Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou, 21 July 1948),[1] best known by … Read Full Bio ↴Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou, 21 July 1948),[1] best known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is a British musician. He is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist and prominent convert to Islam.

His albums Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat were both certified as Triple Platinum by the RIAA in the United States; his 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 has also earned two ASCAP songwriting awards in consecutive years, for "The First Cut Is the Deepest", which has been a hit single for four different artists.

Stevens converted to Islam at the height of his fame in December, 1977,[2] and adopted his Muslim name, Yusuf Islam, the following year. In 1979 he auctioned all his guitars away for charity[3] and left his music career to devote himself to educational and philanthropic causes in the Muslim community. He has been given several awards for his work in promoting peace in the world, including 2003's World Award, the 2004 Man for Peace Award and the 2007 Mediterranean Prize for Peace. In 2006, he returned to pop music, with his first album of new pop songs in 28 years, entitled An Other Cup. He now goes by the single name Yusuf.[4]

He currently lives with his wife and children in London, and spends part of each year in Dubai.[4]

His newest album, Roadsinger, was released on May 5, 2009.

The Rain
Yusuf / Cat Stevens Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everybody's thinking about the rain [Repeat: x2]
Wonder if the sun is gonna come again
Oh

Things are looking bad
Everybody in the world in the world's looking so sad
Everybody's thinking about the storm [Repeat: x2]
Wonder where all the good weather's gone

Oh

Things are looking bad
Everybody in the world in the world's looking so sad
Tell me if i got to build a boat to carry us to sea
Tell me what the shape of it will be
Tell me if it's gonna be a home for every kind of beast
Tell me who the lucky ones would be
Tell me if you gotta build a world
What that world would be
If we're gonna build it well enough for thee
Tell me if it's gonna be a home for all humanity
Will it be believers with me

Oh

Everybody's thinking about the flood [Repeat: x2]
Wonder if the water's gonna turn to blood
Oh

Things are looking bad

Everybody in the world in the world's looking so sad
Everybody's thinking about the rain [Repeat: x2]

Overall Meaning

Yusuf / Cat Stevens's song "The Rain" presents a reflection upon a world in despair. The lyrics convey the idea that everyone in the world is feeling sad and worried about the future. The rain is a metaphor for the problems and challenges we face in life. Yusuf emphasizes this in the chorus, as he repeats several times, "Everybody's thinking about the rain, wonder if the sun is gonna come again". This suggests that people are pessimistic about the future and are uncertain if things will improve.

In the second verse, Yusuf talks about a storm, and how everyone wonders where all the good weather has gone. This could be interpreted as a reference to climate change and the negative impact it has on the environment. In the chorus, he then alludes to a flood, asking if the water is going to turn to blood, which could symbolize the negative consequences of human actions on the planet.

The song concludes with an appeal for unity and hope. Yusuf poses the question of whether we should build a boat to carry us to safety or create a new world. He asks what that world would look like and who the lucky ones would be. This could be read as an invitation to build a better world for everyone, not just for a select few. The final line, "Will it be believers with me", suggests that we can only achieve this if we work together and believe in our ability to create a better tomorrow.

Line by Line Meaning

Everybody's thinking about the rain
Everyone is consumed by thoughts of rainfall

Wonder if the sun is gonna come again
Uncertainty of sun's reappearance is prevalent

Oh
A simple interjection to emphasize the point

Things are looking bad
The current outlook is unfavorable

Everybody in the world in the world's looking so sad
Everyone across the globe seems to be melancholy

Everybody's thinking about the storm
All minds are preoccupied with the incoming tempest

Wonder where all the good weather's gone
There is a lingering question about the absence of pleasant weather

Tell me if i got to build a boat to carry us to sea
If we have to create a vessel to transport us, what must it look like?

Tell me what the shape of it will be
What should the design of the boat be like?

Tell me if it's gonna be a home for every kind of beast
If animals need to be saved as well, will they have adequate shelter?

Tell me who the lucky ones would be
Who would have the privilege of being saved first?

Tell me if you gotta build a world
If we have to construct a new planet,

What that world would be
How would the world look like?

If we're gonna build it well enough for thee
If we are going to construct it appropriately for everyone

Tell me if it's gonna be a home for all humanity
Will the new world be a permanent residence for everyone?

Will it be believers with me
Would people with faith be an integral part of the new world?

Oh
A simple interjection comes to the forefront to emphasize the point

Everybody's thinking about the flood
There is an all-encompassing thought of a deluge

Wonder if the water's gonna turn to blood
There is an apprehension about the water turning red

Oh
The same interjection as before comes into play

Things are looking bad
The situation is bleak

Everybody in the world in the world's looking so sad
People all around the world are blue

Everybody's thinking about the rain
The desire for precipitation is a common concern

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TY STEVENS, ABBEY SIBUCAO, BAILI SIBUCAO, RACHEL SIBUCAO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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