Year of the Cat: A Perfect Pop Song

Dec 26 2011

A day after Christmas, I am luxuriating in the way-cool Bose Sound Link my husband gave me and it led to this thought:

Al Stewart’s seminal song “Year of the Cat” is as about as perfect a pop song as has ever been created. I’ve actually had this thought before, and for a long time, but enjoying it anew, on my cool new toy, linked via bluetooth from my iPhone, brought it to mind yet again.  Another masterpiece of pop music, for other reasons, would be Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.”

Every layer, every note, every little second of them is perfectly pitched, played & placed.  I’ve had this thought about 2 or 3 other songs but for the life of me I can’t recall them right now!  And I like to think that this conclusion of mine is not a matter of taste so much as an empirical observation of achievement.

Every damned thing about “Year of the Cat” is perfect.  The writing, playing, editing, mixing, engineering, all of it.  If you really, really listen to it, as I have ‘lo these many years, in sonically engineered broadcast studios with professional quality monitors, and on headphones way, way too loud, you hear it.  It’s layers are just magnificent.  That’s not to say you have to listen to it too loud or in optimal conditions to appreciate its beauty, but you do have to listen consciously, if you know what I mean…

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Peter White several times, who did the cool guitar solo on that record.  He’s got a career of his own now, doing Smooth Jazz, a lot of it very good.

Oh!  The smell of the leather on the Sound Link is delicious. And it feels really good in your hand.  Substantial.

 

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3 responses so far

  • http://twitter.com/miss911ninja Sandra Childs

    Annie, you are so right about “Year of the Cat!” It is pop perfection, and I love it! I was wondering if perhaps one of those other songs you felt the same way about but couldn’t recall at the moment would be Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street.”

    • http://www.saltusa.com Annie Ashe Fields

      No… But it DEFINITELY deserves consideration!

      I can tell you a cool story about Gerry Rafferty.

      You know how he got his start?

      He waited for Herb Alpert in the parking lot of his studio (A&M) and ambushed him with a tape recording of his music. Alpert signed him on the spot! Gerry had been ready to give up, penniless, trying to get any attention in America and was just about to go back to Canada and forget the whole thing when he decided to give it one last shot!

      Cool, huh?

      THANKS for stopping by!

      BTW: It’s so awful to admit, but I used to remember those half dozen or so songs…. Had ‘em in my head for years and years. Now at 46, I’m forgetting damned near everything – It’s awful!

      I will post them if I remember! Feel free to suggest more.

      • http://twitter.com/miss911ninja Sandra Childs

        Yes, a very cool story about Gerry and Herb (Tijuana Brass) Alpert. A perfect example of how you sometimes have to stick your neck out to make it in this world!

        I have another nomination for one of those perfect pop songs. “Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James and the Shondells. (I think I’m dating myself now!)