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.
Ruins
Cat Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stones crumbling under my feet I see smoke for miles around
Oh it's enough to make you weep, all that remains of the main street
Up in the park on Sunday, dogs chasing and the children played
Old man with his head down, can't see nothing more around, no
But he remembers how it used to be, back in the old days,
So nice to see you coming back in this town again
In the afternoon, so nice to see you coming back in this town again
Ah but it's all changed winter turned on a man
Came down on day when no-one was looking and it
Stole away the land, people running scared, losing hands
Dodging shadows of falling sand, buildings standing like empty shells
And nobody...helping no-one else
Young child with his hands high, ain't able to see no reason why, no
But he remembers how it used to be, back in the old days,
So nice to see you coming back in this town again
It's nice to see a friendly face come peeping through
You'd better know what you're going through now
You came back here to find your home is a black horizon
That you don't recognize, evil destruction has taken everything
You'd better walk on the side while you're still walking
Just keep on walking on down the street keep your distance
From the people you meet.
Oh Lord and you'd better watch your eyes
'Cause if smoke gets in them, baby you won't rise again.
Where's it leading to freedom at what cost
People needing more and more and it's all getting lost
I want back, I want back
Back to the time when the earth was green
And there was no high walls and the sea was clean
Don't stop that sun to shine, it's not yours or mine, no.
In Cat Stevens's song "Ruins," the lyricist offers a commentary on the state of society and the effects that time, progress, and destruction can have on a once-vibrant city. The song invites the listener on a journey through an old town that has now become ruins, where they imagine themselves walking in a quiet and somber state. The chorus repeats the phrase "So nice to see you coming back in this town again," present a yearning for times past, for the green earth without high walls, and for clean seas. Through this lens, we see the melancholy realities of what progress and industrialization can do to a small town or area that has fallen out of fashion or pushed back by society.
The first verse describes the current situation, where everything seems to be falling apart. The main street no longer exists, old buildings stand as empty shells, and smoke and ruins are everywhere. The second verse introduces an old man who remembers how it used to be, but these memories are blighted by the current reality of loss, destruction, and decline. The third verse introduces a young person who cannot fathom the past but reacts painfully to the current state of things. While each verse presents a different perspective, the main theme that comes through in each of them is the old pervasive sense of loss and longing.
"Ruins" is a powerful and poignant song that captures the emotions felt when we face loss, nostalgia, and a desire for things to be as they were. The song conceptualizes the absurdity of development, and our tendency to leave behind what we no longer think is worth preserving or maintaining.
Line by Line Meaning
It's so quiet in the ruins walking though the old town
The singer is walking through a deserted town and is describing the silence and stillness around him.
Stones crumbling under my feet I see smoke for miles around
The town is in ruins and is covered in smoke indicating that it might have been destroyed by war or some other catastrophic event.
Oh it's enough to make you weep, all that remains of the main street
The devastation of the town is emotionally overwhelming, and the singer mourns for all that has been lost.
Up in the park on Sunday, dogs chasing and the children played
The scene changes, and the singer describes a happier time when people used to gather in the park on Sundays and enjoy themselves.
Old man with his head down, can't see nothing more around, no
The singer notices an old man who seems to be defeated by the destruction around him and is not able to see anything positive.
But he remembers how it used to be, back in the old days,
The old man remembers how things were before the town was destroyed and misses those days.
So nice to see you coming back in this town again
The singer is happy to see someone return to the town after its destruction and hopes that it brings back some good memories for them.
It's nice to see a friendly face come peeping through having tea
The singer is delighted to see a familiar face and imagines them enjoying a cup of tea and catching up.
In the afternoon, so nice to see you coming back in this town again
The singer reiterates his joy at seeing someone return and hopes it brings some sense of normality to the town.
Ah but it's all changed winter turned on a man
The singer speaks of how the town has changed, probably during winter, and how this event has impacted the people living there.
Came down on day when no-one was looking and it
The change or destruction of the town happened suddenly and catastrophically.
Stole away the land, people running scared, losing hands
The town was destroyed, and people lost everything including their homes and possessions, and they’re left with nothing to hold onto.
Dodging shadows of falling sand, buildings standing like empty shells
The town is now desolate, and buildings are standing as empty shells, and people are trying to avoid getting hit by falling debris.
And nobody...helping no-one else
People are now only looking out for themselves and don't care about others who might be impacted by the destruction.
Young child with his hands high, ain't able to see no reason why, no
Even a child is impacted by the destruction of the town and is not able to understand why things turned out this way.
You came back here to find your home is a black horizon
The singer speaks of how the returning person might be shocked to see how the town has turned out and how they are now seeing nothing but devastation and hopelessness.
That you don't recognize, evil destruction has taken everything
The town has been destroyed beyond recognition, and nothing is left intact.
You'd better walk on the side while you're still walking
The person needs to be careful while walking as the town is dangerous, and they might get hurt.
Just keep on walking on down the street keep your distance
The singer advises the person to walk and keep their distance instead of getting involved with people who might be dangerous.
Oh Lord and you'd better watch your eyes
The singer warns the person to be vigilant and not get blinded by the destruction around them.
'Cause if smoke gets in them, baby you won't rise again.
The smoke represents darkness and depression, and it has the potential to make one feel hopeless and down.
Where's it leading to freedom at what cost
The singer speaks of how people strive for freedom, but at what cost? He highlights that people fight wars to win and cause destruction.
People needing more and more and it's all getting lost
People need more than what they actually get, and they tend to lose sight of what's important, leading to destruction and chaos.
I want back, I want back
The singer yearns to go back to a time when things were simpler and life was easier.
Back to the time when the earth was green
The singer nostalgically refers to a time when the world was greener and more peaceful.
And there was no high walls and the sea was clean
The singer is sharing his nostalgic memories of a time when there were no boundaries, and the environment was clean and fresh.
Don't stop that sun to shine, it's not yours or mine, no.
The singer concludes by saying that everyone shares the environment, and they should not do anything that would stop the sun from shining or the environment from flourishing.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEVENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind