♫ Wild World ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

I was just trippin’ through the archives tonight, seeking a song that would strike a chord somewhere in my befuddled mind, and when I came across this one, I sat up a bit straighter and something inside me said, “YEAH!!!!”  I knew then that I had found what I was looking for!

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

48 thoughts on “♫ Wild World ♫ (Redux)”

      • That, or lack of English of this gal here at the time – when it was definitely a bonus to actually understand what was sung. Thinking of which, how often can I say I understand what‘s being said nowadays; more often I‘m just spellbound by the video ‚going with the song‘.

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  6. One of the best songs by my favourite singer-songwriter. I’ve loved the album since I bought it, shortly after it came out, and it is still my ‘go to’ record when I need some musical comfort. I met him some years ago – lovely guy.

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      • Has been ever since his 1970 comeback after the illness that nearly killed him. The NHS Trust I worked for did some project work with the school he ran in N London and I met him through that. It was in the days before he made his latest comeback and I told him I was a fan. He replied that he might return – I think I heard it first! Almost met him again at a concert but the last backstage pass went to someone else. It was a great choice!

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          • The TB nearly killed him but the songs he wrote in that time were what brought about his change of style. He had a lot stored up: this was his second album in six months since the comeback. Schools have been part of his charitable works since his conversion, and it was interesting to see them and him at work.

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  7. Thanks Jill. He is so very talented by any name. Rod Stewart did a couple of his songs, so that is where I made the British link. One of our favorite long car trip CDs is a double album of his greatest hits. Keith

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