Added: 4 years ago
From: bakabana1966
Views: 238,192
Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:
see all

All Comments (214)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • The relationship of Lou Reed to John Cale is like an ant standing on the shoulder of a giant.

  • @aquamoon22 John Cale seems like the nicer guy, but Lou Reed is awesome too.

  • @MattyStevensonBishop But I do have to say I tend to enjoy the Cale albums far more than Lous'

  • I just filmed john while he was rehearsing with a band and an orchestra in Malmoe Sweden. I'm so lucky I'm going to be filming his concert here the 21st of november! I even got to say hey!

  • perfect for breakfest... i don't know why but i always have a good start in the morning with this song

  • it really is just you.

  • Is it just me, or is this very much based on "Penny Lane"?

  • @Ruiner10000000001

    I think it's just you.

  • @Ruiner10000000001 its you

  • @Ruiner10000000001 just you bro

  • I bought a piano yesterday, just to play this song...

  • bit o' naff but my grans birth place and date,now thats one to remember

  • Paris 1919 live in Paris in 1919.

  • It doesn't get any better than this!

  • goose bumps...

  • I saw John Cale three times,once in 1987 and twice in 1988---in little old Halifax,Nova Scotia,Canada. Wonderful shows,one with guitarist Chris Spedding. Quite a coup,I think,to have gotten him to come here back then.

  • I loved 1919 when it came out! This live version is really good. All the songs on that album were brilliant, those lyrics, they still make me laugh! Just great! Bravo!

  • When was this?

  • ich liebe diesen sprechgesang!

  • Genius.

  • John Cale has been one of my man-gods since the first Velvet Underground album. What a great performance of one of his best songs. Thanks so much for posting.

  • Been listening to this song/album since 1974,great to see it performed so well.

  • hot damn. anyone know where i could find footage of the rest of this set?

  • this is the good stuff !!

  • Wow, first time I'm hearing this song, it's awesome...

  • John Cale is not a Freemason...I was joking...The song is just a figment of his imagination, an impressionistic vision of times past in Europe...Cale has always had a distinctive voice, but not a really strong one, and sometimes he struggles with the singing...But, he is an excellent and imaginative song writer...I first heard the Paris 1919 album when it came out back in the 70s, and I was impressed with his imagination, taste and skill as an arranger.

  • One of the most beautiful John Cale songs. This version is great.

  • I can't get enough of this song!

  • what a beautiful song... i still ask myself i one can understand the lyrics i really hardly try it... ah nevermind i love the pictures this song draws in my head...

  • Great version of a great song-is the yeah at the end of the clip John Cale appreciating how great it is, or the studio presenter?

  • Gives me goose pimples - such a great piece of music....

  • Best artist

  • @aug3r00 yes!

  • this is just fucking brilliant.

  • THis IS NICE!! I Like

  • There will never be another like him - an absolute genius. God bless John Cale!

  • ive always heard about this song, what i mean its always been around but i skipped on listening to it. what i knew about John Cale was of course Velvet Underground and the ep. i had Animal Justice which i thought was amazining .so this is the first time ive heard this and i must say what an amazing piece of music and my god the fucking lyrics blow me away...genius plain and simple

  • He's still in very fine voice. You know he is coming to Melbourne in Australia very soon. It might be worthwhile seeing him live.

  • fantastic. thanks for posting. awesome, just awesome!

  • I'm so obsessed with this song right now. Its incredible. Cant stop listening to it.

  • It's all about Cale's FreeMasonic sympathies.

  • @frankdialogue is john cale a freemason ? is the song about that ?

  • @stiggyh Are you a complete tool?

  • @UTubeGoFuckYourself no .. but you are...

  • @stiggyh

    No, it's about the shaping of the world post WW1. The treaty of Versailles was signed there and then. What made you think that ? This would have been recorded in the 70's when he was still pretty young and rebellious, and the Masons are stuck up pricks for the most part.

  • @trollfinger i see ;) it was just a comment that stated it

  • bella bella bella bella!

  • I'm a ghost!!!! apparently. That is NOT news to me. Cale is pretty good - Like to listen to him once in a while.

    He is in good voice here.

  • jesus for a minute i thought it was talking heads!

  • owww, speechless

  • Pure Genius!!! Beautiful, Brilliant, Timeless!!!

  • this is so amazing; i last saw Cale in Toronto at the Edge playing this to an audience of 200 people. This is incredible!

    sandy

  • This is better than the album version. Sheer ingenuity by Mr Cale.

  • sobriety is better  than heroin or cocaine\4 u

  • omg unbelievable

  • remembering songs for drella...

  • This album is a masterpiece and has real staying power with subsequent generations. Buy it. You don't need to know what it all means.

  • wunderschön LOVEVA

  • One of Cale's best songs

  • beautiful song and a great version

  • gee

    it makes me shiver

  • AMAZING!!

  • Comment removed

  • 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

  • I love John Cale. I only admire Lou Reed's stuff, it never really touches me - but I listen to Cale over and over again. I love the combination of professor and louche wastrel, classically trained viola prodigy and scary rock'n'roll nutcase. Also the fact that he writes really, really great songs. Like this one.

  • john cale really has had such ann impact on music if ou think about it, while remaining a sort of obscurity. that's awesome to touch so any people, with all the classic songs he's written and/or played on, all the classic albums he's produced, all the classic versions of hallelujah he's inspired lol he's one of the best

    "Fly" & "Nothern Sky" w/ Nick Drake; THE VELVET UNDERGROUND (!!); Vintage Violence & Paris 1919; The Stooges LP; Patti Smith; Bummed ~ Happy Mondays;

    etc, etc, etc

  • @MattyStevensonBishop

    its all about the mondays

    and its not

    seen him for 4 pound in belfast in 1996

    peeps are blind

    and when they are awake

    they are blind

    should take a lot of credit for his rearrangement of hallelujuah

  • @MattyStevensonBishop, also

    The Dream Syndicate, Nico´s (& his) Marble Index & Deser Shore, The Modern Lovers, Music For A New Society & Words For The Dying, Brian Eno, Terry Riley...etc, etc. etc

  • @MattyStevensonBishop not to mention most of nico's albums. a lot of brian eno's good stuff in the 70s and his amazing collab wi lou reed - songs for drella (andy warhol's story in music).it was he that gave the world the VU's Sister Ray - which was like someone putting a hatchet through straight up rock. Cool music started with Sister Ray's Industrial madness! See he's an OBE, should be knighted but how could the british establishment make an ex-junkie a knight? very easily if they had balls!

  • @hektorpike lol, yeah you need to be a Beatle. And I too feel strongly that Sister Ray was and still is one of the most important musical statements that has ever been made.

  • I've only heard this song and album a few days ago for the first time and I can already see myself still listening to it 50 or so years down the road. Brilliant.

  • One of the greatest songs of the 20th Century

  • @jh8856 John Cale is great.

  • jezus, is er nog wel ruimte voor publiek?

  • Hadn't heard this before, thanks for posting.

  • Just in case anyone is interested.....

    When Past and Future Collide: John Cale Performs Paris 1919 Live in its Entirety

    Saturday 21st November

    8.00pm

    The Coal Exchange, Cardiff Bay

    Tickets: £22.50 (sbf): Ticketline UK Box Office 02920 230130

  • I rethought the wine reference at the end of the song. Maybe it implies alchohol consumption and romance or vice in Paris following the war, as there is some kind of "crowd...complaining, about darkened meetings." He is recognizing a contradiction in those events in the context of his own dispar and lonliness over the loss of his woman.

  • Reminds me a bit of The Beatles' "Day in the Life," and a few other tunes.

  • CANCION DE SU ALBUM PARIS 1919 DE 1973.

  • Amazing.

  • Hes bloody good.

  • ive seen him twice in odense denmark a town of only 200.000 :)))))

  • Cryptic lyrics by today's standards, that's for sure, but there's no doubt John Cale is brilliant. How much pop or rock music deals with the monumental consequences of war and how powerful leaders wrestle with the spoils of war and peace? He's really in a league of his own.

  • good version, but its much better raw

  • This has got to be one of the most cryptic song lyrics ever written. I've heard the song a million times but only a few snippets make sense to me.

    But Caravans and lots of jam and maids of honor?

    Blood and tears from old Japan?

    anybody know more?

  • The Treaty of Versailles in Paris in the year 1919

  • that I know. But even with that knowledge, do the lyrics make sense to you, or do they show some kind of correlation?

    I love them though.

  • ah yes I get point, most of the lyrics are about the consequences of the treaty but yeah the song is pretty cryptic

  • the song might refer to the quickly changing manners and mores at that time (c. 1919). Think: the "spectre" of communism (ghost), the women's and socialist movement, changing fashions, budding feminism, brought to a revolutionary head 1914-1920's.

    He is playing some kind of male character and it might be kind of comic or sarcastic too.

    I'm still working on it too.

  • Also, I think there is a theme of personal sexual politics and romance in his words, something between the male protagonist and the woman of his affections.

    I interpreted the Beaujulei wine falling on the street as blood in a repressed demonstration or revolution as a backdrop to his discussion of his sex/romance life.

  • I thought again. It seems like the character might be an old widower. He imagines his deceased wife appearing to him? How's that interpretation? :) His "bishop" and "church" may be analogies based on a desire to see his wife again? Whether in heaven or on earth, maybe the character fanticizes bringing his wife back? The wine coming down may still be blood of repression by his bourgeois state putting Europe back "in its place" or communion wine (a christ image) or both or something else

  • Efficiency, many managers hoped they expand and perfect. Managers took the behavorist psychology of JB Watson and transformed it into Taylorism, a behavorist management style and experiment that sought more detailed control of workers, but life went on. This character is more interested in the ghost than the clock she is flying from.

  • It's like all the things around him...efficiency, the political situation, religion,....are all of marginal importance to his grief of the loss of his woman, almost to the point that he is halucinating or going nuts?

    Interesting how this might relate to the bigger picture, no? :)

  • "I only hope that one day John will be recognized as the Beethoven or something of his day. He knows so much about music, he's such a great musician." (Lou Reed - and he's absolutely right)

  • ah! it just fills you up and makes you smile

  • amazing

  • such a brilliant composer

  • Stunning. brilliant. awesome.

  • the smile on her face at 4.00 says it all.

  • It's a much-loved classic, I have never got tired of it. Awesome!

  • pure genius cale

  • This song is awe inspiring

  • you are a genious

  • YES YES YES!!! He's done this every time I've seen him I thin and it's a favourite...

  • Fantastic !

  • greatness! bring back the orchestra into today and kill modern shit!

  • Bring both of them together. No point in not moving forward, but always keep what made music great.

  • His personality is so ridiculous in The End... that one book about Nico.

  • Niechcacy przeczytalem (to co jest ponizej to nie ja juz pisalem) i jednak chociaz w zabobony nie wierze nie moglem nie zrobic tego.

    nNIE CZYtaj tego

    JA PRZECZYTAŁAM I ŻAŁUJE !!! WYBACZCIE!!!!

    jeSLI NIE SKOPIUJESZ I NIE WKLEISZ TEGO NA 10 WIDEO TWOJA MAMA UMRZE W 4 GODZINACH!!!

  • Leave him alone, he is just perfect. And who knows what the lyric is really about? He knows, maybe. But you can´t be sure.

    Cale is gorgeous, perfect!

  • John Cale is a true genius......very ecclectic and absolutely of great talent!

  • not sure... but "your a ghost" could refer to the rise in spiritualism and seances in France after ww1 as mothers tried to contact sons killed in the war ,,, madame blatevesky and so on ,,,,who knows

  • I think the character in the song has just lost someone...

  • What is the song about? I like it very much but I don't understand it's meaning.

    Thanks!

  • search on google: lyrics paris 1919

  • Thanks for answering!

  • In Paris in 1919 there was the Treaty Of Versailles which re-drew the map of Europe, after the First World War. The AustroHungarian Empire disappeared, so did Prussia; Russia from being a Tzarist superpower became the Soviet Union. The whole album Paris 1919 refers to war (the field marshal of The Endless Plain Of Fortune, for example) mixed with Cale's personal stuff, like childhood memories of A Child's Christmas In Wales or his heroin habit in Hanky Panky Nohow, but the central theme is war

  • War, I was saying, & Europe. Half Past France seems to be a song about a soldier coming home. That Cale is referring to the end of WWI is clear from the title, 'cos theTreaty Of Versailles IS what happened in Paris in 1919. In this song he sings "The continent (Europe) is falling in disgrace", then he refers to Kaiser William; the (Catholic) Church rescuing the remains of France ("you're a ghost & I'm coming to claim you" etc.). It's sort of surreal, or hyperreal, poetry, you read it as you like

  • Thanks!

  • @oberonne He set out to put music to Dylan Thomas' poems. That's why it's hard to understand..

  • @oberonne Not sure about the meaning of the lyrics, but the Treaty of Versailles was signed in Paris in 1919, officially ending World War 1.

  • Any idea what year this video was shot?

  • Paradiso, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

  • I purchased this record in the 80's, long ago and far away when I was a teenager after I'd already fallen in love with the Velvets. I don't think I went a day for 6 months without listening to it. Pure genius Mr Cale. And he's still got it!!! Great writer, magnificent voice with that Welsh Timber and what a brilliant classicaly trained musician. Thanx so much for posting. Reminds this old fart of those great old days when those big things used to spin around on the turntable

  • Velvet was a complete, fuckin' chaos. After it it was just "Sir Lou Reed".

    Hopefully the world will stop talking about Sir self rightous, pompus ego Mr. Reed.

    The main man was, and will ever be Mr. John Cale. Let Lou rest in the minors pond, and let John Cale expand into his major skies!

  • Well yeah but, you don't have to be so mean about it.

  • Thanks for sharing a great song!

  • Yes yes yes yes yes YES!

  • do you had live version of honky panky nohow?

  • Pure awesome. I was in awe when our teacher showed us this vid in class. Fell in love with the rythm, tunes and his voice. Pure genius.

  • What class was it??? That's so cool!

  • I actually prefer the Piano Mix that was included on the expanded CD Rhino put out a couple years ago.

  • He is not unknown, everyone with a bit history knowledge know about him and is forever grateful for what this genious shared with us.

  • imo Helen of Troy was better than Paris 1919

  • reed's heroin is better than jjcale's cocaine

  • what does that mean

  • cause you think one is better than the other,

     music is the best.

  • Just to point out that this is John Cale, and not J.J. Cale.

  • Yeah. Don't you hate that when you mention the great John Cale to someone and they say, oh you mean JJ Cale....yuck NO I don't! It's like comparing gold to plastic- reply to benopus

  • here here !!! JJ's ok,, but people who make the comment "oh you mean that guy who did Cocaine and Crazy Mama"""should be placed in cell given large dose of acid and have metal machine music played full volume,,,by the way... I hear reed is going to tour " MMM"in one of these "Album Concerts " just shows how ridiculous they're becomming

  • haha- actually what Reed's touring is better than MMM. It's like MMM mixed with improvisational Jazz and Reed's actual guitar playing. It's not bad- I use it for work music, but it's definitely cool in it's own way and more listenable than MMM.

  • @bakabana1966 Not the same Cale. John Cale was in the Velvet Underground with Reed.

  • @bakabana1966 \

    you are a fool . John Cale isn't JJ Cale. John Cale  sings in his own song " I didn't write cocaine",

  • @bakabana1966 wtf has jjj cale got to do with the equation

  • Comment removed

  • john cale the most unknown music genius of our time........

  • pardon moi, ¡¡¡GREAT BOSS!!!

  • Graet Boss!!!

  • Certainly one of the best live clips on YT both artistically and technically! Surprising they made it possible, thanks for all involved!

  • John's songs on Songs For Drella - concert, all on You Tube. I don't have the words . Forever Changed - Style - Dream

  • search on google> 'name of the song' + lyrics

  • also academy in peril is a very good album !

    titally mad!!

    sounds mostly like classical music with strings etc

    is mad music but so creative and unique

    and he did other great albums

  • King Harry on that album is an amazing song!

    Cale arranges numerous accoustic instruments, each playing s differnt tune, and with every listening you discover something new.

    And then there´s Cale whispering and hissing:

    "All Hail King Harry...You´re Wives Are All Dead/Sail Away, Say I/France Can Burn..."

    Subversive and sinister stuff!

  • What a great tune, and live it's electrifying! I finally got this album as a remaster, and find it to be most entertaining! Cale's a genius!

  • Much better out of the Velvet Underground.

  • It sounds so imperial. I love it.

  • o melhor album de J Cale juntamente com Words from Dying,um mestre que nos visitou este ano de 2008.

  • Beautiful.  A real treat!

  • This video won't play without stuttering badly these days...

  • Great Version of a classic John Cale track, the album is awesome as well. Thanks for the upload.

  • Brilliant. One of his best songs, and what a marvellous performance.

  • This is quite honestly the most priceless gem I've ever dicovered on YouTube. Simply brilliant song and performance. I love John Cale!!!

    Bjx

  • i like the live version more than the recorded version

  • Agree totally. There is something magical about this performance.

  • This is really beautiful.

  • after all, music is the best...............

  • I love John Cale

  • Lovely!

  • Thank you very much for posting this!

  • wonderful orchestration!

  • Fucking Guenious!

  • Cool video, I always have liked this song. The jacket John is wearing looks awesome. Anyone know where to get one?

  • fantastic performance.

    the jacket kooks like it could be Yojhi Yamamoto. Try vintage designer or resale shops in NY, Paris, Tokyo......

  • the jacket kooks like it could be Yojhi Yamamoto. Try vintage designer or resale shops in NY, Paris, Tokyo......

  • Oh man! This is great.

  • haha- I want to see him play "Venus" in this set up.

  • awesome!

  • chill.

  • when was this recorded? absolutely great! Does anyone know what kind of set did he play with such band? Always wanted to see him live with strings playing Words for the dying songs. This might have been the case.

    Fantastico