- published: 08 Feb 2015
- views: 41737
Coordinates: 51°30′51.3″N 0°12′14″W / 51.51425°N 0.20389°W / 51.51425; -0.20389
Portobello Road is a street in the Notting Hill district of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in west London, England. It runs almost the length of Notting Hill from south to north, roughly parallel with Ladbroke Grove. On Saturdays it is home to Portobello Road Market, one of London's notable street markets, known for its second-hand clothes and antiques. Every August since 1996 the Portobello Film Festival has been held in locations around Portobello Road.
Portobello Road was known prior to 1740 as Green's Lane - a winding country path leading from Kensington Gravel Pits, in what is now Notting Hill Gate, up to Kensal Green in the north.
In 1740, Portobello Farm was built in the area near what is now Golborne Road. The farm got its name from a popular victory during the War of Jenkins' Ear, when Admiral Edward Vernon captured the Spanish-ruled town of Puerto Bello (now known as Portobelo in modern-day Panama). Vernon Yard, which runs off Portobello Road, still honours the Admiral's name to this day. The Portobello farming area covered the land which is now St. Charles Hospital.
Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou, 21 July 1948), commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam.
His early 1970s record albums Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat were both certified triple platinum in the United States by the RIAA. His 1972 album Catch Bull at Four sold half a million copies in the first two weeks of release alone and was Billboard's number-one LP for three consecutive weeks. He has also earned two ASCAP songwriting awards in consecutive years for "The First Cut Is the Deepest", which has been a hit single for four different artists.
Stevens converted to Islam in December 1977 and adopted the name Yusuf Islam the following year. In 1979, he auctioned all his guitars for charity and left his music career to devote himself to educational and philanthropic causes in the Muslim community. He has been given several awards for his work in promoting peace in the world, including the 2003 World Award, the 2004 Man for Peace Award, and the 2007 Mediterranean Prize for Peace. In 2006, he returned to pop music with his first album of new pop songs in 28 years, entitled An Other Cup. He now goes professionally by the single name Yusuf. His most recent album, Roadsinger, was released on 5 May 2009.
Getting hung up all day on smiles
Walking down portobello road for miles
Greeting strangers in indian boots,
yellow ties and old brown suits
Growing old is my only danger
Cuckoo clocks, and plastic socks
Lampshades of old antique leather
Nothing looks weird, not even a beard
or the boots made out of feathers
I'll keep walking miles til I feel
a broom beneath my feet
or the hawking eyes of an old stuffed bull across the street
Nothings the same if you see it again
it'll be broken down to litter
Oh, and the clothes
everyone know that that dress will never fit her
Getting hung up all day on smiles
Walking down portobello road for miles
Greeting strangers in indian boots,
yellow ties and old brown suits
Growing old is my only danger
Cuckoo clocks, and plastic socks
Lampshades of old antique leather
Nothing looks weird, not even a beard
or the boots made out of feathers
I'll keep walking miles til I feel
a broom beneath my feet
or the hawking eyes of an old stuffed bull across the street
Nothing's the same if you see it again
It'll be broken down to litter
Oh, and the clothes
everyone know that that dress will never fit her
Getting hung up all day on smiles
Walking down portobello road for miles
Greeting strangers in indian boots,
yellow ties and old brown suits
Growing old is my only danger