Wild World

"Wild World" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. It first appeared in his fourth album, Tea for the Tillerman, recorded and released in 1970 and, continuing the change in Stevens' sound, after leaving Deram Records and signing with Island Records. Mona Bone Jakon was his first album released after a debilitating year of recovery from tuberculosis. As he convalesced, Stevens filled his time whilst still on bedrest, finding himself becoming a far more prolific songwriter, and after such a dramatic brush with death began to focus on his purpose in life after some unpleasant and stressful dealings with his previous record label. Favouring a newfound "stripped down" folk-rock sound and bucking the heavily orchestrated constraints from his previous contract with Deram Records' Mike Hurst, he instead chose Paul Samwell-Smith (formerly of The Yardbirds) as his producer. With Samwell-Smith supportive of his judgement, Stevens once again began turning out hit records with a different meaning and depth, both lyrically and melodically, beginning with Mona Bone Jakon and continuing to Tea for the Tillerman, where "Wild World" became a popular hit song both in the United Kingdom and the United States. Both critics and Stevens himself agree that this album and the songs to come from it have been considered Stevens' best work.

Song meaning

The song is in the form of the singer's words to his departing lover, inspired by the end of their romance. Stevens later recalled to Mojo: "It was one of those chord sequences that's very common in Spanish music. I turned it around and came up with that theme- which is a recurring theme in my work- which is to do with leaving, the sadness of leaving, and the anticipation of what lies beyond." Released as a single in late 1970, it just missed becoming Stevens' first top ten hit in the U.S., peaking at #11 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. "Wild World" has been credited as the song that gave Stevens next album, Tea for the Tillerman "enough kick" to get it played on FM radio; and Island Records' Chris Blackwell has been quoted as calling it "the best album we’ve ever released".

Cover versions

In 1987, Jonathan King accused Pet Shop Boys of plagiarising the melody of Wild World for their UK #1 single 'It's a Sin' . He made the claims in The Sun, for which he wrote a regular column during the 1980s. King also released his own cover version of Wild World as a single, using a similar musical arrangement to It's a Sin, in an effort to demonstrate his claims. This single flopped, while Pet Shop Boys sued King, eventually winning out-of-court damages, which they donated to charity.

In 2006, Littlest Things, the third single released by Lily Allen from her debut album, Alright, Still, was noted as having similarities with Wild World in its introduction.

On July 7, 2007, the song was performed twice at the Live Earth concerts. James Blunt sang it at Wembley Stadium in London, England, while Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) himself sang it in Hamburg, Germany.

In November 2008, the Tea for the Tillerman CD was re-issued in a deluxe version which included the original demo of Wild World.

Notable covers

References

Category:Cat Stevens songs Category:1970 singles Category:1988 singles Category:1993 singles Category:Maxi Priest songs Category:Mr. Big songs Category:Songs written by Cat Stevens