This slow groove is a cover from The Velvet Underground's last Lou Reed album, "Loaded". The master of subversion penned a tune that could probably be sung by any Motown master, maybe Sam Cooke or Otis Redding...or it could have a faster tempo and less harmony and be mistaken for a short Dylan song (and you can hear that actually by checking out the demo version on the recent remaster of "Loaded"). I often wonder what it would sound like if Joe Cocker made a cover. The mark of a great song is that it lends itself to any genre, tempo, feeling and frame of mind.
Because of my undying faith in The Grateful Dead I have always despised Phish. Possibly misquoted, possibly verbatim of what the man said, once Trey Anastasio made the remark that Jerry needed to turn in his axe because he lost his chops...true as they were, well, you simply lose all of my respect. However they are a group of insane musicians and the songs of theirs I do dig are usually their covers. "Jesus Left Chicago" and this song are my two favorites, the prior coming from the band ZZ Top. In this cover there is none of that jumping up and down, spinning, whateverthefuck they call it, dancing type of jam sound of which I usually despise. There is just stripped down soul and groove with a slight sample of Trey's awe inspiring guitar work as a way to finish.
This song can wear two hats. The furry, snugly one is a whispering lamentation of love uttered softly in someones consciousness as they carry around with them the memory of a person while meandering through their daily life. The second one possibly (since it was written by Reed) is a black snake skin fedora worn by "The Man" on a lower east side street corner pushing smack to the kids before they stroll into CBGB or some other sin filled establishment of counter culture.
But I'll tell you for me I heard it a few nights ago in a bar here in Manhattan, outside it was a balmy seventeen degrees, a week and a half before Christmas sitting with a good friend, looking at the outright knockout bartender in her slinky dress, breast exploding out, and how when she turned around a tan line from the string top of her bikini. The tempo of the song slowed my heart back down to normal repetition and sync and her movements slowed as well until it all slowed down and I got all fuzzy and warm. There was an old Rangers game on the TV, Messier was looking strong and it felt like every New York night should feel. Perfect.
