Great song, great thread, nice to read some thoughtful comments. Having just recently been introduced to the song through 'Extras', I have some thoughts for your consideration:
1) Tea for the Tillerman - caffeine for the boatman to stay alert, on course, and get to the destination safely. Steak for the Sun - meat for strength during the work performed (traditional manual labor during daylight) requires protein. Wine for the women who made the rain come - libations are not necessary, but for many make life more enjoyable or even tolerable; 'women' indicating love of significant other, and rain helping crops but hindering production and both necessary and unavoidable. Seagulls singing is nature's beauty, and children playing is blah, blah, blah...:-)
2) I think Ricky Gervais choice of this 1970 song for his 2005/6/7 series is subversive; Cat Stevens is a British subject of East Asian lineage, now known as Yusef Islam and who refuses to play or discuss his work as 'Cat Stevens'. I think Gervais is acknowledging a great song with a point-of-view, and thumbing a pretentious twat who has turned his back on the values of the country that nurtured him and provided him with the choices he now has.
Anyway, this song has been in my head for days, and I still don't mind it!:-)
Cat Steven is not of East Asian lineage. (I think you meant "descent".) His parent were Swedish and Greek. And i don't see who else's business it is if he no longer plays or discusses his past work.
Cat Steven is not of East Asian lineage. (I think you meant "descent".) His parent were Swedish and Greek. And i don't see who else's business it is if he no longer plays or discusses his past work.
Once a brilliant songwriter and performer, it's his prerogative to do as he pleases with his life. I don't see why he is being constantly condemned for refusing to revel in his success. Isn't the music enough? Can't you just enjoy what he left and accept that he has chosen a different life path (one which most probably disagree with)?
Once a brilliant songwriter and performer, it's his prerogative to do as he pleases with his life. I don't see why he is being constantly condemned for refusing to revel in his success. Isn't the music enough? Can't you just enjoy what he left and accept that he has chosen a different life path (one which most probably disagree with)?
Point is, current religion and nationalism should have absolutely nothing to do with the songs of his past. Just shut up and listen to them.
Point is, current religion and nationalism should have absolutely nothing to do with the songs of his past. Just shut up and listen to them.
ThomYorkeGuy, why should Cat Stevens' religion and nationalism have nothign to do with the songs of his past? Because you SAY SO?!?!! That is very Muslim in your thinking, trying to tell everyone else what to do.
ThomYorkeGuy, why should Cat Stevens' religion and nationalism have nothign to do with the songs of his past? Because you SAY SO?!?!! That is very Muslim in your thinking, trying to tell everyone else what to do.
Cat Stevens is the one who turned his back on this body of work, and made his religion a big deal and approved of the fatwa issued on Salman Rushdie. "Peace Train" indeed, Cat Stevens is a silly prat who is rightly mocked. Charles Manson wrote songs, should we all just "shut up and listen to them?"
Cat Stevens is the one who turned his back on this body of work, and made his religion a big deal and approved of the fatwa issued on Salman Rushdie. "Peace Train" indeed, Cat Stevens is a silly prat who is rightly mocked. Charles Manson wrote songs, should we all just "shut up and listen to them?"
Where did you get your info JAYCeezy, I have seen Yusef/ Cat play just last year in London actually. It was amazing he played old songs new songs, and like one cover. Just wanted to clear things up a bunch of people think since he a now a Muslim he is out to get the western world.
These are false accusations. He was however not allowed into the united states because they though he was involved with terrorists(which is preposterous) The secretary of state at the time Colin Powel had to make a personal phone call to let him in....
Where did you get your info JAYCeezy, I have seen Yusef/ Cat play just last year in London actually. It was amazing he played old songs new songs, and like one cover. Just wanted to clear things up a bunch of people think since he a now a Muslim he is out to get the western world.
These are false accusations. He was however not allowed into the united states because they though he was involved with terrorists(which is preposterous) The secretary of state at the time Colin Powel had to make a personal phone call to let him in. He and Dolly Parton where being held in an airport for involvement with terrorists.
Once there is a Muslim in the spotlight our mass-media tries oh so hard to shut them down and label them as a free people hater and who only wants to cause destruction
Great song, great thread, nice to read some thoughtful comments. Having just recently been introduced to the song through 'Extras', I have some thoughts for your consideration: 1) Tea for the Tillerman - caffeine for the boatman to stay alert, on course, and get to the destination safely. Steak for the Sun - meat for strength during the work performed (traditional manual labor during daylight) requires protein. Wine for the women who made the rain come - libations are not necessary, but for many make life more enjoyable or even tolerable; 'women' indicating love of significant other, and rain helping crops but hindering production and both necessary and unavoidable. Seagulls singing is nature's beauty, and children playing is blah, blah, blah...:-) 2) I think Ricky Gervais choice of this 1970 song for his 2005/6/7 series is subversive; Cat Stevens is a British subject of East Asian lineage, now known as Yusef Islam and who refuses to play or discuss his work as 'Cat Stevens'. I think Gervais is acknowledging a great song with a point-of-view, and thumbing a pretentious twat who has turned his back on the values of the country that nurtured him and provided him with the choices he now has.
Anyway, this song has been in my head for days, and I still don't mind it!:-)
Cat Steven is not of East Asian lineage. (I think you meant "descent".) His parent were Swedish and Greek. And i don't see who else's business it is if he no longer plays or discusses his past work.
Cat Steven is not of East Asian lineage. (I think you meant "descent".) His parent were Swedish and Greek. And i don't see who else's business it is if he no longer plays or discusses his past work.
I agree with you, azkm, on your latter sentence.
I agree with you, azkm, on your latter sentence.
Once a brilliant songwriter and performer, it's his prerogative to do as he pleases with his life. I don't see why he is being constantly condemned for refusing to revel in his success. Isn't the music enough? Can't you just enjoy what he left and accept that he has chosen a different life path (one which most probably disagree with)?
Once a brilliant songwriter and performer, it's his prerogative to do as he pleases with his life. I don't see why he is being constantly condemned for refusing to revel in his success. Isn't the music enough? Can't you just enjoy what he left and accept that he has chosen a different life path (one which most probably disagree with)?
Point is, current religion and nationalism should have absolutely nothing to do with the songs of his past. Just shut up and listen to them.
Point is, current religion and nationalism should have absolutely nothing to do with the songs of his past. Just shut up and listen to them.
ThomYorkeGuy, why should Cat Stevens' religion and nationalism have nothign to do with the songs of his past? Because you SAY SO?!?!! That is very Muslim in your thinking, trying to tell everyone else what to do.
ThomYorkeGuy, why should Cat Stevens' religion and nationalism have nothign to do with the songs of his past? Because you SAY SO?!?!! That is very Muslim in your thinking, trying to tell everyone else what to do.
Cat Stevens is the one who turned his back on this body of work, and made his religion a big deal and approved of the fatwa issued on Salman Rushdie. "Peace Train" indeed, Cat Stevens is a silly prat who is rightly mocked. Charles Manson wrote songs, should we all just "shut up and listen to them?"
Cat Stevens is the one who turned his back on this body of work, and made his religion a big deal and approved of the fatwa issued on Salman Rushdie. "Peace Train" indeed, Cat Stevens is a silly prat who is rightly mocked. Charles Manson wrote songs, should we all just "shut up and listen to them?"
Where did you get your info JAYCeezy, I have seen Yusef/ Cat play just last year in London actually. It was amazing he played old songs new songs, and like one cover. Just wanted to clear things up a bunch of people think since he a now a Muslim he is out to get the western world. These are false accusations. He was however not allowed into the united states because they though he was involved with terrorists(which is preposterous) The secretary of state at the time Colin Powel had to make a personal phone call to let him in....
Where did you get your info JAYCeezy, I have seen Yusef/ Cat play just last year in London actually. It was amazing he played old songs new songs, and like one cover. Just wanted to clear things up a bunch of people think since he a now a Muslim he is out to get the western world. These are false accusations. He was however not allowed into the united states because they though he was involved with terrorists(which is preposterous) The secretary of state at the time Colin Powel had to make a personal phone call to let him in. He and Dolly Parton where being held in an airport for involvement with terrorists. Once there is a Muslim in the spotlight our mass-media tries oh so hard to shut them down and label them as a free people hater and who only wants to cause destruction