Al Stewart’s “Year of the Cat” is a surreal, story-like song that takes the listener into a strange, dreamlike experience. Inspired in part by classic films like Casablanca, the lyrics tell the story of a man whose ordinary travel plans are unexpectedly interrupted by a mysterious woman.
This article breaks down the story told in “Year of the Cat” section by section.
- Song: Year of the Cat
- Artist: Al Stewart
- Songwriters: Al Stewart, Peter Wood
- Released: 1976
- Album: Year of the Cat
- Genre: Soft rock
What is “Year of the Cat” About?
Verse 1: Walking Into a Movie
On a morning from a Bogart movie in a country where they turn back time
You go strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorre, contemplating a crime
The scene feels like something out of Casablanca, a film that features both Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre.
Lorre was often cast as a strange or unsettling character, but this is probably just a way to show how this man moves through the crowd.
She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running like a watercolor in the rain
Don’t bother asking for explanations, she’ll just tell you that she came…
She appears suddenly and makes an immediate impression.
The comparison of her silk dress to a watercolor painting in the rain suggests beauty mixed with something fleeting or messy. It could also be a pun: her dress is running, and so is she.
Her presence is tied to the strange, magical feeling of the Year of the Cat, a moment when unexpected things happen and plans change without warning.
Chorus: A Rare and Unpredictable Time
In the Year of the Cat
The Year of the Cat is part of the Vietnamese zodiac and only comes around once every 12 years. It’s seen as a time of mystery, change, and emotional shifts.
That zodiac year was happening when the song was written, which may be the main reason Stewart chose it.
Verse 2: Losing Direction
She doesn’t give you time for questions as she locks up your arm in hers
And you follow till your sense of which direction completely disappears
She takes control, and suddenly he’s no longer sure where he’s going or even where he is.
He lets himself be led, giving up control without even realizing it.
By the blue tiled walls near the market stalls, there’s a hidden door she leads you to
These days, she says: “I feel my life just like a river running through…”
She brings him into a quieter, more hidden place, away from the busy market.
Her words, completed by the chorus, reveal how she sees her life: constantly moving, hard to hold onto, and shaped by whatever this moment is. The Year of the Cat becomes a backdrop for that kind of drifting, where nothing feels fixed or certain.
Bridge: The Seduction
Well, she looks at you so coolly
And her eyes shine like the moon in the sea
So she’s looking at him without giving away what she’s thinking or feeling.
Her eyes shining like the moon on water adds to the sense that she’s distant, beautiful, and hard to figure out.
She comes in Incense and Patchouli
So, you take her to find what’s waiting inside
The mention of incense and patchouli gives her a spiritual, almost hypnotic aura. These scents are often linked to meditation, altered states, and sometimes sex.
Whatever happens next is likely physical and mysterious. It’s about curiosity and letting the night lead wherever it will.
Verse 3: The Aftermath
Well, morning comes and you’re still with her
And the bus and the tourists are gone
He spent the night with her, and now it’s morning. He’s still there, but the real world has moved on without him.
The bus and other tourists have left, which reveals for the first time that he’s a visitor in this city.
And you’ve thrown away your choice and lost your ticket
So, you have to stay on
He’s no longer in control. By losing his ticket and giving up his choice, he’s fully in her world now.
Whatever happens next is not up to him anymore. He’s just along for the ride.
But, the drum-beat strains of the night remain
In the rhythm of the new-born day
The energy from the night before still pulses in his mind.
Even though the sun is up and a new day has started, the mood and momentum of what happened haven’t worn off. He’s still caught in the feeling, like the beat hasn’t stopped.
You know sometime you’re bound to leave her
But, for now you’re going to stay…
He knows this won’t last forever. Whatever they’ve shared is temporary, and eventually he’ll have to move on.
For now, he’s choosing to stay caught in the strange pull of this moment during the Year of the Cat.
“Year of the Cat” Song Meaning: Losing Control in a Dreamlike Romance
“Year of the Cat” is about getting swept away by something or someone you didn’t expect. The story follows a man who starts out on an ordinary trip but ends up falling into a mysterious encounter that changes the course of his day and maybe even his life.
The setting feels exotic and film-like, and the woman who appears is both real and symbolic. She could be a romantic partner, a metaphor for temptation, or a symbol of freedom and escape. He doesn’t resist but gives in, and that surrender costs him his direction, his plans, and maybe even his sense of control.
It’s about the kind of moment when time seems to stop and something strange takes over, and you don’t fight it.
Songs Like “Year of the Cat”
Here are a few songs that tell similar stories or share the same themes of mystery, seduction, and drifting off course:
1. “Hotel California” by Eagles
“Hotel California” is about arriving at a beautiful place that slowly reveals itself to be a trap. It’s a story about desire, confusion, and losing control of your path.
Related: “Hotel California” Lyrics Meaning
2. “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum
“A Whiter Shade of Pale” follows a strange romantic encounter told in surreal images. The lyrics make little logical sense but are mostly about being emotionally overwhelmed.
Related: “A Whiter Shade of Pale” Song Meaning
3. “Riders on the Storm” by The Doors
“Riders on the Storm” uses a moody atmosphere and minimal lyrics to build a feeling of drifting through life. There’s danger, uncertainty, and a sense that things are always shifting.
Related: Best Songs About Storms
4. “Suzanne” by Leonard Cohen
“Suzanne” is about a man who is drawn in by a mysterious woman and a dreamlike relationship. It’s more about the experience and less about the outcome, just like “Year of the Cat.”
Conclusion: When the Unexpected Changes Everything
“Year of the Cat” is about more than just a quick romance. It’s a moment when everything shifts, and normal life is replaced by something unpredictable. A stranger appears, and suddenly the world looks different.
The song is pretty abstract and mysterious, but it captures the feeling of surrendering to something you don’t understand, even when you know it can’t last.
Check out more 1970s Song Meanings!
