John Cale — Paris 1919
Album: Paris 1919Avg rating:
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Total ratings: 603
Length: 3:57
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She makes me so unsure of myself
Standing there but never ever talking sense
Just a visitor you see
So much wanting to be seen
She'd open up the door and vaguely carry us away
It's the customary thing to say or do
To a disappointed proud man in his grief
And on Fridays she'd be there
But on Mondays not at all
Just casually appearing from the clock across the hall
You're a ghost la la la
You're a ghost
I'm in the church and I've come
To claim you with my iron drum
la la la
The Continent's just fallen in disgrace
William William William Rogers put it in its place
Blood and tears from old Japan
Caravans and lots of jam and maids of honor
singing crying singing tediously
Efficiency efficiency they say
Get to know your job and tell the time of day
As the crowds begin complaining
How the Beaujolais is raining
Down on darkened meetings on the Champs Elysee
Standing there but never ever talking sense
Just a visitor you see
So much wanting to be seen
She'd open up the door and vaguely carry us away
It's the customary thing to say or do
To a disappointed proud man in his grief
And on Fridays she'd be there
But on Mondays not at all
Just casually appearing from the clock across the hall
You're a ghost la la la
You're a ghost
I'm in the church and I've come
To claim you with my iron drum
la la la
The Continent's just fallen in disgrace
William William William Rogers put it in its place
Blood and tears from old Japan
Caravans and lots of jam and maids of honor
singing crying singing tediously
Efficiency efficiency they say
Get to know your job and tell the time of day
As the crowds begin complaining
How the Beaujolais is raining
Down on darkened meetings on the Champs Elysee
Comments (56)add comment
Try listening to Pete Atkins after this. I don't think I'd ever heard John Cale before, except perhaps 'Silence!'
ELO! amIright?
Stephen_Phillips wrote:
I thought it was Pete Townsend singing.
On first hearing this just sounds to me like like an amalgam of many Beatles melodies. Sorry for the less than positive comment - maybe on next hearing I will try to be more objective...
I thought it was Pete Townsend singing.
Stephen_Phillips wrote:
"an amalgam of many Beatles melodies" is not exactly an insult.
On first hearing this just sounds to me like like an amalgam of many Beatles melodies. Sorry for the less than positive comment - maybe on next hearing I will try to be more objective...
"an amalgam of many Beatles melodies" is not exactly an insult.
I like it so much.
number7 wrote:
This is not J J Cale.
Try again.
Funny if OP actually thought this was JJ Cale...though another poster (on a JJ Cale song) commented that as a kid, he asked for a J Cale record for his birthday or something and got JJ instead, and I think that's funny too.
This one always sounds like ELO to me. Solid 8 and Long Live RP!!
This is not J J Cale.
Try again.
Funny if OP actually thought this was JJ Cale...though another poster (on a JJ Cale song) commented that as a kid, he asked for a J Cale record for his birthday or something and got JJ instead, and I think that's funny too.
This one always sounds like ELO to me. Solid 8 and Long Live RP!!
Love this, still have the vinyl import from back in the day!
lily34 wrote:
i've got to get another copy of his Fragments of a Rainy Season.
Great one there
i've got to get another copy of his Fragments of a Rainy Season.Great one there
THANK YOU for playing this extraordinary, essential album. We love John Cale!!
The Stooges' first record as well.
Proclivities wrote:
Oh, wait - correction: He produced records by The Modern Lovers, Patti Smith, and Squeeze, but not The Psych Furs - that was Steve Lillywhite.
Proclivities wrote:
Oh, wait - correction: He produced records by The Modern Lovers, Patti Smith, and Squeeze, but not The Psych Furs - that was Steve Lillywhite.
lily34 wrote:
wow!
this i didn't know. 
Oh, wait - correction: He produced records by The Modern Lovers, Patti Smith, and Squeeze, but not The Psych Furs - that was Steve Lillywhite.
wow!
this i didn't know. Oh, wait - correction: He produced records by The Modern Lovers, Patti Smith, and Squeeze, but not The Psych Furs - that was Steve Lillywhite.
sdwright wrote:
This is not J J Cale.
Try again.
Not the best of JJ for sure.
This is not J J Cale.
Try again.
It feels like I should know this song... but I don't.
i've got to get another copy of his Fragments of a Rainy Season.I'm a ghost expat from a lost generation...
On first hearing this just sounds to me like like an amalgam of many Beatles melodies. Sorry for the less than positive comment - maybe on next hearing I will try to be more objective...
