Katmandu
Cat Stevens Lyrics
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Beneath the mire
Cold, gray, dusty day
The morning lake
Drinks up the sky
Katmandu, I'll soon be seeing you
And your strange, bewildering time
Chop me some broken wood
We'll start a fire
White, warm, light the dawn
And help me see
Old Satan's tree
Katmandu, I'll soon be touching you
And your strange, bewildering time
Will hold me down
Pass me my hat and coat
Lock up the cabin
Slow night, treat me right
Until I go
Be nice to know
Katmandu, I'll soon be seeing you
And your strange, bewildering time
Will keep me home
Cat Stevens's "Katmandu" is a song about escapism and the search for spiritual enlightenment. The lyrics describe the singer sitting in a desolate, gloomy place, possibly symbolizing a state of depression, while longing to escape to Katmandu. The city is depicted as a place of wonder and mystery, with a strange and bewildering sense of time that the singer is looking forward to experiencing.
The second verse talks about starting a fire and lighting up the dawn, which could symbolize the hope the singer has of finding light and clarity in life. Reference is made to "Old Satan's tree," which could be alluding to temptation and evil, which the singer hopes to leave behind in Katmandu.
The final verse sees the singer getting ready to leave and hoping for a peaceful night before the journey. The term "slow night, treat me right," could be interpreted as the singer asking for a peaceful, low-key stay before embarking on the unknown. Finally, the song ends with the phrase "And your strange, bewildering time will keep me home" indicating that the singer will find a sense of belonging in this strange and wonderful city.
Line by Line Meaning
I sit beside the dark
The singer is sitting in a gloomy place.
Beneath the mire
The singer is under a muddy and dirty place.
Cold, gray, dusty day
The weather is unpleasant and desolate.
The morning lake
There is a body of water nearby.
Drinks up the sky
The lake absorbs the colors of the sky, making it seem as though the sky is being drunk.
Katmandu, I'll soon be seeing you
The singer is eager to visit Katmandu soon.
And your strange, bewildering time
The singer expects there to be unusual and perplexing occurrences in Katmandu.
Will hold me down
The new experiences in Katmandu will captivate and anchor the artist there.
Chop me some broken wood
The artist needs some wood that has already been broken into pieces for a fire.
We'll start a fire
The artist and someone else will begin a fire.
White, warm, light the dawn
The fire will provide a bright and warm light in the early morning.
And help me see
The artist will be able to see better with the light from the fire.
Old Satan's tree
A tree that the singer associates with the devil.
Katmandu, I'll soon be touching you
The singer is looking forward to reaching and experiencing Katmandu soon.
Pass me my hat and coat
The singer requests their hat and coat to put on.
Lock up the cabin
The artist needs to lock up a cabin or related structure for safekeeping.
Slow night, treat me right
The artist hopes for a relaxing and comfortable evening.
Until I go
The singer will be leaving soon after this good night.
Be nice to know
The singer expresses appreciation for the consideration and treatment they are receiving.
Katmandu, I'll soon be seeing you
The artist repeats their excitement for their upcoming travels.
And your strange, bewildering time
The artist expects unconventional and disorienting experiences in Katmandu.
Will keep me home
The artist anticipates that they will want to stay in Katmandu for an extended period of time due to the captivating experiences they are looking forward to having.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Yusuf Islam
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind