Post by yerblues1968 on Sept 26, 2009 19:22:22 GMT -5
Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) in a recording session.
CAT STEVENS TEAMS UP WITH BEATLES MAN FOR GEORGE HARRISON TRIBUTE
nme.com
Saturday, January 24, 2008
His cover of The Day The World Gets 'Round is released on Monday (January 26)
Yusuf Islam, the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens, has collaborated with Beatles associate Klaus Voormann on a cover of George Harrison's 1973 song The Day The World Gets 'Round'.
Klaus Voormann with The Beatles' Revolver cover that he designed.
Islam revealed that the collaboration came about after Voormann, who played in John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band and designed the sleeve for The Beatles' Revolver, asked him to contribute to an album he was making to raise money for the American Indians.
"He asked me to contribute and choose one of the songs he had played on over the years. I immediately headed towards George Harrison's galaxy of material," Islam said.
"I'd met George with John Lennon in the early '70s at David Bailey's studio. He was such a great spirit. His eastern outreach inspired me and many others to embark on a great spiritual adventure.
"George was also more responsible than any other artist for initiating pop music's movement to aid people and countries stricken by war and calamities; his Concert For Bangladesh was the first of its kind. I hope this song will help remind people of the immense legacy of love, peace and happiness we can share when we get round to looking at mankind's futile wars and prejudices and start to change our foolish ways."
The song is released this Monday (January 26), with proceeds going to various children's charities (Small Kindness, UNRWA and Save The Children).
Islam also announced that he is returning to Island Records – the label he released his Teaser & The Firecat and Tea For The Tillerman albums on in the '70s.
The Day The World Gets 'Round' will also appear on Klaus Voormann’s A Sideman's Journey album, which is raising money for an environment and health project in aid of the Oglala Sioux of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Paul McCartney and Dolly Parton have both contributed to Islam's new album.
Some of Cat Stevens' famous songs:
Cat Stevens sings "Wild World" in 1971. (3:06 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkI9wCk8jvw
Wild World (Lyrics)
Cat Stevens - Wild World 1971
(together with Alun Davies)
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
'Cos 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
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
(Instrumental)
Baby I love you
But if you want to leave take good care
Hope you have a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there's a lot of bad and 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
I'll always remember you like a child, girl
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
Cat Stevens sings "Oh Very Young." (2:35 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_653KAHzrs
Oh Very Young (by Cat Stevens)
Oh very young
What will you leave us this time
You're only dancing on this earth for a short while
And though your dreams may toss and turn you now
They will vanish away like your daddy's best jeans
Denim Blue fading up to the sky
And though you want him to last forever
You know he never will
(You know he never will )
And the patches make the goodbye harder still
Oh very young
What will you leave us this time
There will never be a better chance to change your mind
And if you want this world to see a better day
Will you carry the words of love with you
Will you ride the great white bird into heaven
And though you want to last forever
You know you never will
(You know you never will )
And the goodbye makes the journey harder still
Oh very young
What will you leave us this time
You're only dancing on this earth for a short while
Oh very young
What will you leave us this time
Cat Stevens sings "Morning Has Broken" in 1976 Cat Stevens concert. (3:15 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgsfwrjXhjc
Morning Has Broken (Lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon)
Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the word
Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day
Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the word
Cat Stevens sings "Peace Train" during his 1976 Earth Tour. (4:21 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sjSHazjrWg
Peace Train (Lyrics by Cat Stevens)
Now I've been happy lately,
thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be,
something good has begun
Oh I've been smiling lately,
dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be,
some day it's going to come
Cause out on the edge of darkness,
there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country,
come take me home again
Now I've been smiling lately,
thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be,
something good has begun
Oh peace train sounding louder
Glide on the peace train
Come on now peace train
Yes, peace train holy roller
Everyone jump upon the peace train
Come on now peace train
Get your bags together,
go bring your good friends too
Cause it's getting nearer,
it soon will be with you
Now come and join the living,
it's not so far from you
And it's getting nearer,
soon it will all be true
Now I've been crying lately,
thinking about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating,
why can't we live in bliss
Cause out on the edge of darkness,
there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country,
come take me home again
Yusuf's charity song The Day The World Gets 'Round will be
made available for download from Monday, January 26, 2009.
catstevens.com/
The recordings, The Day the World Gets ‘Round and All Things Must Pass, feature Yusuf on vocals, 12-string, and acoustic guitar, Klaus Voormann on bass, Luke Potashnick on electric and acoustic guitars, Cassiano De Sa on electric guitar, Nikolaj Torp on piano/keyboards, and Kristoffer Soone on drums. Proceeds from The Day the World Gets ‘Round will be donated to aid children and families in Gaza, and both tracks are to appear on Klaus Voormann’s forthcoming album, A Sideman’s Journey, later this year, the proceeds of which will be donated to an environment and health project in aid of the Oglala Sioux of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, North America.
www.myspace.com/catstevens
Cat Stevens and Klaus Voormann Record George Harrison Songs
undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=7376
www.nme.com/news/george-harrison/42283