Honi Soit (album)

Content

All songs were written by Cale, except "Streets of Laredo", a traditional song arranged by Cale. The track "Need Your Loving" was left off the album in favour of "Riverbank".

Andy Warhol suggested the album should be called John and Yoko, and provided the cover art, in black and white, but against Warhol's wishes Cale colorized it. In a tongue-in-cheek allusion to the song "Fighter Pilot", the credits on the sleeve give each of the musicians a mock military aviation role, with Cale described as "flight surgeon". The album's title is an abbreviation of the phrase ″Honi soit qui mal y pense″ (French: "shame upon him who thinks evil of it"), the motto of the British Order of the Garter.

Release

Honi Soit was released in March 1981 by record label A&M. The album is Cale's only album to date to chart in the US, reaching number 154.

Track listing

All tracks composed by John Cale; except where indicated

1. "Dead or Alive"
2. "Strange Times in Casablanca"
3. "Fighter Pilot"
4. "Wilson Joliet"
5. "Streets of Laredo" (Traditional)

6. "Honi Soit (La Première Leçon de Français)"
7. "Riverbank"
8. "Russian Roulette"
9. "Magic & Lies"

Personnel

Thank you "Michael Leon and A&M Records"