John Cale discography

John Cale discography
John Cale discography
Studio albums	19
EPs	3
Live albums	4
Compilation albums	5

John Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh singer, musician, composer, record producer and arranger. He is a founding member of the influential American rock band the Velvet Underground, with whom he recorded two studio albums. In the subsequent four decades, Cale has released varied solo albums, film soundtracks, and collaborations with Lou Reed, Brian Eno, Bob Neuwirth and others.

Albums

Studio albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
Title	Album details	BEL Fl.	BEL Wa.	DEN	NLD	US
Vintage Violence	Released: 25 March 1970 Label: Columbia	—	—	—	—	—
Church of Anthrax (with Terry Riley)	Released: April 1971 Label: Columbia	—	—	—	—	—
The Academy in Peril	Released: July 1972 Label: Reprise	—	—	—	—	—
Paris 1919	Released: 25 February 1973 Label: Reprise	—	—	—	—	—
Fear	Released: 1 October 1974 Label: Island	—	—	—	—	—
Slow Dazzle	Released: 25 March 1975 Label: Island	—	—	—	—	—
Helen of Troy	Released: November 1975 Label: Island	—	—	—	—	—
Honi Soit	Released: 10 March 1981 Label: A&M	—	—	—	—	154
Music for a New Society	Released: September 1982 Label: ZE	—	—	—	—	—
Caribbean Sunset	Released: February 1984 Label: ZE	—	—	—	28	—
Artificial Intelligence	Released: 6 September 1985 Label: Beggars Banquet	—	—	—	—	—
Words for the Dying	Released: 19 September 1989 Label: Opal Music/Warner Bros.	—	—	—	—	—
Songs for Drella (with Lou Reed)	Released: 23 April 1990 Label: Sire	—	—	—	—	—
Wrong Way Up (with Brian Eno)	Released: October 1990 Label: Opal Music/Warner Bros.	—	—	—	—	—
Last Day on Earth (with Bob Neuwirth)	Released: May 1994 Label: MCA	—	—	—	—	—
Walking on Locusts	Released: 24 September 1996 Label: Hannibal	—	—	—	—	—
HoboSapiens	Released: 6 October 2003 Label: EMI	—	—	36	—	—
blackAcetate	Released: 17 October 2005 Label: EMI	87	—	—	—	—
Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood	Released: 1 October 2012 Label: Double Six	58	169	—	—	—
M:FANS	Released: 22 January 2016 Label: Double Six	52	185	—	—	—
Mercy	Released: 20 January 2023 Label: Double Six	14	145	—	—	—
Poptical Illusion	Released: 14 June 2024 Label: Double Six	79	129	—	—	—
MiXology (volume 1)	Released: 2 May 2025 Label: Double Six	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Soundtracks

Paris S'Eveille - Suivi D'autres Compositions (Delabel) November 1991
23 Solo Pieces for La naissance de l'amour (Crepuscule) November 1993
Antártida (Crepuscule) 1995
N'oublie pas que tu vas mourir (Crepuscule) 1995
Eat/Kiss: Music for the Films by Andy Warhol (Hannibal) June 1997
Dance Music (Music for "Nico", the ballet choreographed by Ed Wubbe / Scabino Ballet Rotterdam) Warner 1998
Le vent de la nuit (Crepuscule) March 1999
The Unknown (Crepuscule) 1999
Saint-Cyr (O.S.T.) (Virgin France) 2000
Process (Syntax) July 2005

Live

Sabotage/Live (IRS) December 1979
John Cale Comes Alive (Ze) September 1984
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (ROIR) 1991
Fragments of a Rainy Season (Hannibal) 25 September 1992
Le Bataclan '72 (with Lou Reed and Nico) 2004
Circus Live (EMI) February 2007
John Cale & Band Live (Rockpalast 1983 & 1984) DVD and vinyl (MIG) 2010

Compilations

Guts (Island) February 1977
Paris s'eveille - suivi d'autres compositions (Crepuscule) November 1991
Seducing Down the Door: A Collection 1970–1990 (Rhino) 5 July 1994
The Island Years (Island) 1996
Close Watch: An Introduction to John Cale (Island) 20 April 1999
Conflict & Catalysis (Productions & Arrangements 1966–2006) 2012

Box sets

New York in the 1960s (Table of the Elements) August 2004
Ship of Fools: The Island Albums (Esoteric) August 2024

EPs

Animal Justice (Illegal IL 003, UK) September 1977
5 Tracks (EMI) May 2003 (reached No. 13 Budget Album chart)
Extra Playful (Double Six/Domino Records) September 2011

Short soundtrack

Somewhere in the City August 1998

Singles

"Cleo" / "Fairweather Friend" (1970)
"Big White Cloud" / "Gideon's Bible" (1970)
"Days of Steam" / "Legs Larry at the Television Centre" (1972)
"The Man Who Couldn't Afford to Orgy" / "Sylvia Said" (1974)
"Mercenaries" / "Rosegarden Funeral of Sores" (1980)
"Dead or Alive" / "Honi Soit" (1981)
"Close Watch" / "Close Watch" (1983)
"Close Watch" / "Changes Made" (1983)
"Hungry for Love" / "Caribbean Sunset" (1984)
"Ooh La La" / "Magazines" (1984)
"Villa Albani" remixes / "Hungry for Love" (1984)
"Dying on the Vine" / "Everytime the Dogs Bark" (1985)
"Satellite Walk" / "Crash Course in Harmonics" (1985)
"Nobody But You" – US Alt No. 13 / "Style It Takes" / "A Dream" (1990) – with Lou Reed
"One Word" / "Grandfather's House"* / "Palanquin" (1990) − with Brian Eno
"Spinning Away (Edit)" / Grandfather's House" / "Palaquin" (1990) − with Brian Eno
"Hallelujah" (1991)
"Paris S'eveille" (1991)
"The Long Voyage" (1995) – with Suzanne Vega
"Cale vs the Bees vs Doctor Rockit" (2003)
"Things" (2003) – UK No. 144
"Turn the Lights On" (2005)
"Perfect" (2005)
"Outta the Bag" (2006)
"Jumbo in tha Modernworld"* (2007)
"Big White Cloud" (2007)
"All My Friends" (2007)
"Whaddya Mean by That" (2011)
"I Wanna Talk 2 U" (2012)
"Face to the Sky" b/w "Living With You" (Organic Mix) (2012)
"All Summer Long" / "Sandman (Flying Dutchman)" (2013)
"Lazy Day" (2020) – non-album song
"Night Crawling" (2022)
"House" (2025) − with Charli XCX

Other appearances

Studio

Year	Title	Release	Notes
1991	"Hallelujah"	I'm Your Fan	Leonard Cohen cover
1991	"The Queen and Me"	"More Fans"	Leonard Cohen cover
1993	"Helmut Newton Told Me"/"Wish You Were Here"/"Oh! To Be Invited to the Venice Biennale"	Caged/Uncaged: A Rock/Experimental Homage to John Cage	soundtrack to an exhibition, with Ann Magnuson
2004	"She Doesn't Live Here Anymore"	Por Vida	Alejandro Escovedo cover
2022	"Mr. Sparrow"	For the Birds: The Birdson Project, Vol. III	original

Live

Year	Title	Notes
1974	June 1, 1974	with Kevin Ayers, Brian Eno, Nico

Productions and contributions

Year	Artist	Release information	Cale's contribution
1967	Nico	Chelsea Girl Released: October 1967 Label: Verve Records	viola, organ, guitar: various
1968	Morning Glory	Two Suns Worth Released: May 1968 Label: Fontana Records	sound engineer: album
1969	Nico	The Marble Index Released: May 1969 Label: Elektra Records	viola, piano, bass guitar, guitar, bells, arrangements: album
1969	The Stooges	The Stooges Released: August 1969 Label: Elektra Records	production, viola: album
1969	Earth Opera	The Great American Eagle Tragedy Released: 1969 Label: Elektra Records	guitar, vocals: various
1970	Glass Harp	Glass Harp Released: 1970 Label: Decca Records	viola: various
1970	Chelsea	Chelsea Released: 1970 Label: Decca Records	viola: various
1970	Nick Drake	Bryter Layter Released: November 1970 Label: Island Records	viola, piano, cembalo, celeste, organ: various
1970	Nico	Desertshore Released: December 1970 Label: Reprise Records	vocals, bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, production: album
1971	Mike Heron	Smiling Men with Bad Reputations Released: 1971 Label: Elektra Records	guitar, bass guitar, vocals: various
1971	Tax Free	Tax Free Released: 1971 Label: Polydor Records	viola: album
1972	Jennifer Warnes	Jennifer Released: 1972 Label: Reprise Records	production: album
1973	Chunky, Novi and Ernie	Chunky, Novi and Ernie Released: 1973 Label: Warner Bros. Records	production: album
1974	Nico	The End... Released: 1974 Label: Island Records	bass guitar, xylophone, guitar, synthesizer, piano, organ, marimba, triangle, glockenspiel, percussion, production: album
1975	Geoff Muldaur	Is Having a Wonderful Time Released: 1975 Label: Reprise Records	viola: "Wondering Why"
1975	Brian Eno	Another Green World Released: September 1975 Label: Island Records	viola: various
1975	Patti Smith	Horses Released: December 1975 Label: Arista Records	production: album
1976	The Modern Lovers	The Modern Lovers Released: August 1976 Label: Beserkley Records	production: primary sessions
1977	Kate & Anna McGarrigle	Dancer with Bruised Knees Released: 1977 Label: Warner Bros. Records	organ, marimba: various
1977	Squeeze	Packet of Three Released: July 1977 Label: Deptford Fun City Records	production: EP
1977	Sham 69	Sham 69 Released: 1977 Label: Step Forward Records	production: EP
1978	Squeeze	Squeeze Released: March 1978 Label: A&M Records	production: album
1978	Cristina	"Disco Clone" Released: 1978 Label: ZE Records	production
1978	Marie et les Garçons	"Attitudes"/"Re-Bop" Released: 1978 Label: Spy Records	production, marimba: both sides
1978	Brian Eno	Music for Films Released: October 1978 Label: E.G. Records	viola: "Patrolling Wire Borders"
1978	Julie Covington	Julie Covington Released: 1978 Label: Virgin Records	piano, clavinet: various
1978	David Kubinec	Some Things Never Change Released: 1978 Label: A&M Records	keyboards, production: album
1978	Harry Toledo & The Rockets	Busted Chevrolet Released: 1978 Label: Spy Records	production: EP
1978	Menace	"I Need Nothing"/"Electrocutioner" Released: 1978 Label: Illegal Records	production: both sides
1979	Ian Hunter	You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic Released: March 1979 Label: Chrysalis Records	piano, keyboards, harp: "Bastard"
1979	Model Citizens	Model Citizens Released: 1979 Label: Spy Records	production: EP
1979	The Necessaries	"You Can Borrow My Car"/"Runaway Child" Released: 1979 Label: Spy Records	production: both sides
1980	Snatch	Shopping for Clothes Released: April 1980 Label: Fetish	production: EP
1980	Modern Guy	Une nouvelle vie Released: 1980 Label: Dorian	production, cembalo, organ, percussion: album
1983	Made for TV	"So Afraid of the Russians"/"Unknown Soldier" Released: 1983 Label: Conflict Records	production, baritone guitar, synthesizer: both sides
1985	Nico	Camera Obscura Released: 1985 Label: Beggars Banquet Records	production, vocals: album
1986	Lio	Pop Model Released: 1986 Label: Polydor Records	production: various
1987	Element of Crime	Try to Be Mensch Released: March 1987 Label: Polydor Records	production, keyboards: album
1987	Happy Mondays	Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile Released: April 1987 Label: Factory Records	production: album
1988	Art Bergmann	Crawl with Me Released: 1988 Label: Duke Street Records	production: album
1989	Big Vern	Lullabies for Lager Louts Released: December 1989 Label: Duke Street Records	production, keyboards: album
1990	Los Ronaldos	Sabor Salado Released: June 1990 Label: EMI Records	production: album
1990	The Replacements	All Shook Down Released: September 1990 Label: Sire Records	viola: "Sadly Beautiful"
1991	Maureen Tucker	I Spent a Week There the Other Night Released: 1991 Label: New Rose Records	viola, synthesizer: various
1991	Sister Double Happiness	Heart and Mind Released: 1991 Label:	radar blips: unknown
1991	Louise Féron	Louise Féron Released: 1991 Label: Virgin Records	production, piano: album
1991	Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses	Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses Released: 1991 Label: Phonogram	piano: "Nana"
1992	Hector Zazou	Sahara Blue Released: 1992 Label: Made to Measure	vocals: "Hunger"
1994	Vince Bell	Phoenix Released: July 1994 Label: Sire Records	piano: unknown
1994	Yohji Yamamoto	Your Pain Shall Be a Music Released: 1994 Label:	vocals: "John Cale"
1994	Hector Zazou	Chansons des mers froides Released: 1994 Label: Columbia Records	vocals: "The Long Voyage"
1995	Siouxsie and the Banshees	The Rapture Released: January 1995 Label: Polydor Records	production: album
1995	Ivan Kral	Nostalgia Released: 1995 Label: BMG Ariola	piano: "Perfect Moon"
1996	Marc Almond	Fantastic Star Released: February 1996 Label: Mercury Records, Some Bizzare Records	piano: "Love to Die For"
1996	Goya Dress	Rooms Released: April 1996 Label: Nude Records	production, piano, mixing: album
1996	Patti Smith	Gone Again Released: June 1996 Label: Arista Records	organ: "Beneath the Southern Cross"
1996	Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses	In Paradisu Released: 1996 Label: Mercury Records	production and arrangements: various
1996	Maids of Gravity	The First Second Released: September 1996 Label: Vernon Yard Recordings	production: album
1997	Garageland	"Feel Alright" Released: July 1997 Label: Flying Nun Records	piano
1998	The Jesus Lizard	The Jesus Lizard Released: February 1998 Label: Jetset Records	production: "Needles for Teeth"
1998	Alan Stivell	1 Douar Released: July 1998 Label: Disques Dreyfus	instruments, mixing: "Ever"
1998	Jack Smith	Les Evening Gowns Damnées (recorded 1962–1964) Released: September 1998 Label: Table of the Elements	sarinda: "Cold Starry Nights"
1999	Jack Smith	Silent Shadows on Cinemaroc Island (recorded in the 60s) Released: January 1999 Label: Table of the Elements	performance: "Silent Shadows on Cinemaroc Island"
1999	Ventilator	Desert Station Frequency Released: 1999 Label:	production: various
2000	Mediæval Bæbes	Undrentide Released: September 2000 Label: BMG Classics	production: album
2001	Super Furry Animals	Rings Around the World Released: July 2001 Label: Epic Records	piano: "Presidential Suite"
2001	Jools Holland	Small World Big Band (live) Released: December 2001 Label: WEA	vocals: "I Wanna Be Around"
2002	Gordon Gano	Hitting the Ground Released: August 2002 Label: Instinct Records	piano, vocals: "Don't Pretend"
2002	Trash Palace	Positions Released: 2002 Label: Discograph	vocals: "The Insult"
2003	Angus MacLise	The Cloud Doctrine (recorded in the 60s) Released: May 2003 Label: Sub Rosa	viola, guitar, keyboards: various
2006	Alejandro Escovedo	The Boxing Mirror Released: May 2006 Label: Back Porch Records	production: album
2008	The Shortwave Set	Replica Sun Machine Released: May 2008 Label: Wall of Sound	viola, synths, atmospheres: album/various
2010	Manic Street Preachers	Postcards from a Young Man Released: September 2010 Label: Columbia Records	keyboards, noise: "Auto-Intoxication"
2020	Kelly Lee Owens	Inner Song Released: September 2020 Label: Smalltown Supersound	vocals, lyrics: "Corner of My Sky"

