Sister Ray

A 17-minute improvisation recorded in one take, built on one riff and a cast of drag queens, sailors and police.
The Velvet Underground, from White Light/White Heat (1968)

Written by

Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Moe Tucker

Released

1968

Album

White Light/White Heat

On stage

• 1969-11, The Matrix and Family Dog, San Francisco Three performances from these shows, of about 24, 38 and 29 minutes, appear on Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes.

Covers and versions

• Joy Division (1980) Live at the Moonlight Club, London, 2 April 1980, on the compilation Still.
• New Order (1987) A much reworked version with different lyrics, played at Glastonbury.

More songs by The Velvet Underground

I’m Waiting for the Man, Heroin, Venus in Furs, Sunday Morning, Pale Blue Eyes