All Tomorrow's Parties
By: Lou Reed

Original Performance: The Velvet Underground
Written by: Lou Reed

Versions:
  1. All Tomorrow's Parties (5:14)
    Available on Velvet Underground & Nico.
    Credits
    Bram Inscore: Bass (Upright)
    Joey Waronker: Drums, keyboards
    Beck Hansen: Erhu, Producer, Vocals (Background)
    Brian Lebarton: Maracas
    Chris Holmes: Oud
    Nigel Godrich: Producer
    Thorunn Antonia Magnusdottir: Vocals
 
Lyrics:
All Tomorrow's Parties [Version (a)]:

And what costume shall the poor girl wear to all tomorrow's parties?
A hand-me-down dress from who knows where to all tomorrow's parties
And what will she goes and where shall she go when midnight comes around?
She'll turn once more to Sunday's clown and cry behind the door

And what costume shall the poor girl wear to all tomorrow's parties?
Silks and linens of yesterday's gowns to all tomorrow's parties
And what will she do with Thursday's rags when Monday comes around?
She'll turn once more to Sunday's clown and cry behind the door

And what costume shall the poor girl wear to all tomorrow's parties?
For Thursday's child is Sunday's clown, for whom none will go mourning
A blackened shroud, a hand-me-down gown of rags and silks
A costume fit for one who sits and cries for all tomorrow's parties
 
The Song:

In March or April 2009, Beck got together with his band (Brian, Joey and Bram), Nigel Godrich, Chris Holmes, and Icelandic singer, Þórunn Antónía Magnúsdóttir. They recorded the legendary album, Velvet Underground + Nico in its entirety. This is one of the songs.

Þórunn Antónía sang lead, Beck adds some background vocals in there. The original version of the song was sung by Nico, not by Lou Reed, so it was natural to let Þórunn Antónía do it (though Beck did sing another of Nico's songs on the album, "Femme Fatale"). The highlight to me here is the quiet lead oud, mixed with some drone strings (erhu), which combine to set a contemplative, hypnotic mood.
 
videos

Record Club:



the original version by VU:

 
Notes: