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.
Changes IV
Cat Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From another side of time
Breaking down the walls of silence
Lifting shadows from your mind
Placing back the missing mirrors
That before you couldn't find
Filling mysteries of emptiness
That yesterday left behind
And we all know it's better
Yesterday has past
Now let's all start the living
For the one that's going to last
Yes we all know it's better
Yesterday has past
Now let's all start living
For the one that's going to last
Don't you feel the day is coming
That will stay and remain
When your children see the answers
That you saw the same
When the clouds have all gone
There will be no more rain
And the beauty of all things
Is uncovered again
And we all know it's better
Yesterday has past
Now let's all start the living
For the one that's going to last
Yes we all know it's better
Yesterday has past
Now let's all start living
For the one that's going to last
Don't you feel the day is coming
And it won't be too soon
When the people of the world
Can all live in one room
When we shake off the ancient
Shake off the ancient chains of our tomb
We will all be born again
Of the eternal womb
And we all know it's better
Yesterday has past
Now let's all start the living
For the one that's going to last
Yes we all know it's better
Yesterday has past
Now let's all start living
For the one that's going to last
Let's all start living
Let's all start living, living, living, living
For the one that's going last
(The one that's going to last)
(The one that's going to last)
Cat Stevens's song "Changes IV" encourages the listener to embrace change and live for a better tomorrow. The lyrics suggest that change is inevitable and that it is necessary to grow and evolve. The song's theme is broken down into three distinct parts, each of which shares a similar message about embracing change. The first part of the song addresses changes that have occurred in the past, urging the listener to look forward to a new future. The second part of the song portrays the present and describes the beauty that can be uncovered if we embrace change. The last part of the song paints a picture of a better future in which we can all live in peace as one.
The lyrics "Placing back the missing mirrors that before you couldn't find" suggest that sometimes when we go through changes, we forget who we are and may even lose our sense of self. The "missing mirrors" here represent our reflection and serve as a symbol for our identity. The song suggests that we can reconnect with ourselves when we embrace change and find our identity again.
Overall, "Changes IV" is a call to action to live in the present and look to the future with hope, embracing change along the way. The song's inspiring lyrics and uplifting melody have made it a popular track, inspiring people around the world to embrace change and live life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't you feel a change a coming
Can't you sense a shift in the air?
From another side of time
From a dimension beyond our own
Breaking down the walls of silence
Destroying the barriers that keep us quiet
Lifting shadows from your mind
Removing the darkness that clouds our thoughts
Placing back the missing mirrors
Restoring our ability to see ourselves
That before you couldn't find
That we previously could not locate
Filling mysteries of emptiness
Resolving the enigmas of nothingness
That yesterday left behind
Left behind from our previous days
And we all know it's better
We all understand it's an improvement
Yesterday has past
Yesterday is gone
Now let's all start the living
It's time to embrace living fully
For the one that's going to last
For the change that will endure
Don't you feel the day is coming
Can't you feel the day approaching
That will stay and remain
That will persist and exist
When your children see the answers
When the solutions come to light for your offspring
That you saw the same
Similar to what you've seen before
When the clouds have all gone
When the fog has lifted
There will be no more rain
There will be no more sorrows
And the beauty of all things
And the magnificence of everything
Is uncovered again
Is exposed once more
Don't you feel the day is coming
Do you not feel the day drawing near
And it won't be too soon
And it won't be long now
When the people of the world
When all of humanity
Can all live in one room
Can coexist in harmony
When we shake off the ancient
When we discard the old
Shake off the ancient chains of our tomb
Get rid of the old weights that have been dragging us down
We will all be born again
We will all be reborn
Of the eternal womb
From the womb of eternity
Let's all start living
Let's all begin to live
Let's all start living, living, living, living
Let's all commence living, living, living, living
For the one that's going last
For the enduring change
(The one that's going to last)
(The change that will persist)
(The one that's going to last)
(The change that will endure)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: YUSUF ISLAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind