World O' Darkness
Yusuf (Cat Stevens) Lyrics

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In this world o' darkness,
Evil rules by night,
But somewhere in the shadows, someone seeking light

No one knows his neighbor here,
No one has the time,
No one cares for anyone else,
In a world where the sun don't shine

Shamsia [Repeat: x2]

Some sons dream of leaving,
While they're young at heart,

But few choose the path towards the land beyond the dark,
Who choose the path towards the land beyond the daaark

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Yusuf (Cat Stevens)'s song World O' Darkness describe a world that is shrouded in darkness and ruled by evil at night. However, amidst the shadows, there is someone who is seeking the light. The song highlights the fact that people in this world do not know or care for one another as they are too busy with their own lives. The sun does not shine in this gloomy world, and the people seem to have lost their humanity. The song brings attention to the lack of compassion and empathy in this world and suggests that there is a need for change.

The name 'Shamsia,' which is repeated twice in the song, is a female Arabic name that means 'sunshine.' It is possible that the repetition of this name is meant to symbolize the hope that exists even in the darkest of places. The song's message is both melancholic and optimistic, suggesting that there is still hope for those who seek the light. It highlights the need for compassion and empathy as a means of uniting in a world that is currently divided by darkness and despair.

Line by Line Meaning

In this world o' darkness,
This world is full of darkness

Evil rules by night,
Evil prevails during the night time

But somewhere in the shadows, someone seeking light
Despite the darkness, there's always someone looking for hope

No one knows his neighbor here,
Nobody knows their neighbors in this place

No one has the time,
People are too busy to care about others

No one cares for anyone else,
There's no sense of community or empathy

In a world where the sun don't shine
This is a grim place with no light or warmth

Shamsia [Repeat: x2]
Not applicable

Some sons dream of leaving,
Some people dream of escaping this place

While they're young at heart,
They want to leave while they're still able

But few choose the path towards the land beyond the dark,
Very few take the risk to leave and find a better place