Here's a cover that I feel is superior to the original. Of Montreal's interpretation of "She's My Best Friend" is so good that it feels as if the song was written for them. If you weren't aware of it being a cover, it wouldn't stand out from any other Of Montreal track (specifically those from Satanic Panic in the Attic) as the song's melody and lyrics aren't too different than what you'd expect by them. Yet of course the song was written by the Velvet Underground. Though the original is a good song, the added pep that Of Montreal put in just makes it. Lou Reed's vocals just come off as a bit bored and apathetic which clashes with the cheerful nature of the song.
Of Montreal - She's My Best Friend
The Velvet Underground - She's My Best Friend
"She's my best friend, certainly not the average girl
She's my best friend, understands me when I'm falling down
Oh, it hurts to be that way
Oh, it hurts to know that you're that kinda fellow
Here's to Newspaper Joe, dropped his teeth on the floor
Caught his hand in the door
Guess that's the way the news goes
If you want to see me
Sorry, but I 'm not around
If you want to be me
Turn around, I'm by the window where the light is"
Of Montreal's version is from a long out of print Velvet Underground tribute album entitled Rapid Chords 002 which also featured The Olivia Tremor Control, Jim O'Rourke and the Ladybug Transistor to name a few. The Velvet Underground's is from the VU compilation released in 1985 which containted the songs that were intented from the unreleased fourth Velvet Underground LP. Later several were re-recorded for Lou Reed's solo releases, the most well known being "Andy's Chest" from Transformer.
Of Montreal @ Polyvinyl
The Velvet Underground - VU @ Amazon.com
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For what it's worth, that's not Lou Reed singing the lead vocal on this Velvets track. It's Doug Yule, who admittedly sings very much like Lou. Doug also sang lead on Candy Says, Who Loves the Sun, New Age, Lonesome Cowboy Bill, and Oh Sweet Nothing.
Some have speculated that Lou was trying to "clone" himself by molding Doug into a slighly more melodic version of himself. On the album "1969 Live" he introduces Doug as his brother.
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