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.
Wild World
Cat Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You say you wanna start something new
And it's breaking my heart you're leaving
Baby, I'm grieving
But if you want to leave, take good care
Hope you have a lot of nice things to wear
But then a lot of nice things turn bad out there
Ooh baby baby, it's a wild world
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
Ooh baby baby, it's a wild world
I'll always remember you like a child, girl
You know I've seen a lot of what the world can do
And it's breaking my heart in two
Because I never want to see you sad girl
Don't be a bad girl
But if you want to leave, take good care
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there's a lot of bad and beware
Beware
Ooh baby baby, it's a wild world
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
Ooh baby baby, it's a wild world
And I'll always remember you like a child, girl
Baby, I love you
But if you want to leave, take good care
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there's a lot of bad and beware
Beware
Ooh baby baby, it's a wild world
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
Ooh baby baby, it's a wild world
And I'll always remember you like a child, girl
Ooh baby baby, it's a wild world
And it's hard to get by just upon a smile
Ooh baby baby, it's a wild world
And I'll always remember you like a child, girl
The lyrics of "Wild World" by Cat Stevens speaks of a man's struggle in coming to terms with his lover's decision to leave him. He is heartbroken and grieving, but tells her to take good care if she wants to leave. He hopes she has nice things to wear and will make good friends, but also warns her of the bad things that can happen in this wild world. The man, however, cannot help but think of her as a child, and he never wants to see her sad or turn into a bad girl.
The song's lyrics capture the sentiments of a person who is dealing with the end of a relationship. The singer is concerned about the aftermath of the breakup, urging his lover to take care before venturing into the wild world. The lyrics emphasize the fact that the world can be both good and bad, and the singer advises his lover to be careful and watch out for the bad.
The chorus plays a vital role in the song, emphasizing the message the singer wants to convey. The lyrics "Ooh baby baby, it's a wild world, It's hard to get by just upon a smile" are a powerful reminder that life can be challenging, and one needs to be prepared to face whatever comes their way. The song is a testament to Stevens' songwriting prowess, and it remains a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Now that I've lost everything to you
I have lost everything that meant something to me because of you
You say you wanna start something new
You have decided to move on and start a new life away from me
And it's breaking my heart you're leaving
Your decision to leave me is causing me emotional pain and heartbreak
Baby, I'm grieving
I am mourning the loss of our relationship
But if you want to leave, take good care
If you truly want to go, please take good care of yourself
Hope you have a lot of nice things to wear
I hope you have everything you need to start your new life
But then a lot of nice things turn bad out there
Things can change in unexpected ways and what seems nice can turn bad
Ooh baby baby, it's a wild world
The world is unpredictable and can be dangerous
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
It takes more than just a smile to navigate life
I'll always remember you like a child, girl
I will remember you as someone I wanted to protect and care for
You know I've seen a lot of what the world can do
I have experienced many of the hardships of life
And it's breaking my heart in two
Those experiences have caused me great emotional pain
Because I never want to see you sad girl
I care about you and do not want to see you hurt
Don't be a bad girl
Please make wise choices and take care of yourself
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
I hope you find good, trustworthy people to surround yourself with
But just remember there's a lot of bad and beware
The world can be dangerous and you should be cautious
Baby, I love you
I still love you and care about your well-being
And I'll always remember you like a child, girl
I will always remember you as someone I wanted to protect and care for
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Islam Yusuf
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind