Posted on 03/05/2020 8:25:58 AM PST by simpson96
(Stewart in 1976, and still performing in 2019...)
Year of the Cat is the seventh studio album by Al Stewart, released in 1976 and was produced and engineered by Alan Parsons; it is considered his masterpiece, its sales helped by the hit single "Year of the Cat", "one of those 'mysterious woman' songs," co-written by Peter Wood.
Stewart had all of the music and orchestration written and completely recorded before he even had a title of any of the songs. In a Canadian radio interview he stated that he has done this for 6 of his albums, and he often writes four different sets of lyrics for each song. The title track derives from a song Stewart wrote in 1966 called "Foot of the Stage" with prescient lyrics about Tony Hancock, one of Britain's favourite comedians who tragically committed suicide two years later. When Stewart discovered that Hancock was not well known in the United States, he went back to his original title "Year of the Cat".
Al Stewart - "Year Of The Cat" 1976
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
One hit wonder. But it was a good song - it deserved the success it achieved.
Outstanding.
Al is one of the go-to’s on my YouTube playlist.
Love his historical stuff, “Hanno The Navigator”
I love Roads to Moscow.
I see what you did there.
His hands in a lot of projects. Such as, his musical group, The Alan Parsons Project. LOL.
And “Terminal Eyes”
I liked the song, but never understood what the year of the cat meant.
I saw him live at the Valley Forge Music Fair. A small venue with a 360 degree rotating stage. It was in 1983.
Heh. Got me.
Ahhh, the Great Al Stewart! He was good friends w/ Jimmy Page who was putting together what became L.Z. He told Al he needed a bass player (BEFORE he came across John Paul Jones) and Al said in an interview once, “ I can play bass, but my heart is a guitarist, and I declined”. I can’t imagine how history would be different if he had agreed.
That’s like Macca with The Beatles.
Paul was probably the best of the guitarists in The Beatles, but he was the only one who was willing to play bass.
Good Song.
Other great tunes from this era.
Gary Wright - Love Is Alive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82DSEkHatpw
This Masquerade - George Benson (1976)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-ibK5L2a4I
“I HAVE THAT ALBUM!.................”
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ME TOO!! :-)
One of my favorite albums of all time.
The title song “Year of the Cat” is lyrical genius, eloquent, and very evocative.
“On the Border” has some brilliant guitar throughout it.
I’ve listened to this album over and over and never tire of it.
Thank you for posting this.
Al Stewart’s voice made Barry Manilow sound like a basso profundo.
Faggy, lisping, and girly. Yuk.
I remember an article bemoaning the “loss” of multi-syllable words in contemporary lyrics, let alone the lack of story-telling.
Well, 2016 was actually supposed to be “Year Of The Bat” but she lost.
Not really.
“On The Border” and “Time Passages” also charted well.
I also love the album. Great songs.
Saw him perform in the UK. Fab.
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