Lady Godiva's Operation

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"Lady Godiva's Operation"
Song by The Velvet Underground from the album White Light/White Heat
Released	January 30, 1968
Recorded	September 1967, Scepter Studios, New York City, New York
Genre	Art rock
Length	4:56
Label	Verve Records
Writer	Lou Reed
Composer	Lou Reed
Producer	Tom Wilson
White Light/White Heat track listing
"White Light/White Heat" "The Gift" "Lady Godiva's Operation" "Here She Comes Now" "I Heard Her Call My Name" "Sister Ray"

"Lady Godiva's Operation" is a song by American avant-garde rock band The Velvet Underground, appearing on their second album, White Light/White Heat (1968). The lyrics to the first half of the song (sung by John Cale) describe Lady Godiva. The lyrics of the second half (sung by Cale alternating with Lou Reed) are full of oblique, deadpan black humor and describe a botched surgical procedure.

The person's name is taken from the British legend of Lady Godiva, a noble English lady who rode naked through the streets of Coventry.

The song was covered by The Fatima Mansions as a single.

[edit] Music

In the second half of the song, Cale and guitarist Sterling Morrison do vocal impersonations of various surgical instruments, including a drill and a wooden leg.

[edit] Personnel

John Cale - vocals, viola
Lou Reed - guitar, vocals
Sterling Morrison - bass guitar, backing vocals
Maureen Tucker - percussion

v t e White Light/White Heat

Songs	Side 1: White Light/White Heat • The Gift • Lady Godiva's Operation • Here She Comes Now Side 2: I Heard Her Call My Name • Sister Ray

The Velvet Underground and Nico • White Light/White Heat • The Velvet Underground • Loaded • Squeeze

v t e The Velvet Underground

John Cale Sterling Morrison Lou Reed Maureen Tucker Doug Yule Willie Alexander Angus MacLise Walter Powers Billy Yule

Studio albums	The Velvet Underground & Nico White Light/White Heat The Velvet Underground Loaded Squeeze

Live albums	Live at Max's Kansas City 1969 Live MCMXCIII Final V.U. The Quine Tapes

Box sets and out-takes	VU Another View What Goes On Peel Slowly and See The Velvet Underground & Nico (Deluxe Edition)

Compilations	Andy Warhol's Velvet Underground Featuring Nico The Best of The Velvet Underground: Words and Music of Lou Reed Chronicles The Best of Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground The Best of The Velvet Underground: The Millennium Collection Rock and Roll: an Introduction to The Velvet Underground The Very Best of the Velvet Underground Gold Playlist Plus

Songs	"After Hours" "All Tomorrow's Parties" "European Son" "Femme Fatale" "Here She Comes Now" "Heroin" "I Heard Her Call My Name" "I'll Be Your Mirror" "I'm Waiting for the Man" "Lady Godiva's Operation" "New Age" "Pale Blue Eyes" "Rock & Roll" "Run Run Run" "Sister Ray" "Stephanie Says" "Sunday Morning" "Sweet Jane" "The Black Angel's Death Song" "The Gift" "There She Goes Again" "Venus in Furs" "White Light/White Heat"

Related articles	Discography Songs A Symphony of Sound Walter De Maria Exploding Plastic Inevitable Nico Steve Sesnick Andy Warhol Tom Wilson Heaven & Hell Fifteen Minutes Songs for Drella

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