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John Cale – Set Me Free (1996) | Track profile | Dork

Tracks
John Cale
Walking on Locusts
Set Me Free

TRACK

Set Me Free

Release date: 24th September 1996

From Walking on Locusts

More on John Cale

About This Track

"Set Me Free" is a track by John Cale, from the album Walking on Locusts, released 24th September 1996. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 1 article about John Cale.

About the Artist

John Cale

John Cale

Lyrics

Set Me Free

[Verse 1]

There's a carnival lady in a ten gallon hat

She pulls a rabbit out of the hat

And sets it free, she sets it free

There's a pigeon in my chimney and it's powdering up the air

Powdering up the air and making it hard to breathe

Gonna set it free, it's free or fried

[Chorus]

Together again and again

Free again and again

[Verse 2]

The lady wants you to dance to the sound of the castanets

You're trying hard to forget

What she'd mean to you, if she should set you free

When you walk in the rain up to your ankles in water

Fixated on the vision of the hangman's daughter

And what she'd mean to you, when she'd set you free

[Chorus]

Free again and again

Together again and again

[Verse 3]

You hear a noise in the distance and you see the sun go down

The streets are full of junkies, there's a lot of them about

You feel them getting closer, they're breathing down your neck

You're the only one left, you're the only one left

Who doesn't wanna be free, you don't wanna be free

You never asked to be free again

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From Walking on Locusts

1996

Listen

Album

Walking on Locusts

Release year

1996

—Gatorville & Points East
—Entre Nous
—Some Friends
—Set Me Free
—Secret Corrida
—Crazy Egypt
—Dancing Undercover
—Tell Me Why
—Circus
—Indistinct Notion of Cool
—So What
—So Much for Love

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

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Shark - SharkPOPtical Illusion

All to the GoodPOPtical Illusion

Davies and WalesPOPtical Illusion

How We See the LightPOPtical Illusion

Company CommanderPOPtical Illusion

Setting FiresPOPtical Illusion

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Calling You OutPOPtical Illusion

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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

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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

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

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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
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4:54
NOISE OF YOUMercy
5:16
NOT THE END OF THE WORLDMercy
6:17
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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

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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