"The idea is not to live for ever, it is to create something that will"  A N D Y   W A R H O L 

Mentor and manager of the Velvet Underground, Andy Warhol is very much a part of that Sixties Art Rock band as original members Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, Moe Tucker and John Cale. Following their debut LP with Nico and a second album Cale left the group in 1968, as did Reed, two years later.

John Cale was a miner's son born in Wales, a talented multi instrumentalist he moved to the United States in 1963 to continue his musical education. 

In 1973 he created his most “accessible” and most critically acclaimed album: 'Paris 1919'.

I have only recently discovered this record. Learning from reviews that: "Paris 1919’s songs are populated with field marshals, the ghosts of dead soldiers, decadently dilapidated movie stars and fallen nations. Hardly the stuff of Rock 'n' Roll. In fact, it’s easy to write it all off as pretentious. Yet, beneath the lush orchestrations and heady historical and literary references, 'Paris 1919' is a deeply felt and personal album. It inspires awe while keeping listeners lyrically at arms length. It invites you to get close, but not too close, much like John Cale himself. 'Paris 1919' demands to be heard yet understanding it may take a lifetime".  

Here then is the title track from this "baroque Art Rock masterpiece." - a very English sound and a lost gem. No more to say, other than check out other tracks from the album on YouTube >>> 

There's also a 2011 'live' version of this song available here.