"Paris 1919" is the third solo studio album by Welsh multi-instrumentalist and composer John Cale. Released in 1973 under the label Reprise Records, it marked Cale's most approachable and polished output to date. The album is primarily a blend of baroque and art pop, but it also includes elements of folk rock and classical music. Each song on the album has a fully composed and arranged score, with Cale playing a variety of instruments.
Interestingly, while the album carries the name "Paris 1919," it was actually recorded in Los Angeles, but borrows its title from the Versailles Treaty, reflecting a thematic obsession with the details and historical minutiae relating to World War I. Its poetic, semi-autobiographical lyrics explore themes of war, loss, and nostalgia, often invoking historical figures and incidents. The lyrics aptly combine Cale's classical leanings with his avant-garde rock tendencies.
The album features both American and European musicians, including members of Little Feat, who served as the house band. While it wasn't a commercial hit at the time of its release, "Paris 1919" has since been met with widespread critical acclaim, often being touted as a high point in Cale's discography, and single tracks like "Andalucía," "Paris 1919," and "Hanky Panky Nohow" are held as some of his most memorable compositions.
