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.
Helen of Troy
John Cale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh just see them standing in the street
You look so big, you're so big
But I've seen it before
Just hanging round with older boys
Oh big thighs
Creepy, creepy in the dark
Shiny, shiny Joan of Arc
Cold hard Helen, Queen of Troy
She's got Christmas, got thunderstorms
Like a baby, never, never been balled
She's got fat men, vermin in disguise
In the cold rooms of her eyes
Oh, Helen Of Troy
Look at them three dolces
Big thighs of oiled men
Listen, it's got to go
Right into my arms and stay
Big fat mama done me wrong
Let me hanging all alone
But that bitch is as old, is as old, is as old, as old
As that dirty crone right out there
Oh, Helen Of Troy
Mercy, mercy, mercy me
I'm so scared, please comfort me
I don't wanna be, don't wanna be your banshee boy
Paying like the House of Troy
Oh, Helen Of Troy
Standing there among the lights
Your eyes shining bright
I want you all of the time
You can hate me, you don't hate me
But you are swimming
John Cale's song "Helen of Troy" contains a number of enigmatic verse fragments, precariously strung together without the neat coherence of a typical narrative. The song seems to take place in a strange, nightmarish world. Despite this opacity, however, some meaning can be teased out from the lyrics. In the opening verse, for example, Cale makes a pointed observation about youthful yearning and the seductive dangers of older boys. The figure of Helen seems to evoke a kind of mythical femme fatale, an object of desire who represents both beauty and danger. Later, Cale hints at the idea of a false or duplicitous figure, someone who is hiding a darker inner self behind a facade. This female figure is described as old, out of date, and yet still dangerous. Cale's repetition of the phrase "cold hard" in association with Helen suggests a kind of inner emptiness, signifying a lack of genuine feeling, and perhaps hinting at an emotional or moral void.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh just see them standing in the street
Observing someone standing on the street
You look so big, you're so big
Commenting on the person's appearance
But I've seen it before
This is nothing new, already seen this type of person
Just hanging round with older boys
Hanging out with an older group of people
Oh big thighs
Commenting on someone's physical attribute
Creepy, creepy in the dark
Something or someone creepy in the dark
Shiny, shiny Joan of Arc
Commenting on someone's shiny appearance, comparing to Joan of Arc
When the moonlight starts its glow
Moonlight shining and starting to glow
Cold hard Helen, Queen of Troy
Describing someone as cold and hard, comparing them to Helen, the Queen of Troy
She's got Christmas, got thunderstorms
Comparing someone to Christmas and thunderstorms
Like a baby, never, never been balled
Comparing someone to a baby who has never been taken advantage of
She's got fat men, vermin in disguise
Someone has fat men and vermin disguised as something else
In the cold rooms of her eyes
Describing someone's eyes as cold rooms
Look at them three dolces
Observing three people named Dolces
Big thighs of oiled men
Commenting on the physical attribute of men with oiled thighs
Listen, it's got to go
Someone has to leave or something has to be done
Right into my arms and stay
Someone has to come to me and stay
Big fat mama done me wrong
A larger woman has done something wrong to me
Let me hanging all alone
Leaving me all alone
But that bitch is as old, is as old, is as old, as old
Insulting someone by calling them old multiple times
As that dirty crone right out there
Comparing someone to a dirty crone
Mercy, mercy, mercy me
Asking for mercy or help
I'm so scared, please comfort me
Asking for comfort due to being scared
I don't wanna be, don't wanna be your banshee boy
Not wanting to be someone's banshee boy
Paying like the House of Troy
Paying a lot of money
Standing there among the lights
Someone standing among the lights
Your eyes shining bright
Commenting on the brightness of someone's eyes
I want you all of the time
Wanting someone all of the time
You can hate me, you don't hate me
Recognizing someone could hate me, but not sure if they do
But you are swimming
Commenting on someone swimming
Contributed by Eli P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Johan Sterk
Underrated, epic, can listen to this every day of the week, ... Cold heart Helen, queen of Troy ...
Caique Butler
Every hour of the day. All day long.
Loud.
On Time Driver
He is next level excellent, whilst still being criminally underrated. It gives me joy, yet it hurts me so.
midnight at midnight
la profondeur, la créativité...un artiste d'exception
boudas 72
Saw him live in Athens 19 of June 2018.Still rocks at the age of 76.Fantastic performance,great band.Want more?
MrAugustus
a true masterpiece !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Claudestar1
Superb track! Pump up the volume!
Caique Butler
Clássica peça.
Ray Ryeridge
Amazing track!
psychupline
his master piece.