The story behind Cat Stevens’ “Moonshadow”
Cat Stevens’ “Moonshadow” was solely a minor hit, peaking at No. 30 on Billboard’s High 40 in July 1971, but it surely proved to be considered one of her most infectious songs. Stevens (born Steven Georgiou and often called Yusef Islam since 1979 after turning into a Muslim) launched the track as a part of his “Teaser and the Firecat” album. The track itself solely featured a number of acoustic guitars, vocals, and a contact of tambourine, but it surely received hearts throughout the nation.
However what actually motivated Stevens/Islam to put in writing this track? Let him say it in his personal phrases. As a visitor in 2009 on The Chris Isaac Hour he stated: “I used to be on trip in Spain. I used to be a child within the West Finish (of London) – vivid lights and so forth. I might by no means see the moon alone at midnight, there was at all times streetlights. So I used to be there by the water on an exquisite night time with the moon shining, and all of a sudden I appeared down and noticed my shadow. I assumed it was so cool, I had by no means seen it earlier than.
Listed below are some attention-grabbing details in regards to the track that you simply may not know:
1. The track had such endurance {that a} decade after its launch, director John Landis thought-about utilizing the track in his film An American werewolf in London. The movie’s soundtrack featured a number of songs that had “moon” of their title, together with “Blue Moon”, “Moondance”, and “Dangerous Moon Rising”. Stevens, who by then had develop into a Muslim, did not like the topic of the movie and refused to permit the usage of his track (if it makes you’re feeling any higher, Bob Dylan refused to permit the usage of “Moonshiner” and, for unknown causes, Landis was unable to acquire the rights to “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon.
2. Stevens/Islam nonetheless considers this his favourite early track. Stevens/Islam thinks its uplifting which means may assist individuals. He himself calls it his “optimist’s anthem”.
3. Moonshadow is likely one of the songs that persuaded Islam to launch a “Biggest Hits” file of his earlier work when he was Cat Stevens.
4. Stevens/Islam designed the album cowl themselves. Aside from his musical expertise, he was a gifted artist who initially needed to observe within the footsteps of his maternal uncle Hugo, who was a profitable artist in Sweden.
5. Stevens/Islam truly wrote a part of the story for an animated quick that featured this identical track. It premiered on the Implausible Animation Competition in 1977. It begins with a nonetheless picture of the 2 “Teaser and the Firecat” album cowl characters who then come to life.
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