Velvet Underground
(Appears on A Plea For Tenderness, Best of Jonathan Richman / I Must Be King and I Jonathan)
A
They were wild like the usa
A mystery band in a New York way
D
Rock and roll, but not like the rest
A
And to me, america at it's best
E
How in the world were they making that sound?
A
Velvet Underground.
A
A spooky tone on a Fender bass
Played less notes and left more space
D
Stayed kind of still, looked kinda shy
A
Kinda far away, kinda dignified.
E
How in the world were they making that sound?
A
Velvet Underground.
D A
Now you can look at that band and wonder where
F#m E
All that sound was coming from
With just 4 people there.
A
Twangy sounds of the cheapest types,
Sounds as stark as black and white stripes,
D
Bold and brash, sharp and rude,
A
Like the heats turned off
And you're low on food.
E
How in the world were they making that sound?
A
Velvet Underground.
Like this...
[Here the song breaks into an excerpt from Sister Ray]
A
Wild wild parties when they start to unwind
A close encounter of the thirdest kind
D A
On the bandstand playing, everybody's saying
E
How in the world were they making that sound?
A
Velvet Underground.
D
Well you could look at that band
A
And at first sight
F#m
Say that certain rules about modern music
E
Wouldn't apply tonight.
A
Twangy sounds of the cheapest kind,
Like "Guitar sale $29.99,"
D
Bold and brash, stark and still,
A
Like the heats turned off
And you can't pay the bill.
E
How in the world were they making that sound?
A
Velvet Underground.
A
Both guitars got the fuzz tone on
The drummer's standing upright pounding along
D
A howl, a tone, a feedback whine
A
Biker boys meet the college kind
E
How in the world were they making that sound?
A
Velvet Underground.
A
Wild wild parties when they start to unwind
A close encounter of the thirdest kind
D A
On the bandstand grooving, everybody moving
E
How in the world are they making that sound?
A
Velvet Underground.
[A] They were wild like the usa
A mystery band in a New York way
[D] Rock and roll, but not like the rest
[A] And to me, america at it's best
[E] How in the world were they making that sound?
[A] Velvet Underground.
[A] A spooky tone on a Fender bass
Played less notes and left more space
[D] Stayed kind of still, looked kinda shy
[A] Kinda far away, kinda dignified.
[E] How in the world were they making that sound?
[A] Velvet Underground.
[D] Now you can look at that band and wonder [A] where
All that [F#m] sound was coming [E] from
With just 4 people there.
[A] Twangy sounds of the cheapest types,
Sounds as stark as black and white stripes,
[D] Bold and brash, sharp and rude,
[A] Like the heats turned off
And you're low on food.
[E] How in the world were they making that sound?
[A] Velvet Underground.
Like this...
[Here the song breaks into an excerpt from Sister Ray]
[A] Wild wild parties when they start to unwind
A close encounter of the thirdest kind
[D] On the bandstand playing, [A] everybody's saying
[E] How in the world were they making that sound?
[A] Velvet Underground.
[D] Well you could look at that band
And at first [A] sight
Say that [F#m] certain rules about modern music
[E] Wouldn't apply tonight.
[A] Twangy sounds of the cheapest kind,
Like "Guitar sale $29.99,"
[D] Bold and brash, stark and still,
Like the [A] heats turned off
And you can't pay the bill.
[E] How in the world were they making that sound?
[A] Velvet Underground.
[A] Both guitars got the fuzz tone on
The drummer's standing upright pounding along
[D] A howl, a tone, a feedback whine
[A] Biker boys meet the college kind
[E] How in the world were they making that sound?
[A] Velvet Underground.
[A] Wild wild parties when they start to unwind
A close encounter of the thirdest kind
[D] On the bandstand grooving, [A] everybody moving
[E] How in the world are they making that sound?
[A] Velvet Underground.
They were wild like the usa
A mystery band in a New York way
Rock and roll, but not like the rest
And to me, america at it's best
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
A spooky tone on a Fender bass
Played less notes and left more space
Stayed kind of still, looked kinda shy
Kinda far away, kinda dignified.
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
Now you can look at that band and wonder where
All that sound was coming from
With just 4 people there.
Twangy sounds of the cheapest types,
Sounds as stark as black and white stripes,
Bold and brash, sharp and rude,
Like the heats turned off
And you're low on food.
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
Like this...
Wild wild parties when they start to unwind
A close encounter of the thirdest kind
On the bandstand playing, everybody's saying
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
Well you could look at that band
And at first sight
Say that certain rules about modern music
Wouldn't apply tonight.
Twangy sounds of the cheapest kind,
Like "Guitar sale $29.99,"
Bold and brash, stark and still,
Like the heats turned off
And you can't pay the bill.
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
Both guitars got the fuzz tone on
The drummer's standing upright pounding along
A howl, a tone, a feedback whine
Biker boys meet the college kind
How in the world were they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
Wild wild parties when they start to unwind
A close encounter of the thirdest kind
On the bandstand grooving, everybody moving
How in the world are they making that sound?
Velvet Underground.
The Chords for the entire song are G F & C
If you have two guitarists have one play them open, and the other play them barred.. Actually it sounds just fine if you play them either way, its Really up to you. For the solo, do some nice blues licks in G, just remember to turn your amp to ten, and jam away for 17 minutes and 52 seconds!
Duck and Sally inside
They're cooking for the down five
Who're staring at Miss Rayon
Who's busy licking up her big man
I'm searching for my mainline
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
Ah, it's just like Sister Ray says
Rosy and Miss Rayon
They're busy waiting for her booster
Who just got back from Carolina
She said she didn't like the weather
They're busy waiting for her Sailor
Who said he's just as big as ever
He's just here from Alabama
He wants to know a way to earn a dollar
I'm searching for my mainline
I couldn't hit it sideways
Ah, just like Sister Ray said
Cecil's got his new piece
He cocks and shoots between three and four
He aims it at the Sailor
Shoots him down dead on the floor
Oh, you shouldn't do that
Don't you know you'll stain the carpet
Don't you know you'll stain the carpet
And by the way man, have you got a dollar
Oh no man, I haven't got the time time
Too busy sucking on a ding dong
She's too busy sucking on my ding dong
Oh, she does it just like Sister Ray said
I'm searching for my mainline
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
I couldn't hit it sideways
Oh, just like, just like Sister Ray says
Now, who's that knocking
Who's that knocking on my chamber dooe
Now could it be the police
They've come to take me for a ride ride
Oh, but I haven't got the time time
Too busy sucking on my ding dong
She's too busy sucking on my ding dong
Oh, now, just like Sister Ray said
I'm searching on my line
I couldn't hit it sideways
I couldn't hit it sideways
Oh now, just like, just like, just like.....
Sister Ray says.