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John Cale – Sabotage (1979) | Track profile | Dork

Tracks
John Cale
Sabotage/Live
Sabotage

TRACK

Sabotage

Release date: 20th December 1979

From Sabotage/Live

More on John Cale

About This Track

"Sabotage" is a track by John Cale, from the album Sabotage/Live, released 20th December 1979. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 1 article about John Cale.

About the Artist

John Cale

John Cale

Lyrics

Sabotage

[Verse 1]

Life is short and love is very sweet

Look at all the people running for their lives in the street

What they're running from? What they're running to?

Well, go down and ask them 'cause I wanna know too

[Verse 2]

Read and destroy everything that you read in the press

Read and destroy everything that you read in books

It's a waste of time, it's a waste of energy

It's a waste of paper and it's a waste of ink

Whatever you read in the books, leave it there

There's a word for that

[Chorus]

Sabotage

Sabotage

Sabotage

Sabotage

[Verse 3]

The military intelligence isn't what it used to be

So what? Human intelligence isn't what it used to be either

It's a rising expectation, it's a rising of the tide

The wards will discharge all their patients in the street

Are they hurt again? They are mine, yeah

Murderer

[Chorus]

Sabotage

Sabotage

Sabotage

Sabotage

Sabotage

[Outro]

Sabotage

Sabotage

Sabotage

Sabotage

Sabotage

Sabotage

Sabotage

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From Sabotage/Live

1979

Listen

Album

Release year

1979

—Captain Hook
—Walkin' the Dog
—Sabotage
—Dr. Mudd
—Evidence
—Mercenaries (Ready for War)
—Only Time Will Tell
—Chorale
—Baby You Know

More from John Cale

Albums & EPs

POPtical Illusion

POPtical Illusion

Mercy

Music for a New Society/M:FANS

Music for a New Society/M:FANS

Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood

Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood

Extra Playful: Transitions

Extra Playful

EP: Extra Playful

Live At Rockpalast (Live at Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983 & at Grugahalle Essen 13./14.10.1984)

Live At Rockpalast (Live at Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983 & at Grugahalle Essen 13./14.10.1984)

Circus Live

Black Acetate

Explore

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Standing Next to You

The Adventures of SupaCane

God Made Me Do It (Don’t Ask Me Again)POPtical Illusion

Edge of ReasonPOPtical Illusion

I'm AngryPOPtical Illusion

God Made Me Do It (Don't Ask Me Again)POPtical Illusion

Shark - SharkPOPtical Illusion

All to the GoodPOPtical Illusion

Davies and WalesPOPtical Illusion

How We See the LightPOPtical Illusion

Company CommanderPOPtical Illusion

Setting FiresPOPtical Illusion

Laughing in My SleepPOPtical Illusion

Calling You OutPOPtical Illusion

Funkball the BrewsterPOPtical Illusion

There Will Be No RiverPOPtical Illusion

TIME STANDS STILL (feat. Sylvan Esso)Mercy

EVERLASTING DAYS (feat. Animal Collective)Mercy

I KNOW YOU'RE HAPPY (feat Tei Shi)Mercy

THE LEGAL STATUS OF ICE (feat. The Fat White Family)Mercy

MARILYN MONROE'S LEGS (Beauty Elsewhere) [feat. Actress]Mercy

STORY OF BLOOD (feat. Weyes Blood)Mercy

MERCY (feat. Laurel Halo)Mercy

MARILYN MONROE'S LEGS (Beauty Elsewhere)Mercy

NIGHT CRAWLINGMercy

NOISE OF YOUMercy

I KNOW YOU'RE HAPPYMercy

THE LEGAL STATUS OF ICEMercy

NOT THE END OF THE WORLDMercy

TIME STANDS STILLMercy

EVERLASTING DAYSMercy

OUT YOUR WINDOWMercy

MOONSTRUCK (Nico's Song)Mercy

Corner of My Sky

Sanctus (Sanities) [Music For a New Society]Music for a New Society/M:FANS

Damn Life (Music For a New Society)Music for a New Society/M:FANS

Changes Made (Music For a New Society)

Thoughtless Kind (Outtakes) [Music For a New Society]Music for a New Society/M:FANS

Broken Bird (Music For a New Society)Music for a New Society/M:FANS

Risé, Sam and Rimsky Korsakov (Music For a New Society)Music for a New Society/M:FANS

Close Watch (Music For a New Society)Music for a New Society/M:FANS

Thoughtless Kind (Music For a New Society)

Thoughtless Kind (M:FANS]

If You Were Still Around (M:FANS)

View all tracks by John Cale →

Broken Bird (Music For a New Society)Music for a New Society/M:FANS
4:46
Close Watch (Music For a New Society)Music for a New Society/M:FANS
3:07
Damn Life (Music For a New Society)Music for a New Society/M:FANS
5:14
MOONSTRUCK (Nico's Song)Mercy
5:31
NIGHT CRAWLINGMercy
4:54
NOISE OF YOUMercy
5:16
NOT THE END OF THE WORLDMercy
6:17
OUT YOUR WINDOWMercy
5:14
Risé, Sam and Rimsky Korsakov (Music For a New Society)Music for a New Society/M:FANS
2:23
Sanctus (Sanities) [Music For a New Society]Music for a New Society/M:FANS
6:07

Showing 10 of 50

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READ MORE ABOUT JOHN CALE

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Charli XCX has collaborated with John Cale on new track 'House' for the 'Wuthering Heights' soundtrack - and there's an entire album coming

Charli XCX has collaborated with John Cale on new track 'House' for the 'Wuthering Heights' soundtrack - and there's an entire album coming

It's part of a whole album set for release in early December.

7 Nov 2025 • 11:18 am

Credits

Production & Engineering

Writer: John Cale
Producer: John Cale