Some Velvet Morning
Encyclopedia
"Some Velvet Morning" is a psychedelic
pop song written by Lee Hazlewood
and originally recorded by Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra
in late 1967. It first appeared on Sinatra's album Movin' with Nancy
, the soundtrack to her 1967 television special
of the same name. The song has been covered
many times since, almost always as a duet. Although "Some Velvet Morning" is one of the more famous duets Hazlewood and Sinatra recorded together, it is considered a departure from their usual fare, as it is decidedly less influenced by country & western music. The single peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100
in January 1968.
As with many psychedelic songs, its overall meaning is somewhat obscure. The lyrics consist of the male part describing a mysterious, powerful woman named Phaedra
, who educated the speaker in the ways of love. The male part alternates with the female part, who identifies herself as Phaedra and speaks over ethereal, twinkling music about beautiful nature imagery and about the secrets held by an unknown collective "us".
The song was featured in the 1967
TV special "Movin' With Nancy
", starring Nancy Sinatra, released to home video in 2000.
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
pop song written by Lee Hazlewood
Lee Hazlewood
Lee Hazlewood , born Barton Lee Hazlewood was an American country and pop singer, songwriter, and record producer, most widely known for his work with guitarist Duane Eddy during the late 1950s and singer Nancy Sinatra in the 1960s.Hazlewood had a distinctive baritone voice that added an ominous...
and originally recorded by Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
in late 1967. It first appeared on Sinatra's album Movin' with Nancy
Movin' With Nancy (album)
Movin' With Nancy is the soundtrack to Nancy Sinatra's 1967 television special of the same name. It is notable for the inclusion of the hit single "Some Velvet Morning", a song composed by and performed with Lee Hazlewood...
, the soundtrack to her 1967 television special
Movin' With Nancy
Movin' With Nancy was a television special featuring Nancy Sinatra in a series of musical vignettes featuring herself and other artists. Produced by Nancy's production company, Boots Enterprises, Inc., and sponsored by Royal Crown Cola, the show was originally broadcast on the NBC television...
of the same name. The song has been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
many times since, almost always as a duet. Although "Some Velvet Morning" is one of the more famous duets Hazlewood and Sinatra recorded together, it is considered a departure from their usual fare, as it is decidedly less influenced by country & western music. The single peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in January 1968.
As with many psychedelic songs, its overall meaning is somewhat obscure. The lyrics consist of the male part describing a mysterious, powerful woman named Phaedra
Phaedra (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Phaedra is the daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë, wife of Theseus and the mother of Demophon of Athens and Acamas. Phaedra's name derives from the Greek word φαιδρός , which meant "bright"....
, who educated the speaker in the ways of love. The male part alternates with the female part, who identifies herself as Phaedra and speaks over ethereal, twinkling music about beautiful nature imagery and about the secrets held by an unknown collective "us".
The song was featured in the 1967
1967 in television
The year 1967 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1967.For the American TV schedule, see: 1967-68 American network television schedule.-Events:...
TV special "Movin' With Nancy
Movin' With Nancy
Movin' With Nancy was a television special featuring Nancy Sinatra in a series of musical vignettes featuring herself and other artists. Produced by Nancy's production company, Boots Enterprises, Inc., and sponsored by Royal Crown Cola, the show was originally broadcast on the NBC television...
", starring Nancy Sinatra, released to home video in 2000.
Selective list of recorded versions
- 1968 Nancy SinatraNancy SinatraNancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
& Lee HazlewoodLee HazlewoodLee Hazlewood , born Barton Lee Hazlewood was an American country and pop singer, songwriter, and record producer, most widely known for his work with guitarist Duane Eddy during the late 1950s and singer Nancy Sinatra in the 1960s.Hazlewood had a distinctive baritone voice that added an ominous...
, US #26 - 1968 Gábor SzabóGábor SzabóGábor Szabó was a Hungarian jazz guitarist, famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music.-Biography:...
