Sometimes RU-vid is our time machine to our younger days, it really was a simpler time growing up in the 70's...Mom and Dad didnt drive you everywhere...you walked or rode bikes with your friends and sometimes those experiences are what you remember 40 years later.
I was older than you were then but I am taken back to my first relationship with a woman who wasn't psycho like I am. I am still in touch with her and every time we talk, one of us seems to bring up this song.
All those broadcasts don't exsist anymore. I'm 65 now and i'm lucky to that i belong to that generation who loves the 70's. That was music and not that shit like hip hop.
Extraordinaria versión musical, de acuerdo contigo, tengo 60 años. Y esta música marcó toda una epoca por los años 70. Creo que la música de los 70 y 80 es la mejor de todos los tiempos.
I'm 60 and a Beatlemaniac since before I could walk or talk in mid-60s Berkeley, California. You are so right. Our music was real music with real instruments. It was such a colorful and amazing time to be alive and to be a kid. Cheers, my friend!
Is there a more impressionistic and beautiful lyric than, "She comes out of the sun in a silk dress, running like a watercolor in the rain"? Even after all these years, and the literal hundreds of times I've listened to this purely hypnotic classic song, I still get chills.
An elegantly swift and well-attired commuter once appeared, out of the corner of my eyes, to be running for this just announced train. As I fumbled with my bags...and as we glanced for a fraction of a second...she faded away, with a more minuscule fractional glimpse of a hand gesture. I immediately thought of that line, in Al Stewart's song. I've always said to me, myself & I, even decades later, I wish I could paint a watercolor showing that split second in time that changed the course of my life infinitely. That picture in my head is a priceless work of art!
One of thousands of great 70's songs! Riding bikes everywhere - fishing and swimming in the river - building forts - cowboys and Indians - pickup hockey and baseball - etc. Etc. Etc. The 70's were the best for a kid to grow up in. P.s. no internet to suck your brain - no indoors all day - sheer glory.
“FREE RANGE KIDS”, what a great time to grow up in. My best friend @ 11/12 yrs old and I would take off on her horse “Spitfire” riding bareback~barefoot in cut off denim shorts, we were in great hands w/the sweet gentle brown~white pinto horse friend 🐎🫶
Koo bruu , I was a 70’s kid myself and we had a river close by and built forts and stayed till dark ! I loved it and honestly I’ve never left the 70’s , we were stoners too to put it mildly ! This particular song came out when I was in high school and our mascot was a wildcat and as a swimmer we wrestled the state championship from Denver 2 consecutive years , so lots of memories with this song ! It was kind of our anthem ! Have a nice day and I liked your comments 😊
@@catlynnearkin8825Hi! My name is Flavio Rivers, I'm a brazilian musician, producer and a big fan of the work of the great Al Stewart. I felt in my heart to pay a simple tribute to this fantastic musician by playing one of his most beautiful songs: Year of The Cat. I hope you like it! It was a cover made with lots of love and care!👇 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cR5_MIAO6O8.htmlsi=Om9AjGftiHiOfhNy
Yes, it certainly does. The piano intro, the first notes of "the song" it felt like my breath was trying to get sucked away. I was born in '65 so this song and many, many others profoundly moving for me as I have always had a connection to music, sort of an affinity for it like the suns rays are to the moon, the music is to my heart and soul. How I love it so and when I'm gone I hope I find that the music somehow is waiting there to greet me and then my heart shall sing along. This performance was very good. The solo with two guitars and the saxophone was super cool. What a haunting, timeless classic this is among so many others by various artists and bands. I believe we have reached music's zenith already. It's just my opinion, but I'm sticking to it for good reason. Til the next time....
I was that impressed I went out an bought the Album !!! I was 16 at the time.. jumped bus into Liverpool City Centre … still have it.. in perfect condition.. I’m 62 these days.. 😎
@@Long_Tail_of_Finance In terms of contemporary chart-toppers, I'd say Silk Sonic displays some impressive old-school songwriting and musicianship. I'd also give Beyonce, Kady Gaga, and Lana del Ray props for some of their work.
There really is nothing like this today. They are playing live, no auto tune, no pretending to play. Modern pop music isn't about performers with talent ( with some exceptions, lady Gaga is truly talented). In a couple of years it will be all AI and you won't know that from the crap they are producing today.
This song is a timeless classic that's a pretty complicated arrangement based on chord and time changes that are simplicity itself. I know this song was Number 1 for a long time in 1976 and it still outshines most of it's contemporaries. Great video here that shows what a fantastic musician Al Stewart is.
The piano riff at the beginning is mesmerizing . . and the lyrics are as good as it gets! "On a morning from a Bogart movie . . in a country where they turned back time . . you go strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorre . . contemplating a crime." That is perfection!!
A truth soothsayer leading us along on the journeys. The piano introduction at beginning & throughout is so beautiful, love the Sax too. Thanks for making music to help us through our life & to remember what we were doing when first hearing. Sweet memories to treasure, forever…♥️
Man... What is this?? What is going on???? This one song is ART!!! There should be a way to frame this song and put side by side with the greatest paints in history!! One of those few songs I can listen 10 times and still get fucking mesmerized in each single one of them!!! Oh boy... So heartwarming!
The truly great songs of the Past. Have one thing in common. Real Musicians who could actually play their instruments with great precision and deep feeling that was conveyed in the songs. Al Stewart definitely assembled an awesome ensemble here. Each Musician adds something to this particular song that makes this a true classic.
I think I haven’t heard this song for twenty years or so- it made me cry with all the oh so happy and sad memories when I lived in Scotland and was in love with so many. Listening to it in 2023 and it creates the same emotions as in 1977.
Yep..We are this old.... and I am sure that we oldies are all very grateful to have grown up in the 1970's. We DID NOT KNOW We ever had it so good.... Who could know how special the 60-80's would be? Very special era. I feel sorry for today's youth. They will never know.
If I only could bottle the feeling that you get when music like this takes you back in time in your head, heart and soul I'd be a billionaire. Just wonderful, fantastic this and all of the other live versions on here of this song!
I love this song real good...but one of the best guitar solos? Come on. Simple and elegant yes but not even in the top 1000. Especially from that era. Mint song though!
You can thank the producer - Alan Parsons - for the sax solo. In an '80's interview he said that he knew that Al wasn't going to make it big as a Scottish folk singer so he suggested putting a sax on his music. Al said that he never really heard a sax on his music but kind of went along with the idea. So Alan got a hold of a friend of his - Phil Kenzie - and the rest is history!
No one has mentioned that Al’s vocals are perfectly suited for this song. I like to think of what vocalist could pull this off other than Stewart. No one. It’s his song and his alone. Great stuff.
I love you Al and I hope to meet you some day. I am Francis Kornbacher and I live in Bakersfield, California, but i am originally from Caracas-Venezuela. I was a little girl when I heard the "Year of the Cat" and I felt in love with this song ever since then. I am 52 years old and this song bring tears of joy to my eyes. love you Al forever and ever.
This song always takes me back to 1977. I'd walk home for lunch during 9th grade and turn on the stero and hear this song. Made the rest of the day a breeze. Best days.
Oh, man. How I love these old songs. Brings back such great memories of growing up in the 70s. Times were so different then. Had such a blast with my siblings and friends.
Al owes a big debt of thanks to Alan Parsons for creating the sound that turned him from a Scottish folk singer to a progressive rock/pop artist. Alan knew that he was never going to make it big as a Scottish folk singer so he suggested changes and additions, such as the sax solo, that would allow this song and others of his to make it to radio stations' playlists. Al sort of went along with Alan's suggestions and the rest is musical history!
Yet Al Stewart is a folk singer at heart, and gradually got tired of touring with a band. Still, don't forget "Song On The Radio" and "Time Passages". Both fantastic collaborations between Stewart and Parsons;
Thank you my famous utube, you are so amazing, for the great work..to the whole World. God bless you. I never get tired of the music, this is also getting famous in my lists of songs.
