"I'll Be Your Mirror" is often cited as the most "haunting" and "selfless" track on the 1967 debut album The Velvet Underground & Nico . While there is no official music video from the 1960s, the song is frequently paired with in modern archival collections and documentaries . Origin and Recording
The film captures a 67-minute rehearsal at Warhol’s Factory . It features the band improvising and culminates in a visit from the NYPD following a noise complaint.
'I'll Be Your Mirror': The Story Of The Velvet Underground Classic "I'll Be Your Mirror" is often cited as
The band initially struggled with the track and nearly abandoned it before Nico delivered the final, "smokey" vocal performance.
Lou Reed wrote the song for Nico after she approached him following a 1965 show and said, "Oh Lou, I'll be your mirror". It features the band improvising and culminates in
Warhol also produced over 30 "Screen Tests" of individual band members during this period, which are often edited into modern tributes for the song.
Much of the grainy, black-and-white footage associated with the song comes from Warhol’s 1966 film . Warhol also produced over 30 "Screen Tests" of
A popular high-quality edit of rare 1967 Warhol footage featuring Nico was curated by Nowness . Legacy and Modern Context