The Year of the Cat

by Harry on April 21, 2004

A local DJ played ‘The Year of the Cat’ a few weeks ago and said that it was about ‘some British comedian called Tony Hancock‘ (yeah, like, the greatest single-handed comedian of the 20th Century, but I’ll let that pass). So, I listened to the song over and over again. And then again. I know the story of Hancock’s life better than anyone my age should, and though the song does sound a little sad, I simply can’t get the reference. (Is ‘a country where they turned back time’ Australia? If so why?) Google doesn’t help much: I got this German site, and an error message. Now I hear Steve Harley’s show and he (who ought to know) associates the song with Yussuf Islam which makes much more sense. Does anyone know the story about this?

{ 7 comments }

1

Matt Weiner 04.21.04 at 4:06 pm

Hancock only had one hand? I guess it seems possible from the second picture on the link.
(What, you wanted helpful comments?)

2

harry 04.21.04 at 4:13 pm

Sorry — I meant ‘solo’ but the word wouldn’t come to my mind.

3

Nat Whilk 04.21.04 at 4:29 pm

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.’

4

chabo 04.21.04 at 4:46 pm

What nat said.
http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/sy/jch/alwords/als66.htm

5

harry 04.22.04 at 3:28 am

Thanks nat and chabo. Clears up a lot. EXCEPT– what the hell was Steve Harley saying about Cat Stevens??

6

Peter Briffa 04.22.04 at 8:55 am

I thought the song was about Peter “the cat” Bonetti, who was the Chelsea goal-keeper during the seventies.

7

dflke 04.22.04 at 1:52 pm

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.

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