Fantastic recording and performance... the band was very tight that night. I think yours is the best-quality upload of any copy of this performance that I've seen on RU-vid - as far as sound, visuals and completeness are concerned. Since you uploaded this, I've lost count of the number of times I have shared this on Facebook. No one ever tires of it. Thanks for sharing it with us here on RU-vid.
We Boomers were just pure dumb lucky to be living through this! The best time period for music ever! Hey, and they’re STILL playing it behind today’s commercials!
ESSA MUSICA É LINDA. LEMBRO DA MINHA VIDA NA FACULDADE DE ARQUITETURA 1970 EM MOGI DAS CRUZES SAO PAULO. ALL STUART É LINDO E O PIANISTA TAMBEM. AMO VOCES. BRASIL MANDA ABRAÇO
Great band, and song. Miss Al's "electric" era, as now he performs solo /acoustic to much smaller groups. Peter Woods on piano was always great. Al sometimes joked that the concert should be retitled "The Peter Wood Show." He co-wrote this song, and died in '93 at 43. Large loss in music.
Peter Wood cowrote this song with Al and played piano on the record. But for this live performance of Musikladen in Bremen 1979, the pianist here is Robert Alpert, on synth is Peter White.
1961 - Ft. Lauderdale - I have loved this song for so many years and just heard this live version! How beautiful and the instruments just flow "like a watercolor in the rain..." Amazing and Beautiful.....much more intelligent than today's music. Not a vulgar word and it leaves you feeling happy!
My first concert was Al, i978, YOTC tour, The Tower Theater in Philadelphia. My last concert was Al, Watoma, WI in the town auditorium just a few months ago. In between were shows in Phonixville, PA, Sellersville, PA, Doylestown, PA , Ft Lauderdale, FL, Chicago, NYC and a couple I just don't remember exactly where. He never disappoints. Plus the ticket prices are reasonable.
Que la paz y la fe vuelva a la humanidad ,que las guerras infructuosas se terminen y que las naciones se unan en solo interés que sea la paz y el amor por todos nuestros semejantes . Ojalá y pronto en todo el mundo podamos decir que las guerras han terminado.. Nuestra oración por todos los que hoy padecen esa estúpida forma de solucionar los problemas y es la puta guerra ! God save the world!
Al Stewart got the Best Sax Player out there Phil Kenzie and his Saxophone has played with toured or recorded with The Beatles, Eagles, Graham Nash, Carly Simon, David Crosby, Black Sabbath, Jackson Browne, Stevie Nicks, Alan Parsons, David Essex, Leo Sayer, Wishbone Ash, Manfred Mann Chapter Three, Annie Lennox, The Pointer Sisters, The Coasters, The Temptations, Rod Stewart, David Bowie, Eric Carmen, America, The Beatles used Kenzie on their album Let It Be,. Paul McCartney's Band on the Run. Kenzie has played on nineteen albums that have been certified gold or platinum.
BIG fan of Al here, saw him in concert 3 times each one a different experience and loved all three!! BTW I was born in 1968 four years after his first single came out. Crazy right??
@@katadam2186 I grew up listening to probably THE greatest rock station in the world and KSHE 95 St. Louis, 55 years and still going! They still play a few of Al's tunes.
Heard a short interview with Al Stewart. He said he was on the American tour opening for, I want to say Linda Ronstadt, and the piano player kept playing this riff in rehearsals that was completely hypnotic to him and to the band. He told the piano player that he was going to write a song based on his riffing. The piano player said: you can't do that, it's not meant to be a song, it's just an instrumental. After Al played him the Year of the Cat, the piano player grudgingly admitted that Al was right.
When this song came out i was a hood fitter at ford motor company..we had just went through new model change..we were building cougars and LTD II,s. I can still see that new cougar when i hear this song..those were great times for me..
👍This is a perfect song that will never dye , because each time you listen to it , it sounds as brilliant and new as its birthday.❤ thank you Al , thank you Peter for this song so eternal as the water or air✌
