John Cale, OBE (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-so… Read Full Bio ↴John Cale, OBE (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground in early 1965. Though best known for his work in rock music, Cale has worked in various genres including drone and classical. Since departing from the Velvet Underground in 1968 he has released over thirty albums. Of his solo work, he is perhaps best known for his 1973 album 'Paris 1919' and the song of the same name, art rock works reminiscent of film scores and tuneful pop music being perhaps the most accessible of his pieces.

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.

Nookie Wood
John Cale Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you're looking to find
A place to hide
Where the climate is cool
And the river is wide

Down in the Nookie Wood
Down in the Nookie Wood

In the kitchens of a Mardi Gras
The cooks of pestilence meet
Brewing up their bitter fruit - ah ha, ah ha

Once on a summer's day
Twice on a summer's night
You wanna go out and play
And that's alright that's alright that's alright

Down in the Nookie Wood
Down in the Nookie Wood
Down in the Nookie Wood - ah ha

And all the creatures
Watching from the sides
We're living memories for you tonight
And we could send them
Yes we could send them
Back to their distant lands

When I got to thinking
That it's normal time
You've got me thinking that again
When someone takes you
On that journey down
To where you're serving time again

Doing hard time in the Nookie Wood
Doing hard time again
Doing hard time in the Nookie Wood
Doing hard time again

Doing hard time in the Nookie Wood
Doing hard time again
Doing hard time in the Nookie Wood

Doing hard time again
Doing hard time in the Nookie Wood

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of John Cale's "Nookie Wood" speak to the listener about finding a place to hide, with the climate being cool and the river being wide - suggesting that the Nookie Wood is a place of refuge. Within the Nookie Wood, there are sinister characters that brew up their bitter fruit, symbolizing the dangers and evils that exist in the world. The lyrics allude to indulgence and pleasure, with lines such as "once on a summer's day, twice on a summer's night, you wanna go out and play, and that's alright," hinting at the desire to let go and enjoy life's pleasures in the moment. However, the song takes a dark turn as it speaks of being trapped and doing "hard time" in the Nookie Wood. The creatures watching from the sides may be living memories of the mistakes that led the person to being trapped in this place.

Overall, the Nookie Wood can be read as a metaphor for life's journey, with pleasure and danger lurking around every corner. While there may be moments of indulgence and happiness, there is also the potential for getting trapped in life's obstacles and challenges, leading to hard times.

Line by Line Meaning

If you're looking to find
If you're in search of a place

A place to hide
A place to take refuge

Where the climate is cool
Where the weather is pleasant

And the river is wide
And there's a vast river

Down in the Nookie Wood
In the Nookie Wood

In the kitchens of a Mardi Gras
In the festive Mardi Gras kitchens

The cooks of pestilence meet
The disease-causing cooks gather

Brewing up their bitter fruit - ah ha, ah ha
Preparing their poisonous concoctions

Once on a summer's day
Once during a summer day

Twice on a summer's night
Twice during a summer night

You wanna go out and play
You want to have fun