[media=https://youtu.be/Dwx2g42wBfA] Hit song recorded and co-written by singer-songwriter Al Stewart and released in 1976.
“Year of the Cat” is a musical narrative inspired by the 1942 film, Casablanca. Stewart came up with the lyrics to his song after watching the movie on television.
The Scottish performer actually selected the song title before he wrote any lyrics. His girlfriend at the time had a book on Vietnamese astrology, which, when he spotted it, was open on a chapter called “The Year Of The Cat”. Stewart later said, “I don't know a whole lot about a whole lot of things, but I recognize a song title when I see one and that was a song title.”
The melody was composed even earlier (1966), originally for a never-recorded song by Stewart. His pianist, Peter Wood, is credited as co-writer for the music.
Also, Al Stewart turns 77 years old today. Happy birthday to Mr. Stewart.
Ahhh....I didn't even know it was his birthday. Happy 77 to the talented Scot! Thanks so much for this post. Yet don't forget that beautiful (and now iconic) album cover art.
I can't help thinking through the whole thing that He should have made another song called Year of the rat and made it a twisted version about some awful lady. 🤣
@Rutterman Most interesting… love the fables that make the zodiac signs…now I know why the cat hunts the rat. 😳
Aother legend known as "The Great Race" tells that all the animals in the zodiac were headed to the Jade Emperor. The Cat and Rat were the most intelligent of the animals, however they were both also poor swimmers and came across a river. They both tricked the kind, naive Ox to assist them by letting them ride on its back over the river. As the Ox was approaching the other side of the river, the Rat pushed the Cat into the river, then jumped off the Ox and rushed to the Jade Emperor, becoming the first in the zodiac. All the other animals made it to the Jade Emperor, while the Cat was left to drown in the river after being sabotaged by the Rat. It is said that this is also the reason cats always hunt Rats.
Love the song, Pah 💃🏻….it’s very Paul McCartney-ish 😋❤️
