Stevens' albums Tea for the Tillerman (1970) and Teaser and the Firecat (1971) were both certified triple platinum in the US by the RIAA. His 1972 album Catch Bull at Four sold half a million copies in the first two weeks of release alone and was Billboard's number-one LP for three consecutive weeks. He also earned two ASCAP songwriting awards in consecutive years for "The First Cut Is the Deepest"; the song has been a hit single for four different artists. Some of his other hit songs include, "Father and Son", "Wild World", "Peace Train", "Moonshadow" and "Morning Has Broken".
In December 1977, Stevens converted to Islam and adopted the name Yusuf Islam the following year. In 1979, he auctioned all his guitars for charity and left his music career to devote himself to educational and philanthropic causes in the Muslim community.Stevens became a convert to Islam in 1978 after a near-death experience. He adopted the name Yusuf Islam and became an outspoken advocate for the religion. Following his conversion, Yusuf abandoned his previous career as a pop star, with which he had always been uncomfortable. Song and the use of musical instruments is an area of debate in Islamic jurisprudence (law) and is the primary factor Cat Stevens retreated from the pop spotlight. At one point he wrote to the record companies asking that his music no longer be distributed, but his request was denied. Following Ayatollah Khomeini’s February 14, 1989 death fatwa against author Salman Rushdie, he made statements that were interpreted as endorsing the killing of Rushdie. On February 21, 1989, Yusuf Islam addressed students at Kingston University in London about his conversion to Islam and was asked about the controversy in the Muslim world and the fatwa calling for Salman Rushdie’s execution. He replied, “He must be killed. The Qur’an makes it clear - if someone defames the prophet, then he must die.” Despite this he has received several awards for his work in promoting peace in the world, including the 2003 World Award, the 2004 Man for Peace Award, and the 2007 Mediterranean Prize for Peace. Known professionally by the single name Yusuf, in 2006 he returned to pop music with his first album of new pop songs in 28 years, entitled An Other Cup. On 5 May 2009, he released the album Roadsinger. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
Bitter Blue
Cat Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't hand it back to me bitterblue
No bitterblue
Yes, I've done all one man can do
Don't pass me up oh bitterblue
My bitterblue
On this travelling ground
Wishing hard to be free
Of going round and round
Yes I've been moving a long time
But only up and down
I gave my last hope to you
Don't hand it back to me bitterblue
My bitterblue
I've done all one man can do
Please help me lose this bitterblue
My bitterblue
Cause I've been waiting a long time
Aeons been and gone --
Looking at the horizon
For my light to dawn
Oh yes I've been living a long time
Looking on and on
I've been running a long time
Summers come and gone --
Drifting under the dream clouds
Past the broken sun --
Yes I've been living a long time
To be back beyond
I gave my first chance to you
Don't hand it back bitterblue
My bitterblue
I've done all one man can do
Don't pass me up oh bitterblue
My bitterblue, bitterblue
I gave my last chance to you
Don't hand it back to me bitterblue
Cat Stevens's song Bitter Blue is a poignant expression of a man's plea to the person he loves to not give up on him. It is a song about a desperate need to break free from the monotony of life and to find a way to be truly happy. The lyrics are highly emotional and strikingly profound. The opening line of the song, "I gave my last chance to you/Don't hand it back to me bitterblue/No bitterblue", is a powerful introduction to the theme of the song. The singer is telling his beloved that he has no more chances left to give, and he's placing the responsibility of whether or not to hold on to those chances on their shoulders. "Bitterblue" is most likely being used as a metaphor for the pain and sadness that this relationship has caused him in the past. He doesn't want to be left feeling "bitter" again.
The next few lines reveal the extent of the singer's desperation. He has done everything he can to repair the relationship and wants nothing more than to be free of the emotional turmoil that comes with it. The repetition of "bitterblue" in the chorus further emphasizes the pain and suffering that the singer is feeling. He desperately wants this relationship to succeed and make him happy but fears that he will never be able to break free from the cycle of hurt and disappointment. The verse, "Cause I've been running a long time/On this travelling ground/Wishing hard to be free/Of going round and round" portrays the singer's frustration with the monotony of his life, and his longing to escape from his circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
I gave my last chance to you
I trusted you completely and gave you my last opportunity.
Don't hand it back to me bitterblue
Please don't disappoint me and return it in a state of sadness and regret.
No bitterblue
I don't want to face any more sadness and bitterness in my life.
Yes, I've done all one man can do
I've put in everything I had and did my best as one person.
Don't pass me up oh bitterblue
Please don't reject me and leave me with a feeling of bitterness.
My bitterblue
I don't want to experience any more pain in my life.
Cause I've been running a long time
I've been constantly moving through life for a long time.
On this travelling ground
Through the journey of life, I have traveled from one place to another.
Wishing hard to be free
I have been yearning for freedom from my current situation.
Of going round and round
I don't want to be stuck in a cycle of going through the same experiences over and over again.
Yes I've been moving a long time
I've been constantly changing and evolving over a period of time.
But only up and down
However, I've just been going up and down without any progress.
Please help me lose this bitterblue
I'm asking for help to overcome the sadness and bitterness inside me.
Cause I've been waiting a long time
I've been expecting and anticipating something for a long time.
Aeons been and gone --
Many centuries have passed by without any result.
Looking at the horizon
I have been searching for something in the distance, but it hasn't come yet.
For my light to dawn
I'm waiting for a sign of hope or a solution to my problems.
Oh yes I've been living a long time
I've been alive for a long time.
Looking on and on
I keep searching and looking for something that I haven't found yet.
Summers come and gone --
Many seasons have passed by, but nothing has changed significantly.
Drifting under the dream clouds
I'm floating aimlessly in my thoughts and imagination.
Past the broken sun --
I've experienced many broken or shattered aspects in my life.
To be back beyond
I'm longing to go back to a time or place that I'm nostalgic about.
I gave my first chance to you
You were the first one to whom I offered an opportunity to show your worth.
Don't hand it back bitterblue
Please don't return it in a state of sadness and negativity.
My bitterblue
I don't want to be hurt again and feel the bitterness of rejection.
Don't pass me up oh bitterblue
Please don't reject my efforts and leave me disappointed and hopeless.
Bitterblue, bitterblue
I am afraid of facing any more bitterness or pain in my life.
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