How one book, one concept, inspire a lifetime of muses, questions, and illusions.
Today I was listening to Velvet Underground's Venus in Furs....and as a writer, loved the contradictory nature of the title of the song and decided to look up its derivation.
I unraveled centuries of history- some dark, some romantic, all mysterious.
First reference of Venus In Furs was the book VENUS IN FURS by Austrian writer Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. Published in 1870, it's about a man who fantasizes about speaking to a fur-covered Venus about love. Sounds glamorous? Well when the man tells his friend, Severin, Severin tells him he has to stop being fascinated by mean, cruel woman and tells him to read, Memoirs of a Supersensual Man. What's within? Essentially, tales of what we would call masochism these days. "The desire on the part of the individual (Severin) to be completely and unconditionally subject to the will of a person of the opposite sex." (Gutenberg.org) Damn.
So how the hell does this relate to music? Well needless to say I kept on researching.....The first man to mull over this literature and be inspired? Lou Reed of Velvet Underground of course.
His lyrics unforgettable:
"Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather Whiplash girlchild in the dark Clubs and bells, your servant, dont forsake him Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart
Downy sins of streetlight fancies Chase the costumes she shall wear Ermine furs adorn the imperious Severin, severin awaits you there"
Did you guys never notice these lyrics before? If you did, did you let them just rush over you? Evidently Lou had been reading his Austrian literature as was quite, um, inspired, by its dark-natured prose. What else can you tell from this video?
As though the muse couldn't find any other darker crevices to hide, Cradle of Filth did a song called Venus in Fear as well in the late 1990s.
And then comes modern times of light hearted indie rock. I was surprised to read the last artist influenced by this first written expose on masochism was.....the indie band Of Montreal. Yeah. Of Montreal played a bit around with the title and created a song "Vegan In Furs". How Politically Correct. Doesn't quite compete with Lou Reed's poetry- but it may actually be an interesting, ironic indices of the 'signs of times'.
Hmmm. I wonder if this may be the one sole thing that Velvet Underground, Marilyn Manson and Of Montreal could possibly have in common....... :) Ok. And how is that for your history lesson for the day?
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One hell of a history lesson. Great stuff!
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Ah, loves me the Of Montreal
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I never could figure out who "Severin" was..I figured it was one of the Andy's gang. I knew the song was about something "strange" though, you can feel it.
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You stole the words right out of my mouth! What a lesson we'e learned today.
My only Velvet related story for today was ...while listening to my iPod shuffle on the way to a show up in Portsmouth, NH last night---I got to hear ":Pale Blue Eyes" ---one of my favorite Lou Reed songs as done by Patti Smith...but last night's "Pale Blue Eyes" was done by the legendary folk ikon, Eric Andersen. What an evocative song it is....no matter who sings it. Very haunting. Very beautiful.And the Chris O'Brien show at the Red Door rocked!
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one of my favorite VU songs, definitely - not a big fan of the Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (the man that inspired the term Sado-Masochism) - but i love me some Lou Reed.
And don't forget about the appearance of the band "Venus In Furs" in the Velvet Goldmine film - they did some great songs - and as a band - well, getting Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood together with David Gray, Bernard Butler, and Andy Mackay (Roxy Music) - brilliant.
-m
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brilliant!
thank you for the history lesson.
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There's also a female version
http://www.artandpopularculture.com/Senso_%28book%29
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Digressing somewhat into the field of literature, I note that Severin, during the course of his enslavement, takes on the generic Russian slave name Gregor,
Interestingly, in "Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka, another writer who had somewhat "troubled" relations with the women in his life, the name of the character who wakes up one morning and discovers that he has been turned into a giant insect is......GREGOR SAMSA
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Very interesting lesson, pixie. Although bizarrely, the son of one of my school's history teachers is actually a leading expert on the development of sado-masichism...
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mocha louder- true- i didn't forget- but figured i'd save the film reference for another day. thanks for the add tho... ;)
CapnBozo2 - damn I learn something every day. Senso is an equally beautiful title...
