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Song Stories

“Sister Ray”

The Velvet Underground | 1968

The highly improvisational "Sister Ray," which riffed on black leather, sunglasses, noise and more noise, was done in one take by the Velvet Underground, who agreed ahead of time that, good or bad, they would live with the results. While the recorded version was 17 minutes long, the band was known for stretching it to twice that length in a live setting. Andy Warhol didn't produce the song, but he did have input on "Sister Ray." According to Reed, "When we were making the second record, [Warhol] said, 'Now you gotta make sure that you do the 'sucking on my ding dong song.'"

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“Rock & Roll”
The Velvet Underground | 1970
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“Louisiana”
The Walkmen | 2006

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Song Stories

“Is It True”

Brenda Lee | 1964

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."

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