Morning Has Broken : Cat Stevens NKA Yusuf Islam. The single of Morning Has Broken was recorded 1971 released 1972 this compilation vinyl LP recorded over several years released 1981 on Island Records.
Cat Stevens' recording, with piano arranged and performed by Rick Wakeman, led to international recognition of the song. In a radio interview RW said he had agreed to perform on the Cat Stevens track for £10 and was "shattered" that he was omitted from the credits, adding that he never received the money either. after his hiatus due to near fatal TB & religious conversion, on his return to performance as Yusuf Islam, Stevens paid Wakeman and apologized for the original non-payment, apparently it had been an admin cockup.
Morning Has Broken the hymn was 45 seconds & considered to short for a single, with Wakeman's help became nearly 3 minutes This album I bought new in 1981 because I liked Cat Stevens a well produced & mixed album great songs & singing. It still works today.
Early 1971 I had gone to a valley in the Lake District I was walking through the yard of a farm a man was leading a very large bull across the yard on a rope halter it did not have a nose ring. A frightened motorist turning their car thought the bull too close & sounded their horn the normally placid bull went mad there were lots of tourists about I grabbed the halter from the farmer dug my elbow into it's neck & pulled it's head round via the rope halter, after some spinning on the spot a little running up & down I calmed the bull down & gave the famer the halter & continued my walk.
The following year I was on a fell walk when the younger brother of the farmer saw & recognised me he said that his brother never had a chance to thank me, we met I found out he had just spent spent 18 months in hospital coming out a few days before the bull incident, thanks to an American on the wrong side of the road head on Cadillac vs Cortina no contest.
I discovered the bull story had travelled the valley & opened a lot of doors for me, the bull had gone on later in the year to win Largest live weight gain at the Perth show.
