As Cale remembered in a 2006 interview with Uncut:
"Lou and I had been up all night on crank, as usual, so we decided to visit one of his old Syracuse college pals. Unfortunately, this guy’s upper-middle-class wife didn’t appreciate visits from old college pals high on amphetamines, at 3am, who wanted to play music. He had a guitar which Lou picked up and the evening inspired him to write the song."
The most polished song on the album, “Sunday Morning” was released as a single in December 1966. MGM/Verve spent little, if any effort to promote it and it sunk, unnoticed, on release. However, it grew in popularity through radio play by DJs like John Peel and Dick Summer, sowing the seeds for the Velvets' cult following.
The band made a live version of the song for their last concert with Lou, on the album Live at Max’s Kansas City, where Reed introduces the song with: “This is a song about when you’ve done something so sad and you wake up the next day and you remember it. Not to sound grim or anything… just, once in a while, you have one of those days.”
This can bring another meaning to the song. A song of regret and, maybe, of a new dawn that would represent forgiveness (“[…]always some around you who will call. It’s nothing at all”).
Sunday Morning
Velvet Underground The Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Praise the dawning
It's just a restless feeling
By my side
Early dawning
Sunday morning
It's all the wasted years
Watch out the world's behind you
There's always someone around you
Who will call
It's nothing at all
Sunday morning
And I'm falling
I've got a feeling
I don't want to know
Early dawning
Sunday morning
It's all the streets you've crossed
Not so long ago
Watch out the world's behind you
There's always someone around you
Who will call
It's nothing at all
Watch out the world's behind you
There's always someone around you
Who will call
It's nothing at all
Sunday morning
The Velvet Underground's "Sunday Morning" is a reflection on the feelings of restlessness and anxiety that come with the beginning of a new day, as well as an introspection on the past and the moments that have been lost. The song opens with the singer praising the dawning of a new day, but also acknowledging the restless feeling that comes with it. The feeling is so strong that the singer needs someone by their side to comfort them. The early dawning and the Sunday morning are all reminders of the wasted years, which are so close behind.
As the song progresses, the singer's anxiety is heightened, and they have a feeling that they don't want to know. They reflect on the streets they've crossed not so long ago, perhaps regretting the choices they made or wondering about the path they are currently on. The repeated refrain of "Watch out, the world's behind you, there's always someone around you who will call, it's nothing at all" reinforces a sense of unease and the feeling that one is always being watched or judged. The song ends on a quiet, contemplative note with the repetition of "Sunday morning."
Overall, "Sunday Morning" is a haunting and introspective song that captures the feelings of restlessness and unease that are often associated with the beginning of a new day.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunday morning
The start of a new day, a time for reflection and praise for the dawn of a new beginning
Praise the dawning
Celebrating the start of something new, acknowledging its potential for greatness and possibility
It's just a restless feeling
A sense of uneasiness or discomfort, feeling unsettled or anxious about what the new day may bring
By my side
Someone or something to lean on or rely on for support and comfort during these uncertain times
Early dawning
The beginning stages of something new, the first ray of light signaling the start of a new venture or opportunity
Sunday morning
Another day to start fresh and make the most of the time given
It's all the wasted years
Regret over time lost or not spent wisely, the realization that the past cannot be changed or altered
So close behind
The past is always lurking nearby, ever present and influencing the present
Watch out the world's behind you
Be aware of the world and its ways, the expectations and pressures that come with living in it
There's always someone around you
People are everywhere, with opinions and criticisms, and a desire to affect your life in some way
Who will call
People will reach out to you, some with good intentions, while others may not have your best interests at heart
It's nothing at all
They may have something to say, but it ultimately doesn't matter, as it's not worth worrying over
And I'm falling
Experiencing a sense of failure or loss, falling short of expectations or desires
I've got a feeling
An intuition or premonition, a sense that something is amiss or about to happen
I don't want to know
Trying to distance oneself from the thing causing the feeling, not wanting to acknowledge it or deal with the fallout
It's all the streets you've crossed
The paths taken and the experiences had on them, the memories and lessons learned along the way
Not so long ago
Though it may feel like ages have passed, the past is still fresh and relevant to the present
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN DAVIES CALE, LOU A. REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ancortes
Sunday morning
Praise the dawning
It's just a restless feeling
By my side
Early dawning
Sunday morning
It's all the wasted years
So close behind
Watch out the world's behind you
There's always someone around you
Who will call
It's nothing at all
Sunday morning
And I'm falling
I've got a feeling
I don't want to know
Early dawning
Sunday morning
It's all the streets you've crossed
Not so long ago
Watch out the world's behind you
There's always someone around you
Who will call
It's nothing at all
Watch out the world's behind you
There's always someone around you
Who will call
It's nothing at all
Sunday morning
@itsrainingmelons6202
Rebelliously listening to this on a Wednesday morning
@leonajarikj5227
try it on a monday
@t.yoshisaurmunchakoopas2318
Woah... What a rebel. I'm only watching this on a Sunday afternoon and I still feel like a law breaker.
@mostazastudios_
Same here
@frenchie43
Defiantly listening to this on a Thursday afternoon
@WilhelmWilder
My God...the alpha energy
@User-xw6kd
Remember, this is over 50 years old.
@SicklyHeavyHeart
You could’ve convinced me that this came out yesterday
@kyethemovieguy4243
You could have convinced me that this came out last Sunday morning
@rebeccafry3575
@@SicklyHeavyHeart it's really timeless, isn't it?