Oh Very Young - Cat Stevens (1974) 9/26/21

"You're only dancin' on this Earth for a short while."

Cat Stevens wrote that lyric for "Oh Very Young," today's "Great Song of 1974.

He was only 25 at the time, but he was lucky to be alive.

When Cat was 19, he barely survived tuberculosis--which caused him to think deeply inward and search for true meaning in the life he had left--however long it may be.

At first, it led him to Buddhism, which then led him to record the album "Buddha and the Chocolate Box."

"Oh Very Young" was the only hit from the album--but it was a big one, reaching #2 on Billboard's Easy Listening Chart and #10 on the Hot 100.

Some musicologists believe the song is a gentle response to Don McLean's "American Pie," with subtle lyrical references to Buddy Holly and his early death. Listen and see if you can pick them out.

Note #1: After a while, Cat moved on from Buddhism and settled on Islam, changing his name to Yusaf Islam and stepping away from popular music for several decades --but that's a story for another day.

Note #2: The female voice you hear is Suzanne Lynch, who appeared on several of Cat's records.

"Oh Very Young" by Cat Stevens: a "Great Song of 1974!