Whether you're fighting off a brutal hangover or just welcoming daylight into your field of vision after a good night's sleep, it's hard to beat The Velvet Underground's 1966 classic. “Sunday Morning" has the magical capacity to soothe you into waking life, which is weird considering it was added to the band's seminal 1967 debut after it was almost in the can. It's one of the release's most memorable tunes, but still feels like an afterthought, over four decades later.
The final tune to be recorded for The Velvet Underground and Nico, “Sunday Morning" was designed to be a hit. But the intention was to show off Nico's lead vocals, a plan that was cast aside once Lou Reed took control of the track, much to the chagrin of band manager and film director Paul Morrissey. But Reed's pop instincts paid off -- didn't they always? - - and the song has gone on to captivate generation after generation of bands and fans. It has been covered on record or in concert by the likes of Nick Cave, James, Matthew Sweet, Belle & Sebastian, Beck and more.
It has also served as a suitable wake-up call. Maybe it's all the celesta, or the opening lyric (Sunday morning/Brings the dawn in), but it's probably the prettiest song about the angst and dread of getting out of bed ever recorded in the history of music. Got a better one? We're all ears.
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