The Velvet Underground's 4th Album (not Loaded)

[Sean]

Not many people realize that VU was originally intended to be the V. Underground's fourth album yet it is way below any of their other albums with the exception of Squeeze. Is this because lack of awareness for the album
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One evening 1945 -

http://www.besteveralbums.com/thechart.php?c=3385

[Norman Bates]

I think it's a little bit more complicated than that, as VU includes titles from very different sessions, e.g. with and without John Cale, recorded between 68 and 69 (by the way, I thought some of these songs were intended for their would-ve third album ? I got something wrong).
Anyway it makes up for a great collection, definitely a must-have.
I think a reason why it's way below other VU releases is that it's a late compilation, and people often tend to put those "original" albums up front.

[Norman Bates]

Checking on the liner notes of the LP (one of the very few LPs that I own), and you're right, most of the material was intended for their fourth album. I don't know where I got the idea it was for the third. It might be interesting to know when the sessions were recorded, so here goes :

"Can't Stand It Anymore" : May 69
"Stephanie Says" : February 68
"She's My Best Friend" : May 69
"Lisa Says" : October 69
"Ocean" : June 69
"Foggy Notion" : May 69
"Inside Your Heart" : February 68
"One Of These Days" : September 69
"Andy's Chest" : May 69
"I'm Sticking With You" (I love this Tucker-sung lullaby) : May 69

Probably all titles recorded in May 69 were intended for that 4th album. One more reason why VU doesn't make the top of the charts is maybe that quite a large number of these songs were to appear later on Lou Reed's solo albums, so people might have known them first through Reed's output, and the songs did not sound so original when they discovered VU ? Just a wild guess.