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.
The Wind
Cat Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where I'll end up, well, I think only God really knows
I've sat upon the setting sun
But never, never, never, never
I never wanted water once
No never, never, never
I listen to my words but they fall far below
I've swam upon the devil's lake
But never, never, never, never
I'll never make the same mistake
No, never, never, never
Interpretation:
"The Wind" by Cat Stevens is a reflective piece that explores the unpredictable nature of life and the importance of intuition in navigating its twists and turns. The song begins with Stevens stating that he listens to "the wind of my soul," which represents an inner voice or intuition that guides him toward his ultimate destination. He admits that he doesn't know where he will end up in life, but expresses a sense of faith that everything will work out as it should, as only God knows the future.
The second stanza speaks to the limitations of language, and how words alone can't fully capture the essence of a feeling or idea. Instead, Stevens relies on his music to express the depth of his emotions and guide him where he needs to go. He then references a time when he "swam upon the devil's lake," which might symbolize a time when he was in a bad place or doing something self-destructive. However, he vows to never repeat that mistake and to learn from his experiences.
Overall, the song suggests that life is unpredictable, but by listening to our inner voice and learning from our mistakes, we can find our way to a better place.
Line by Line Meaning
I listen to the wind, to the wind of my soul
I pay close attention to my innermost thoughts and feelings
Where I'll end up, well, I think only God really knows
I am uncertain about my future and leave it to divine will
I've sat upon the setting sun
I have experienced moments of tranquility or closure
But never, never, never, never
I never wanted water once
No never, never, never
I have been content with what I have and never asked for more
I listen to my words but they fall far below
My spoken words do not do justice to what I truly mean
I let my music take me where my heart wants to go
I allow my music to guide me towards my innermost desires
I've swam upon the devil's lake
I have been in dangerous or precarious situations
But never, never, never, never
I'll never make the same mistake
No, never, never, never
I have learned from my past experiences and will not repeat them
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Yusuf Islam
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thelakeman5207
It's like hearing an old friend you haven't seen in years. It's good to see you again.
@vettechsrule
Yes!
@blombergk5933
Agree❤
@freyalupus591
So ist es❤❤❤
@edithjacob5115
Absolutely 💯
@user-yj8lc7ht9f
We’ll said!
@davidebortolai
One voice one guitar, it's all we need.
@BrigidSamhain
at least two guitars - there is one playing the lead melody line. Yusuf plays the lower line. Enjoy
@Smoothcrunchy
@@BrigidSamhainthank you. I was wondering how he was doing that with one guitar!!😅
@recipehacker9752
@@BrigidSamhainand a keyboard too (which almost ruins the otherwise beautiful piece, IMO)