Cat Stevens - Oh My Rockness

Band We Like

Cat Stevens

September 28, 2014

Written by Patrick McNamara

My favorite scene in “Rushmore" - quite possibly my favorite movie - comes near the end when our young anti hero Max Fischer decides to pick up the broken pieces and start gluing himself back together again. Margaret Wang's remote control airplane has just flown off and Max and Dirk are in a cold and empty parking lot flying a kite. Max considers the kite in the clouds. And as he says the words, “take dictation, please" the first gently plucked notes of “The Wind" by Cat Stevens begins. Max then lists the names of possible candidates for Kite Flying Society as we hear, “I listen to the wind. To the wind of my soul." Right here. Right now. Max knows he is going to be OK. It's a magical movie moment. It still gives me chills. It's the reason I'm a successful local music blobber today. And it wouldn't have been possible with Cat Stevens….

…..who is set to undertake his first North American tour in 35 years. (I was getting to it.) You, of course, know about Cat Stevens (who now goes by Yusuf - but since Cat Stevens is all over his official promo stuff I think he's cool with whatever). This English man had the solid gold 100% pure pop hits littered throughout the '70s. “The Wind" + “Where Do The Children Play?" + “Moonshadow" + “Wild World" + “Morning Is Broken" (could do without that one maybe) + “Father and Son" (which also happens to be one of the greatest songs of all time). All the hits were there. But in 1977 he converted to Islam, changed his name to Yusuf Islam, and by 1979 he was done. Poof. Gone.

Again. You know about Cat Stevens. However, you may very well be thinking to yourself right this very minute, "I like Cat Stevens. Sure. Who doesn't. But is it really worth the time, money, and trouble to go to see him play his old songs in 2014?" Well, I can't really answer that for you, dear Rockness Reader. However, what I will say is this. “Yes. Yes it is."

Go. Just do it. You'll miss him when he's gone.

(*Cat Stevens is also a main reason why the movie “Harold & Maude" holds up so well but that's a discussion for another dynamic day.)

(**"The Wind" was also the official Oh My Rockness wedding song and that's something we DEFINITELY don't have time to get into today because true love takes time to tell, man.)

(*** Damn, that "Rushmore" scene got taken off YouTube - oh well - you'll just have to play this and imagine that.)

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