Nico "Chelsea Girls" 1967

   

            In my early 20’s I had a healthy obsession with The Velvet Underground, and an understandable infatuation with Nico.  How could you not?  I think I was taken by the entire concept of the Velvet Underground.  The music was earth shattering and Lou Reed was writing songs that were different than anything that had ever been written.  Nico, with her unaffected German aloofness and gentle detachment, was the cherry on top.  Her delivery always sounded like she couldn’t care less, but her deep moaning voice resonated with sincerity.  Her singing has a beauty and strangeness that I have not heard duplicated by any other artist. 

                Because the original Velvet Underground was such a difficult sell to most people seeing the band, Andy Warhol suggested Nico be added to the band in order to make them more visually appealing.  Nico could actually sing though, so it’s not like she was some glorified go-go dancer.  She really did have a presence and added a lot to the band.  Who knows if the Velvet’s would have succeeded (as modestly as they did) had Nico not been a part of the group? She is certainly an acquired taste, but like beer, coffee, or Campari, acquired tastes can be delightful.  Nico sang three songs on the Velvet’s debut, but this is her first proper solo record. 

                The first two songs on the record are so good, so sweet and tender, so delightfully melancholy, so painfully grey, and so wonderfully milky that it’s hard not to just listen to these songs over and over again.  I feel like my eyes want to water up every time I hear that chimey guitar start.  I’ve probably listened to “Fairest of the Season” several hundred times over the years.  I have never given the lyrics a lot of thought, because the sound is so compelling.  Nico’s voice is as warm as a man’s, but her femininity is still able to shine through clearly.  It’s like sunlight through the clouds: bright yet soft, and clear yet muted.  The string arrangement also slowly burns over the guitar. 

          “These Days” is brighter than “Fairest of the Season” but contains the exact same sonic qualities.  The melody and guitar have a falling quality that always relax me.  Maybe falling isn’t the best word though.  It’s more like setting down something precious, maybe a baby.  This song doesn’t elate me or make my heart race.  It simply leaves me with a sense of absolute satisfaction.  Listening to it makes me feel like I've just sat and meditated for a while. 

              Jackson Brown plays some guitar on the record and his contribution cannot be overstated.  He is the writer of “Fairest of the Season,” “These Days,” and “Somewhere There’s a Feather.”  He really sets the pace and tone of this record.  I have never been a fan of his 70’s records, but he does some very nice playing and writing on this album.  Apparently, he and Nico had a quick romance around the making of this record.
               Because Nico was a member of the Velvets, the group contributed several songs to this record.  My favorite is “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams.”  This sounds exactly like something Lou Reed could be singing.  The melody seldom changes, and for over five minutes the song drones on.   Lou and the Velvets were uncompromising with their songs, so to give the listener a break, we get only a spoken word interlude.  There is very little going on to change the sonic or vocal landscape.  It is a little challenging to listen to, but sometimes songs can still be good even if you don’t love them. 

                The lyrics to “Chelsea Girls,” also by Lou Reed and company, are pretty interesting.  Songs about prostitutes were not common in 1967, so this is definitely an anomaly.  For sure this is the only one on a Verve record.  Check out these lines:

Here's room five four six
It's enough to make you sick
Bridget's all wrapped up in foil
You wonder if she can uncoil

And

Here comes Johnny Bore
He collapsed on the floor
They shut him up with milk
And when he died, sold him for silk

What’s going on in these rooms?  I think you and I both know. 

           Bob Dylan also wrote a song on this album for her to sing.  Are you getting how important this woman was to the New York late 60’s music scene?  It is said that Tim Buckley used to come and watch her play, and Leonard Cohen used to write poems as he watched her perform.  Iggy Pop was also involved with her for a spell.  Anyway, “I’ll Keep It with Mine” is a major highlight on the record.  I really like the melody of this song and the lyrics are your typical Bob Dylan lyrics.  I especially like:

I can’t help it
If you might think I’m odd
If I say I’m not loving you for what you are
But for what you’re not

          I never had the guts to say that to a girl, even if it was true.  I’m sure Bob, and Nico by proxy, could have pulled it off though.  It may be the least loving way to say “I love you” ever.  There is a version of this song on “Bob Dylan: Bootleg Series Vol. 1” that has almost the same delivery, minus the strings.  It’s very good as well. 

Tones:  The most pronounced tone on this album is of course Nico’s voice.  I personally find it very appealing, but others do not.  On several occasions, others have asked if it was a man singing.  There is not a lot of middle ground here.  I really enjoy the fact that she has almost no vibrato in her voice and the timber of her voice reminds me a tenor saxophone as well. 

                There is also a noticeable difference in the guitar tone on “It Was a Pleasure Then.”  My assumption is that it is Lou Reed playing, seeing as he and John Cale wrote the song.  It is far harsher than any of the Jackson Brown played guitar parts and you can hear a lot of background hiss coming from the guitar amp.    

Cover Note:  Nico’s emotionless face is the perfect expression of the music on the inside.  I get the sense that Nico was disconnected from the world she lived in.  The black and white colors also feel very cold and stark.    

 

Price Paid:  I only own this one on CD, and I have never seen an old vinyl copy in my rummaging.  If I ever do, I would easily pay $15.00.  It was initially released on Verve Records, and they usually press some nice heavy vinyl, so that’s a plus.

Bottom line:  This is a good one to play with the family.  My wife’s love for the first two tracks even predates our relationship.  If you are a fan of the Velvet Underground then this should be of major interest for you.  I own all of the Velvet’s normal releases and a lot more.  “Chelsea Girls” fits in nicely with all of their stuff. This is especially true if you like the sound of their first record and the vibe of their third, more mellow record.