Is Father and Son Cat Stevens greatest song?

Father & Son

It's not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy
I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again
It's always been the same, same old story
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away
I know I have to go
It's not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to go through
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it
If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them you know not me
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away
I know I have to go.

 

Great song, but I prefer "Oh Very Young", "Moonshadow" and " Morning has Broken".

 

It’s a great song. It could be.

 

My favorite is "Where Do The Children Play," but "Father and Son" is right up there too.

 

"Wild World" is his most famous.

 

There are about half a dozen that equally could be his greatest song.

 

For me it's in the top 3, although I would consider Father And Son, Where Do The Children Play, and Moonshadow all tied as my favorite Cat Stevens song.

 

It’s a goody.

 

As I get older the song carries much more emotional impact. Definitely one of his best.

 

He has so many first rate songs from that 1967-1974 period it's ridiculous. That he was so young when he wrote then is incredible, he was 21 when he recorded Father and Son(!!)

At some point any number of these could be considered amongst my favorites of his:

Matthew and Son
Here Comes My Baby
The First Cut Is The Deepest
Trouble
Lady D'Arbanville
Father & Son
Where Do The Children Play?
Hard Headed Woman
Wild World
Miles From Nowhere
Into White
Don't Be Shy
If you Want to Sing Out, Sing Out
Moonshadow
Morning Has Broken
Peace Train
Sitting
Can't Keep It In
Oh Very Young

 

I've always found Cat Stevens rather insipid (with no disrespect to his many appreciators).

However, he has one great - no - he has one outstanding song. It gets me every time, even just the thought of it - "Sad Lisa".

 

Is Father and Son Cat Stevens greatest song?

No.

 

Where do the Children Play?

But closely followed by the much rarer, but equally haunting, I've Got a Thing About Seeing By Grandson Grown Old

 

"Father and Son" is arguably the best Cat Stevens-penned song.
Below a list of my favorite Cat Stevens' songs. All of them are qualified to be among his best songs. "Morning Has Broken" is the only song in the list that he did not write or composed. It is a popular a Christian hymn with words written by English author Eleanor Farjeon and is set to a traditional Gaelic tune known as "Bunessan".

Wild World - from Tea For the Tillerman
Sad Lisa - from Tea For the Tillerman
Miles From Nowhere - from Tea For the Tillerman
Into White - from Tea For the Tillerman
Father and Son - from Tea For the Tillerman
How Can I Tell You - from Teaser and the Firecat
Morning Has Broken - from Teaser and the Firecat
Moonshadow - from Teaser and the Firecat
Peace Train - from Teaser and the Firecat
Oh Very Young - from Buddha and the Chocolate Box
Whistlestar - from Numbers
Monad's Anthem - from Numbers
(I Never Wanted) To Be a Star - from Izitso
Bonfire - from Izitso
Sweet Jamaica - from Izitso
Child For a Day - from Izitso

 

His greatest song is Peace Train. Musically, it's perfect, one of a kind.

 

Not for me. Too predictable sounding but an amazing song. My favorite by him is On The Road To Find Out. A song of his that highlights all of his fantastic talents.

 

Wonderful lyric, touching melody. I'm not a fan (ie. I have none of his records) but I like it a lot more than any of his other hits.

 

He did so many great songs, Father and Son is an excellent example. I prefer Into White.

Scott

 

My favorites are Peace Train and Wild World.

 

I love songs with complicated chord progressions. This one takes it to a whole new level. Particularly at around 1:20:

 

I don’t know enough Cat/Yusuf to make the call, but it is an amazing song.

 

It's certainly up there but he's written a plethora of great songs.

His work is incredibly consistent. From the early pop singles through to the "difficult" mid Seventies period to the present Yusuf incarnation, there's always a lot to enjoy.

 

Definitely on my playlist (with most of his other songs too...)

 

Dont be shy
Brilliant song