Lady Godiva's Operation
"Lady Godiva's Operation" is a song by the Velvet Underground from their second album, White Light/White Heat (1968). The lyrics of the first half of the song, sung by John Cale, describe Lady Godiva; the lyrics of the second half, sung by Cale alternating with Lou Reed, are full of oblique, deadpan black humor and describe a botched surgical procedure, implied to be a lobotomy.[1] Cale plays electric viola while Sterling Morrison plays bass, an instrument that he disliked, despite his competent abilities.[2][3]
| "Lady Godiva's Operation" | |
|---|---|
| Song by the Velvet Underground | |
| from the album White Light/White Heat | |
| Released | January 30, 1968 |
| Recorded | September 1967 |
| Studio | Scepter Studios, New York City |
| Genre | Garage Rock, Proto-punk |
| Length | 4:56 |
| Label | Verve |
| Songwriter(s) | Lou Reed |
| Producer(s) | Tom Wilson |
The song was covered by the Fatima Mansions as a single.[4]
In 1973 Lou Reed said of the song "Listen to the lyrics of my early songs, 'Lady Godiva's Operation' was about a trans-sexual."[5]
Personnel
- John Cale – lead vocals, electric viola, medical instrument vocal noises
- Lou Reed – co-lead vocals, electric guitar
- Sterling Morrison – bass guitar, backing vocals, medical instrument vocal noises
- Maureen Tucker – percussion
References
- Wawzenek, Bryan (30 March 2018). "Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News: 40 Songs About Doctors". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- Hoffman, Eric. "Examinations: An Examination of John Cale". Mental Contagion. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
When I had to play viola, Sterling had to play bass, which he hated.
- Pinnock, Tom (18 September 2012). "John Cale on The Velvet Underground & Nico". Uncut. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- Green, Jim. "Fatima Mansions". Trouser Press. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- Bloom, Howard (April 1973). "The Eerie Roots of Lou Reed's New Transformer". Circus Magazine. 7 (7): 48.
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