Cat Stevens: Quotes about love

“Here's a chance, I think, for us to kind of remind ourselves, of those things we all commonly enjoy and love and share, try to get back together.”

Cat Stevens

Interview on CBS News Sunday Morning (30 November 2006)
Context: Here's a chance, I think, for us to kind of remind ourselves, of those things we all commonly enjoy and love and share, try to get back together. You know, singing out for a more peaceful world today, I think, can only do good. … I do believe that … a lot of Muslims have yet to learn, you know, the incredible great history and contribution of Islamic civilization — and its become very, if you like, in some way puritanical — that puritanical approach will become narrower and narrower and even become more fragmented. Its that vast middle ground where people actually live, you know, that we have to reclaim; and in that area, everybody should be able to live together. And I don't think that God sent us prophets and books to fight about these books and these prophets. But they were telling us, actually, how to live together. If we ignore those teachings — whichever faith you belong, you profess, then I think we'll be finding ourselves in an even deeper mess.

Love , Thinking , Chance

“A lot of people would have loved me to keep singing … You come to a point where you have sung, more or less … your whole repertoire and you want to get down to the job of living.”

Cat Stevens

On leaving the music business in 1979,in an interview with CBS News Sunday Morning (12 August 2007) http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/30/sunday/main2221286.shtml
Context: A lot of people would have loved me to keep singing … You come to a point where you have sung, more or less … your whole repertoire and you want to get down to the job of living. You know, up until that point, I hadn't had a life. I'd been searching, been on the road.

Love , People , Singing

“Oh I can’t keep it in; I can’t keep it in,
I’ve gotta let it out
I’ve got to show the world; world’s got to see,
See all the love; love that’s in me”

Cat Stevens

Can't Keep It In
Song lyrics, Catch Bull at Four (1972)

Love , World

“Don’t you remember the days
Of the old schoolyard
When we had imaginings and we had
All kinds of things and we laughed
And needed love … yes, I do
Oh and I remember you”

Cat Stevens

(Remember The Days Of The) Old Schoolyard
Song lyrics, Izitso (1977)

Love , Imagination

“They crossed the wood and hanged him
A long time ago
They still misunderstand him
Those who don’t know
And in the evening his love will lead the blind
In every secret corner there in your mind”

Cat Stevens

Jesus
Song lyrics, Buddha and the Chocolate Box (1974)

Love , Secret , Time

“Baby, I love you
But if you wanna leave, take good care
I hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there's a lot of bad and beware Oh, baby, baby, it's a wild world
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh, baby, baby, it's a wild world
I'll always remember you like a child”

Cat Stevens

Wild World
Song lyrics, Tea for the Tillerman (1970)

Love , World , Smile , Hope

“I love my dog as much as I love you
But you may fade, my dog will always come through.”

Cat Stevens

I Love My Dog (1966), his first single, later included on Matthew and Son (1967)
Song lyrics

Love , Dogs

“Now I’m not making love to anyone’s wishes,
Only for that light I see
‘Cause when I’m dead and lowered low in my grave,
That’s gonna be the only thing that’s left of me”

Cat Stevens

Sitting
Song lyrics, Catch Bull at Four (1972)

Love , Making love , Light , Dead

“Oh very young,
What will you leave us this time?
There’ll never be a better chance to change your mind
And if you want this world to see better days
Will you carry the words of love with you?
Will you ride the great white bird into heaven?
And though you want them to last forever
You know they never will — you know they never will”

Cat Stevens

Oh Very Young
Song lyrics, Buddha and the Chocolate Box (1974)

Love , World , Bird , Change

“I never wanted to be a star,
I never wanted to travel far
I only wanted a little bit of love
So I could put a little love in my heart”

Cat Stevens

(I Never Wanted) To Be A Star
Song lyrics, Izitso (1977)

Love , Travel , Star , Heart

“The first cut is the deepest, Baby I know —
The first cut is the deepest
'Cause when it comes to being lucky, she's cursed
When it comes to lovin' me, she's worst
But when it comes to being loved, she's first
That's how I know
The first cut is the deepest.”

Cat Stevens

The First Cut Is the Deepest, from New Masters (1967)
Song lyrics

Love , Baby

“Sing a song of love and truth
We’ll soon remember if you do
When all things were tall
And our friends were small
And the world was new”

Cat Stevens

Silent Sunlight
Song lyrics, Catch Bull at Four (1972)

Love , Truth , World , Singing

“As years went by the boy grew high
And the village looked on in awe
They’d never seen anything like
The boy with the moon and star before
And people would ride from far and wide
just to seek the word he spread
"I'll tell you everything I've learned,"
And "Love", is all he said.”

Cat Stevens

Boy With A Moon And Star On His Head
Song lyrics, Catch Bull at Four (1972)

Love , People , Star , Boy

“How can I tell you that I love you, I love you
But I can’t think of right words to say.”

Cat Stevens

How Can I Tell You
Song lyrics, Teaser and the Firecat (1971)

Love , Thinking

“O love! O love!
Be with us always
We who will perish salute death
Life alone goes on!”
O caritas, O caritas nobis semper sit amor mos perituri mortem salutamus — ah, ah sola resurgit vita

Cat Stevens

O caritas, O caritas
nobis semper sit amor
mos perituri mortem salutamus — ah, ah
sola resurgit vita
"O' Caritas" (co-written with Andreas Toumazis and Jeremy Taylor)
Song lyrics, Catch Bull at Four (1972)

Love , Life , Death

“I love everything
So don't it make you feel sad
'cause I'll drink to you, my baby
I'll think to that, I'll think to that”

Cat Stevens

Miles From Nowhere
Song lyrics, Tea for the Tillerman (1970)

Love , Sadness , Feeling , Drink

“And if my mind breaks up
In all so many ways
I know the meaning of
The words, “I love you””

Cat Stevens

King of Trees
Song lyrics, Buddha and the Chocolate Box (1974)

Love , Way

“I love, I love, I’m ready to love — yes”

Cat Stevens

Ready
Song lyrics, Buddha and the Chocolate Box (1974)

Love , Making love