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.
Face to the Sky
John Cale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Darkness lifting her face to the sky
Her homecoming laughter
Swirling around her
Dizzy as a top on a chessboard
Dizzy as a top on a chessboard
In the desert building a fire
Holding back the fears
And whistling her tune
Dizzy as a top on a chessboard
She'd run out of kindness
She'd run out today
She'd run out everything
She had to say
Wind in the darkness lifted her face
And the sky was bursting again
Her homecoming laughter
Swirling around her
Dizzy as a top on a chessboard
Dizzy as a top on a chessboard
You're whistling a tune
That she's never heard
Holding back the fear in the wind
And somebody's hearing all her thoughts
And lifting her face to the sky
Lifting her face to the sky
Lifting, lifting, lifting her face
Lifting, lifting, lifting her face
Lifting, lifting, lifting her face
Lifting, lifting, lifting her face
The opening lines of "Face to the Sky" immediately paint a vivid picture of our protagonist – a woman standing amidst the wind, with the darkness lifting her face to the sky. She seems to be in a state of reflection, with memories of wild men and desert fires flooding her thoughts. The imagery of her being "dizzy as a top on a chessboard" conveys a sense of disorientation and confusion. As the song continues, we learn that she has "run out of kindness" and "run out of everything she had to say." It's almost as if she's at a crossroads in her life, feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about her next steps.
Despite this sense of unease, there is a feeling of hope in the air. The wind in the darkness lifts her face to the sky, and her "homecoming laughter" swirls around her. It's almost as if she's realized that even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty, there is still joy to be found. The person whistling a tune that she's never heard before suggests that perhaps there are new things on the horizon for her – new experiences, new connections, new avenues of exploration.
Overall, John Cale's "Face to the Sky" is a beautiful meditation on the human experience – the confusion, the despair, the hope, and the joy that we all face at various points in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
She is standing, listening to the wind
She is standing still, listening intently to the sound of the wind around her.
Darkness lifting her face to the sky
The darkening skies cause her to raise her face up towards the heavens.
Her homecoming laughter
She is filled with a gleeful excitement, akin to returning home after being away for a long time.
Swirling around her
Her ebullient energy is causing her to spin and twirl in delight.
Dizzy as a top on a chessboard
She is so giddy with happiness that she feels disoriented, just like a spinning top on a checkerboard would.
Her memories of wild men standing still
She reminisces about men who were bold and audacious, yet capable of maintaining composure even in the face of danger.
In the desert building a fire
They built a campfire in the arid, remote expanse of the wilderness.
Holding back the fears
Despite their perilous surroundings, they managed to suppress their anxieties and remain calm.
And whistling her tune
She imagines them cheerfully singing the same melody that she is humming to herself.
She'd run out of kindness
She had exhausted all her reserves of benevolence.
She'd run out today
Her generosity had run dry as of that very day.
She'd run out everything she had to say
She had nothing left to communicate, whether it be good news, bad news or just trivial thoughts.
Wind in the darkness lifted her face
A gust of wind in the blackness of night causes her head to rise upwards once again.
And the sky was bursting again
The heavens are depicted as ready to burst with life once more.
You're whistling a tune
Someone is also humming the same melodic strain as her.
That she's never heard
She is not familiar with the person whistling.
Holding back the fear in the wind
Her fear is palpable, but she is making an effort to conceal it even from herself
And somebody's hearing all her thoughts
She believes that someone is learning all of her musings and feelings
And lifting her face to the sky
This entity is now causing her to once again lift her head upwards.
Lifting, lifting, lifting her face
An intensification of the image from the previous line.
Contributed by Lucas D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Key Light Studio
Great to see John Cale doing what he does best...luv the video.
Overherhead1
Such beauty and strangeness. Love his look these days and the voice is better than ever. We love you John!
bloopamoi
OMG... a masterpiece. Words fail.....
Marcos Coimbra
Muito bom. Não poderia esperar mais!
Steven Lane
From this point I am beginning from the start of this man's music.
hobos1942
More than beautiful!!
1Cweasel
Beautiful vocal melody.
auschwitzu
never forgotten and still brilliant
SylentEcho
Great in 1967 and still so awesome.
glyniss
Amazing! Totally Cale!