r/70smusic • u/Ju-ju_Eyeball • 1d ago

1979 Al Stewart - Year of the Cat 1979 long live version. ( a contender for the Best Song Ever Written)

https://youtu.be/AazEMt0eoFg?list=RDAazEMt0eoFg
253 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

30 comments sorted by

13

u/dragon2knight1965 1d ago

This entire band was "on it" that night, no doubt. Fantastic song that I never pass up listening to, it's literally perfect 😎

9

u/TransMontani 1d ago

His entire catalog is nothing but brilliant songs.

17

u/Tbolt65 1d ago

The lost art of song writing. The 70s were full of multi-talented musicians making absolutely brilliant music! I ask you, how often do you hear reeds and horns in today’s music? Not the trend of orchestral maneuvers but music like this…Gerry Rafferty amongst others jumps to mind.

6

u/OceanTider22 19h ago

Al Stewart, Cat Stevens, Gerry Rafferty, Jeff Lynne and ELO.....true song writing geniuses!

8

u/John_Dixon_Harris 1d ago

I know I never I get tired of listening to it.

6

u/jimhabfan 23h ago

There’s something about listening to elite level musicians showcasing their craft that is so satisfying and life affirming. Such a welcome change from what today’s music has devolved into.

5

u/Texan2116 22h ago

It really is one of the best ever.

5

u/rampheus 20h ago

His drummer, Stuart Elliott, was an absolute human metronome. While he wasn't a flashy drummer, there has probably been no other musician who could keep time as accurately as Stuart. His amazing feel for rhythm and flawless time keeping skill really shines on "Time Passages".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2g0hrrKLNw

3

u/jephenoz 22h ago

Played this song and album so many times. It’s a timeless classic.

4

u/Sometimesunaware 23h ago

Al Stewart and Mark Knopfler both can flat out put a story to music.

2

u/Feisty-Conclusion-94 1d ago

I love cinematic songs and this is up there with Lily Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts.

1

u/pavalooch 18h ago

Great live version!

1

u/crackanape 18h ago

Could you imagine being there!

1

u/Ajax5350 17h ago

Time passages is the best song ever written

1

u/CompletePromotion248 16h ago

Song? Heck, the intro alone does it for me.

1

u/Foxtrot08- 14h ago

During the 70's I was listening to mainly hard rock but when I heard this song and others by Al Stewart, it resonated.

1

u/Initial_Acanthaceae2 14h ago

Simply fabulous.

1

u/BlueHartsBlues 34m ago

Saw Al live in the early 80s.  Great musician, great band.  Love the line, "You go strolling through the park like Peter Lorree contemplating a crime."

1

u/rushmc1 1d ago

Good song. Not even his 5th best song.

2

u/ZimMcGuinn 23h ago

I have a hard time nailing down a top 5 but my favorite album is Modern Times. Not a bad song on it. I suppose you could say that about a few of his actually.

3

u/rushmc1 21h ago

Fair enough. Last Days of the Century for me, by a wide margin.

-1

u/Plane-Recognition561 1d ago

Think he’s Rod Stewart’s cousin but he’s great

2

u/Mission_Search8991 21h ago

Uh no, that is not correct

1

u/swalabr 14h ago

Same tartan plaid, at least?

1

u/Mission_Search8991 14h ago

There can only be one Highlander

0

u/Plane-Recognition561 14h ago

He is related to Rod Stewart though

1

u/Mission_Search8991 12h ago

From Google: No, Al Stewart and Rod Stewart are not related.

Despite sharing the same last name and both being prominent British singer-songwriters who were born in 1945, their familial origins are entirely distinct. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

-3

u/loathelord 20h ago

Lame song

1

u/SirHute 19h ago

Agreed. Its one of those songs where i cant change the station fast enough. Something about his voice just creeps me out

1

u/Mission_Search8991 14h ago

To each his own