Saturday Matinee Music Video: "What Goes On"
A Velvet Underground song remade as grunge-y power pop
SATURDAY MATINEE MUSIC VIDEO “What Goes On” (Velvet Underground cover): "If God showed up tomorrow and asked me, 'Do you want to be president?' I’d say, 'No.' 'Do you want to be in politics?' 'No.' 'Do you want to be a lawyer?' 'No.' 'What do you want?' 'I want to be a rhythm guitar player.'"—Lou Reed.
...This song was on the 3rd VU album (“What Goes On” b/w “Jesus” would be the sole single from this LP)
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It was recorded in a Hollywood studio right after much of their gear had been stolen, so they worked with what gear they had. Lou’s manic, solid-perfect guitar is the backbone—he sounds happy to be alive, singing, "Lady be good/Do what you should/It's gonna be all right.”
The lyrics urge self-inventory questions: “What goes on in your heart? What goes on in your mind?”
The hypnotic VU original had a trance-y organ, and in concert they’d stretch it to 9-minute otherworldly rumbles. In 2010 I added this song to my live set, then recorded it (for my I LIKE THE STREET album) in a power pop-guitar “glam grunge bubblegum” zone…like The Hollies mashed-up with The Posies
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