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City, New York, United States
Genre Protopunk, Rock, Art Rock
Length 40:35
Language English
Label Cotillion
Producer Geoff Haslam, Shel Kagan, The Velvet Underground
Professional reviews
* Allmusic 5/5 stars link
* Blender 5/5 stars link
* Robert Christgau (A) link
* Pitchfork Media (10.0/10.0)
* Rolling Stone (favorable) 1970
* Rolling Stone Album Guide 5/5 stars link
Loaded is the fourth album by the Velvet Underground, released in September, 1970, one month after Lou Reed had left the band, by Atlantic Records' subsidiary label, Cotillion.
Background
Loaded was a commercial effort aimed at radio play, another step away from the Warhol-influenced days. The album's title refers to Atlantic's request that the band produce an album "loaded with hits". Doug Yule said, "On Loaded there was a big push to produce a hit single, there was that mentality, which one of these is a single, how does it sound when we cut it down to 3.5 minutes, so that was a major topic for the group at that point. And I think that the third album to a great extent shows a lot of that in that a lot of those songs were designed as singles and if you listen to them you can hear the derivation, like this is sort of a Phil Spector-ish kind of song, or this is that type of person song."
Reed was critical of the album's final mix. Reed left the Velvet Underground on August 23, 1970 but Loaded wasn't released until a month later, in September. After its release, Reed discovered that the album had been re-edited and resequenced without his consent.
One of Reed's sore points resulting from that unauthorized re-editing was that the "heavenly wine and roses" melody was cut out of "Sweet Jane". In the original recording, this part was intended to provide a perfectly flowing bridge to a full-fledged plagal cadence two-chord version of the chorus (earlier choruses in the song have a 4 chord riff). In Reed's initial solo performances, he would include the verse (see for instance American Poet), until 1973, when he would routinely leave that verse out, as the bridge fits less well in a more hard-rock version (as heard for instance on Rock 'n' Roll Animal). However, the post-Reed, Doug Yule-led Velvets always performed the song with the verse re-inserted.
Reed also felt snubbed by being listed third in the credits on the album; and by the large photo of Yule playing piano; and by all the songwriting credits improperly going to the band, rather than Reed himself. Newer releases have satisfied many of Reed's concerns—he now is properly acknowledged as the sole songwriter for the album; he is listed at the top of the band line-up, and since the 1995 box set Peel Slowly and See, another mix is available, restoring "Sweet Jane," "Rock and Roll" and "New Age" to the full-length versions Reed had originally penned.
The album does not feature Velvet Underground stalwart, drummer Maureen Tucker, as she was pregnant at the time (she is still credited on the album sleeve, however). Drumming duties were performed mainly by bassist Doug Yule, recording engineer Adrian Barber and Doug Yule's brother Billy. Lou Reed has commented that "Loaded didn’t have Maureen on it, and that’s a lot of people’s favorite Velvet Underground record, so we can’t get too lost in the mystique of the Velvet Underground...It’s still called a Velvet Underground record. But what it really is something else." Sterling Morrison had strong feelings about Yule's increased presence on Loaded, saying "The album came out okay, as far as production it’s the best, but it would have been better if it had real good Lou vocals on all the tracks." Doug Yule claimed that "Lou leaned on me a lot in terms of musical support and vocal arrangements. I did a lot on Loaded. It sort of devolved down to the Lou and Yule recreational recording."
Original copies of the album have no silence in between the first two songs, "Who Loves The Sun" and "Sweet Jane," with the first note of the latter being heard at the precise moment the former completely fades. Some later pressings break the segue with the insertion of a few seconds of silence. All CDs of 'Loaded' retain the original segue without the silence.
Reception
In 2003, Loaded was #109 on Rolling Stone's reissue of their 500 greatest albums of all time.
The album holds two well-known Velvet Underground songs: "Sweet Jane" and "Rock & Roll." These two Velvet Underground songs are still heard regularly on classic rock FM radio stations.
The album was covered live in its entirety by rock band Phish as one of their "Halloween musical costume" concerts on October 31, 1998.
Track listing
All songs written by Lou Reed except "Ride into the Sun", which was written by Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker.