- guitar instrumental on Bacchanal - 1969 Vanilla FudgeVanilla FudgeVanilla Fudge is an American rock band. The band's original lineup – vocalist/organist Mark Stein, bassist/vocalist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist/vocalist Vince Martell, and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice – recorded five albums during the years 1966–69, before disbanding in 1970...
on Near the BeginningNear the BeginningNear The Beginning is the fourth album by the American psychedelic rock band Vanilla Fudge. It was released early 1969 and featured a cover of the Jr... - 1982 Lydia LunchLydia LunchLydia Lunch is an American singer, poet, writer, and actress whose career was spawned by the New York No Wave scene...
and Rowland S. HowardRowland S. HowardRowland Stuart Howard was an Australian rock musician, guitarist and songwriter, he played electric guitar in the post-punk group The Birthday Party. Howard died of liver cancer in December 2009, aged 50 years....
, 12" single later issued on Honeymoon In RedHoneymoon In RedHoneymoon In Red is a concept album released in 1987 as a Lydia Lunch album. Honeymoon In Red is sometimes referred to as a band or alternately as a collaboration between Lydia Lunch and The Birthday Party.-Music:... - 1986 Peter Zaremba's Love DelegationThe FleshtonesThe Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York formed in 1976.- 1976-1979 :The Fleshtones were formed in 1976 in Whitestone, New York by Keith Streng and Marek Pakulski The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York formed in 1976.- 1976-1979 :The...
on Spread the Word - 1988 Rami FortisRami FortisRami Fortis , often Fortis, is an Israeli rock singer.-Biography:Rami Fortis is of Iraqi and Italian origin. He served in the 1973 Yom Kippur war and was influenced by his experiences at the front. He began his musical career in 1975 as a lighting-man in the shows of Tamuz - one of Israel's...
on Tales from the Box - 1993 SlowdiveSlowdiveSlowdive were an English shoegaze band that formed in 1989. The band formed in Reading, Berkshire and primarily consisted of Nick Chaplin , Rachel Goswell , Neil Halstead , and Christian Savill...
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on Memory Thief - 1995 Thin White RopeThin White RopeThin White Rope was an American rock band fronted by Guy Kyser and related to the desert rock and paisley underground sub-genres. It was formed in Davis, California in 1984, and released five albums to critical acclaim....
on SpoorSpoor (album)Spoor is a 1994 compilation album by Thin White Rope. It brings together the Red Sun EP, various singles, and demo versions of songs.-Track listing:All songs by Guy Kyser unless stated... - 2001 My Dying BrideMy Dying BrideMy Dying Bride are an English doom metal band formed in 1990. To date, My Dying Bride have released eleven full-length studio albums, three EPs, one demo, one box set, four compilation albums, one live album, and one live CD/DVD release. The band released their tenth studio album, For Lies I Sire,...
on Peaceville X & Meisterwerk 2Meisterwerk 2Meisterwerk 2 is a compilation album by My Dying Bride, which features both album tracks and rare recordings. Its companion piece - Meisterwerk 1 - was released the previous year... - 2002 Primal ScreamPrimal ScreamPrimal Scream are a Scottish alternative rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie and now based in London. The current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes , Martin Duffy , and Darrin Mooney...
and Kate MossKate MossKate Moss is an English model. Moss is known for her waifish figure and popularising the heroin chic look in the 1990s. She is also known for her controversial private life, high profile relationships, party lifestyle, and drug use. Moss changed the look of modelling and started a global debate on...
on Evil HeatEvil HeatEvil Heat is a 2002 album by Primal Scream.The track "Rise" was originally titled "Bomb the Pentagon", and debuted as part of the band's live set in summer 2001. In light of the September 11, 2001 attacks, both the lyrics and title of the song were reworked, and the revised version appears on the...
. A different version was released as a single in 2003 and included on Primal ScreamPrimal ScreamPrimal Scream are a Scottish alternative rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie and now based in London. The current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes , Martin Duffy , and Darrin Mooney...
