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.
Welcome Home
Yusuf / Cat Stevens Lyrics
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'All seekers this way'
A fairy sat and laughed
And threw a petal my way
As I neared the bridge
Two soldiers stood and stared,
"No one passes by us, but, hey!
You're welcome here."
Carried on down the road
To the marketplace
I was still alone
No one knew my face
Then a stranger sang
With voice like the wind
Then the hills began, to sing,
"Welcome in."
Time rolls on, ain't no good to sit and moan
Time rolls on, and so we travel on
Never did I imagine
What a dawn could be
'Til I opened my eyes, to see
It was welcoming me
At the end of my days
On my way home
I paused a while to gaze
Upon the Sacred Stone
There it stood in the middle
Of the Holy Domain
Then the people came out to say,
"Welcome home, again!"
Time rolls on, and so we carry on
Time rolls on, ain't no good to sit and moan
Time rolls on, and so we travel on
Time rolls on, ain't no good to sit alone
Time rolls on,
Time rolls on
Time rolls on, ain't no good to sit and moan
Time rolls on
The song "Welcome Home" by Yusuf / Cat Stevens tells the story of a seeker on a journey, who is welcomed by strangers along the way. The seeker starts off by seeing a sign that reads "All seekers this way," which leads them towards a fairy that throws a petal their way. Continuing on their journey, they come across two soldiers guarding a bridge, who surprisingly let them pass and say "you're welcome here." As the seeker heads towards the marketplace, they are still alone, but they encounter a stranger with a voice as soothing as the wind, and the hills around them begin to sing and welcome them in.
Towards the end of their days, the seeker finds themselves gazing upon the Sacred Stone in the Holy Domain. Here, the community welcomes them back home, reminding them that time rolls on and there's no point in sitting and moaning, but to carry on with their journey. The lyrics suggest that amidst the chaos and uncertainty of life, it's the kindness and warmth of others that can make every step of the way worthwhile.
The song's message is inspiring and universal, resonating with individuals on a spiritual or personal journey. It reminds us to keep moving forward and that we are not alone, that there are people along the way that will welcome us with open arms. The song's musicality, with its gentle acoustic guitar and soothing vocals, adds to the warmth and serenity of the message.
Line by Line Meaning
Saw a sign on the path
I noticed a sign that caught my attention while walking down the road.
'All seekers this way'
The sign conveyed that anyone looking for something could find it by following that path.
A fairy sat and laughed
I encountered a mythical creature who seemed happy and carefree.
And threw a petal my way
The fairy tossed a delicate flower in my direction, perhaps as a symbol of good luck or welcome.
As I neared the bridge
When I got closer to the bridge that crossed the river, my curiosity grew stronger.
Two soldiers stood and stared,
A pair of guards were blocking the path, looking at me with suspicion.
"No one passes by us, but, hey!
The guards were saying that generally they didn't allow anyone to pass by, but they sounded welcoming when speaking to me.
You're welcome here."
The guards made it clear that I was allowed to enter the area beyond the bridge.
Carried on down the road
I continued walking along the path that led me to my destination.
To the marketplace
Where the people gathered to sell and trade their goods, I arrived as an outsider.
I was still alone
Among the crowd of strangers, I felt like an outcast.
No one knew my face
Since I was new to the area, nobody recognized me.
Then a stranger sang
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a passerby started singing a tune I had never heard before.
With voice like the wind
The stranger had an ethereal and soothing voice that made me feel calm and peaceful.
Then the hills began, to sing,
The surrounding landscape seemed to be alive with the sound of nature as the stranger sang.
"Welcome in."
The music and the beauty of the place made me feel like I was being invited to the land's warm embrace.
Time rolls on, ain't no good to sit and moan
The idea that time passes by quickly, and it is not productive to complain about it, is repeated throughout the song.
Never did I imagine
I couldn't have predicted what happened next.
What a dawn could be
I had never experienced such beauty and serenity during a sunrise before.
Til I opened my eyes, to see
The sunset was so breathtaking, I had to stop and take a good look.
It was welcoming me
The bright sun seemed to be alive, reaching out to me like a host greeting a guest.
At the end of my days
As I approached the end of my life journey.
On my way home
As I was returning to my long-awaited destination.
I paused a while to gaze
Before continuing forward, I stopped to take a moment and appreciate the beauty while reflecting on my journey.
Upon the Sacred Stone
I laid my sight on a special, religious artifact.
Of the Holy Domain
It was located where my faith was taught and lived, in the area sacred and communal to my beliefs.
Then the people came out to say,
The community in that area welcomed me back, showing a sense of solidarity and belonging.
"Welcome home, again!"
The warm greeting from the people made me feel like I had never left.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: YUSUF ISLAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind