Songs for Drella

The album “Songs for Drella” is a collaboration between Lou Reed and John Cale, both former members of The Velvet Underground, that pays tribute to Andy Warhol. Warhol was The Velvet Underground’s benefactor. He brought the band to the attention of New York City’s avant-garde, contributed the artwork and funding for their first album, and was a source of inspiration for the band, most particularly Lou Reed.

The nickname “Drella,” a combination of Dracula and Cinderella, was given to Warhol by actor and Warhol associate Ondine.

The album is structured like a play with each song being a successive chapter in the life of Andy Warhol, from his leaving home for the big city to his death.

Reed and Cale performed the album at the Church of St. Anne’s in Brooklyn in January 1989, a year before they released the album in 1990.