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.
Into White
Cat Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Green pepper walls and water ice
Tables of paper wood, windows of light
And everything emptying into white
A simple garden, with acres of sky
A Brown-haired dogmouse
If one dropped by
With everything emptying into white
A sad blue eyed drummer rehearses outside
A Black spider dancing on top of his eye
Red legged chicken stands ready to strike
And everything emptying into white
I built my house from barley rice
Green pepper walls and water ice
And everything emptying into white
The lyrics of Cat Stevens's song "Into White" are symbolic and ethereal, speaking to the power of imagination in creating one's own reality. Stevens begins by describing his house, which he has built from barley rice and features walls made of green peppers and windows of light. These seemingly odd choices convey the idea that one can create a home from even unconventional materials and that the home itself can be a place of nourishment and growth. The phrase "everything emptying into white" reinforces the sense of a blank canvas, a space where anything is possible.
Stevens goes on to describe a garden that is connected to the vast expanse of the sky, further embodying the idea of boundlessness and infinite possibility. The Brown-haired dogmouse that appears is an unusual creature, but their presence suggests that it is the imagination that brings life and vitality to the world. The name "Yellow Delanie" may be indicative of a particular person or entity, but it could also be symbolic of happiness and contentment, as this person sleeps soundly at night.
The line "And everything emptying into white" recurs throughout the song, acting as a refrain that ties everything together. The final lines repeat the same phrases from the beginning, implying that the song represents a kind of cycle, where everything ends up back where it started.
Line by Line Meaning
I built my house from barley rice
I created a home for myself out of simple and humble materials
Green pepper walls and water ice
I used unconventional materials like vegetables and frozen water to build my walls
Tables of paper wood, windows of light
I used delicate materials like paper wood and glass to create a space full of natural light
And everything emptying into white
My space is simple and peaceful, with everything coming together in a state of purity
A simple garden, with acres of sky
I have created a quiet and natural outdoor space with plenty of open sky
A Brown-haired dogmouse
A small and unassuming creature, a humble symbol of the simple joys in life
If one dropped by
My space is open and welcoming to all, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem
Yellow Delanie would sleep well at night
Even the smallest creatures in my space can find peace and comfort here
With everything emptying into white
All elements in my space come together in a state of purity and harmony
A sad blue eyed drummer rehearses outside
Even in the midst of sorrow and struggle, the beauty and purity of my space can be seen and felt
A Black spider dancing on top of his eye
Even the darkest and most frightening elements of the world can exist in harmony with the purity of my space
Red legged chicken stands ready to strike
Even creatures traditionally associated with violence or aggression can find a peaceful and harmonious existence in my space
And everything emptying into white
All elements in my space come together in a state of purity and harmony
I built my house from barley rice
I created a home for myself out of simple and humble materials
Green pepper walls and water ice
I used unconventional materials like vegetables and frozen water to build my walls
And everything emptying into white
My space is simple and peaceful, with everything coming together in a state of purity
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Yusuf Islam
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind