Cat Stevens “Wild World” charted

Wild World Cat Stevens

Writer(s): Cat Stevens (see lyrics here) Released: September 1970 First Charted: February 10, 1971 Peak: 11 BB, 18 CB, 10 GR, 16 HR, 21 AC, 7 CL, 52 UK, 14 CN (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.60 UK, 0.85 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 65.70 video, 830.46 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Singer/songwriter Cat Stevens was born Steven Demetre Georgiou in 1948 in London, England. He started performing in 1965, signing a publishing deal that same year. After releasing two albums, his career was derailed by a bout with tuberculosis. He came back in 1970 with Mona Bone Jakon, which eventually went gold in the United States. Before the end of the year, he released another album, Tea for the Tillerman. It reached the top 10 in the U.S. and sold three million copies, largely because of the success of “Wild World,” his first Billboard Hot 100 hit. Wikipedia asserts that the song was about his relationship with actress Patti D’Arbanville, specifically the end of their romance. WK Some critics, like Ellen Willis, have deemed the song condescending and misogynistic, suggesting that if the roles were reversed it is “hard to imagine a woman sadly warning he ex-lover that he’s too innocent for the big bad world out there.” WK However, Stevens said, “It was not me writing about somebody specific, although other people may have informed the song, but it was more about me. It’s talking about losing touch with home and reality – home especially.” SF He wrote the song while recovering from tuberculosis. His near-death experience with the disease prompted a lot of soul searching about how he wanted to live his life. SF The song has also been a hit for several other hits. Jimmy Cliff actually took it to #8 in the UK three months before Stevens released his version. Cliff said, “I felt an affinity with Cat Stevens…They tried to market him as a rock act and like me, he was more than that and one day I went to the publisher and he played me this demo of ‘Wild World.’” SF Cliff loved the song, they called up Stevens, and Cliff recorded a version with Stevens and backing singer Doris Troy playing on the song. SF It was later a hit for Maxi Priest (#25 BB, 1987) and Mr. Big (#27 BB, 1993). Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 11/22/2025.