Proclivities wrote:
He didn't get much radio play, particularly in the States (which is evident since it seems very few folks here have even heard of him), but I listened to all of his albums since the mid-'70s - helped get me through high school. He was also producing bands like The Modern Lovers and The Psychedelic Furs around that time. Great song and album, though I prefer the two albums after this one.
wow! this i didn't know.
He didn't get much radio play, particularly in the States (which is evident since it seems very few folks here have even heard of him), but I listened to all of his albums since the mid-'70s - helped get me through high school. He was also producing bands like The Modern Lovers and The Psychedelic Furs around that time. Great song and album, though I prefer the two albums after this one.
wow!
this i didn't know. this whole album is fantastic.
i got to see him live in the mid 90's. it was fabulous. especially this song and style it takes. big love to you for playing this!!
i got to see him live in the mid 90's. it was fabulous. especially this song and style it takes. big love to you for playing this!!
McCartneyesque
love this song and album classicly trained in Austria his cello solos with the underground are superb all his solo material is worth having among them slow dazzle is great kcar wrote:
He didn't get much radio play, particularly in the States (which is evident since it seems very few folks here have even heard of him), but I listened to all of his albums since the mid-'70s - helped get me through high school. He was also producing artists like Patti Smith, The Modern Lovers, and Squeeze around that time. Great song and album, though I prefer the two albums after this one.
This is wonderful. I would never have associated this with John Cale (whom I couldn't quite remember until Bill commented that he was a founding member of the Velvet Undergound). Definitely a 70s tune, but that's quite alright.
He didn't get much radio play, particularly in the States (which is evident since it seems very few folks here have even heard of him), but I listened to all of his albums since the mid-'70s - helped get me through high school. He was also producing artists like Patti Smith, The Modern Lovers, and Squeeze around that time. Great song and album, though I prefer the two albums after this one.
ntoll wrote:
"Fruity" sound. What a great description!
Lovely brass playing. Nice and fruity sound. Strings are good too.
"Fruity" sound. What a great description!
Lovely brass playing. Nice and fruity sound. Strings are good too.
An instant 9. Beautiful, amazing and evocative.
This is wonderful. I would never have associated this with John Cale (whom I couldn't quite remember until Bill commented that he was a founding member of the Velvet Undergound). Definitely a 70s tune, but that's quite alright.
Vicey wrote:
Completely Agree!!!
Nothing profound to add here: it's just that, given all the negative comments, I felt compelled to add that I freaking love this song, and the album from which it comes. It's one of those songs that stops me in my tracks and makes me listen to every note until the fade out ends completely. The lyrics, though they make little linear sense, are amazingly evocative of a time and place neither John Cale nor I directly experienced. That's all.
Completely Agree!!!
it seems is a love or hate thing , I love john cale have seen him live once, remarkable !
Nothing profound to add here: it's just that, given all the negative comments, I felt compelled to add that I freaking love this song, and the album from which it comes. It's one of those songs that stops me in my tracks and makes me listen to every note until the fade out ends completely. The lyrics, though they make little linear sense, are amazingly evocative of a time and place neither John Cale nor I directly experienced. That's all.
Interesting, if not particularly musically innovative or brilliant...quite possibly an inspiration for the incredibly layered, wry, rich "Une Nuit a Paris" by 10cc in '75, which seemingly played right into the dawn of Queen's massively popular baroque Rock Opera phase of '76...
Love John Cale's solo work, thanks for playing!
Glad to hear some John Cale. More would be good.
Nerubo wrote:
Do you mean Cups and Cakes?
You would think I would like this song, what with my known predilection for strings and the inventive lyrics. And yet...I find it vaguely annoying.
I'll hold off on rating this and hitting PSD though. Not my cup of tea, but doesn't mean it's a bad cup of tea.
I'll hold off on rating this and hitting PSD though. Not my cup of tea, but doesn't mean it's a bad cup of tea.
Do you mean Cups and Cakes?
You would think I would like this song, what with my known predilection for strings and the inventive lyrics. And yet...I find it vaguely annoying.
I'll hold off on rating this and hitting PSD though. Not my cup of tea, but doesn't mean it's a bad cup of tea.
I'll hold off on rating this and hitting PSD though. Not my cup of tea, but doesn't mean it's a bad cup of tea.
Has the feel of something written for a Broadway musical.
