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.
DEAD OR ALIVE
John Cale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Honest and faithful till the very end
Well enough of that I'm tired of hearing it anyway
She turns and smiles says goodbye in her inimical way
Happy to see her in the back of a magazine
Lying there nude sporting that stupid grin
So get on with it straight on and porno bound
It would have taken you a long long time
Happy to see her in the back of a limousine
Laughing and crying at everything she'd seen
Well enough of that she should have known better anyway
When I told her what I'd seen she was so ashamed
It would have taken me a long long time
The a year from Monday everything I said came true
That's when the D.A. called me he said dead or alive for you
They found her
Dead or alive
I want you dead or alive she said
The song Dead or Alive by John Cale is a dramatic and intriguing story told through haunting, almost eerie instrumentation and lyrics. The singer is reflecting on a relationship with a woman who promised to be his friend but ended up disappointing him. He grows tired of hearing her empty promises and is content to see her in a magazine or limousine, living her life without him. However, things take a dark turn when the singer is contacted by the District Attorney and told that she has been found dead or alive, and they want him dead or alive too.
The song seems to be about the singer's complicated relationship with this woman, who he was once close to but now seems to have little to no interest in. He speaks of her in a detached way, almost as if he's observing her from a distance. When he sees her in a magazine, he expresses a lack of interest, stating that he is not proud of her. Later in the song, when he learns of her death, he seems almost apathetic, as if her fate is of little concern to him. The lyrics are full of ambiguity, leaving much up to interpretation.
The song builds to a tense and climactic ending, as the singer is called upon to answer for his actions in relation to the woman's death. The line "dead or alive for you" is repeated, creating a dark and ominous mood. Overall, the song is a haunting and evocative tale of love, loss, and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Sooner or later she said she'd be my friend
She promised to be my friend at some point in the future.
Honest and faithful till the very end
She claimed she would always be truthful and loyal to me.
Well enough of that I'm tired of hearing it anyway
I'm fed up with hearing her empty promises.
She turns and smiles says goodbye in her inimical way
She waves me goodbye with her hostile and unfriendly demeanor.
Happy to see her in the back of a magazine
Seeing her in a magazine made me content.
Lying there nude sporting that stupid grin
She was photographed naked with a silly expression on her face.
So get on with it straight on and porno bound
She should continue pursuing her career in pornography without involving me.
Just leave me out of it I'm not proud
I want no part in her nude photographs or pornography career as it brings me no pride.
It would have taken you a long long time
You would have had to wait a considerable amount of time to see progress or improvement.
Happy to see her in the back of a limousine
Seeing her in a limousine made me content.
Laughing and crying at everything she'd seen
She was emotional and had varying reactions to the things she experienced.
Well enough of that she should have known better anyway
I'm over hearing about her experiences, as she should have known better in the first place.
When I told her what I'd seen she was so ashamed
She became embarrassed and remorseful upon learning that I had seen her in naked photographs.
It would have taken me a long long time
It would have taken me a significant amount of time to get over her actions.
The a year from Monday everything I said came true
One year after I predicted events, they came true.
That's when the D.A. called me he said dead or alive for you
The district attorney contacted me, saying that it was critical to find me dead or alive.
They found her
She was found by law enforcement.
Dead or alive
The authorities were searching for her in any state, whether alive or dead.
I want you dead or alive she said
The woman had threatened me with violence, stating that she wanted me dead or alive.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN DAVIES CALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jimnapier6252
I beat this song to death in 1982 while crashing at buddy’s apt . in Fullerton, CA. Still love it!
@arthurjames4695
This song is in my petsonal Top 100 influential songs. I wore the album out in the early 80s, forced to buy another. Within my list, it sits between Graham Parsons 'Grievous Angel' and Jim Carrol's 'It's Too Late'.
@jocksilver7
Now, those are very well-chosen and tasteful song-contenders.
@sirius6113
always my absolute fav of his songs!!!!!!!.....loved him at this 80s period... and later his work with eno
@michaelp.mcguffey1327
Cool Piccolo Trumpet ❤
@PepeGracia4
one of my favourite songs
@ricalofs817
In the Netherlands every year in december peoples choose a "Top 2000" of most polulair songs. It's boaring. Everytime "The bobemian rapsody" (Queen), "Hotel California"(Eagles) ..... This song by John Cale should be number one !!
@VLRuud
I fully agree :)
@sdovas
True indeed, but of course if it were popular then half the people who say they love it wouldn't think it was cool anymore... ; )
@SturgisNikides
Since I'm the guitar player on this record - I AGREE!!!!!