http://crookedtimber.org/2004/04/21/the-year-of-the-cat/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:39:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://crookedtimber.org/2004/04/21/the-year-of-the-cat/comment-page-1/#comment-25915 dflke Thu, 22 Apr 2004 13:52:53 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/wp/?p=1447#comment-25915 thanks for the link, chabo. reading the link nails the "cat" allusion actually. although it vaguely refers to "vietnamese astrology" it's actually known better to westerners as chinese folk astrology, but with a twist: the 12 year cycle, found on the placemat in any chinese restaurant lists the rabbit as the sign for 1975 (+/- 12*n). maybe you don't know it, but the vietnamese refer to the same 12 year cycle as the chinese, except they substitute cat for rabbit (i know because my wife is vietnamese, and as it happens, a "cat". you may be amused to know i'm a "rat"). 1975? the year the song was written i suppose. that should put to rest any "folk etymologies" regarding cat stevens, or any other cat people. i always like to think it was a vietnamese fling, for obvious reasons :), but the prima facie moroccan connection, and stewart's penchant for ww ii subjects, makes that one rather obvious. thanks for the link, chabo. reading the link nails the “cat” allusion actually. although it vaguely refers to “vietnamese astrology” it’s actually known better to westerners as chinese folk astrology, but with a twist: the 12 year cycle, found on the placemat in any chinese restaurant lists the rabbit as the sign for 1975 (+/- 12*n). maybe you don’t know it, but the vietnamese refer to the same 12 year cycle as the chinese, except they substitute cat for rabbit (i know because my wife is vietnamese, and as it happens, a “cat”. you may be amused to know i’m a “rat”). 1975? the year the song was written i suppose. that should put to rest any “folk etymologies” regarding cat stevens, or any other cat people. i always like to think it was a vietnamese fling, for obvious reasons :), but the prima facie moroccan connection, and stewart’s penchant for ww ii subjects, makes that one rather obvious.

]]> http://crookedtimber.org/2004/04/21/the-year-of-the-cat/comment-page-1/#comment-25914 Peter Briffa Thu, 22 Apr 2004 08:55:43 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/wp/?p=1447#comment-25914 I thought the song was about Peter "the cat" Bonetti, who was the Chelsea goal-keeper during the seventies. I thought the song was about Peter “the cat” Bonetti, who was the Chelsea goal-keeper during the seventies.

]]> http://crookedtimber.org/2004/04/21/the-year-of-the-cat/comment-page-1/#comment-25913 harry Thu, 22 Apr 2004 03:28:15 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/wp/?p=1447#comment-25913 Thanks nat and chabo. Clears up a lot. EXCEPT-- what the hell was Steve Harley saying about Cat Stevens?? Thanks nat and chabo. Clears up a lot. EXCEPT—what the hell was Steve Harley saying about Cat Stevens??

]]> http://crookedtimber.org/2004/04/21/the-year-of-the-cat/comment-page-1/#comment-25912 chabo Wed, 21 Apr 2004 16:46:15 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/wp/?p=1447#comment-25912 What nat said. <a>http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/sy/jch/alwords/als66.htm</a> What nat said. http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/sy/jch/alwords/als66.htm

]]> http://crookedtimber.org/2004/04/21/the-year-of-the-cat/comment-page-1/#comment-25911 Nat Whilk Wed, 21 Apr 2004 16:29:24 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/wp/?p=1447#comment-25911 The discography of the Al Stewart mailing list says: 'Joel Whitburn mistakenly states in his "Book of Billboard Top Hits" that the song "Year Of The Cat" is about comedian Tony Hancock. An early draft of the song was, but the final one owes more to "Casablanca" than to the suicidal Mr. Hancock.' The discography of the Al Stewart mailing list says: ‘Joel Whitburn mistakenly states in his “Book of Billboard Top Hits” that the song “Year Of The Cat” is about comedian Tony Hancock. An early draft of the song was, but the final one owes more to “Casablanca” than to the suicidal Mr. Hancock.’

]]> http://crookedtimber.org/2004/04/21/the-year-of-the-cat/comment-page-1/#comment-25910 harry Wed, 21 Apr 2004 16:13:02 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/wp/?p=1447#comment-25910 Sorry -- I meant 'solo' but the word wouldn't come to my mind. Sorry—I meant ‘solo’ but the word wouldn’t come to my mind.

]]> http://crookedtimber.org/2004/04/21/the-year-of-the-cat/comment-page-1/#comment-25909 Matt Weiner Wed, 21 Apr 2004 16:06:50 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/wp/?p=1447#comment-25909 Hancock only had one hand? I guess it seems possible from the second picture on the link. (What, you wanted <i>helpful</i> comments?) Hancock only had one hand? I guess it seems possible from the second picture on the link. (What, you wanted helpful comments?)

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