A lot of Generation X-ers like myself were introduced to Lou Reed's genius through cover versions of his songs. Bands like R.E.M. and U2 kept Lou's flaming torch alive in much the same way the English R&B groups of the 60s, like the Yardbirds, Cream and the Rolling Stones, spread the word about forgotten blues forefathers like Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf and Son House. Here are three of the best Lou covers from the 80s and 90s.
R.E.M., "Pale Blue Eyes"
R.E.M. got into the habit of doing loose yet poignant Velvet Underground covers in the mid-1980s and putting them out as B-sides to singles like "Radio Free Europe," "So. Central Rain" and "Superman." I'm proud to say I still have some of those 45s in my archives. Back in the day, R.E.M. would often open a show with one of these tracks. In 1987, the three wonderful VU covers and other charming chum
appeared on their B-sides comp Dead Letter Office.
BTW, When people of my ilk refer to "classic R.E.M." they generally don't mean "Losing My Religion," they mean stuff
like this, when Michael Stipe had a flowing mane and a noble air of reticence.
Cowboy Junkies, "Sweet Jane"
The Canadian band Cowboy Junkies tapped into the divine when they recorded their 1988 LP The Trinity Session around a single microphone at Toronto's Church of the Holy Trinity. The record featured a wonderful mix of originals and covers, with the clear highlight being a slowed down, reverb drenched version of the Velvets' most famous tune "Sweet Jane." I believe at the time, Lou said it was
one of his all-time favorite versions of one of his songs, which is high
praise as Lou covers are legion.
In 1989, the ethereal Margo Timmons and her bandmates played "Sweet Jane" for Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. How hot was it? It was so hot that even Johnny liked it. That is weird, wild stuff, I did
not know that. (I miss Johnny too).
U2 and Lou Reed, "Satellite of Love"
U2 got all vanguardy and ironic for their 1992-93 ZOO TV tour in support of their masterpiece Achtung Baby. Much of their tour theatrics centered on the relationship between humanity and technology, which was very prescient considering the Internet and Apple were in the planning stages of taking over all of our lives.
One of the highlights of the show was perhaps the first-ever duet via satellite, an all-too apropos cover of the Transformer track "Satellite of Love," one of my desert-island Lou songs. U2 has long made their love of Lou well known, having tossed in a few lines of "Satellite" and "Walk on the Wild Side" during their epochal version of "Bad" at Live Aid in 1985.
One of the highlights of the show was perhaps the first-ever duet via satellite, an all-too apropos cover of the Transformer track "Satellite of Love," one of my desert-island Lou songs. U2 has long made their love of Lou well known, having tossed in a few lines of "Satellite" and "Walk on the Wild Side" during their epochal version of "Bad" at Live Aid in 1985.
Buy on iTunes:
R.E.M., Dead Letter Office
Cowboy Junkies, The Trinity Session
U2, "Satellite of Love"
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