The Yellow Banana Album

Sure it's the most obvious choice to make, but when your a thirteen year old boy looking through the library collection and spot this yellow banana on the front cover your curiosity is immediately drawn towards it. You look at the album and wonder what the hell is or what does it sound like. The age before the internet was about taking a risk on an album that you never heard and god knows you ask your friends. You bring it home and one friend does come over and look at you funny because you have an album with a banana on it. When you take the record out you notice that the album looks over played and has a lot of scratches on it. You hope to god it does not skip or is so unlistenable that it ruins your musical experience.

I had this album at thirteen and my friend and I had no idea what it was or could do to our brains. I mean I liked the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, but nothing prepared me for this. I even asked my father about this album and he too had no idea about it. I called my uncle and he told me that I might not like it and it was very Avant-garde for it's time. I grab my headphones just in case this music falls on the ears of disliking in the house or for that matter my friend hating it and leaving or any such events.



The first song my friend and I listened to and nothing really happened. It was quiet and harmless and did not sound to bad. Then we moved on to the second song and it got a little odd. It kept my interest, but my friend did not like it and told me we will play later. He left at just the right time and for safe reasons I put my headsets on. The second song was good and very interesting. I did not know the subject matter, but that was okay. The music was great. The third song was up next. It was somewhat pop sounding, but what the enticement was the female vocals. The first time I heard female so prominent in a song before. I liked the song so I played it again. The fourth song was full of noise and violin. First time I heard this too and I thought it was great. The full electric sound was I think louder then the Led Zeppelin that I was used to. Again, I played this track again. It was something that was in my head for a while because the Drums were beating like a heartbeat. There was no flair and it was not needed like the Beatles stuff or Zeppelin stuff. It worked so well. I was speechless when I heard it. At thirteen I had no idea what I got myself into.

The next song was very cool too and the feedback was heavy guitar was again like nothing I heard. It was stuck in my left ear for a while. Then it came to the last track on Side one. It was great, the female vocals where back and It was interesting to hear her voice with some interesting stuff going on behind her. I took a break on the album and went out to play. I went to my friend who left me after the first song and told him that he should come over and listen to side two. I think I made a mistake with that idea. Side Two opens up rather slow and if you don't pay attention then it makes no sense and what makes it worse is the loud violin The feedback was a tough listen at first, but I loved it. I wanted more and more by this point and once again my friend gave up. I kept on going. The next two songs were short and had a lot to say. It was fun to hear the female voice once again. The second to last song was full of violin and also some spoken word. It got louder and louder, but I liked it. The last song had great guitar parts and really cool bass lines. I again did not understand the words, but I was okay with that and all I wanted to hear was the music. It was really a different and the feedback and huge experimental sound was so cool. By the time I entered High School I loved the Velvet Underground so much it was always playing in my tape deck. Very few people could understand why I liked all this odd music. At one point in my High School life I was listening to King Crimson, Velvet Underground, Kronos Quartet and anything that did not even remotely sound normal.



My experience with Velvet Underground was a great one. It shaped the way I listen to music and what kind of music I listen to. I know it might be hip to hear this stuff now, but back before internet. It's an album that everybody should like, but then again it would be way to hip. Anyway, I love this album and it is a must listen for music geeks like myself. It has influenced many types of music and has for me gave a great introduction to the music I love. Enjoy!