Baudolino- I had no idea we moggers could seriously discuss Kafka and Marilyn Manson at the same time...interesting allusion to Metamorphosis. I haven't read it but it is on the list. Truly tho - Lou has had a long rough history of women (even according to his interview from SXSW)...and don't get me started on Marilyn Monroe. What amazes me is how this has all almost unwittingly shifted into Pop Culture- and ppl who may not be accepting or may be timid of the idea of sado-masochism...are just sitting there head bopping to it...hehe it's brilliant.
Jox- the son of a history teacher must definitely read Venus in Furs. I wonder what he thought....
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I really like your musings and games of association. I'd never have thought that Marilyn Manson would have anything to do with Lou Reed and Venus In Furs -- the lyrics are very potent indeed. It's not the first time that pop music meets literature but it's certainly one of the most fascinating encounters. - I have "Atrocity Exhibition" in mind.
I believe Venus In Furs was a fictionalised account of Masoch's affair with Fanny Pistor (I seem to remember he signed a contract whereby he agreed to be her slave or something like that).
If you've paid attention to the VU's lyrics, try and have a listen to "The Gift."
PS: "Strike dear Pixie, strike and cure this heart" :p
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hehe ok Bartleby. you want to play....? I just found this and it's surprisingly appropriate....I love the net.....
http://www.barcelonareview.com/57/e_quiz.htm
especially question 17:
The Velvet Underground’s song Venus in Furs was based on Leopold Von Sacher-Masoch’s work of the same name (Venus im Pelz). Lou Reed was later to delve back into literature to do an entire album, with a mega cast, based on a classic American poem. What was the poem?
And 14 is along the same context:
What Russian author and book could possibly link the Rolling Stones with Pearl Jam and Franz Ferdinand?
x
IP
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Such amusing mutations, pixie. Didn't wait long after hearing the V.U. number as a kid to procure the book. A little rough for so callow a lad. Still...heh, heh.
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Interesting coincidence... I am studying Rousseau's "Confessions" for a course on Romanticism and learned yesterday that the word "masochism" stemmed from Masoch... (similarly, the word "sadism" comes from the Marquis de Sade) Naturally, I immediately thought of the Velvet Underground song when I heard "Venus In Furs."
Do I spot Edie Sedgewick in that video?
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Pixie is in a playful mood today... Let's see. I failed miserably on your quiz. The only thing I had was "The Raven"
Speaking of pop artists borrowing from "higher" cultural reference, here's a very obvious loan (by the group you mention in your comments)
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lilja88 I knew the sadism/sade history but this was new for me.... funny how everything seems to fold into place at times...
Bart- playful indeed. grrr.....way to through Rodchenko in there. I only can think of Franz Ferdinand....?
ps here's the answer for the one you didn't get:
What Russian author and book could possibly link the Rolling Stones with Pearl Jam and Franz Ferdinand? Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita
pssst I failed miserably at the quiz as well...didn't know the Bowie, Nirvana even Pete Townsend one. :( booo
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Really glad to read this post. I knew the connection existed between the VU song and the book but I never knew Severin was a character in the book. Now it all makes sense. Thanks!
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your best post. thank you.
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You're way better than me at these things - yes, it was Franz Ferdinand.
Here's another artist they like to quote on their single/album artwork:
Here's the sample:
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bravo!
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wow! this was the sort of stuff i wished they had college courses about. nice work pix!
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ps rumor is: Lou Reed was supposedly high on acid when he wrote Venus In Furs....
And the song when used in Gus Van Sant's movie "Last Days" comes just before a male gay sex scene....
The history lesson goes on....
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Great post, indiepixie. When you asked, "Hmmm. I wonder if this may be the one sole thing that Velvet Underground, Marilyn Manson and Of Montreal could possibly have in common....... :)," one could answer that another thing in common is that one would have to be a masochist to enjoy all three of them, but that would be stupid, glib and wrong because I enjoyed all three of them and I'm not a masochist, or am I?
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Very interesting post..
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Let's not forget Steve Severin from Souixsie and the Banshees.
Speaking of punks, the references to El Lissitsky and other Russians started long before Franz Ferdinand. Here's two covers from Generation X:
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Well, the Velvet Underground was, in fact, named after a book about "deviant" sexual practices. "Venus in Fur", btw, is an interesting read, if you're curious about the subject... and, since it was also brought up, "The Master and Margarita" is an excellent book, a masterpiece of satire.