Compositions

Year	Title	Medium	Performer(s)
1996	"I Shot Andy Warhol Suite"	Film theme	String section, arranged by Cale
1998	Dance Music	Ballet score	Ice Nine, arranged by Dave Soldier
2000	Saint Cyr	Film score	Various musicians, arranged by Randy Wolf

Notes

↑ Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood did not enter the Billboard 200, but it peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.

References

↑ "John Cale". Ultratop Flanders (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 June 2024.
↑ "John Cale". Ultratop Wallonia (in French). Retrieved 23 June 2024.
↑ "John Cale". Danish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
↑ "Discografie John Cale". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved 20 July 2022.
↑
Billboard peak chart positions:
- Honi Soit: "Billboard 200, Week of April 25, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
↑ "Launch Pad: Heatseekers Albums" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 124, no. 38. 27 October 2012. p. 37. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
↑ Various - Caged / Uncaged (A Rock / Experimental Homage To John Cage), retrieved 22 August 2022
↑ Various - Por Vida (A Tribute To The Songs Of Alejandro Escovedo), retrieved 22 August 2022
↑ "For The Birds: The Birdsong Project Volume III Out Today". Shore Fire Media. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
↑ "Various - I Shot Andy Warhol - Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture". Discogs. Retrieved 26 October 2020.

External links

Official website
John Cale at IMDb
Fear Is A Man's Best Friend extensive fan site
UbuWeb: John Cale featuring music from Aspen No. 5+6
John Cale Interview John Cale Interview
Essay on Cale in Examinations Archive Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
Fragments of Cale, track-by-track review of Cale's work
John Cale discography at MusicBrainz
John Cale discography at Discogs
Cormac vs John Cale Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Album by album interview

Listening

John Cale on Studio 360 radio program

[7] Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood did not enter the Billboard 200, but it peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.

[Ultratop_Flanders-1] "John Cale". Ultratop Flanders (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 June 2024.

[Ultratop_Wallonia-2] "John Cale". Ultratop Wallonia (in French). Retrieved 23 June 2024.

[Danish_Charts-3] "John Cale". Danish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

[Dutch_Charts-4] "Discografie John Cale". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved 20 July 2022.

[Billboard-5] Billboard peak chart positions:
Honi Soit: "Billboard 200, Week of April 25, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

[mwBjo] Honi Soit: "Billboard 200, Week of April 25, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

[6] "Launch Pad: Heatseekers Albums" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 124, no. 38. 27 October 2012. p. 37. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

[8] Various - Caged / Uncaged (A Rock / Experimental Homage To John Cage), retrieved 22 August 2022

[9] Various - Por Vida (A Tribute To The Songs Of Alejandro Escovedo), retrieved 22 August 2022

[10] "For The Birds: The Birdsong Project Volume III Out Today". Shore Fire Media. Retrieved 31 October 2022.

[11] "Various - I Shot Andy Warhol - Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture". Discogs. Retrieved 26 October 2020.

v t e John Cale
Studio albums	Vintage Violence Church of Anthrax (with Terry Riley) The Academy in Peril Paris 1919 Fear Slow Dazzle Helen of Troy Honi Soit Music for a New Society Caribbean Sunset Artificial Intelligence Words for the Dying Songs for Drella (with Lou Reed) Wrong Way Up (with Brian Eno) Last Day on Earth (with Bob Neuwirth) Walking on Locusts HoboSapiens blackAcetate Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood M:FANS Mercy Poptical Illusion
Extended plays	Animal Justice 5 Tracks Extra Playful
Live albums	June 1, 1974 (with Kevin Ayers, Brian Eno and Nico) Sabotage/Live John Cale Comes Alive Even Cowgirls Get the Blues Fragments of a Rainy Season Le Bataclan '72 (with Lou Reed and Nico) Circus Live Live at Rockpalast
Soundtrack albums	Paris s'eveille - suivi d'autres compositions 23 Solo Pieces for La Naissance de L'Amour Eat/Kiss: Music for the Films by Andy Warhol Dance Music Process
Compilation albums	Guts Seducing Down the Door: A Collection 1970−1990 Close Watch: An Introduction to John Cale The Island Years Gold New York in the 1960s: Sun Blindness Music Inside the Dream Syndicate, Vol. I: Day of Niagara Inside the Dream Syndicate, Vol. II: Dream Interpretation Inside the Dream Syndicate, Vol. III: Stainless Gamelan Conflict & Catalysis: Productions & Arrangements 1966−2006
Box sets	New York in the 1960s Ship of Fools: The Island Albums
Related articles	Discography Productions Filmography The Velvet Underground Theatre of Eternal Music

John Cale discography

Albums

Studio albums

Soundtracks

Live

Compilations

Box sets

EPs

Singles

Other appearances

Studio

Live

Productions and contributions

Compositions

See also

Notes

References

External links

Listening