"Venus in Furs" is a song by The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...

, written by Lou Reed

Lou Reed

Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...

 and originally released on the 1967 album The Velvet Underground & Nico. Inspired by the book of the same name

Venus in Furs

Venus in Furs is a novella by Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, the best known of his works. The novel was part of an epic series that Sacher-Masoch envisioned called Legacy of Cain. Venus in Furs was part of Love, the first volume of the series...

 by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch

Leopold von Sacher-Masoch

Leopold Ritter von Sacher-Masoch was an Austrian writer and journalist, who gained renown for his romantic stories of Galician life. The term masochism is derived from his name....

, the song includes sexual themes of sadomasochism, bondage

Bondage (BDSM)

Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...

 and submission.

Recording

"Venus in Furs" was one of three songs to be re-recorded at T.T.G. Studios, Hollywood, before appearing on the final mix of The Velvet Underground & Nico (the other two being "Heroin

Heroin (song)

"Heroin" is a song by The Velvet Underground, released on their 1967 debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico. Written by Lou Reed in 1964, the song is one of the band's most celebrated compositions, overtly depicting heroin use and abuse...

" and "I'm Waiting for the Man

I'm Waiting for the Man

"I'm Waiting for the Man" is a song by the American rock band The Velvet Underground, written by Lou Reed. It was first released on their 1967 debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico....

"). The music features John Cale

John Cale

John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....

's cacophonous viola

Viola

The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...

 as well as Lou Reed

Lou Reed

Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...

's Ostrich guitar

Ostrich guitar

Ostrich guitar is an alternative guitar tuning in which all the guitar strings are tuned to the same pitch class . The term was coined by The Velvet Underground's Lou Reed after the pre–Velvet Underground song "The Ostrich" by Lou Reed and The Primitives, on which this tuning was first used...

, that is, a guitar with all of its strings tuned to the same note (albeit in different octaves).

Ludlow Street Loft, July 1965

The song was one of several early songs to be recorded by Lou Reed

Lou Reed

Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...

, John Cale

John Cale

John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....

 and Sterling Morrison

Sterling Morrison

Holmes Sterling Morrison, Jr. was one of the founding members of the rock group The Velvet Underground, usually playing electric guitar, occasionally bass guitar, and singing backing vocals.-Biography:...

 in their Ludlow Street loft during July 1965. This version of the song features a drastically different arrangement than would appear on The Velvet Underground & Nico, and ends with what David Fricke

David Fricke

David Fricke is a senior editor at Rolling Stone magazine, where he writes predominantly on rock music. In the 1990s, he was managing editor before stepping down.-Background:David Fricke is a graduate of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania...

 calls a "stark, Olde English-style folk lament" in the liner notes for Peel Slowly and See

Peel Slowly and See

Peel Slowly and See is a five-disc box set of material by The Velvet Underground. It was released in September 1995 by Polydor.-Compilation:...

(the 1995 compilation album upon which the Ludlow demos appear). John Cale provides lead vocals for this demo recording of the song.

Scepter Studios, April 1966

An alternate take of the song was first recorded at Scepter Studios, New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 before being re-recorded in Hollywood. This take of the song is performed at a quicker pace and the lyrics vary slightly from the T.T.G. recording.

Live recordings

Live recordings of "Venus In Furs" appear on Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes

Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes

Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes is a triple live album by The Velvet Underground. It was released on October 16, 2001 by Polydor, the record label overseeing The Velvet Underground's Universal Music Group back catalogue....

(recorded in San Francisco, December 1969) and on Live MCMXCIII

Live MCMXCIII

Live MCMXCIII is a live album by The Velvet Underground. It was released simultaneously in single and double CD/Cassette formats on October 26, 1993 by Sire Records. The single CD is an abridged version of the double CD edition: there are no different takes of songs across the two editions...

(recorded in Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

, June 1993).

Cover versions

Lou Reed

Lou Reed

Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...

 has recorded several solo versions of the song and John Cale also performs it with his band. In addition, the following artists have recorded it.

