All Tomorrow's Parties

Nico, The Velvet Underground

About All Tomorrow's Parties

"All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, The Velvet Underground & Nico. Inspiration for the song came from Reed's observation of Andy Warhol's clique—according to Reed, the song is "a very apt description of certain people at the Factory at the time. ... I watched Andy. I watched Andy watching everybody. I would hear people say the most astonishing things, the craziest things, the funniest things, the saddest things. " In a 2006 interview Reed's bandmate John Cale stated: "The song was about a girl called Darryl, a beautiful petite blonde with three kids, two of whom were taken away from her." The song was Andy Warhol's favorite by The Velvet Underground. The song has notably lent its name to a music festival, a William Gibson novel, and a Yu Lik-wai film. The song also appears prominently in the horror film The Lords of Salem. 


Year:
1985
5:55
83 

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And what costume shall the poor girl wear
To all tomorrow's parties
A hand-me-down dress from who knows where
To all tomorrow's parties
And where will she go, and what shall she do
When midnight comes around
She'll turn once more to Sunday's clown and cry behind the door

And what costume shall the poor girl wear
To all tomorrow's parties
Why silks and linens of yesterday's gowns
To all tomorrow's parties
And what will she do with Thursday's rags
When Monday comes around
She'll turn once more to Sunday's clown and cry behind the door

And what costume shall the poor girl wear
To all tomorrow's parties
For Thursday's child is Sunday's clown
For whom none will go mourning

A blackened shroud
A hand-me-down gown
Of rags and silks, a costume
Fit for one who sits and cries
For all tomorrow's parties

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Nico

Nico (born Christa Päffgen; 16 October 1938 – 18 July 1988) was a German singer, lyricist, composer, musician, fashion model, and actress, who initially rose to fame as a Warhol Superstar in the 1960s. She is known for both her vocal collaboration on The Velvet Underground's debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967), and her work as a solo artist from the late 1960s through the early 1980s. She also had roles in several films, including a cameo in Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita (1960) and Andy Warhol's Chelsea Girls (1966), as herself. Nico died in July 1988, as a result of injuries sustained in a cycling accident while vacationing in Ibiza with her son. more »

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Written by: Lou Reed

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Song's Origin
"All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song from The Velvet Underground's debut album, "The Velvet Underground & Nico". The song was written by Lou Reed and features Nico on lead vocals.
Meaning
The lyrics are inspired by the life of New York socialites and Andy Warhol's Factory, an art studio where the city's elitist crowd would gather and party. The song describes the fleeting nature of high society parties and the existential dread that comes with the realization of life's impermanence.
Influence
In an interview, Lou Reed stated that the song was inspired by a storybook he found. The book described a woman who attended glamorous parties, but never fits in, hence the name "All Tomorrow's Parties".
Musician's Role
John Cale is credited for creating the song's distinctive sound. He had tuned all the strings on his viola to the same note, giving the song a drone effect.
Label Alteration
The song underwent a change in the USA due to a mistake by Verve Records, the band's label. On some versions of the album, the record label accidentally switched the labels on "All Tomorrow's Parties" and "Heroin", causing some confusion among fans.
Single Release
The song was released as a single in July 1966, with "I'll Be Your Mirror" as the B-side.
Legacy
Since its release, "All Tomorrow's Parties" has been covered by numerous bands and artists, including Japan, Nick Cave, and Simple Minds.
Music Video
A promotional film for the song was shown on Edie Sedgwick's episode of Warhol's "Screen Tests", on which she was captured in black and white, silently lip-syncing the lyrics.
Acclaim
"All Tomorrow's Parties" was placed at number 185 in Pitchfork Media's list of The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s.
Nico
This song is considered one of Nico's signature songs during her period with The Velvet Underground. She performed this song extensively during her solo career.
Documentary
The song’s title was used for a 2006 documentary, "All Tomorrow's Parties", about the music festival of the same name.

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