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.
Ruby Love
Cat Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'll be my love
You'll be my sky above
Who'll be my light?
You'll be my light
You'll be my day and night
You'll be mine tonight
Έλα ξανά
Έλα ξανά κοντά μου
Έλα πρωί, με την αυγή
Χρυσή σαν ηλιαχτίδα
Ruby μου μικρή
Who'll be my love?
You'll be my love
You'll be my sky above
Ruby, my light
You'll be my light
You'll be my day and night
You'll be mine tonight
In the song "Ruby Love" by Cat Stevens, the lyrics depict a love-struck individual who is expressing his affection towards his beloved, Ruby. He repeats the phrase "You'll be my love, you'll be my sky above, who'll be my light," which shows that he is searching for someone to give him guidance and that Ruby is that person for him. The following lines of the song reinforce his admiration by stating that she is his light and day and night, meaning that she is always on his mind and has become an essential part of his life.
The inclusion of the lyric in Greek adds a layer of complexity to the song. Stevens was born Steven Georgiou to a Greek Cypriot father and a Swedish mother. The use of the Greek language in this song may have been a nod to his heritage or to someone special to him. The Greek verse translates to "Ruby, my sweet, come again, come back to me again in the morning, with the dawn, golden as a sunbeam, my little Ruby." This verse further reinforces the theme of admiration and love.
Overall, "Ruby Love" is a straightforward love song with lyrics that convey a pure and genuine love. Stevens masterfully uses repetition, imagery, and the Greek language to convey the depth of his emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Ruby, my love
Addressing a character named Ruby with affection as Cat Stevens is deeply in love with her
You'll be my love
Assuring Ruby that she will be Cat Stevens's one and only true love
You'll be my sky above
Cat Stevens will always look up to Ruby as his guiding star and his everything
Who'll be my light?
Asking who will guide and bring light into Cat Stevens's life
You'll be my light
Declaring that Ruby will be the light in Cat Stevens's life, showing him the way and illuminating his path
You'll be my day and night
Ruby will be with Cat Stevens every moment of every day, making his life complete and meaningful
You'll be mine tonight
Cat Stevens is hoping to spend this night, and every night after, with Ruby
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Yusuf Islam
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind