Weekly Finale: Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam

Today's weekly musical finale centers on musician Cat Stevens, who has a new album released today, The Laughing Apple.

Cat Stevens, born Steven Demetre Georgiou in London in 1948, changed his name again to Yusuf Islam when he converted to Islam in 1977. Among his musical hits prior to his conversion to Islam (when he gave up the music industry) were "Peace Train", "Moonshadow", "Morning Has Broken", and "Wild World", which is shown below:



The first song Stevens released from his new album is called "See What Love Did to Me":



It is a mildly interesting song, not nearly as catchy as some of his earlier hits from the 1970's. If Stevens has an artistic virtue, it is his simplistic positivity. With simple instrumental backing, sometimes no more than an acoustic guitar, he doesn't hit you over the head with it. On the other hand, some people could view his music as too simple, almost Barney-like, although his lyrics do show a certain cleverness lacking in children's music.  

It is also a deeply religious song, as Cat Stevens explained in a Rolling Stone interview:

"Like a blindfolded bee, guided only by his heart to the bosom of the flower, Love is the greatest Divine instinct that gives us wings to fly to the supreme heights of our humanity," he explains, alluding to the song's repeated line "Like a blindfolded bumblebee." "It takes us to a garden where our minds can surrender reason in exchange for the nectar of Love. Worship is in essence a state total devotion to whoever we adore the most and expressing our yearning for closeness and proximity to our Beloved and where we forever want to be."

Most of the songs on Laughing Apple are not a far cry from "See What Love did to Me", although I do have one personal favorite, "Don't Blame Them":


"Don't Blame Them" has a wonderful message for the world today, which is basically quit looking outside of yourself for people to blame.

Finally, even though Stevens has had a fair amount of musical success during his career, his biggest hit was actually performed by someone else. Sheryl Crowe's cover of "The First Cut Is the Deepest" was the only Stevens' song to hit number 1 on the U.S. Top 40 charts, back in 2003:



The beauty of this song lies in the emotional context of it:

But if you want, I'll try to love again
Baby I'll try to love again but I know
The first cut is the deepest, baby I know
The first cut is the deepest

In spite of the pain, "I'll try to love again". That is where Cat Stevens really shines when he is at his best: It is his message of hope.

Speaking of which, I hope you all have a great weekend. I will be back with more blogging on Monday.