Far from old age, Cat Stevens wrote “Oh Very Young” when he was twenty-five. The wisdom in the song surpasses Stevens’ chronology with lines like, “You’re only dancin’ on this Earth for a short while.” Stevens contracted tuberculosis when he was nineteen, and it almost killed him. After that experience, Stevens kept an eye on the Big Picture.
Always the explorer, Stevens sought the meaning and purpose of life, as illustrated in his songs like “On the Road to Find Out.” He eventually converted to Islam in 1977. Around the same time, he permanently left the world stage as a singer and songwriter. In his relatively short career, Cat Stevens left us with a body of music that is still relevant today and, to millions around the world, extremely enjoyable.
Originally, I played this song using a picking method, and then I switched to strumming. I watched a video of Stevens performing the song with a strumming method. I thought, I’ll never be able to play it that fast. To my amazement, I wound up playing the song as fast as Stevens when I strummed it. Interesting. Here’s my cover.
Here's my cover of a song inspired by Gordon Lightfoot's 1972 concert in London, England. I've loved Gordon's music for decades. I grew old...
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2023/02/14/love-found-and-lost/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message
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....
