Song of the Day 3/25: 10,000 Maniacs, “Peace Train”

How could a song that advocates peace become controversial? Well, how about if the guy who wrote it later supported the assassination of an author for blasphemy?

Even when it was released on 1971’s “Teaser and the Firecat,” Cat Stevens’ first US Top 10 hit wasn’t universally admired. With the war in Vietnam still raging, critic Robert Christgau carped, [W]hen Stevens informs the world that we’re all on a peace train, I get annoyed. We’re not.” Christgau disliked singer-songwriters in general and Stevens in particular, sensing a nasty undertone. “When ‘the world as it is’ isn’t driving him to tears,” he sniped, “he often lies about it.”

There’s no doubting Natalie Merchant’s sincerity, though. Her yearning vocal makes clear the lyrics, as with every song of peace, are aspirational, not definitional. It was the first single from “In My Tribe,” the 1987 breakthrough album for the band she fronted, 10,000 Maniacs. But in 1989, when Stevens, by then Yusuf Islam, voiced his support for a fatwa against Salman Rushdie, Merchant stopped performing the song and had it pulled from the album’s future pressings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9ymhfB5nys

Stevens’ single reached No. 7 in Billboard. My favorite part has always been the acoustic guitar passage that keeps playing after the orchestration fades out. This 2021 remastering extended the coda a few seconds.

Anti-war songs were pretty thick in the air back in 1971 — hence Christgau’s cynicism — but few have demonstrated as much staying power. Just six months ago Yusuf/Stevens joined Playing For Change in a video featuring Keb’ Mo’, Rhiannon Giddens and others, none of whom seem insincere about it.

Bonus video: 10,000 Maniacs playing “Peace Train” and “Don’t Talk” live on the Tonight Show in 1987, introduced by guest host Jay Leno.