Helen of Troy (album)
| Helen of Troy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by John Cale | ||||
| Released | November 1975 | |||
| Recorded | Sound Techniques, London, England | |||
| Genre | Art rock | |||
| Length | 40:21 | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Producer | John Cale | |||
| John Cale chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Trouser Press | generally favourable |
Helen of Troy is the sixth studio album by Welsh musician John Cale, released in 1975 by record label Island, his last of three albums for the label.
During the sessions Cale cut three other songs: the unreleased covers "Willow Weep for Me" and "God Only Knows". Another unused track, "Mary Lou", was released on the compilation album Guts.
The album features a cover of "Pablo Picasso" by The Modern Lovers, a song which Cale had produced for the band's debut album.
Cale re-recorded "I Keep a Close Watch" in 1982 for his album Music for a New Society.
Helen of Troy was released in November 1975 by Island. Even though the other Island albums were issued in the US (June 1, 1974, Fear, Slow Dazzle, Guts), Helen of Troy was not. It was commonly sold as a UK import all over the US. No singles were released from the album.
The album as originally released contained "Leaving It Up to You" as the ninth track. However, due to its reference to the 1969 murder of Sharon Tate by followers of Charles Manson, Island replaced it on subsequent pressings with the song "Coral Moon". "Leaving it Up to You" later appeared on the 1977 Guts compilation. The original sequence would be restored in the 1978 repress and when the album was released on CD, with "Coral Moon" appearing as a bonus track. During the sessions, Cale cut three other songs: the unreleased covers "Willow Weep For Me" and "God Only Knows" and "Mary Lou".
The album was remastered in 1996 as part of the two-disc release The Island Years, containing also Fear (1974) and Slow Dazzle (1975). It contained "Leaving It Up to You" in its original slot, with "Coral Moon" added as a bonus track, as well as "You and Me" and "Mary Lou". "Mary Lou" was originally released on the 1977 Guts compilation.
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