Cat Stevens ( Yusuf Islam) has never publicly said what this song is about, so we are left to offer our own interpretations.
When I read the lyrics, I get a picture of a farmer of indiscriminate age waking up at the crack of dawn and looking out through a window at his fields. At the very instant when the sun rises, there is barely sound. Our farmer reflects back on his youth and how it felt every day to awaken with a song in his heart and the dreams he envisioned to pursue.
The last refrain floated into my head from out of nowhere:
"There'll be the evening,
In the end,
But 'till that time arrives,
You can rest your eyes,
And begin again."
The lyrics are beautiful and express the child-like innocence found in many of Cat Stevens' songs. I interpret this last refrain to mean: Take advantage of and be grateful for every moment you are alive.
Here's my cover.
John Prine began his professional career as a mailman in Illinois. He went on to become one of America's most beloved singers and songwriters....
In a 2009 interview, Cat Stevens (by then Yusuf Islam) is quoted as saying: “I was on holiday in Spain. I was a kid...
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2023/02/07/the-beauty-of-the-bells/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message
