Category Archives: John Cale

Christmas Posts 2017 part 5 – John Cale

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So, a couple of weeks ago, on my birthday (41, since you ask), the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds and I popped into town for a nose round the charity shops. She picked up a CD for 50p that had been free with Mojo magazine which had a number of Christmas cuts on it I had not heard before. One of which was Superchunk’s take on ‘A Child’s Christmas In Wales.’

‘A Child’s Christmas In Wales’ is inspired by Dylan Thomas rather than actually being an adaptation of his work A Child’s Christmas In Wales. Cale has, in fact, recorded a number of Thomas’s poems (see his excellent 1992 live album Fragments Of A Rainy Season for versions of ‘On A Wedding Anniversary,’ ‘ Lie Still, Sleep Becalmed’ and ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’). Cale’s song ‘A Child’s Christmas In Wales’ first appeared on his 1973 album Paris 1919. It’s the opening to a glorious and rather underrated album.

Whilst searching for clips for this piece, I found that erstwhile Cale collaborator Nico had also covered the song; according to the essential read James Young’s Nico: Songs They Never Play On The Radio, Cale and Nico covered this together.

Finally, that Superchunk cover. As far as I can tell it was recorded for the Mojo CD – and doesn’t look like it’s been made commercially available. Enjoy!

Christmas no.2?

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OK, the likelihood of stopping Alexandra Burke being Christmas no.1 is alas, something I do not have the power to do, unfortunately, but it looks like Jeff Buckley could have a massive smash, with a song that’s not even physically released.

See the promo video here.

And yes, it’s a Leonard Cohen song. There is, apparently, a facebook group of people committed to buying the song as performed by Jeff Buckley, so let’s see what people can achieve. BTW anyone know what happened to Brigyn and their fantastic version in Welsh?

And, seeing as he wrote it: Leonard Cohen’s version:

And Rufus Wainwright’s version:

And because I’d feel guilty not including it, and because it was supposedly an influence on the way Jeff Buckley did it, John Cale’s version:

Go and take on X-Factor. Nothing against Alexandra Burke, but because Simon Cowell is nearly as a big a threat to music as the DMCA and the RIAA!

Happy Birthday to brother 17 Seconds

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It’s my brother’s birthday tomorrow, and so this post is for him. these tunes aren’t about him, but stuff I know he likes, and stuff I think he will like… : ))

Miles Davis -‘So What.’ mp3

John Cale -‘Paris 1919.’ mp3

Love Is All -‘Make Out.Fall Out. Make Up.’ mp3

Red Hot Chili Peppers -‘Under The Bridge.’ mp3

Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci -‘Spanish Dance Troupe.’ mp3

Sparks -‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us.’ mp3

Holger Czukay -‘Cool In the Pool.’ mp3

Aretha Franklin -‘Rocksteady.’ mp3

James Yorkston And The Atheletes -‘St. Patrick.’ mp3

Jeff Buckley – ‘Hallelujah.’ mp3

Some Covers For Sunday II

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Finally, here are the promised covers for today.

Brakes-‘Sometimes Always (Jesus and Mary Chain cover).’ mp3

Echo and the Bunnymen-‘Run Run Run (Velvet Underground cover).’ mp3

James-‘China Girl (Iggy pop cover).’ mp3

Manic Street Preachers-‘Theme From MASH (Suicide Is Painless).’ mp3

Morrissey-‘Moon River (Henry Mancini cover).’ mp3

The Fall-‘Lost In Music (Sister Sledge cover).’ mp3

Dandy Warhols-‘Call me (Blondie cover).’ mp3

Crash Test Dummies -‘The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead (XTC cover).’ mp3

John Cale -‘Hallelujah (Live) (Leonard Cohen cover).’ mp3

As always, these will be up for one week only. If you like what you hear, support the artists involved, preferably through your local independent record shop!