This week, I’ve had Cat Stevens’ “Father and Son” #OnRepeat. Since I’m a huge fan of music from the 1960s and 1970s , this singer and song were bound to end up one of these posts eventually.
Cat Stevens (born Steven Demetre Georgiou, now Yusuf Islam) is a singer, songwriter, and guitar player from the Marylebone area of London, England. Several of his albums have topped the international billboard charts for weeks at a time and he was inducted into the the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. His music is a blend of Folk, Country, Pop, Rock, and later in his career, Islamic music influences. Some of his most well-known songs are “Moonshadow,” “Peace Train,” “The First Cut is the Deepest,” and “Wild World.”
“Father and Son” was written and recorded by Cat Stevens for his 1970 album, Tea for the Tillerman. The song tells about a conversation between a father and a son, the misunderstandings that arise between older and younger generations, and the need to come to terms with personal life decisions. Stevens uses the lower part of his register for the words spoken by the father and the higher part of his register to represent the son speaking. Stevens’ lyric writing is simple, but poignant, and though there is not much use of vibrato in his voice, Stevens’ portrayal of the message brings out a bittersweet depth and desperation in this song that causes you to pause and listen. And maybe even potentially cry when no one is looking.
Take a listen below:
Are there any bands or singers that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!