The Future
At my fitness center’s indoor pool, the soft-rock tunes curated by Sam, the kids’s swimming teacher, set the tone for our exercises. His playlist options classics like Elton John‘s “Your Tune”, the Beatles‘ “And I Love Her”, George Harrison‘s “My Candy Lord”, and Simon & Garfunkel’s “America”. These tracks evoke a heat, analogue nostalgia crammed with real feelings.
I’ve cherished “Goals” since 1977, nevertheless it was solely throughout my swimming classes over the previous 12 months that I observed a flaw in its lyrics: Thunder can happen even when it’s not raining. Does that suggest gamers would possibly love you even after they’re not enjoying? Such reflections come naturally whenever you’re immersed within the rhythm of the water and music, permitting you to understand these songs from new angles.
Sam developed an affection for these enduring tracks a long time in the past, absorbing them from his older brother, who returned residence from faculty with new information. His devotion to smooth rock is unwavering, and he hardly ever strays from his curated record. Surprisingly, although, his playlist omits two of Al Stewart’s songs—”Yr of the Cat” and “Time Passages”—which continuously echo in my thoughts.
Like “Goals”, each “Yr of the Cat” and “Time Passages” embody distinct sounds that outline the late Seventies, marked by light, pattering drum beats. This percussion conveys a meticulous exploration of consciousness, quite than a want to rattle your senses.
Curious after listening to these songs repeatedly, I finally requested Sam if he had ever listened to Al Stewart. It turned out he hadn’t. Astonishingly, he had spent a long time unaware of even Stewart‘s two main hits, which had been as soon as ubiquitous and nonetheless resonate on retail retailer playlists at this time. Jotting down Stewart’s identify, Sam promised to discover his music.
“Search for ‘Yr of the Cat’ and ‘Time Passages’ first,” I advised, understanding these can be the primary titles he’d uncover via a fast on-line search. One snowy Saturday morning, whereas swimming, I used to be delighted when Sam performed “Time Passages”. I paused on the lane’s finish and expressed my gratitude. He gave a nod, beaming. “Have you ever heard this earlier than?” I requested. He admitted he hadn’t, a lot to his embarrassment, as New Yorkers typically hate to admit unfamiliarity.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” He nodded in settlement, swaying gently to the melodic move. “It brings me peace.”
“Sure.” Whereas I wouldn’t have chosen that phrase, I understood his perspective. Listening to “Time Passages” transports me again to a Saturday morning in 1978. At 13, I hadn’t but grappled with the insecurities of puberty or junior excessive. “Nothing’s gonna change my world,” John Lennon sang within the Beatles’ beautiful “Throughout the Universe”.
They’ll like me, they’ll see my worth, and this new college will really feel like residence, similar to my elementary college did. Proper?
The long run felt endlessly stuffed with promise.
The Yr of the Cat
Since 1967, Al Stewart had been creating folk-rock music. His early albums, whereas charming (take a look at his 1977 compilation The Early Years), reached their peak with the 1976 launch of Yr of the Cat. The title observe turned an enormous hit, co-written with keyboardist Peter Wooden. “Co-written” is perhaps a beneficiant time period, as Stewart reportedly crafted the music from a piano melody that Wooden had explicitly suggested in opposition to utilizing.
Whereas Stewart’s appropriation of that hook might not replicate properly on him, Wooden nonetheless contributed to the recording, later having fun with sufficient success to work on Stewart’s subsequent album, Time Passages.
Stewart earned further credit score for drawing in his target market with out alienating newcomers, starting with a nod to basic Hollywood actor Humphrey Bogart. The opening strains set the scene: “a morning from a Bogart film / in a rustic the place they flip again time”, just like the fascinating opening of a screenplay laced with hints of magical realism.
Intrigued? You’ll be pulled in!
The lyrics make use of second-person narration, addressing “you” as “you stroll via the gang”. Nevertheless, in contrast to Bogart, you’re “like Peter Lorre”, his modern, an uncommon reference for a music. Even when the identify isn’t instantly recognizable, many recall Lorre’s portrayal of that quirky character in Casablanca, who famously pleaded for assist as police dragged him away.
So, should you’re “like Peter Lorre”, you is perhaps questioning about some “petty crime”, because the lyrics counsel, portraying you as an anxious misfit quite than a composed hero like Bogie, along with your destiny considerably past your management.
What does this convey? “It’s the 12 months of the cat.” This phrase encapsulates the music’s essence. “Don’t hassle asking for explanations.” In a setting the place “a bus” would possibly summon “vacationers”—maybe together with you—you encounter a mesmerizing lady, “in incense and patchouli,” wearing silk, “operating like a watercolor within the rain.” She connects your arms and leads you to “a hidden door” the place you spend the night time collectively. This shared journey leaves you and not using a alternative, for now having “to remain on”.
Thus, you acknowledge that “someday you’re certain to go away her/ However for now, you are gonna keep/Within the 12 months of the cat.” The album cowl, depicting a girl in a cat costume, hints that one interpretation of “the cat” is the enigmatic lady, adopting a persona throughout the narrative.
Whereas the abstract right here strikes swiftly, the music unfolds leisurely—in spite of everything, it takes place “in a rustic that takes again time.” Musically, “Yr of the Cat” options the enveloping, pattering drum sounds together with vibrant bass and guitar segments. An acoustic piano introduces an evocative riff, main right into a sequence of solos—first guitar, then saxophone—culminating in an elaborate string association akin to cinematic brilliance. (For a full breakdown of the musicians concerned, see the album’s credit, obtainable on-line.)