's compilation Dirty HitsDirty HitsDirty Hits is a greatest hits compilation by Primal Scream. It was released in 2003. Early limited versions came in a card sleeve with a bonus disc of remixes; most had previously appeared as b-sides.... - 2002 The Webb BrothersThe Webb BrothersThe Webb Brothers are a rock band from Chicago, Illinois, who formed in 1998.-History:The Webb Brothers are Christiaan, Justin and James Webb, sons of the songwriter Jimmy Webb and Patsy Sullivan, a cover girl and top model. They are grandsons of actor Barry Sullivan. Christiaan and Justin attended...
Feat. Laura Katter on the Lee Hazlewood Tribute AlbumTribute albumA tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
, Total Lee! - 2002 EntombedEntombed (band)Entombed is a Swedish death metal band which formed in 1987 under the name of Nihilist. Though Entombed began their career as an early pioneer of Scandinavian death metal which initially differed itself from its American counterpart with its distinct guitar tone, by the early 1990s their sound had...
on Sons Of Satan Praise The LordSons of Satan Praise the LordSons of Satan Praise the Lord is a compilation album by the death metal band Entombed. It contains most of the studio covers that the band has ever performed on a double disc compilation .-Disc one:-Disc two:... - 2004 Firewater on Songs We Should Have Written
- 2007 Lee HazlewoodLee HazlewoodLee Hazlewood , born Barton Lee Hazlewood was an American country and pop singer, songwriter, and record producer, most widely known for his work with guitarist Duane Eddy during the late 1950s and singer Nancy Sinatra in the 1960s.Hazlewood had a distinctive baritone voice that added an ominous...
& Phaedra Dawn Stewart (his granddaughter) on Cake or Death - 2008 PolarPolar (artist)Polar, or K, is Kjetil Dale Sagstad, a Norwegian electronic music artist. He is originally from Meland in Norway, and grew up with his former musical partner Teebee. Together he started Subtitles Recordings, which Teebee now runs by himself...
& LoaneLoane- Biography :Loane was born in Paris, France. Living with a musically-inclined family, she quickly became quite distinguished at the piano even performing pieces by Satie and Debussy. She refined her skills for a few years at a music conservatory. Aside from her musical pursuits, the young pianist...
on 68 Covers and a bonus track on French Songs (2009) - 2008 Amanda BrownAmanda Brown (musician)Amanda Gabrielle Brown is an Australian composer, classically trained musician, singer and songwriter, renowned for her role as the violinist of the band The Go-Betweens and more recently a session musician and soundtrack composer....
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on RocKwizRocKwizRocKwiz is an Australian television quiz show series, focused on rock music, and broadcast on SBS One. It premiered in 2005.-Summary:The forty minute program airs on Saturday at 9:20 pm, and is hosted by Julia Zemiro. It is shot in The Gershwin Room at St Kilda's Esplanade Hotel, commonly...
, Saturday, December 13, 2008 - 2009 Anny Celsi and Nelson BraggNelson BraggNelson Bragg is a drummer-percussionist-vocalist from Rockport, Massachusetts.-Early years:Nelson Bragg played in several bands from 1979 to 1999 including positions as a pit drummer for over 20 stage musicals...
on Tangle-Free World - 2010 Inga LiljestromInga LiljeströmInga Liljeström is an experimental singer/songwriter, originally from Bellingen on the north coast of New South Wales she moved to Sydney, Australia but has since relocated to Paris, France. Since 1998, Liljeström has released five albums and one DVD, and has performed hundreds of shows...
and Peter Fenton (Crow) on "Sprawling Fawns" and EP "Thistle" (Groovescooter Records)
Other notes
- A translated cover version in Hebrew was recorded by Rami FortisRami FortisRami Fortis , often Fortis, is an Israeli rock singer.-Biography:Rami Fortis is of Iraqi and Italian origin. He served in the 1973 Yom Kippur war and was influenced by his experiences at the front. He began his musical career in 1975 as a lighting-man in the shows of Tamuz - one of Israel's...
and was featured on his 1988 album Sipurim Mehakufsa (Tales from the Box).
- The male part of the song is in 4/4 time signatureTime signatureThe time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
whereas the female part is in 3/4.
- In November 2003 music critics working for the British newspaper The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
put the single at the top of a list of the 50 best ever recorded duets.