Chelsea Girl is the debut solo album by the German singer Nico, produced by Tom Wilson. It was released in October 1967 by Verve Records and was recorded following Nico's collaboration with the Velvet Underground on their 1967 debut studio album. The title is a reference to Andy Warhol's 1966 film Chelsea Girls, in which Nico starred.

Much of the album features instrumental work and songwriting credits from Velvet Underground members Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, and John Cale. "I'll Keep It with Mine" was written by Bob Dylan, while three songs are by Jackson Browne, who contributed guitar. Wilson added string and flute arrangements against the wishes of Nico.

Background

After collaborating as a singer with the Velvet Underground on their debut The Velvet Underground & Nico (recorded in 1966 and released in March of the following year), Warhol superstar Nico toured with the band in Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable (EPI) multimedia roadshow. Before the EPI came to an end in 1967, Nico took up residence in a New York City coffeehouse as a solo folk chanteuse; accompanied in turn by guitarists such as Tim Hardin, Jackson Browne, and also her Velvet Underground bandmates Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison and John Cale.

Composition

Some of the accompanists wrote songs for Nico to sing, and these form the backbone of Chelsea Girl. Browne contributed "The Fairest of the Seasons", "These Days", and "Somewhere There's a Feather", while Hardin contributed "Eulogy to Lenny Bruce". "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" by Lou Reed was part of the earliest Velvet Underground repertoire (which did not surface as a Velvet Underground recording until it was included in the 1995 box set Peel Slowly and See), and Reed, Cale and Morrison in various combinations contributed four more songs. Bob Dylan gave her one of his songs to record: "I'll Keep It with Mine".

Chelsea Girl can be described as a cross between chamber folk

| rev2 = Pitchfork

| rev2score = 8.9/10

| rev3 = Rolling Stone

| rev3score =

| rev4 = Trouser Press

| rev4score = favorable

In retrospective 21st-century reviews, AllMusic described the album as "an unqualified masterpiece",

Track listing

Side A

Side B

Personnel

Musicians

  • Nicovocals
  • Jackson Browneguitars <small>(tracks A1–2, B2–3, B5)</small>
  • Lou Reedelectric guitar <small>(tracks A3, A5, B1, B4)</small>
  • John Caleviola, organ, guitar <small>(tracks A3–5)</small>
  • Sterling Morrisonelectric guitar <small>(tracks B1, B4)</small>

Technical

  • Tom Wilsonproducer
  • Val Valentindirector of engineering
  • Gary Kellgrenrecording and remix engineer
  • Larry Fallonstring and flute arrangements
  • Billy Namephotography
  • Paul Morrisseyphotography

References

  • Lyrics and liner notes