The remainder of the album continues to discover these musical themes, mixing electrical piano and violin amongst different devices. Stewart’s traditionally impressed narratives mix seamlessly with catchy melodies and his clear, expressive vocals. His cautious enunciation ensures that each lyric resonates amidst the nice and cozy folk-rock ambiance. Whereas not each music on Yr of the Cat is equally iconic, the title observe stays a consummate spotlight, drawing listeners in direction of its fulfilling journey.
What, in essence, does “Yr of the Cat” signify? It’s a romantic escapade with mystical undertones, immersing you in its ambiance, making a profound sense of enjoyment. The music’s music and lyrics elicit non-auditory sensations, providing an identical expertise to that of the Eagles’ “Lodge California”. Even when you recognize its twists and turns, the joys of your favourite components by no means wanes. Like the person addressed in “Yr of the Cat”, you’re aware that you simply’ll finally depart this situation when the tune ends, but for the second, you’re completely content material. It really is the 12 months of the cat.
Nevertheless, underlying this bliss is the inevitability of time. Al Stewart’s subsequent hit, “Time Passages”, serves as a thematic sequel, reflecting on the fleeting nature of years, relationships, and experiences.
The Previous
With 1978’s Time Passages, Al Stewart strategically aimed to copy his earlier success. If modified barely, “Time Passages” might need felt like a mere rehash of “Yr of the Cat”. But Stewart and producer Alan Parsons labored with lots of the identical proficient musicians whereas sustaining sufficient innovation to make sure that the follow-up stands by itself.
Whereas “Yr of the Cat” is wealthy in ambiance, “Time Passages” surpasses it. Very similar to celebrated sequels resembling The Godfather Half II or Earlier than Sundown, “Time Passages” refines its predecessor’s idea. That is partly because of its extra intentional, chart-ready hooks. Stewart overtly embraces business attraction, even in “Tune on the Radio” with lyrics like “You’re on my thoughts / Like a music on the radio,” which considerably distances the listener. In distinction, “Time Passages” presents a extra rapid connection.
With Time Passages, Stewart and Parsons transitioned from heat people parts to a glossier sound. Parsons’ celebrated engineering credit embody the good synth-pop of Pink Floyd‘s Darkish Facet of the Moon. The late Seventies noticed yacht rock dominated by comparable polished soundscapes, capturing a way of cool sophistication.
By 1978, Stewart opened the last decade with a departure from floor sheen, choosing a strong rock really feel on his album, 24 Carrots, but within the meantime…
In “Time Passages”, an upbeat electrical keyboard replaces the signature arpeggiated acoustic piano and guitar, introducing a extra spirited vibe than “Yr of the Cat”. It encourages swaying quite than dancing, akin to the motion Sam made upon first listening to it.
The association options transient electrical guitar riffs and saxophone accents, resulting in a full of life acoustic solo imbued with Spanish aptitude, culminating in a saxophone solo. This echoes quite a few memorable sax moments in Eighties pop, though in 1978, the sound felt refreshing and progressive. (For extra particulars on the musicians concerned, confer with the album credit or Wikipedia.)
“Time Passages” progresses in another way in comparison with its predecessor, utilizing first-person narration quite than the second-person strategy of “Yr of the Cat”. The singer displays on the passage of time, starting with the nostalgic strains, “It was late in December, the sky turned to snow,” evoking introspection. “I felt the beat of my thoughts go / Drifting into time passages.”
This shift hints at a eager for progress. Because the narrator observes, “Years go falling within the fading mild”, years slip away like calendar pages. The timing of those reflections stays obscure, but they counsel a deeper contemplation of previous moments that proceed to linger. As he speaks to himself, a second-person deal with surfaces: “There’s one thing again right here that you simply left behind…”
“…within the 12 months of the cat.” Although he refrains from repeating that precise phrase—too evident for his model—he sings, “Oh time passages / Purchase me a ticket on the final prepare residence tonight.”
This ambiguous phrase “time passages” suggests numerous meanings—transitional moments, tunnels, and even sections of writing. Additionally, recall that in “Yr of the Cat”, the character momentarily remained stagnant, stripped of alternative and obligation. In “Time Passages”, the metaphorical “final prepare residence” evokes each freedom and uncertainty, grounding the music’s emotional affect.
The lyrics shift again to second individual in direction of the tip, revealing echoes of the previous together with hints of transformation. “The image is altering.” Simply as the sooner character strolled via crowds, this one is now “a part of a crowd”. When a well-known face seems, it’s straightforward to liken her to the enchanting lady in “Yr of the Cat”.
This time, nevertheless, quite than locking arms, “You attain out your hand,” departing from the sooner narrative’s second of connection. However the comfortable ending stays elusive: “You’re on their lonesome, in these / Time passages.”
Do you bear in mind her? You hung out collectively, however now she lives on solely in your reminiscence.
The narrator displays, asserting, “I do know you’re in there / You’re simply out of sight.” This might signify remnants of the previous inside himself, or maybe a unique individual altogether. The ultimate fantastic thing about “Time Passages” lies in its ambiguity; it doesn’t present conclusive solutions, inviting introspection over certainty.
Al Stewart traversed themes he had explored in “Yr of the Cat”, not as a result of he exhausted his concepts, however as a result of that territory felt incomplete and wanted revisiting.
Transitioning from “Yr of the Cat” to “Time Passages” encapsulates a journey from innocence to expertise, from youth to maturity, and from the enchanting to the philosophical. The metaphorical “final prepare residence” encapsulates this journey—presumably suggesting there’s house for “Yr of the Cat Half III: Time Passages within the Afterlife” sooner or later.
