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.
Buffalo Ballet
John Cale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And thunder storms filled up the day
The cattle roamed outside the town
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Then tracks were lain across the plain
By broken old men in torrid rains
The towns grew up and the people were still
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
We all joined in and all joined hands
All joined in to help run this land
Then soldiers came, long long ago
Rode through the town and rode down those who were
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Gold came and went, quickly spent
And the people broke down and often drowned
In the wealth and pain of old Abilene
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
The lyrics to John Cale's song Buffalo Ballet paint a vivid picture of the rise and fall of a small town called Abilene. The first stanza paints a picture of a serene, idyllic town where cattle roam outside and thunderstorms fill up the day. The residents of Abilene seem content to sleep in the midday sun, doing nothing but enjoying the peace and quiet of their small town.
However, the second stanza describes the arrival of a railroad and the subsequent growth of the town. The residents seem to have adapted to the changes, continuing to sleep in the midday sun, but then soldiers arrive long ago who ride through the town and violently suppress any resistance. It is unclear who the soldiers represent, but they are a symbol of change and aggression that disrupts the settled way of life in Abilene.
The final stanza describes the arrival of gold and the influx of wealth that comes with it. However, the gold rush is short-lived and the people of Abilene are left broken down and often drown in the pain that accompanies the sudden loss of prosperity. The repeated refrain of "Sleeping in the midday sun" throughout the song can be interpreted as a symbol of stagnation and contentment, or perhaps obliviousness to the changes happening around them.
Overall, Buffalo Ballet is a poignant commentary on the cyclical nature of human history and the ways in which progress and greed can ultimately lead to downfall and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
When Abilene was young and gay
In the early days of Abilene, the town was vibrant and lively
And thunder storms filled up the day
The town experienced frequent thunderstorms that lasted throughout the day
The cattle roamed outside the town
Cattle grazed freely outside of the town's limits
Then tracks were lain across the plain
The construction of railroad tracks began across the open prairie
By broken old men in torrid rains
The construction was carried out by weathered and decrepit old men in scorching rain and wind
The towns grew up and the people were still
The towns developed and prospered but the people remained the same
We all joined in and all joined hands
Everyone in the community worked together to build and maintain the town
All joined in to help run this land
Everyone came together to manage and take care of the land they lived on
Then soldiers came, long long ago
Years later, soldiers arrived in the town
Rode through the town and rode down those who were
The soldiers rode through town and attacked those who were
Gold came and went, quickly spent
The town experienced a brief period of prosperity due to the discovery of gold, but it was short-lived
And the people broke down and often drowned
The townspeople struggled and suffered, often overwhelmed by their circumstances
In the wealth and pain of old Abilene
The town of Abilene was defined by both its prosperity and its suffering
Sleeping in the midday sun
Throughout all of these changes and struggles, the cattle continued to sleep peacefully in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Once more, the cattle can be seen sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Despite everything that's happened in the town, the cattle remain oblivious and peaceful
Sleeping in the midday sun
The phrase is repeated again to emphasize the theme of peaceful cattle in the midst of chaos
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN DAVIES CALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nickcommito8079
When Abilene was young and gay
And thunder storms filled up the day
The cattle roamed outside the town
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Then tracks were lain across the plain
By broken old men in torrid rains
The towns grew up and the people were still
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
We all joined in and all joined hands
All joined in to help run this land
Then soldiers came, long long ago
Rode through the town and rode down those who were
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Gold came and went, quickly spent
And the people broke down and often drowned
In the wealth and pain of old Abilene
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
@naturphilosophie1
John Cale makes sublime music. Paris 1919 alone would earn him legend status.
@claytonmcleod5985
naturphilosophie1 can’t better those recordings
@atthecorner
Bria does an amazing cover of this tune
@rogerferns5511
One of Cale's most addictive songs!
@filmusikchannel7596
Oh yes!
@cosmicdrifter287
one of the best songwriters of them all.
@iganzabissassa
Thank you for posting this song without distracting video images. It's best seen in the mind.
@ZootAlours
No problem, I originally posted this version for that specific reason. :)
@markbrooks4471
@SD Coy Cale's lyrics are literally short stories in song form.
@davidcopson5800
True.