You know, I just don't get Cale. I hear him with the Velvets; I hear him on the June 1 1974 album, and I hear Wrong Way Up with Eno...
And I really don't find anything - anything - he's done to be exciting.
Chacon a son gout.
And I really don't find anything - anything - he's done to be exciting.
Chacon a son gout.
Great song; I saw it on the playlist but it appeared to have not been played for about ten years. More John Cale would be nice.
I'm back.......... Wow, no comments since '05. Guess this is not in "heavy rotation." I PSD a Pink Floyd song and got dropped here. Nice little surprise.
AI-in-Japan wrote:
I used to listen to Cale a lot many years ago and this was my favourite. I picked up the CD release quite recently to have another listen and found it to be just as refreshing as it was 20 odd years back. BTW the backing band is Lowell George, et al.
Really? Lowell George, et al? Wow, neat piece of info.
A fair few negative comments, but none of them use more than 2 words to say why...
I like, I'm curious what there is to _not_ like about this song. Sure, it's a little obscure, welcome to RP ;)
I like it and I don't know why... probably the soundtrack quality. Moody Blues meets LOTR meets Procol Harem... An 8.
I used to listen to Cale a lot many years ago and this was my favourite. I picked up the CD release quite recently to have another listen and found it to be just as refreshing as it was 20 odd years back. BTW the backing band is Lowell George, et al.
GBV wrote:
it's funny how we think that anything with some measure of intelligence smacks of pretense. i really think this is one of the reasons bush is president...
nice pick bill! more cale please, or maybe cale and eno?
I wise hypothesis. I also like this. Way to go RP.
thanks for playing this.
a lovely melody and nicely sung. his new release also is very interesting
TreborG2 wrote:Fragments Of A Rainy Season....has LOTS of great cale stuff...hallelujia, you've got the style it takes, i keep a close watch on this heart of mine...all that and more. worth finding. (someone stole my copy, so if you get one, maybe you can dub it for me. ;))
I couldn't agree more.. perhaps you can say something of more worth next time. 
:D
Loved the tune.. thought it was new trying to be old.. then looked up the album.. was suprised the amazon review said another song was the best from the album... from the samples, this seemed to be the best of it.. But then again.. time changes things, people listened differently then than now, as I'm sure they'll listen differently in the future...
this can also be found on a GREAT cd called
:D
Loved the tune.. thought it was new trying to be old.. then looked up the album.. was suprised the amazon review said another song was the best from the album... from the samples, this seemed to be the best of it.. But then again.. time changes things, people listened differently then than now, as I'm sure they'll listen differently in the future... I listen to this station now ALL the time...because it helps me stay current on new music...and can reach back and play John Cale (thanks....and try to find Gideon's Bible to play in the future) and artists like Robyn Hitchcock, to name two that have been played today that remind me what good programming means on radio! Programming that can only be done by those who love music without prejudice.
wonderunit wrote:
Pretentious twaddle.
it's funny how we think that anything with some measure of intelligence smacks of pretense. i really think this is one of the reasons bush is president...
nice pick bill! more cale please, or maybe cale and eno?
This has been the worst several hours of RP radio I've heard since I've been listneing. Very few glimmers of good music.
You're a ghost, blah blah blah blah blah
John Cale can do so much better than this...Not worthy...
wonderunit wrote:
:D
Loved the tune.. thought it was new trying to be old.. then looked up the album.. was suprised the amazon review said another song was the best from the album... from the samples, this seemed to be the best of it.. But then again.. time changes things, people listened differently then than now, as I'm sure they'll listen differently in the future...
Pretentious twaddle.
I couldn't agree more.. perhaps you can say something of more worth next time.
:D
Loved the tune.. thought it was new trying to be old.. then looked up the album.. was suprised the amazon review said another song was the best from the album... from the samples, this seemed to be the best of it.. But then again.. time changes things, people listened differently then than now, as I'm sure they'll listen differently in the future...
I only caught the end, but John Cale on RP is fo\' sure eclectic!
i think i\'m biased. i LOVE anything he has done. and, this tune is one of my favorites of his. thank you bill for playing it!! what a surprise! 
Pretentious twaddle.
Nope - did not like that one.
This is wonderful. I would never have associated this with John Cale (whom I couldn't quite remember until Bill commented that he was a founding member of the Velvet Undergound). Definitely a 70s tune, but that's quite alright.
i loved this immediately when i first heard it back in mid 90s. haven't heard this one in many, many years. so happy it came up on My Favorites mix today. i needed it!