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Cat Stevens |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Stratford-Upon-Avon
Posts: 37,540
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Cat Stevens
I was raised on the music of this man as both my parents are huge fans of this, and I've often found he is much unnapreciated when it comes to discussing British music.
Aside from his classics such as The First Cut Is The Deepest, Wild World and Father & Son (which are all sublime), he has an amazing catalogue of songs that perhaps are less well known. My favourite song of his is a cover of Morning Has Broken, which really moves me. Nobody else my age (19-20) really seem to know of him (they know of his songs from versions of others), and I think it's such a shame for him (although I appreciate he wouldn't see it that way.) Not so keen on his work as Yusuf Islam (losing him to Islam is the one of the greatest tragedies of British music, in my opinion )
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#2 |
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,037
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Lilywhite is my favourite Cat Stevens song, I think it's beautiful. Ricky Gervais picked it as one of his Desert Island Discs.
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,198
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One of my favourites is a really beautiful song called Sad Lisa.
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#4 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,699
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He was OK until his apparent mockery over the fatwa imposed against Salmon Rushdie by the Ayatollah Khomeini. Now he's just a bearded t*sser with a stupid name. Just my opinion.
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#5 |
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,796
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I've always loved "Lady D'Arbanville" and "Peace Train".
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#6 |
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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Quote:
One of my favourites is a really beautiful song called Sad Lisa.
![]() I also like Tea For The Tillerman and wish it was longer (although the choir that burst out halfway through never fail to scare the life out of me!) |
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#7 |
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Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2,443
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He not only had hits of his own but he had hits writing for others. The First Cut Is The Deepest was originally written for PP Arnold and was a top 10 hit for her in 1967. It was revived years later by Rod Stewart, then Sheryl Crow. Likewise the Tremeloes had their first big hit with Here Comes My Baby in the same year. Folk singer Linda Lewis had a surprise hit in the '70s with Cat Stevens Remember The Days Of The Old Schoolyard. He gave up the music business not long after that.
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#8 |
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Join Date: Dec 2006
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I like Here Comes My Baby myself.
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#9 |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 17,858
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i just got his greatest hits
many lovely lovely songs |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Dec 2007
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Moonshadow is another good one.
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#11 |
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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Here Comes My Baby is a great song- it has a real 60's sound to it which I like.
I Love My Dog (released when he was considered a teen idol!) is also a nice song. |
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#12 |
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Join Date: Nov 2010
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I agree entirely, OP. I think leaving the music industry and the later scandals meant his reputation isn't what it should have been. Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat are two of the finest albums of the '70s, in my opinion. When he was at the top of his game his work was wonderful. It's amazing what a string of albums he had with Mona Bone Jakon, Tillerman, Teaser and then Catch Bull at Four. He deserves more recognition and respect than he gets.
I quite like him as Yusuf too. Roadsinger is a pretty good album - better than a few of the later Cat albums, and An Other Cup isn't all that bad - though perhaps a bit too religious. I saw him live last year and his voice is still as great. He was able to captivate an arena full of people even as a grey-haired, older man. I would definitely recommend any fans go see him live if they ever get the chance. |
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#13 |
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Join Date: Feb 2004
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Mathew & Son and the b side Granny are my favs - still have the originall single.
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#14 |
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,342
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Can't Keep It In is my favourite from the Cat.
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#15 |
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Join Date: Mar 2008
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He is indeed brilliant and sadly often dismissed as boring/easy listening.
I love his many short gems like But I Might Die Tonight but my favourite has to be The Foreigner Suite, an 18 minute masterpiece. |
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#16 |
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 274
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I adore Cat Stevens. I pretty much grew up with my Dad playing his records over and over again, and I think he's got a beautiful voice and sings with such meaning. I really wish more modern music had those qualities.
Song wise, my favourites have to be Father & Son, Morning Has Broken and Moonshadow. |
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#17 |
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: The Green Hills of Earth
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Father and Son is fantastic. A great talent.
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#18 |
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Join Date: Jul 2006
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A brilliant songwriter, definitely.
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#19 |
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3,291
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Quote:
Moonshadow is another good one.
Personal favourite has always been Peace Train - every since I first heard it almost too many years ago. Regardless of his more recent antics, he's still a truly great songwriter. |
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#20 |
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: derby
Posts: 14,765
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hmm.... his 60's material was impressive, his singles great, but imho he went too hippy in the 70's and for me lost the appeal of his 60's material.
dont forget "im gonna get me a gun" but "matthew and son" , "lady d'arbanville" were brilliant. |
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#21 |
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Belfast
Posts: 7,287
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Quote:
Here Comes My Baby is a great song- it has a real 60's sound to it which I like.
I Love My Dog (released when he was considered a teen idol!) is also a nice song. Here Comes My Baby - Sons of Admirals I don't know why these guys didn't do more. Lady D'Arbanville is my fav Cat Stevens song. |
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#22 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 344
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I agree. My faves are probably Wild world, here comes my baby....there are many others that are great....
He's actually a friend of someone in my family, I walked passed him once and didn't realise who he was. I've also met his daughters...very sweet girls but all hijabed up etc.. Oh well. I don't understand why a grown adult would 'find god.' Takes all sorts... |
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#23 |
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Belfast
Posts: 7,287
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Quote:
I agree. My faves are probably Wild world, here comes my baby....there are many others that are great....
He's actually a friend of someone in my family, I walked passed him once and didn't realise who he was. I've also met his daughters...very sweet girls but all hijabed up etc.. Oh well. I don't understand why a grown adult would 'find god.' Takes all sorts... |
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#24 |
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Stratford-Upon-Avon
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I've always found it quite sad that Cat changed so drastically after finding Islam.
I feel we were robbed, in a way, of many years of great material. Interesting to read on another website that his son is now playing non-religious music. |
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#25 |
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,137
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Quote:
It does suggest that finding Islam ( rather than God) hasn't really helped his creative side, his best work is well in the past.
Quote:
I've always found it quite sad that Cat changed so drastically after finding Islam.
I feel we were robbed, in a way, of many years of great material. Interesting to read on another website that his son is now playing non-religious music. |
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