What songs would you include and in what order?

I'll have to give it some thought but one thing's for sure:

It must, MUST end with Sister Ray.

Songs I'd include:

Sunday Morning
Waiting For the Man
I'll Be Your Mirror
Venus In Furs
There She Goes Again
I Heard Her Call My Name
here She Comes Now
Beginning To See the Light
Some Kinda Love
Pale Blue Eyes
Jesus
Candy Says
After Hours
The Story of My Life
She's My Best Friend
Foggy Notion
Ocean
Sweet Jane (from the 1969 Live album)
Lisa Says (from the 1969 live album)
Heroin (from the 1969 live album)

This was all off the top of my head, so I may have made a huge omission. I deliberately left out "Sister Ray" and "What Goes On".

Not bad, wendersfan. My mix is very similiar although I included no live tracks.

Any VU mix that leaves out
Oh Sweet Nuthin'
The disc 2 version of I found a reason from fully loaded
Rock and Roll
Stephanie Says

cannot be a great VU mix

1. Sunday Morning
2. Sweet Jane
3. There She Goes Again
4. What Goes On
5. Pale Blue Eyes
6. Rock and Roll
7. Candy Says
8. Femme Fatale
9. Waiting for the Man
10. Stephanie Says
11. Satellite of Love
12. I Found a Reason (Fully Loaded Alternate Take)
13. All Tomorrow's Parties
14. Heroin
15. Oh Sweet Nuthin
16. After Hours

final mix: 2 discs

disc one

sunday morning
waiting for the man
i heard her call my name
femme
who loves the sun
what goes on
stephanie
black angel
temptation in my heart
beginning to see the light
white light
heroin
new age
there she goes
murder mystery
venus
oh! sweet nuthin'
after hours

disc two

pale blue eyes
foggy notion
im set free
all tomorrows
here she comes
run run run
i found a reason
sweet jane
ill be your mirror
some kinda love
ocean
story of my life
rock n roll
candy says
sister ray


So, what did i miss? Any thoughts?

I could never leave off "I Can't Stand It". One of my all time faves.

Good selection, but I would've put "I'm Sticking With You" on there. I love that song.

That was in the mix but was cut for time restraints. I wanted it to balance 'after hours' from the first disc. Good call.

Also, I Can't Stand It is an excellent suggestion. Damn, only four studio albums and I can't even cram all my favs onto two 80 min. cds.

"She's My Best Friend" deserves a place at the table.

I was making a mix of my own and found this old thread during a search. I might as well post my tracklist:

1. I'm waiting for the man
2. Venus in furs
3. Run run run
4. Heroin
5. I'll be your mirror
6. White Light/White Heat
7. Stephanie says
8. What goes on
9. Beginning to see the light
10. Pale blue eyes
11. Some kinda love
12. I can't stand it
13. Lisa says
14. Sweet Jane
15. Rock and Roll
16. Love makes you feel
17. Vicious
18. Walk on the wildside
19. Ocean

I decided to cut Niko out almost entirely and put in a few gems from Lou Reed's solo career. I'm pretty sure I shortchanged White Light White Heat, but it's never really been my favorite.

The CD is mostly chronological except for Oceans, which felt right at the end and technically wasn't released till the box set (I think). The CD clocks in at 79:44.

I don't know what kind of "Greatest Hits" disc I would make since almost any song by the Velvets qualifies as such and also since none of their songs were ever "hits" that you see on a music chart, but there are a few live recordings floating around that are quite exceptional:
1) The Valleydale Ballroom(?) from November 1966 with songs from the banana album AND a couple of good, long improv pieces (And BTW, Nico was with them on that occasion).
2) Boston Tea Party, Boston, MA 3/15/69~~The absolute, most killer version of "Sister Ray" you'll ever hear, IMHO. This particular recording is notorious for the fact that Lou Reed's guitar completely dominates it (The tape recorder was reportedly plugged into Lou's amp).
3) The Second Fret, Philadelphia, PA 1970~~Noteworthy for some pared-down versions of songs from Loaded, particularly the "Train 'Round The Bend/Oh, Sweet Nuthin'" medley that was mentioned in the liner notes of the Fully Loaded Loaded.

This one's about 75 minutes long and about as concise as I could make it. The track order is deliberate:

1. All Tomorrow's Parties 6:00
2. I'm Waiting for the Man 4:39
3. Some Kinda Love 4:03
4. Foggy Notion 6:43
5. Femme Fatale 2:38
6. Heroin 7:12
7. White Light/White Heat 2:47
8. The Black Angel's Death Song 3:11
9. What Goes On 4:55
10. Head Held High 2:52
11. I Can't Stand It 3:23
12. Stephanie Says 2:50
13. Sister Ray 17:27
14. Beginning to See the Light 4:41
15. Oh! Sweet Nuthin' 7:23

Here's how the record company would do it:



Velvet Underground - Gold
Release Date: June 14, 2005

Tracklisiting:

Disc: 1
1. I'm Waiting for the Man
2. Femme Fatale
3. Venus in Furs
4. Run Run Run
5. All Tomorrow's Parties
6. Heroin
7. There She Goes Again
8. I'll Be Your Mirror
9. Sunday Morning
10. Chelsea Girls -
11. It Was a Pleasure Then -
12. White Light/White Heat
13. I Heard Her Call My Name
14. Sister Ray

Disc: 2
1. Temptation Inside Your Heart
2. Stephanie Says
3. Hey Mr. Rain [Version One]
4. Candy Says
5. What Goes On
6. Some Kinda Love
7. Pale Blue Eyes
8. Beginning to See the Light
9. Foggy Notion
10. I Can't Stand It
11. One of These Days
12. Lisa Says
13. New Age [Live]
14. Rock and Roll [Live]
15. Ocean [Live]
16. Sweet Jane [Live]

No Moe Tucker!?! I still like my mix better.

It does end with Sister Ray. Our [BANNED] friend was right.

Have you guys heard the version of "Ride into the Sun" found on Another View? It's very beautiful.