Who Loves The Sun
By: Lou Reed

Original Performance: The Velvet Underground
Written by: Lou Reed

 
Lyrics:
Who Loves The Sun [Version (a)]:

(From August 17, 2002 performance)

Who loves the sun?
Who cares that it makes plants grow?
Who cares what it does
Since you broke my heart?

Who loves the wind?
Who cares that it makes breezes?
Who cares what it does
Since you broke my heart?
Who loves the sun?
Not everyone
Who loves the sun?

Who loves the rain?
Who cares that it makes flowers?
Who cares that it makes showers
Since you broke my heart?

Who loves the sun?
Who cares that it is shining?
Who cares that it is bright
Since you broke my heart?
Who loves the sun?
Not everyone
Who loves the sun?

Who loves the sun?
Not everyone
Who loves the sun?
 
The Song:

"Who Loves the Sun" is the opening track on Velvet Underground's fourth and final album, Loaded. It's a very poppy song, with harmonies and a bouncy melody; but also a somewhat dark lyric. It's an incredible song.

I gather that this is one of Beck's favorite songs to do in soundchecks and rehearsals, and from there, it has seeped into his live shows, almost always as a duet with Wayne Coyne during the Beck/Flaming Lips tour of 2002.
 
Live:

Played live 10 times:
Earliest known live version: August 17, 2002
Latest known live version: December 4, 2002

August 2002 solo tour version:

Beck played this on stage one time during his August 2002 solo tour. Right before starting the song, he told the audience he was going to do a Velvet Underground song. Someone shouted "Sunday Morning!" Beck commented back that the fan must have been on the internet reading about previous covers, but no, this time it was something different. It sounds like he really enjoyed proving the shouter wrong. This was a superb version too, Beck alone on acoustic guitar.

November 2002 Beck/Lips second leg version:

Beck and the Flaming Lips played this together a bunch of times on the second leg of their tour. They do a full band cover of the tune. Beck sings the verses, while the Lips' singer, Wayne, joins on the choruses. It is a fun song to hear them do, and they seem to enjoy playing it.