Song of the Day 9/14: Al Stewart, “Year of the Cat”

In case you hadn’t noticed, this year’s presidential election is all about cats. I’m not clear on whether Republicans hate cats. Their disdain for cat ladies seems to indicate they do, but on the other hand they’re equally incensed by the notion that Haitians in Ohio are eating pet cats. Frankly, I have a feeling that Republicans aren’t cat people at all, and I hope all America’s cat owners remember that on election day.

Scottish folk singer-songwriter Al Stewart was a decade into his career before he hooked up with producer Alan Parsons in the mid-’70s for a three-album stretch that marked his commercial peak. “Year of the Cat,” released in 1976, reached the top 5 in Billboard’s album chart, and its title track was a No. 7 hit. Parsons’ production, especially the saxophone solo, give the tune a jazzy feel, but Stewart had written the melody years before. The lyrics came later, when his girlfriend left a book about the Vietnamese zodiac open to that page. It was recorded in 1975, which was indeed a year of the cat, as was 2023, which means the Republicans are behind the times again.

If that wasn’t jazzy enough for you, try out this cover by the Prog Rock Collective, which features David Sancious, best known for his early association with Bruce Springsteen, and Billy Sherwood of the later incarnations of Yes.