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.
How Can I Tell You
Cat Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I love you
I love you
But I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you
That I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you
Just blow away
It always ends up to one thing, honey
And I can't think of right words to say
Wherever I am girl
I'm always walking with you
I'm always walking with you
But I look and you're not there
Whoever I'm with
I'm always, always talking to you
I'm always talking to you
And I'm sad that you can't hear
Sad that you can't hear
It always ends up to one thing, honey
When I look and you're not there
I need to know you
Need to feel my arms around you
Feel my arms around you
Like a sea around a shore
Each night and day I pray
In hope that I might find you
In hope that I might find you
Because heart's can do no more
Can do no more
It always ends up to one thing, honey
Still I kneel upon the floor
How can I tell you
That I love you
I love you
But I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you
That I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you
It always ends up to one thing, honey
And I can't think of right words to say
The lyrics of "How Can I Tell You" by Cat Stevens express the dilemma of an individual who is deeply in love but cannot find the right words to express his feelings to his beloved. He yearns to convey his affection and reveal that he is always thinking of her but his words seem to just blow away. The singer feels that he is connected to his beloved whenever he is walking, talking, or thinking. Her absence makes him sad, and he wishes to hold her in his arms like the sea around the shore. The song expresses a deep longing to be with someone and the frustration of not being able to find the right words to communicate it.
The song reflects the universal experience of struggling to express complex emotions in words. The singer's inability to find the right words to convey his feelings is a relatable experience for many, making the song an enduring classic. The lyrics are simple yet poetic, with the repetition of the phrase "I love you" accentuating the depth of emotion that cannot be fully expressed through words.
Line by Line Meaning
How can I tell you
Expressing the difficulty the singer faces in attempting to convey their feelings to the person they love
That I love you
Admitting to having strong romantic feelings toward the person they are addressing
I love you
Reaffirming the singer's love for the person they are speaking to
But I can't think of right words to say
Stating why they are unable to express their love in words, as the artist finds it hard to articulate their feelings.
I long to tell you
Expressing the intensity of the artist's desire to share their feelings with the person they love
That I'm always thinking of you
Admitting that the person they love is constantly on their mind, and they think of them frequently
But my words just blow away
Stating that whenever they try to vocalize their emotions, their words fail to convey their true feelings
Just blow away
Emphasizing how their words seem to disappear without having the desired effect
It always ends up to one thing, honey
Reflecting that their attempts to express their love always come down to one crucial issue
And I can't think of right words to say
Reiterating that the artist is struggling to find the perfect way of expressing their affections towards the person they love.
Wherever I am girl
Asserting that the person they love is always present in their thoughts and imaginations.
I'm always walking with you
Metaphorically linking their love to a journey they are always taking with the person they love so deeply
But I look and you're not there
Expressing the sadness and disappointment of not being able to see the person they love beside them
Whoever I'm with
Stating how the person they love is always on their mind, no matter where they are or who they are with
I'm always, always talking to you
Describing how they constantly converse with the person they love, even when they are not physically present
And I'm sad that you can't hear
Expressing the pain and sadness of not being able to communicate effectively with the person they love
Sad that you can't hear
Emphasizing how heartbroken they are that the person they love cannot hear their words or understand their feelings.
It always ends up to one thing, honey
Reiterating that the major issue affecting their efforts to convey their love is their inability to find the right words.
When I look and you're not there
Stating how the emptiness and absence of the person they love is a constant difficulty that they struggle to overcome
I need to know you
Highlighting how much the artist yearns for intimacy with the person they love
Need to feel my arms around you
Illustrating the artist's desire to embrace the person they love
Feel my arms around you
Emphasizing how much they long to be physically close to the person they love.
Like a sea around a shore
Using a simile to illustrate the intensity of their love surrounding their loved one like water surrounds a beach.
Each night and day I pray
Relating how the artist begs and wishes for the opportunity to express their love and relationship to the person they adore
In hope that I might find you
Confirming the singer's wish for eternal love from the person they desire
Because heart's can do no more
Suggesting that their extreme passion for this person is beyond anything that spoken or written language can capture or express.
Can do no more
Implying that the depth of their feelings transcends any meaningful attempt at verbal communication, which only adds frustration.
Still I kneel upon the floor
Describing the helplessness and powerlessness of the artist as they struggle to find the right words to express their love.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Yusuf Islam
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@punkrockrules205
How can I tell you
That I love you
I love you
But I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you
That I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you
But my words just blow away
Just blow away
It always ends up to one thing, honey
And I can't think of right words to say
Wherever I am girl
I'm always walking with you
I'm always walking with you
But I look and you're not there
Whoever I'm with
I'm always, always talking to you
I'm always talking to you
And I'm sad that you can't hear
Sad that you can't hear
It always ends up to one thing, honey
When I look and you're not there
I need to know you
Need to feel my arms around you
Feel my arms around you
Like a sea around a shore
Each night and day I pray
In hope that I might find you
In hope that I might find you
Because heart's can do no more
Can do no more
It always ends up to one thing, honey
Still I kneel upon the floor
How can I tell you
That I love you
I love you
But I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you
That I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you
It always ends up to one thing, honey
And I can't think of right words to say
@paradisecaregiving7126
"How Can I Tell You"
How can I tell you that I love you, I love you
But I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you that I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you, but my words
Just blow away, just blow away
It always ends up to one thing, honey
And I can't think of right words to say
Wherever I am girl, I'm always walking with you
I'm always walking with you, but I look and you're not there
Whoever I'm with, I'm always, always talking to you
I'm always talking to you, and I'm sad that
You can't hear, sad that you can't hear
It always ends up to one thing, honey,
When I look and you're not there
I need to know you, need to feel my arms around you
Feel my arms around you, like a sea around a shore
And - each night and day I pray, in hope
That I might find you, in hope that I might
Find you, because heart's can do no more
It always ends up to one thing honey, still I kneel upon the floor
How can I tell you that I love you, I love you
But I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you that I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you....
It always ends up to one thing honey
And I can't think of right words to say
@rickythomas7304
I sang this song to my first love in the 9th grade.... I was 14.....At 69 years old I wake up in the middle of the night....And I get up close to her and I still sing this song.....
@michelguerinel9692
I was 18, and it's always the same emotion . I'm now 69, and I tell those "out of time" magic words to the woman I love. She discovers, each time
@pandapopluvsursnor
This is the sweetest thing
@paddington3028
You are a very lucky man
@wendyfischer1461
❤
@rickythomas7304
@Wendy Fischer I'm laffin!....She wears a C-Pap and I don't a bit of rest!...😂
@blairsterling6141
This came from our generation of peace, love, tolerance, and forgiveness. We didn't shoot kids in schools. We didn't shoot people in grocery stores. We advocated PEACE, LOVE, ACCEPTANCE. We didn't own guns. We had the courage and the guts to love.
@natalierampone9750
So true. And people wonder why there is so many mental health issues.
@clydeletreta6325
Yes, good old days when love ruled..😊
@richardagreen
☮️💙