"Black Velveteen" is the sixth and last single to be released from the 5

5 (Lenny Kravitz album)

5 is the fifth studio album by American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, released on May 12, 1998 by Virgin Records America.The album contained hits such as "Fly Away," and "I Belong to You", which helped Kravitz to expand his success in Europe...

 album by American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 rock

Rock music

Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 musician

Musician

A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....

 Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz

Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...

. It was released on November 16, 1999. The song was also used to promote his Greatest Hits

Greatest Hits (Lenny Kravitz album)

Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, released on October 24, 2000 . The album featured an unreleased track for promotion called "Again" which became a huge hit, reaching number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, following a very successful string of hits from the...

 album.

Composition

Lenny Kravitz on the inspiration for Black Velveteen:
Musically, the song, apart from having an electro-rock influence, features notable sound effects that can be associated with everyday machines, such as the vacuum cleaner and drill.

Music video

The music video, directed by Samuel Bayer

Samuel Bayer

Samuel David Bayer is an American commercial, music video and film director, and cinematographer.-Early life:Bayer was born in Syracuse, New York...

, tries to represent what the song really says. It features Kravitz and some women naked in an artistic and meaningful way. They were at a colorful place with avant-garde furniture, actually being Kravitz's own house in Miami. The video also shows a woman making some daily routine in a robotic and fast mode. The naked women, in spite of being shown nude not for erotic purposes, was censored. Nevertheless, the uncensored version of the video was included in the single release of the song.

• Youtube link

Single track listing

• UK CD single edition

1. Black Velveteen (Album Version)– 4:49
2. American Woman (Timbaland Remix)– 3:49
3. Black Velveteen (S-Man's Ghost In The Machine Mix)– 7:11

Note: This release also contains the uncensored version of the music video for the song.

• 12" edition

1. Black Velveteen (S-Man's Ghost In The Machine Mix)– 7:10
2. Black Velveteen (S-Man's Ghost In The Machine Dub)– 5:58
3. Black Velveteen (S-Man's Ghost In The Machine Instrumental)– 5:55
4. Black Velveteen (Stonebridge EXFM Mix)– 4:57
5. Black Velveteen (Stonebridge Club Dub)– 6:21
6. Black Velveteen (RPO Ready To Please Mix)– 6:16
7. Black Velveteen (RPO Titanium Spin Dub Mix)– 5:41