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.
Fear
John Cale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wide eyed one eye fixed on the door
This waiting's killing me, it's wearing me down
Day in day out, my feet are burning holes in the ground
Darkness warmer than a bedroom floor
Want someone to hold me close forever more
I'm a sleeping dog, but you can't tell
You know it makes sense, don't even think about it
Life and death are just things you do when you're bored
Say fear's a man's best friend
You add it up it brings you down
Home is living like a man on the run
Trails leading nowhere, where to my son?
We're already dead, just not yet in the ground
Take my helping hand I'll show you around
You know it makes sense, don't even think about it
Life and death are just things you do when you're bored
Say fear's a man's best friend
You add it up it brings you down
John Cale's song Fear Is a Man's Best Friend is a dark and introspective piece that explores themes of fear, loneliness, and the human experience. The lyrics convey a sense of waiting and anticipation, with the singer waiting for someone who never arrives. The line "This waiting's killing me, it's wearing me down" suggests a sense of frustration and hopelessness at the prospect of remaining in this state of limbo. The second verse talks about the singer's desire for human connection, with the lines "Want someone to hold me close forever more / I'm a sleeping dog, but you can't tell." Here, the singer expresses the desire for love and companionship, while also admitting to a certain emotional distance or guardedness.
The chorus of the song features the line "Say fear's a man's best friend / You add it up it brings you down," which is repeated twice. This suggests that the singer sees fear as a constant companion or driving force in their life, one that ultimately holds them back and brings them down. The final verse of the song is perhaps the most bleak, with the lines "Home is living like a man on the run / Trails leading nowhere, where to my son? / We're already dead, just not yet in the ground." Here, the singer seems to be grappling with existential questions about the nature of human life and the inevitability of death.
Overall, Fear Is a Man's Best Friend is a powerful meditation on the human condition, and the ways in which fear and loneliness can shape our experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing waiting for a man to show
I am anxiously waiting for someone to arrive
Wide eyed one eye fixed on the door
I am looking attentively at the door with one eye open wide
This waiting's killing me, it's wearing me down
The act of waiting is physically and emotionally exhausting me
Day in day out, my feet are burning holes in the ground
I have been standing in the same spot for so long that my feet are starting to hurt
Darkness warmer than a bedroom floor
The darkness feels comforting, like a warm bed
Want someone to hold me close forever more
I desire someone to embrace and never let go
I'm a sleeping dog, but you can't tell
I have a calm exterior, but you cannot see what is happening inside of me
When I'm on the prowl you'ld better run like hell
If I become aggressive, you should run away as fast as possible
You know it makes sense, don't even think about it
This idea is logical and doesn't require much thought
Life and death are just things you do when you're bored
I view life and death as mundane activities
Say fear's a man's best friend
Fear is a constant companion and motivator for me
You add it up it brings you down
Allowing fear to consume you will result in negative consequences
Home is living like a man on the run
My idea of home is being in a constant state of movement and uncertainty
Trails leading nowhere, where to my son?
I am lost and unsure of where to go next
We're already dead, just not yet in the ground
I feel like life has no meaning and I am just going through the motions
Take my helping hand I'll show you around
Let me guide you and show you the way
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN DAVIES CALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
César Ramos
Standing waiting for a man to show
Wide eyed one eye fixed on the door
This waiting's killing me, it's wearing me down
Day in day out, my feet are burning holes in the ground
Darkness warmer than a bedroom floor
Want someone to hold me close forever more
I'm a sleeping dog, but you can't tell
When I'm on the prowl you'd better run like hell
You know it makes sense, don't even think about it
Life and death are just things you do when you're bored
Say fear's a man's best friend
You add it up it brings you down
Home is living like a man on the run
Trails leading nowhere, where to my son?
We're already dead, just not yet in the ground
Take my helping hand I'll show you around
You know it makes sense, don't even think about it
Life and death are just things you do when you're bored
Say fear's a man's best friend
You add it up it brings you down
Mandible Judy
Lyrics are brilliant. Cale is a great song writer. And Spedding's guitar on these records is excellent.
stonethecrows25
I think it's Phil Manzanera on lead guitar on this track/album
r brooks williams
@stonethecrows25 Manzanera's shredding solo on "Gun" is as good as anything he did in Roxy or with Eno. I'm thinking specifically of "All I Want is You" and "Third Uncle".
1+1 hosted by Youri Smouter (sometimes Yuri)
underrated album by an underrated solo artist! and this is a beautiful underrated song
Hobo Joe
Underrated cubed
Hans-Jürgen Römhild
"actually i listen to "Halleluja"
Hans-Jürgen Römhild
Before twenty years i listend and bought Sabotage"." Merceneries" is still aktuell. The Sentence is genial" I clean my rifle every so my rifle is my friend"
1+1 hosted by Youri Smouter (sometimes Yuri)
@Hans-Jürgen Römhild I'll have to take a listen and then give you my response these are other John Cale albums?
1+1 hosted by Youri Smouter (sometimes Yuri)
@Hobo Joe sorry for not responding this didn't show up in my notifications but what do you mean by underrated cubed?
chris binckes
this song formed the guiding mantra to my unwilling military conscription jan 1975 at 18yrs of age in the south african military and the ensuing angolan namibian conflict... john cale was an avatar for those who had the eyes to see and ears to hear thanks for posting