FIRST TIME HEARING Al Stewart - Year Of The Cat REACTION

[@brentbeardsley655]

Strings into classical Spanish guitar into electric guitar finished off with the sax. One of the best interludes of all time it practically defined the 70's.

[@mojavered1273]

Smoooothest song ever. Sound mixed by a master... Alan Parsons, who also worked with Pink Floyd for a time.

[@citizendissidentiv2488]

“ She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running like a water color in the rain.” Brilliant!

[@jvsmith7888]

Al Stewart was watching the movie "Casablanca" (a Bogart movie with Peter Lorrie as one of its stars) when he was inspired to write this song. By the time the movie was over he had finished the song, except for the course. He couldn't come up with anything to tie the song together. He showed the song to his Vietnamese girlfriend and her response was oh it's so mysterious, like a cat. Then she casually mentioned that, in Vietnam right now, it's the year of the cat. Something in Al Stewart clicked and he finished the song. Interestingly, once he recorded the song, he didn't think much of it. Most popular songs don't have a full orchestra, it's too long, and so on. Since the song was so long, he put it on the album as the last song on side 2 because he didn't anyone would ever listen to it. The song ended up being his biggest hit and completely changing his life. Today he says the song is kind of like a rich uncle that keeps giving him money.

[@bobwowk8440]

I could drift away forever to this song.

[@GinMae]

Thanks, Kids.. such a beautiful song.. probably Al's most famous, but not his only great one.. the instrumentation on this is fantastic! (also hope you got lyrics.. very poetic.. as are many of his songs) appreciate your reaction...

[@citizendissidentiv2488]

Saxophone and cellos for strings! This song is a masterpiece. But I’m a freak, I have wu tang, Alice In Chains and Sinatra on the same playlist. Music is what unites us!

[@jimfrederick3907]

Calling this a masterpiece is a serious understatement!

[@shelleyparsons5735]

Check out the Chinese calendar for the answer to the Year of the Cat. The woman whose spell he was under said she was from the Year of the Cat.

[@grimreaper-qh2zn]

This song was originally written about British comedian of the 50's to 60's Tony Hancock. However, the American Label said it wouldn't sell in the US because nobody knew Hancock. So Al re wrote the lyrics.

[@joepowell7025]

Yes people actually played all the instruments here unlike the computer crap of today.

[@heliotropezzz333]

It was the saxophone.

[@salty-tomato]

Love that running bass line

[@danhunt727]

Someone mention.d; year of the cat n the Vietnam calender; & he being left behind, miss,n the boat want,n to stay with the mistress! man" song takes you there almost!

[@Isleofskye]

Yes and it is a North African Love Song set in Morocco with many references to the Bogart film:" Casablanca"..

[@luisalbertocalla6649]

1975 Year of the cat!!!

[@Isleofskye]

Guys ! I like you two Guys but I would much rather listen once the song is over as you, continually, broke the flow and rhythm of this masterpiece and even paused EIGHT Seconds from the end. Could you have waited, my friends?😀 This is a North African Love Song set in Morocco with many references to the Humphrey Bogart film: "Casablanca". The Year Of The Cat refers to The Vietnamese Year where, like The Chinese, they have a different animal each year. One of the greatest lyricists of the 20th Century.

[@conversationflex3238]

The song is kind of supposed to be a North African love story between a tourist and a local woman in 1975 (the year the song was recorded) which coincides with the year of the Cat in the Chinese calendar. The song is very bittersweet to me. A bit sad really in the end knowing that joy that we didn't even ask for and is unexpected is fleeting and finite--and that's if we are wise enough to accept it. Beautifully written and recorded. Produced by my favourite producer, Alan Parsons.

[@bearballin]

Actually, Year of the Cat is from Vietnamese astrology, not Chinese.

[@mojavered1273]

@ Randy A You are correct. Vietnamese calendar. 🙌 Not at all trying to take away from Conversation Flex's comment, just agreeing with the correction.

[@johnmcintosh5413]

Yeah I’m sure the song was about astrology (Vietnam) and a British comedian & the movie Casablanca reference in it 🤔

[@saltypepper6526]

Great tune Nice Reaction ☺️✌️🎶 PS: I saw that! You can’t help but groove a little 🎧

[@thisisam940]

If you’ve never seen the movie ‘Casablanca’, you likely won’t relate to the scene he’s setting. Also, the Year of the Cat in Vietnamese astrology was 1975, the year he wrote this song.

[@mikerowley1189]

Saxophone

[@salty-tomato]

Good morning yall Yall look like ur baked enough for this banger😎🙋

[@jimbuzon7903]

Baked AND wasted ! This is not a review, it's a " let's see how much dope we can do before the song ends...........

[@joshoberg9797]

THE WHO "Won't Get Fooled Again" live at Shepperton Studios.

[@jamuga60]

It's saxophone man........................and it comes in hot.

[@peterwaters8338]

saxi .......sax from phil kenzie....major sax dude for several recordings....

[@lynnieiapichino1121]

☮️💙💙💙🎷🎷🎷

[@davidbrown5688]

saxophone!!!

[@mikerowley1189]

Chinese Year of the Cat…..Chinese calendar

[@bearballin]

Actually, Year of the Cat is from Vietnamese astrology, not Chinese.

[@ernie1238]

The drums are to heavy. Original song they were lighter.

[@roberormonde]

You just missed out not your fault but you can back trust as ck if you want

[@dc2778]

What a weird version of this song …drums are way off

[@donnyhilliard8177]

Too much distortion

[@donnyhilliard8177]

Your audio is terrible