The Island Years (John Cale album)

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The Island Years
John Cale - The Island Years.jpg
Compilation album by
ReleasedJuly 1996
Genre Rock
Length133:11
Label Island
John Cale chronology
Antartida
(1995)
The Island Years
(1996)
Walking on Locusts
(1996)
Alternative cover
Gold John Cale.jpeg
cover for Gold 2007 reissue
Professional ratings
Review scores
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The Island Years is a double CD compilation of John Cale's work during 1974 and 1975. The collection, released in 1996, is composed of the three previously released Cale albums issued by Island Records: Fear , Slow Dazzle and Helen of Troy . The album also includes some extra tracks, b-sides, and individual tracks from other albums but the Slow Dazzle's last and experimental track "The Jeweller" was shortened to 4:11 (the same length as on the original LP of Slow Dazzle -- on the CD version of the album, the track's duration is 5:07). In 2007 The Island Years was reissued as a budget release, Gold, with the same track listing but reduced packaging.

Track listing

CD 1

Fear (1974) & outtake
  1. "Fear Is a Man's Best Friend" – 3:52
  2. "Buffalo Ballet" – 3:28
  3. "Barracuda" – 3:46
  4. "Emily" – 4:21
  5. "Ship of Fools" – 4:36
  6. "Gun" – 8:04
  7. "The Man Who Couldn't Afford to Orgy" – 4:33
  8. "You Know More Than I Know" – 3:34
  9. "Momamma Scuba" – 4:23
  10. "Sylvia Said" – 4:07 (single B-side, remixed; leaving the original single 45 a rarity)
Slow Dazzle (1975) & outtakes
  1. "All I Want Is You" – 2:55 (outtake)
  2. "Bamboo Floor" – 3:24 (outtake)
  3. "Mr. Wilson" – 3:15
  4. "Taking It All Away" – 2:56
  5. "Dirty-Ass Rock 'N' Roll" – 4:41
  6. "Darling I Need You" – 3:35
  7. "Rollaroll" – 3:57

CD2

  1. "Heartbreak Hotel" – 3:10
  2. "Ski Patrol" – 2:05
  3. "I'm Not the Loving Kind" – 3:07
  4. "Guts" – 3:26
  5. "The Jeweller" – 4:11
Helen of Troy (1975) & outtakes
  1. "My Maria" – 3:48
  2. "Helen of Troy" – 4:18
  3. "China Sea" – 2:30
  4. "Engine" – 2:45
  5. "Save Us" – 2:20
  6. "Cable Hogue" – 3:30
  7. "(I Keep A) Close Watch" – 3:27
  8. "Pablo Picasso" – 3:20
  9. "Leaving It Up To You" – 4:33
  10. "Baby, What You Want Me to Do?" – 4:48
  11. "Sudden Death" – 4:36
  12. "You & Me" – 2:50 (outtake)
  13. "Coral Moon" – 2:14 (originally replaced "Leaving It Up To You")
  14. "Mary Lou" – 2:46 (outtake that originally appeared on the 1977 Guts compilation)

References