John Cale, OBE (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-so… Read Full Bio ↴John Cale, OBE (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground in early 1965. Though best known for his work in rock music, Cale has worked in various genres including drone and classical. Since departing from the Velvet Underground in 1968 he has released over thirty albums. Of his solo work, he is perhaps best known for his 1973 album 'Paris 1919' and the song of the same name, art rock works reminiscent of film scores and tuneful pop music being perhaps the most accessible of his pieces.
Born on 9th March 1942 in Garnant, Wales, Cale spoke only Welsh until the age of seven, when he began to learn English at school. He went on to study viola at Goldsmiths College, University of London, where he became involved in avant garde music. He traveled to the U.S. to continue his studies, thanks to the help and influence of Aaron Copland, and met and worked with various avant-garde composers, including John Cage, while becoming fascinated with the new Anglo-American art movements.
In 1965, he co-founded the Velvet Underground with Lou Reed. Though best known for his work with the band, Cale has produced a massive body of work that ranges from tastefully arranged strings and piano over Dylan Thomas poetry to barely-suppressed, nigh-psychotic aggression set to high-energy avant-garde rock. Cale's style is almost impossible to pin down, as almost every album contains new experiments and influences. He is also well known as the producer of such works as the debuts of The Stooges, The Modern Lovers, and Patti Smith (the critically acclaimed 'Horses'). He also played a major role in Nico's 'The Marble Index'.
He's released some compilation works such as 'Seducing Down the Door: A Collection 1970-1990' that attempt to show the range and depth of his music. Cale was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as member of the Velvet Underground in 1996, and he was also appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2010. As the years have gone by, he's had a wide variety of tours, additionally dealing with his own personal demons.
Born on 9th March 1942 in Garnant, Wales, Cale spoke only Welsh until the age of seven, when he began to learn English at school. He went on to study viola at Goldsmiths College, University of London, where he became involved in avant garde music. He traveled to the U.S. to continue his studies, thanks to the help and influence of Aaron Copland, and met and worked with various avant-garde composers, including John Cage, while becoming fascinated with the new Anglo-American art movements.
In 1965, he co-founded the Velvet Underground with Lou Reed. Though best known for his work with the band, Cale has produced a massive body of work that ranges from tastefully arranged strings and piano over Dylan Thomas poetry to barely-suppressed, nigh-psychotic aggression set to high-energy avant-garde rock. Cale's style is almost impossible to pin down, as almost every album contains new experiments and influences. He is also well known as the producer of such works as the debuts of The Stooges, The Modern Lovers, and Patti Smith (the critically acclaimed 'Horses'). He also played a major role in Nico's 'The Marble Index'.
He's released some compilation works such as 'Seducing Down the Door: A Collection 1970-1990' that attempt to show the range and depth of his music. Cale was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as member of the Velvet Underground in 1996, and he was also appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2010. As the years have gone by, he's had a wide variety of tours, additionally dealing with his own personal demons.
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The Island Years
John Cale Lyrics
All I Want Is You Summer days are gone And winter nights are closing fast An…
Baby What You Want Me To Do Got me runnin' got me hidin' Got me run hide hide…
Bamboo Floor Wednesday is the day of rest In the house with the…
Barracuda Dark woman in the water drowning Sinking in a funny way Blac…
Buffalo Ballet When Abilene was young and gay And thunder storms filled up…
Cable Hogue Traffic moving slowly Monday morning Money talks, people hop…
China Sea Seems like you're always dreaming Your mind is wandering fa…
Coral Moon When the wind blows through the trees You can feel the…
Darling I Need You Woke up early this morning Something wrong inside my head To…
Dirty Ass Rock 'N' Roll Well, it's too damn early and your eyes are bleeding From…
Emily Oh Emily, I'd love to be Down by the sea with…
Engine Someone is always telling me "You're just a loser" But I d…
Fear Is a Man's Best Friend Standing waiting for a man to show Wide eyed one eye…
Gun Me and my partner we work on the run The quick…
Guts The bugger in the short sleeves fucked my wife Did it…
Heartbreak Hotel Well, since my baby left me, I found a new place…
Helen Of Troy Oh, d'you see him standing in the street? Mmm, he looks…
I Keep A Close Watch Never win and never lose There's nothing much to choose Be…
I'm Not The Loving Kind When my lady passes me by I lose the love I…
Leaving It Up To You Looking for a friend, looking everywhere Walked along the bo…
Mary Lou Oh, watch out, here comes Mary Lou She thought that she…
Momamma Scuba Momamma Scuba Scuba woman down me slow Scuba woman down me…
Mr. Wilson I believe you, Mr Wilson I believe you anyway And I'm always…
My Maria My Maria She's a simple kind of girl Goes to Mass Sees the…
Pablo Picasso Well Some people try to pick up girls And get called asshole…
Rollaroll You're sticking to me like a dirty joke A creeping back…
Save Us Save us from the wind that bleeds Save us from the…
Ship of Fools The Ship of Fools is coming in Take me off I've…
Ski Patrol Here comes the ski patrol It comes but once a year On…
Sudden Death The conference is over and they're calling out the guard Th…
Taking It All Away Oh, you sentimental fool Yes, you sentimental fool Love - …
The Jeweller Very slowly he sipped his tea, not shifting his glance…
The Man Who Couldn't Afford To Orgy Pity the poor man, pity the sad man Pity the green…
You & Me You got the bad bizarre Like a mother-in-law with an (open)…
You Know More Than I Know But us, like other angry whores Discuss what threats were ma…