Sweet Jane

Sweet Jane, written by Lou Reed, and recorded by the Velvet Underground was released on the 1970 album Loaded. It’s also appeared on various live albums. When Loaded was first released the bridge was removed from the song. The full length version was released in 1995 on the Peel Slowly and See boxed set, and in 1997 on Loaded: Fully Loaded Edition. I’m going to use the full length version for the purposes of this blog.

Mott the Hoople cover Sweet Jane in the David Bowie produced album All the Young Dudes. Their version was released as a single in several countries including Canada, and the United States. Their version doesn’t appear to have charted.

The Velvet Underground:

Mott the Hoople:

It took me a really long time to be able to sit through both versions. They’re too long. Don’t get me wrong, I really like both of them. I just keep getting up and walking away from the computer. It kind of seems like I might have a short attention span. That and it’s kind of hard to do this longer songs. It’s feels a lot easier to get distracted when you listen to the same song twice, and the longer the song is the harder it is to do, especially if you’re trying to concentrate on it.

The VU’s version I better. There’s just something about the way Lou Reed sings it. It’s also the whole feel of the song. Its intro is also pretty cool. Mott the Hoople's version is really good, just not as good. I really like the guitar solo at the end of Mott the Hoople’s version. I think it’s probably the most notable thing about their version.