Side One
1. "Who Loves the Sun" – 2:50
2. "Sweet Jane" – 3:15
3. "Rock & Roll" – 4:47
4. "Cool It Down" – 3:05
5. "New Age" – 4:39
Side Two
6. "Head Held High" – 2:52
7. "Lonesome Cowboy Bill" – 2:48
8. "I Found a Reason" – 4:15
9. "Train Round the Bend" – 3:20
10. "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" – 7:23
Fully Loaded edition
Disc One (Original album)
1. "Who Loves the Sun" – 2:45
2. "Sweet Jane" (full-length version) – 4:06
3. "Rock & Roll" – 4:43
4. "Cool It Down" – 3:04
5. "New Age" (full-length version) – 5:07
6. "Head Held High" – 2:56
7. "Lonesome Cowboy Bill" – 2:43
8. "I Found a Reason" – 4:15
9. "Train Round the Bend" – 3:21
10. "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" – 7:25
11. "Ride into the Sun (demo)" (Reed, Cale, Morrison, Tucker) – 3:20
12. "Ocean" (Outtake) – 5:43
13. "I'm Sticking with You" (Outtake) – 3:06
14. "I Love You" (Demo) – 2:03
15. "Rock & Roll" (Alternate mix) – 4:41
16. "Head Held High" (Alternate mix) – 2:15
Disc Two (Alternate album)
1. "Who Loves the Sun" (Alternate mix) – 2:59
2. "Sweet Jane" (Early version) – 5:22
3. "Rock & Roll" (Demo) – 4:45
4. "Cool It Down" (Early version) – 4:14
5. "New Age" (Full-length version) – 5:44
6. "Head Held High" (Early version) – 2:48
7. "Lonesome Cowboy Bill" (Early version) – 3:14
8. "I Found a Reason" (Demo) – 3:16
9. "Train Round the Bend" (Alternate version) – 4:36
10. "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" (Early version) – 4:04
11. "Ocean" (Demo) – 6:27
12. "I Love You" (Outtake) – 2:03
13. "Satellite of Love" (Alternate demo) – 2:51
14. "Oh Gin" (Demo) – 2:54
15. "Walk and Talk" (Demo) – 2:47
16. "Sad Song" (Demo) – 3:43
17. "Love Makes You Feel Ten Feet Tall" (Demo) – 4.09
Reissues
Compact Disc
The album was officially released on CD on July 7, 1987 by Warner Special Products. It is of note that some of the running times located on the back of the CD case are incorrect. For instance, "Sweet Jane" is marked 3:55 while it is in fact about 3:18; "New Age" is marked 5:20 while it is closer to 4:39.
Loaded was compiled on the fifth disc of the comprehensive, five-year-spanning box set Peel Slowly and See, which was released on September 26, 1995 by Polydor Records. The disc features longer running versions of "Sweet Jane" and "New Age" as well as demos, outtakes and live performances.
Fully Loaded
On February 18, 1997, Rhino Records released a "Fully Loaded" two-CD reissue of Loaded, which contained numerous alternate takes, alternate mixes and demo versions of Loaded songs and outtakes. Two of these also include performances by Maureen Tucker ("I'm Sticking with You" demo, vocals; "I Found a Reason" demo, drums) and even a cameo appearance by band original band member John Cale ("Ocean" demo, organ). Included are music journalist David Fricke's extensive liner notes.
Personnel
The Velvet Underground
* Sterling Morrison – guitar
* Lou Reed – vocals, guitar, piano
* Maureen Tucker – drums (credited, but does not appear due to maternity leave. She does appear singing on the outtake "I'm Sticking With You," and playing drums on the demo of "I Found a Reason" on the Fully Loaded Edition)
* Doug Yule – keyboards, guitar, bass guitar, drums, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Who Loves the Sun", "New Age", "Lonesome Cowboy Bill", and "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'"
Additional musicians
* Adrian Barber – drums on "Who Loves the Sun"
* Tommy Castanero – drums on "Cool It Down" and "Head Held High"
* Billy Yule – drums on "Lonesome Cowboy Bill" and "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'"
* John Cale – organ on "Ocean" demo version
Technical staff
* Adrian Barber – engineer
* Geoff Haslam, Shel Kagan and The Velvet Underground – producers