what do you think of the song "sitting"

[kk123]

I would say this is cat stevens most powerfull song the emotional range is really amazing.

just the frustration of trying to get some where.you reckond in those dark days cat stevens might have comtemplated suicide I get that expression on that song

[FJSimon]

kk123 said:

I would say this is cat stevens most powerfull song the emotional range is really amazing.

just the frustration of trying to get some where.you reckond in those dark days cat stevens might have comtemplated suicide I get that expression on that song

I find Sitting to be an inspirational song. Even though it may be hard going, you must keep moving forward. It's a kind of revelation. "Now I'm on my way. I know I am." Even through all the set backs and period of feeling stalled. "Keep on pushing hard boy". Going around in a circle is far better than feeling stuck. Isn't it?

FJS

[Vivian]

I've heard Yusuf say on many occasions, that he considers "Sitting", lyrically wise, to be one of his favorites. Listening to "Sitting", today, I can see why.

Peace,Vivian

[Django]

I think the critic at the Allmusic guid has a very good take on the arc of Cat's first few Island albums.

He says that Sitting is Cat Stevens trying to persuade himself that he hasn't stalled.

Think of the pain of Mona Bone Jakon, then the optimism and search of Tea and Teaser but the search doesn't get him anywhere he fails. So all of his subsequent albums are very pained. Also, the boxset "Sitting" marks the beginning of The Hurt.

I read it the same.

Micheal

[Chris]

I've always thought Sitting was Cats most lyrically positive song.

It's almost as if he is saying, no matter what obstacle may be in your way, as long as you work hard to over come the problem, you can make it through. Let it be depression, religion, a relationship or career.

"Oh life is like a maze of doors and they all open from the side you're on "

[Celticat]

This song always holds a special meaning for me. I play it especially when I'm feeling "stuck" a bit lost, or just for inspiration. I just kind of like the simplicity of the name of the song too.

Jackie

[Katmandu]

Sitting is the song which made me start paying attention
to Cat Stevens. after hearing this song on the radio
several times, I purchased Catch Bull at Four. Soon,
I wanted to own all of his albums.

[kareema113]

greetings,

"Oh life is like a maze of doors and they all open from the side you're on, just keep on pushing hard, boy, try as you may, you're gonna wind up where you started from "

The message to me here is that although I may face many obstacles in my life, if I will look at the situation that I find myself in, I will discover that I somehow am able open the door and walk through, because it 'opens from the side [I'm] on'. If I try to force the situation to resolve, I weill may find that I can't move forward. In other words, trust the process.

'Sitting' is the realization that I am indeed progressing, even if I don't know where I may be going, I know where I've been and I don't want to be there any longer, 'bleeding half my soul in bad company'.

It has a very special meaning to me because it is the song that played on my car tapedeck when I started my car and began to back down my driveway on a journey whose end result, unbeknownst to me at that time, would be that I embraced Islam. I took it as an affirmation that I was indeed on the right track.

peace,
kareema

[Vivian]

I can understand why that is special to you, Kareema, and for Cat/Yusuf, as well. Perhaps a good song that would lead up to the lyrics in Sitting, would be Tuesday's Dead.
Especially these two verses, which basically could describe Cat's entire spiritual journey. It was like he realized that he had reached the sky, and now it was time for him to fall back to Earth.

Peace,Vivian




Oh preacher won't you paint my dream, won't you show me where you've been
Show me what I haven't seen to ease my mind.
Cause I will learn to understand, if I have a helping hand.
I wouldn't make another demand all my life.

What's my sex, what's my name, all in all it's all the same.
Everybody plays a different game, that is all.
Now, man may live, man may die searching for the question why.
But if he tries to rule the sky he must fall.

[kareema113]

You know, Vivian, I seem to remember that Br Yusuf once posted at the old UK site. It was in the fall of 2000, when he was re-establishing contact with us. I was just coming on board at the time.

I seem to recall that he quoted 'Sitting' in his post. He said something like, "I once told you that if I made it to the waterside, I'd be sure to write you a note or something..."

Do my memory banks serve me correctly?

peace,
kareema

[Vivian]

Your memory works fine, Kareema. I remember that post, well. It wasn't actually on the message board, although Yusuf did post some messages, there, as well. This particular message was in the Cat Speaks section. I did print it out, because I wanted to keep it. It is now somewhere in storage.

I was just suggesting, that spiritually wise, Tuesdays Dead, could have been before Sitting. Of course, being that it was released before Sitting.

Peace,Vivian

[kareema113]

greetings,

Oh, I agree with you, about Tuesday's Dead, Vivian.

I see I left that out of the previous post. My apologies...

I just happened to remember that UK site post while I was thinking about the point you were making.

peace,
kareema

[Jancat]

I've always thought of the song, "Sitting", for those moments of clarity in life - moments when you feel full and empowered and focused:

"...Oh, I'm on my way, I know I am..."

and

"...All I know is all I feel right now, I feel the power growing in my hair..."

As well as the actualization of single-mindedness and tenacity:

"...I thank the moon I had the strength to stop.
I'm not making love to anyone's wishes, only for that light I see ..."

and, finally, with a bit of advice for that journey to 'wherever":

"...Oh life is like a maze of doors and they all open from the side you're on
Just keep on pushing hard boy, try as you may
You're going to wind up where you started from
You're going to wind up where you started from..."

I know that Yusuf has said that "Moonshadow" is the ultimate optimism song, but I'd argue that "Sitting" is equally deserving of that title!

[Qizlo]

You know, I always though the song Sitting had to do with meditation. The album Catch Bull At Four shows its Zen Buddhist influences. Sitting is the position you are in during meditation, like the Buddha sitting in the lotus position. He says "I feel the power growing in my hair." In meditation, as the energy centers are activated, one feels a pressure, or power, in the head. I can imagine it extending to the hair.

The Catch Bull at Four album was the first Cat album I ever bought. It got me to find out more about the Zen Buddhism & the significance of the koan that was its inspiration.

It's an inspirational song. I love playing it on the piano.

[boneheadedwoman]

I wish I could play it on the piano, but I'm not that good! Sitting is one of my all-time favorite CS songs, and one that soothed my restless teenaged heart way back in the 70's. I always thought of it as optimistic. Certainly never associated it with suicide!