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.
I Think I See The Light
Cat Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Until I found somebody, there was no one I preferred,
My heart was made of stone, my eyes saw only misty grey,
Until you came into my life girl, I saw everyone that way.
Until I found the one I needed at my side,
I think I would have been a sad man all my life.
I think I see the light coming to me,
So shine, shine, shine,
Shine, shine, shine,
Shine, shine, shine.
I used to walk alone, every step seemed the same.
This world was not my home, so there was nothing much to gain.
Look up and see the clouds, look down and see the cold floor.
Until you came into my life girl, I saw nothing, nothing more.
Until I found the one I needed at my side,
I think I would have been a sad man all my life.
I think I see the light coming to me,
Coming through me giving me a second sight.
So shine, shine, shine,
Shine, shine, shine,
Shine, shine, shine.
The lyrics of "I Think I See The Light" by Cat Stevens tell a story of a person who once had a very bleak outlook towards life. The lines "I used to trust nobody, trusting even less their words" and "My heart was made of stone, my eyes saw only misty grey" paint a picture of someone who was once mistrustful and cynical about the world around them. However, everything changes when the singer finds someone who he loves and trusts, to the point where he can say "there was no one I preferred". This person, who is specified as a girl, has a transformative effect on his life, and changes the way he sees the world.
The lyrics also talk about how he saw nothing but 'grey', implying that everything appeared to be monotonous and mundane. However, when this girl came into his life, he was able to break free from this cycle and start to see things differently: "Look up and see the clouds, look down and see the cold floor, until you came into my life girl, I saw nothing, nothing more". The chorus of the song, which repeats the word "shine" three times, adds to the sense of transformation and rebirth. Perhaps the most powerful part of this song is the idea that the singer's life would have been entirely different had he not found this person: "Until I found the one I needed at my side, I think I would have been a sad man all my life."
Overall, the lyrics of "I Think I See The Light" are a celebration of the power of love, and how it can change a person's life in meaningful ways. The song is a reminder to appreciate the people in our lives who make us better, and to acknowledge the transformative power of human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to trust nobody, trusting even less their words,
I was once a very distrusting person who didn't believe anyone, especially not what they said.
Until I found somebody, there was no one I preferred,
But then I met someone who I liked more than anyone else in the world.
My heart was made of stone, my eyes saw only misty grey,
Before that, I was emotionally hardened and couldn't see the bright side of things.
Until you came into my life girl, I saw everyone that way.
But once you joined my life, you made me see the good in people again.
Until I found the one I needed at my side,
If I hadn't found you to be my partner,
I think I would have been a sad man all my life.
I believe I would have lived the rest of my life being unhappy.
I think I see the light coming to me,
I believe that I'm starting to understand the positive side of things.
Coming through me giving me a second sight.
It's as if I'm seeing the world in a new light and gaining a fresh, optimistic outlook.
So shine, shine, shine,
This newfound positivity fills me with an urge to shine and radiate my newfound joy.
Shine, shine, shine,
I want to share this happiness with everyone I come across.
Shine, shine, shine.
Let the light in me shine and spread its warmth to others.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: STEVENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind