Thursday, February 5, 2009
I've been really mad at Yusuf Islam for a long time...
...as though it matters...
I can easily name the first "serious" albums I ever bought. These were my albums - my music - my time. Before this any records I had and played were my sisters or maybe even my mothers. (She had this really cool album that I wish I still had - it was hit tunes from various movies like The Magnificant Seven and Lawrence of Arabia).
But my sophomore year in high school I began to build my own collection. Amoung the initial purchases was a Three Dog Night - Greatest Hits, Carol King - Tapestry (remember how innovative "Its Too Late" seemed at the time?), Stephen Stills - Stephen Stills II where I found Singing Call and of course Cat Stevens - Teaser and the FireCat.
Teaser and the FireCat. I must have played this album a million times. I loved all of his work - Morning Has Broken, Moonshadow, Wild World, Two Fine People and all the others. But the one song that knocked the breath out of me even at 14 or 15 years of age was "The Wind".
There is something about this song that identified me then and identifies me now.
Fast forward several years and suddenly the news reports that Cat Stevens had embraced a new religion, taken a new name and was vowing to withdraw from public life never to sing for the masses again. Forget about singing for the masses, I needed him to sing for me!
So for years I've been mad at him for abandoning me. Then a couple of days ago I ran across this video on YouTube. As I watched the video I heard the same true voice and when he started the second verse the camera came in close and I looked at those familiar gentle eyes and it all fell away.
Yusuf did what we all do, he traveled down his own road. We all do. Some of us do it with caution, some with zeal. To some it flows seamlessly and for some its a series of false starts and stops. But the truth is we each have a jouney that is uniquly our own.
There was a time when I thought I knew where I was going and how it was going to play out. I was wrong. I thought I had a plan for my life but as it turned out life had a plan for me. And in realizing that it all comes full circle doesn't it? The same verse that my soul recognised as a youth is still true...maybe even more true than the day I first heard it...
Cat Stevens sang and Yusuf sings..."where I'll end up well I think only God really knows"...
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6 comments:
Cara, I've always wondered what the story was with Cat Stevens. I was also a huge fan of his, especially, of Tea for the Tillerman. Part of what I loved in his songs was his spirituality. Having spent some time listening to the interviews, I understand where he's coming from. Thanks for this insightful post!
Janelle - I have had periods of my life where I was very "full of myself" but anymore I know that it will take everything I have to explain myself before God without worring about anybody else. His journey is his own as is mine and yours and everyones - I have found a nice peace in finally realizing that -
Great video. I forgot how much I enjoy his "voice". When I had my first apartment, I could afford just a few albums. Bridge over troubled waters, and Crosby Stills and Nash (forget the title now). I would listen to them over and over in a ...ahem...weird state of mind...
Gosh just the names of these groups flood my mind with memories.
I saw a few people in person at a small club in Los Angeles "Troubadore". Carly Simon, Randy Newman, and a few others before they became real big. I remember seeing Arlo Guthrie in concert.
gosh the memories are now coming...
I need to go put some music on and get busy! or dance while I'm cleaning house.
Sandy - I was just telling Dana this weekend about how I would lock my bedroom door and put on a stack of records and dance till I was worn out. Hey, that's a pretty good idea - maybe i'll start doing that again!
WOW! This for me too was a trip back in time. I had to stop and think, was it someone ells or was it me, it was of course me.. Cara! I thank you for being.
Gerald - thank you so much for visiting this site - I am so glad you got a kick out of it. I hope you come back ..often...
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