Song List
Along with bands like The Eagles and ABBA, Cat Stevens is a megastar that is known largely for his greatest hits. It’s a shame, really, because a closer look shows that the seventies troubadour had a string of great albums – nine in the years between 1970-1978. On top of that, he penned some ace tunes in the late 1960’s before he grew the beard and became the introspective singer-songwriter that he’s most well known for today, back when he was the pop sensation behind “Matthew and Son” and “The First Cut is the Deepest” (that’s right, Sheryl Crow didn’t write that song). So, with the goal of shining a light on some of Cat’s lesser known tunes, JamsBio presents his 10 greatest deep album tracks:
“The Wind”
From Teaser and the Firecat
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I’ll never tire of this sublime little number from 1971’s Teaser and the Firecat. Clocking in at a short and sweet 1:42, “The Wind” is an introspective gem, a deeply spiritual ode to the power of music and the unknown: “I listen to my words but they fall far below/I let my music take me where my heart wants to go.”
“Here Comes My Baby”
From Matthew and Son
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Before becoming a folk-rock sensation of the seventies, Cat Stevens was somewhat of a teenage pop idol, penning the hit singles “I Love My Dog” and “Matthew and Me” when he was only 18 years old. It was at this young age that he wrote and recorded “Here Comes My Baby,” an infectious romp that was a smash for The Tremeloes in 1967 and included in a classic scene of Wes Anderson’s 1998 film Rushmore.
“Novim’s Nightmare”
From Numbers
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“Novim’s Nightmare” ranks as one of Cat Stevens’ darkest songs and serves as the perfect antidote to saccharine lullabies like “Moonshadow” and “Morning Has Broken.” Taken from 1975’s Numbers, the bizarre concept album about a fictional far-off galaxy named Polygor, “Novim’s Nightmare” benefits from its simple arrangement and powerful vocal delivery.
“The Boy with a Moon and Star On His Head”
From Catch Bull at Four
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For the most part, you’ll notice that almost all of the songs in the list are quite simple, with many of them downright sparse. That’s because I believe that Cat’s best songs are the ones that are the most unadorned, where a gently picked acoustic guitar and the singer’s robust baritone dominate the proceedings. Aside for some perfectly placed drum and horn dust-ups, “The Boy with a Moon and Star On His Head” fits squarely in this realm.
“(I Never Wanted) To Be A Star”
From Izitso
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Unfortunately, today Cat Stevens is as well known for his religious conversion as his hit singles. Based on this autobiographical song from 1978, it should have been no surprise when he quit music the following year to devote his life to Islam. Cat’s ambivalence about being a pop star was evident from the title alone, but the lyrics were even more telling: Nature found a way, it picked me up off the dark side, yeah, yeah/Showed me another day, it made me sing ‘I think I see the light’/Not another bean in the star machine, oh no, this time I won’t go/I never wanted to be a star, I never wanted to travel far.”
“Daytime”
From Mona Bone Jakon
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This is the type of song James Taylor made a career on, albeit with an arrangement that Taylor only wished he could have composed. Featuring backing vocalists and some great harpsichord by Nicky Hopkins, this gentle song speaks of how the singer is lost without his love, frozen with sadness and emptiness: “There’s an empty space inside me now/A wasteland deep beneath the snow/So cold, nothing’ll grow.”
“Daytime”
From Back to Earth
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The electric piano used throughout this song is so seventies, but it works. Taken from Cat’s final album before his retirement in 1978, “Daytime” boasts a piano line that recalls Springsteen’s “Jungleland” and a horn and string arrangement that adds the perfect amount of complexity to this simple song about childhood.
“Home in the Sky”
From Buddha and the Chocolate Box
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Moving ever towards the spiritual, 1975’s Buddha and the Chocolate Box is bookended by two songs that allude to the power of music to heal. Although he was clearly becoming disillusioned with the trappings of stardom, he was still bewitched by music, singing “Music is a lady that I still love/Cause she gives me the air that I breathe.”
“Miles from Nowhere”
From Tea for the Tillerman
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“Miles from Nowhere” finds Cat delivering a downright soulful performance as he sings about being spiritually lost, but filled with the determination to find his footing. The robust vocal delivery and conviction displayed on this track stand in stark contrast to some of Cat’s precious hits and it’s a direction that he should have explored deeper.
“Pop Star”
From Mona Bone Jakon
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A solid blues number, “Pop Star” finds Cat Stevens with tongue planted firmly in cheek as he boasts of becoming a pop star. The sarcasm in his voice is palpable as he sings about the triviality of stardom. Although only 22 years old he was already addressing his weariness about being famous, a theme he would revisit many more times over the next eight years leading up to his conversion and retirement.
Editor’s Note: JamsBio is partnering with Universal Music Enterprises to celebrate the release of roadsinger, a set of brand new songs from one of rock’s most beloved troubadours – Cat Stevens. Enter to win autographed memorabilia and Cat Stevens’ complete CD catalog by (1) playing the Cat Stevens edition “Scrumbler” puzzle game, (2) and sharing memories tied to Cat Stevens’ amazing music. Join the fun!
