♫ Wild World ♫

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Cat Stevens, nee Steven Demetre Georgiou, is a British singer/songwriter.  I have a confession to make … I did not know he was British!  I’ve always loved this song … it is on my ‘walking’ playlist, as it gets me going faster than some and adds a bit of bounce to the steps.

Stevens tells why he wrote the song …

“I was trying to relate to my life. I was at the point where it was beginning to happen and I was myself going into the world. I’d done my career before, and I was sort of warning myself to be careful this time around, because it was happening. It was not me writing about somebody specific, although other people may have informed the song, but it was more about me. It’s talking about losing touch with home and reality – home especially.”

cat-stevens-2008

Yusuf Islam – 2008

In 1978, Stevens converted to Islam, changed his name to Yusuf Islam, and abandoned his musical career, saying that it had “becoming a chore, and not an inspiration anymore”.  Today, he uses his ongoing royalties for philanthropic works, and has founded several schools and Small Kindness charity, which initially assisted famine victims in Africa and now supports thousands of orphans and families in the Balkans, Indonesia, and Iraq.

There is a considerable amount of controversy surrounding this artist, but this is a post about the music, and not a place to delve into controversy.  And so … let us enjoy the music …

Wild World
Cat Stevens

Now that I’ve lost everything to you
You say you want to start something new
And it’s breaking my heart you’re leaving
Baby, I’m grieving

But if you want to leave, take good care
Hope you have a lot of nice things to wear
But then a lot of nice things turn bad out there

Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
It’s hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
I’ll always remember you like a child, girl

You know I’ve seen a lot of what the world can do
And it’s breaking my heart in two
‘Cause I never want to see you sad girl
Don’t be a bad girl

But if you want to leave take good care
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there’s a lot of bad and beware
Beware

Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
It’s hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
And I’ll always remember you like a child, girl

Baby I love you
But if you want to leave take good care
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there’s a lot of bad and beware
Beware

Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
It’s hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
And I’ll always remember you like a child, girl

Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
And it’s hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
And I’ll always remember you like a child, girl

Songwriters: Yusuf Islam
Wild World lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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21 thoughts on “♫ Wild World ♫”

  1. I have never heard any of Cat Stevens songs but there is something soul- wrenching in these words. Conversion means giving up what you want to do and doing what you feel you aught to do. His story is a moving one.

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  2. Cat Stevens…always loved him and his songs! I still have his albums amidst my vast collection of oldies. “Oh Very Young” holds a special memory for me. I do believe that he is touring again the past year or so. There is so much talent and goodness in this man! Thank-you!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I love Cat Stevens. Father and Son is my very favorite. My friends and I met him before a concert in Baton Rouge in the 70’s. He was so gracious. I still have the autograph and photo of him and the gaurd who let him know we were hanging around outside hoping to meet him. Long before cell phones and selfies….

    Liked by 1 person

    • Your last line brought back a memory … when Miss Goose was only about 5-6 years old, I was reminiscing and told her about black and white televisions that had to warm up for a few minutes, and then went off the air at midnight, with only 2-3 channels available anyway. She thought I was making it up … simply couldn’t imagine it! 😀 Glad you liked the song!!! You’re the first to have actually seen him in person!

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      • When I find the photo I’ll do a short post and tag you. Oh yeah, I remember getting our first color tv. But for years in my room I had a small black and white. How about having to wrap the antennae with aluminum foil for better reception? Or the excitement when ABC joined the scene! Woo hoo!

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        • Awesome! I will be looking forward to it! Oh yes … I remember the aluminum foil trick! And aluminum foil was different then, too! Heavier and more ‘crinkly’, as I recall! Ahhhh … such fun memories!

          Liked by 1 person

  4. Jill, we are huge fans of the Cat. His body of work is impressive and is great to travel with on long car rides. “Oh, very young,” “Father/son,” “Peace Train,” are just a few more. “Wild world” is one of his best, but it has a lot of competition. Keith

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  5. I love this song! Funny that you posted it, today! Last night, I couldn’t sleep. I was up and read your post, “I’m Sorry” at 3 a.m.. I was listening to music on my headset and played, WILD WORLD”. It’s hard for me to listen to it. 😦
    Sad memories! It was the first time ….in a long time…. that I actually played the song and listened to it all the way thru! It’s a great song!
    Anyway… now you have posted it! Guess there is no such thing as a coincidence. 💙

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  6. I was a fan of Cat Stevens in the day but this particular song I head by Jimmy Cliff first for some reason. That became the one I preferred. Tea for the Tillerman was my favourite Cat Steven’s LP.
    Cwtch

    Liked by 1 person

    • I’ve never heard the Jimmy Cliff version, but I did read that he recorded it before Cat Stevens. I don’t recall Tea for the Tillerman … I’ll go in search of innabit, but I wonder if some of his music just didn’t travel ‘cross the pond?
      Cwtch

      Liked by 1 person

      • That’s possible. Not as though you were short of good singers then. His biggest single here (I think) was called Matthew and Son which was a great record but I loved the B side,’Granny’.
        Cwtch

        Liked by 1 person

        • Many of our best were from your side of the pond! We had some of our own, but you guys provided much of the fun of the 60s. I just checked out both Matthew and Son, and the B side, Granny … never heard either before … those were both from his very early days, I think?
          Cwtch

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