White Light/White Heat

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

White Light/White Heat is the second album by the Velvet Underground and was released on 30 January 1968 on Verve Records. It was the last album with John Cale. Lou Reed had fired Andy Warhol, Steve Sesnick became manager and Tom Wilson produced. In September 1967 it was recorded in a short time at Mayfair Sound Studios in Manhattan, following the example of the loud live performance. With new Vox amplifiers and distortion pedals, all the meters were in the red, and the result sounded distorted and compressed. Most of the band members were unhappy with it.

The lyrics deal with sex, amphetamine and transvestites. The album ends with Sister Ray, a largely improvised song of seventeen minutes. It sold less than the debut and many critics rejected it, but the emphasis on distortion later became an example for punk, shoegaze and noise rock. In 2020 it ranked number 272 in Rolling Stone's list.

Listening

Track list

1. 1White Light/White Heat2:48Apple Music ↗
2. 2The Gift8:20Apple Music ↗
3. 3Lady Godiva's Operation4:57Apple Music ↗
4. 4Here She Comes Now2:05Apple Music ↗
5. 5I Heard Her Call My Name4:38Apple Music ↗
6. 6Sister Ray17:32Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

See also

• The Velvet Underground