Artist	Year	Appears on album
Paul Gardiner Paul Gardiner Paul Gardiner was a British musician who played bass guitar with Gary Numan and Tubeway Army as well as material under his own name.-Biography:...	1981	(released only as single)
Niagara Niagara (artist) Niagara is a musician and a painter. She was the lead vocalist of the punk rock bands Destroy All Monsters and Dark Carnival.-Biography:...	?	Beyond the Pale compilation
Limbo	1989	My whip, your flesh
The Melvins The Melvins The Melvins are an American band that formed in 1983. They usually perform as a trio, but in recent years have performed as a four piece with two drummers. Since 1984, singer and guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have been the band's constant members...	1991	Here She Comes Now/Venus in Furs Here She Comes Now/Venus in Furs "Here She Comes Now"/"Venus in Furs" is a split single from the American rock bands Nirvana and The Melvins. It was released in 1991 and includes the songs "Here She Comes Now" performed by Nirvana, and "Venus in Furs" performed by The Melvins... (split single Split album A split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively...  with Nirvana Nirvana (band) Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987... )
Eye & I	1991	Eye & I
The Ukrainians The Ukrainians The Ukrainians are a British band, which plays traditional Ukrainian music, heavily influenced by western post-punk.-Career:The Ukrainians were formed in 1990 by Wedding Present guitarist Peter Solowka, with singer/violinist Len Liggins and mandolin player Roman Remeynes, after all three had played...	1993	Vorony
Christian Death Christian Death Christian Death is an American deathrock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1979. The band was founded and fronted by Rozz Williams. Christian Death is most notable for their first album Only Theatre of Pain....	1993	Path of Sorrows
The Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...	1994	Mashed Potatoes
Rosetta Stone Rosetta Stone (band) Rosetta Stone were a British goth band formed in the mid 1980s by Porl King and Karl North , plus their drum machine and synthesizer rack nicknamed "Madame Razor"....	1996	Hiding in Waiting EP
Miłość	1997	Talkin' About Life and Death
Psychopomps Psychopomps (band) Psychopomps are an electro-industrial band from Denmark formed by Jesper Schmidt and Flemming Norre Larsen. They were signed to Zoth Ommog Records in the early 90's followed by Cleopatra Records. Their early records were recorded at Strip Studios by close friend and label mate Claus Larsen of...	1997	Fiction Non-Fiction Fiction Non-Fiction Fiction Non-Fiction is the fourth album by Danish Industrial band Psychopomps.-Track listing:*Track 9 is a cover of a Velvet Underground song written by Lou Reed-Personnel:*Jesper Schmidt: Vox, Programming, Keyboards...
Bettie Serveert Bettie Serveert Bettie Serveert are a Dutch indie-rock band. Their name translates to "Bettie Serves", or "Service to Bettie", which is the title of a book written by Dutch tennis player Betty Stöve, who made it to the Wimbledon ladies singles final in 1977.-Genesis:...	1998	Plays "Venus in Furs" and Other Velvet Underground Songs
The Creatures The Creatures The Creatures were a musical act formed in 1981 as a side-project for Siouxsie and the Banshees members Siouxsie Sioux and Budgie. The Times described their music as "adventurous art rock built around Siouxsie's extraordinary voice and drummer Budgie's battery of percussion".With the dissolution of...	1999	Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Now Buy Zulu (also referred to as simply "Now Buy Zulu")
Dave Navarro Dave Navarro David Michael "Dave" Navarro is an American guitarist who plays in the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction and cover band Camp Freddy. He has also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Panic Channel, and many others.- Early life :...	2001	Trust No One Trust No One Trust No One is the debut solo album by Jane's Addiction and former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Dave Navarro, released on June 19, 2001 on Capitol....
Hugh Cornwell Hugh Cornwell Hugh Alan Cornwell is an English musician and songwriter, best known for being the vocalist and guitarist for the punk/new wave group, The Stranglers, from 1974 to 1990.-Career:...	2002	Footprints in the Desert Footprints in the Desert Footprint in the Desert is Hugh Cornwell's 2002 album. This album, Cornwell's second "Lost album" compiles rare and unreleased tracks from the mid-nineties that were not part of a record deal...
Berry Sakharof Berry Sakharof Berry Sakharof is an Israeli rock guitarist, songwriter and singer.-Biography:Sakharof was born in Izmir, Turkey in 1957. His family immigrated to Israel when he was 3 years old.-Start of career:...	2003	Berry Sakharof Live (CD 2)
Krieg Krieg Krieg is a black metal band from Somers Point, New Jersey in the United States of America. They play a low-fi, "raw" style, drawing influence from the Darkthrone-esque style of black metal and did not use synthesizers or folk instruments, in their recordings. The band formed in 1995, initially as...	2004	The Black House The Black House (album) The Black House is the third studio album by the black metal band Krieg.Darkland Records released the vinyl version with .A bonus track "Coronation" an a poster limit of 500 blue copies.-Track listing:-Line up:*Imperial - Vocals*Phaedrus - Guitar...
Monster Magnet Monster Magnet Monster Magnet is an American stoner rock band. Hailing from Red Bank, New Jersey, the group was founded by Dave Wyndorf , John McBain and Tim Cronin...	2004	Monolithic Baby! Monolithic Baby! Monolithic Baby! is the sixth studio album by Monster Magnet, released in 2004. It is a follow up to 2000's God Says No. It would also be the first album featuring bassist Jim Baglino... (US version bonus track)
DeVotchKa DeVotchKa DeVotchKa is a four-piece multi-instrumental and vocal ensemble. They take their name from the Russian word devochka , meaning "girl"...	2006	Curse Your Little Heart Curse Your Little Heart Curse Your Little Heart is an EP from the band DeVotchKa, released by Ace Fu in 2006. Five out of the six tracks are cover versions of other bands' songs, with the title track first appearing on the album SuperMelodrama.-Track listing:... EP
Chuck Dukowski Sextet	2006	Eat My Life Eat My Life Eat My Life is the debut release by the Chuck Dukowski Sextet, led by founding and former bassist of Black Flag, Chuck Dukowski. It was released in March 2006 on Chuck's own Nice & Friendly Records...
Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio is a neofolk and martial industrial music group from Stockholm. The band is composed of its founding member and vocalist Tomas Pettersson, and Rose-Marie Larsen, who replaced Chelsea Krook on backup vocals...	2006	Apocalips
Beck Beck Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...	2009	Beck's Website
Broken Records Broken Records (band) Broken Records are a six-piece indie folk band from Edinburgh, Scotland, which formed in December 2006. The band are signed to 4AD and released their debut album, Until the Earth Begins to Part, in June 2009...	2009	Radio Scotland - Vic Galloway Live Session
Samujline	2011	Live