The artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, known named Yusuf Islam, was denied access to the United States earlier this week as a plane he was on was diverted to Maine and he was removed from the flight. Government officials claim it was based off purported donations to the terrorist group Hamas on Islam’s behalf. Islam’s story has long been one of mystery, as the man behind some of the most calm and peaceful music of his time has become an enigma to his once adoring legion of fans.
Even if you don’t know the music of Cat Stevens, you know it, if that makes any sense. Songs like “Moonshadow”, “Father & Son”, and “The Wind” have been used in countless movies, television shows and commercials as his earthy vocals seem perfectly crafted to accompany many moods. For more serious music fans, Cat Stevens represents an entire genre of music that each person passes through in their musical education, adult contemporary of the 1970’s.
Included in that category is Simon & Garfunkel, the post-folk years, and of course, the guru of white man music, James Taylor. Scoff all you want at the notion of going to see James Taylor in concert right now, but I guarantee that if you are over the age of 25, at one time you owned the James Taylor Greatest Hits CD with the white cover. Odds are it held a temporarily permanent place in your musical rotation along with Cat Stevens greatest hits, and perhaps Van Morrison as well. Why so many people are drawn to that music is not completely clear, perhaps it is the elegant simplicity of a man telling stories, supported by soft music, that requires no deep thought? Or perhaps, with the exception of Van Morrison and Paul and Art, it is simply schlock, the type that untrained ears can appreciate from early on until they venture to more sophisticated tastes. Regardless of how someone arrives there, it is certain that many people have spent time with Cat Stevens. Which makes the recent news about him all that more strange.
This is the man who sang “Peace Train” and now he’s considered persona non grata in the US and suspected of giving funds to a terrorist group? Imagine if all of a sudden James Taylor, Mister Sweet Baby James, was discovered to be a Nazi sympathizer and changed his name to Adolph Heigel, it’s pretty much the same thing. I can see an entertainer who comes from a background of heavier music, say death metal, associating with terrorists, but Cat Stevens? Or should I say, but Yusuf Islam? Maybe there was more going to the lyrics of “Moonshadow” then we ever realized? And what if his situation is not an isolated incident? What if other artists of similar stylings follow his path? If you think about it, Jackson Browne has always seen a bit off, the same goes for Joni Mitchell, and don’t even get me started on Art Garfunkel. Have you seen this man’s son? I’m pretty sure he is involved in some weird cloning program that is destined to populate the world with an army of white men with bad Afro’s and extremely sensitive personalities.
All of these questions are now floating around, now that we’ve seen what has become of the man once called Cat Stevens. Knowing the story, how can one ever listen to “Wild World” again and not wonder if the song is not a warning, but a call to arms? To borrow a phrase from the heyday of Cat, James and Van, that’s heavy man.
