I had listened to Cat Stevens for years before I looked up his story and learned about his conversion to Islam. Maybe it’s because it had all happened before I was born but the outrage seemed strange to me. Surely an unusual way for a career to end but I always felt happy for him, that it was a natural conclusion to what he was looking for in so many of his songs, like “On the Road to Find Out” and “The Wind” from this album.
Yes, I know what you mean. He did seem to be searching and then to find the life he wanted, but I guess because a lot of people defined what he already had as success (and probably envied it as well), they couldn't understand or accept it. But of course it also makes for great press because he was a household name by that time.
Goodness, two in a row from our college-era soundtrack. I dated a woman whose favorite artist was Cat Stevens. My personal favorite was Moonshadow--I still feel it was his most profound song. Though he would convert to Islam, I always thought the idea conveyed in this song was distinctly Buddhist.
As for Three Dog Night, I kept my albums even long after they had been declared uncool! Would just add that 3DN's version of Shambala was actually a cover--the original release was a country version by BW Stevenson, who I think co-wrote it with Moore.
Fun columns, always stirring up old recollections!
I love Moonshadow too, as well as Wild World. You're right that he had been reading a lot of spiritual writings before he did his run of three albums in the early 70s, including on Zen Buddhism. The exploration of Islam that led to his conversion came later.
Good remembering about Shambala being a BW Stevenson song. He did co-write with Moore, but it seems to have been on BW's hit My Maria.
Seek out the Peace Train remake on Footsteps into the Light from 2006. I went down the Cat Steven’s rabbit hole 4-5 years ago. I’d forgotten how much I’d loved his music back then. Teaser and Tea were both rereleased with a lot of extra material.
I had listened to Cat Stevens for years before I looked up his story and learned about his conversion to Islam. Maybe it’s because it had all happened before I was born but the outrage seemed strange to me. Surely an unusual way for a career to end but I always felt happy for him, that it was a natural conclusion to what he was looking for in so many of his songs, like “On the Road to Find Out” and “The Wind” from this album.
Yes, I know what you mean. He did seem to be searching and then to find the life he wanted, but I guess because a lot of people defined what he already had as success (and probably envied it as well), they couldn't understand or accept it. But of course it also makes for great press because he was a household name by that time.
Goodness, two in a row from our college-era soundtrack. I dated a woman whose favorite artist was Cat Stevens. My personal favorite was Moonshadow--I still feel it was his most profound song. Though he would convert to Islam, I always thought the idea conveyed in this song was distinctly Buddhist.
As for Three Dog Night, I kept my albums even long after they had been declared uncool! Would just add that 3DN's version of Shambala was actually a cover--the original release was a country version by BW Stevenson, who I think co-wrote it with Moore.
Fun columns, always stirring up old recollections!
Glad they're stirring up good memories!
I love Moonshadow too, as well as Wild World. You're right that he had been reading a lot of spiritual writings before he did his run of three albums in the early 70s, including on Zen Buddhism. The exploration of Islam that led to his conversion came later.
Good remembering about Shambala being a BW Stevenson song. He did co-write with Moore, but it seems to have been on BW's hit My Maria.
Seek out the Peace Train remake on Footsteps into the Light from 2006. I went down the Cat Steven’s rabbit hole 4-5 years ago. I’d forgotten how much I’d loved his music back then. Teaser and Tea were both rereleased with a lot of extra material.
I will do that. I can easily see going down that rabbit hole too, as I also loved those albums when they came out and love listening to his voice.