Cat StevensDo ParkTurner, 7

Now I've been happy latelyThinking about the good things to comeAnd I believe it could beSomething good has begunI've been smiling latelyDreaming about the world as oneAnd I believe it could beSomething good's bound to come

For out on the edge of darkness There runs the peace trainPeace train take this country Come take me home again

Peace train sounding louderRide on the peace trainHoo-ah-eeh-ah-hoo-ahCome on the peace trainPeace train's a holy roller Everyone jump upon the peace trainHoo-ah-eeh-ah-hoo-ahThis is the peace train

Get your bags togetherCome bring your good friends tooBecause it’s getting nearerSoon it will be with youCome and join the living It's not so far from youAnd it's getting nearerSoon it will all be true

Peace train sounding louderRide on the peace trainHoo-ah-eeh-ah-hoo-ahCome on the peace train

I've been crying latelyThinking about the world as it isWhy must we go on hating? Why can't we live in bliss?

For out on the edge of darknessThere rides the peace trainPeace train take this countryCome take me home again

Peace train sounding louderRide on the peace trainHoo-ah-eeh-ah-hoo-ahCome on the peace train

Come on, come on, come on the peace train...

"Peace Train Lyrics." Lyrics Depot. Lyrics Depot, 2010. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://www.lyricsdepot.com/cat-stevens/peace-train.html>.

Islam, Yusuf. "Biography." Life. Yusuf Islam, 2008. Web. 18 May 2010. <http://www.yusufislam.com/biography/>.

Islam, Yusuf. "Latest News." Yusuf. Outside Line, 2008. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://www.catstevens.com/>.

"Rhyme Schemes." Rhyme Schemes. Rbuhsd, 2010. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://www.rbuhsd.k12.ca.us/~rgrow/Rhyme%20Schemes.html>.

"Peace." 15th Field Artillery Regiment. Land Scaper, 24 March 2009. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://www.landscaper.net/peace.htm>.

Mintz, S. "Learn About the Vietnam War." Digital History. Digital History, 31 May 2010. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/modules/vietnam/index.cfm>.

"Onomatopoeia." ThinkQuest. Poetry as We See It, 2010. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112392/omomatopoea.html#>.

"Cat Stevens Official Wallpaper." Movie Wallpaper. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://www.moviewallpaper.net/wpp/Cat_Stevens_Official_Wallpaper_2_800.jpg>.

"USA Map." Online Recruiters Directory. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://www.onlinerecruitersdirectory.com/images/usa_map.png>.

"World Peace Train." World Peace Train. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://www.worldpeacetrain.ca/images/worldpeacetrain.jpg>.

"Visuals Peace." Graphics 8. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/04/20/books/visuals-peace- 650.jpg>.

"World Hands." Estados Bandidos. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://estadosbandidos.com/user/cimage/world-hands.jpg>.

"Earth Hope." J500 Media and the Environment. Web. 31 May 2010. <http://mediaenvironment.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/sustaining-hope/>.

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Steven Demetre Georgiou was born on July 21, 1948. He is more known for his former stage name, Cat Stevens. At age 15, Stevens received his first guitar and soon starting creating a musical life after that. His first big break was when he was auditioned by Mike Hurst and impressed him and the record company. (Islam)

He made many singles that reached up to number 2 in the UK only at age 18. At age 19, he became ill with TB and a collapsed lung, then after the near death experience, Stevens change his musical career perspective. After, he released many albums and singles that would go famous worldwide and also receive world awards for peace. (Islam)

On December 23, 1977, Stevens converted to the Islamic religion and a year later changed his name to Yusuf Islam. He is still recording this day and his most recent album is Roadsinger released on May 5, 2009. (Islam)

Detailed Biography of Yusuf Islam

Yusuf Islam Official Website

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Yusuf Islam tries to portray feelings of obviously peace in this song. It talks about how everyone should jump on this “Train of Peace” so everyone can be together. He is a strong advocate for a unified world where war is no longer existent and this song represents most of his work. There is not much too say other then what is said from this song.

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This song was written around 1971 during the Vietnam war. When Islam states, “good things to come,” he means what the world will be after the war that was going on. He is imagining the world to be a better place and that something good will eventually happen after the war ends.

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The apparent rhyme scheme in this song is AB however that is only in certain stanzas. Most of the stanzas in the song are just free verse or a complicated scheme that was probably done on accident. Here is an example of an A, B, A, B scheme in one stanza. (“Rhyme Schemes.”)

A I've been smiling lately

B Dreaming about the world as one

A And I believe it could be

B Something good's bound to come

Examples of Rhyme Schemes

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Islam could mean many things when he says this line in his song. ‘Darkness’ would be considered the world in war back in the day. If the peace train was running on the ‘edge of darkness’ then the peace train would be considered out of war. This makes sense because Islam is trying to convince people to join on the peace train. He wants people to leave war and leave darkness and I think that’s why he used this type of terminology to make his song a little more deeper.

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Islam recorded and released this song in the USA. When he says ‘country’ in his song, he is most likely referring to the USA. He wants the peace train to take the USA back to peace and less violence. Remember this song was written during the Vietnam war, so that is why Islam referred directly to this ‘country.’ (Islam)

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Peace Train is the main term that Islam uses in this hit. It is referring metaphorically to taking the U.S. in a peace movement. Since the U.S. was in a war at the time, Islam wanted to use this phrase to get his own word out. He was trying to say that a peace movement should happen and spread across the U.S. Just like a train, the movement should be connected around the U.S. and be moving to everywhere. (“Peace.”)

Peace Movements during the Vietnam War

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This was a term Islam used that was similar to the word “peace train.” It was more of a synonym and a filler to add to the variety in his song. There is nothing really important about it other then the fact that the listener should recognize that this term is only a synonym and not something else.

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The line was chosen because it is a good summary of the mood of the song. It talks about joining the living. I thought that that line showed a mood of hope. That is really what characterizes the song. Hope was needed during this time period and it was used on the song. During this time of depression, this song could have been the only thing that kept people going on.

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At the time of this song, it was around 1971. Again, this was during the Vietnam War. Obviously, this was a time of sorrow and war. There were many protests against sending soldiers to Vietnam. Also the U.S. had many casualties from the Vietnam War. The numbers were about 60,000 American deaths and about 2 million Vietnamese deaths. Many people questioned whether this war was necessary at all and still question it today. That is why Islam used the verses “I’ve been crying lately…Why must we go on hating?” with this word (world) in the stanza. (Mintz)

Facts about the Vietnam War

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Islam uses this line many times during the course of the song. He also says many things similar to it in the song so it adds to the repetition of the message. Examples of lines similar to it would be such as, “come on the peace train, ride on the peace train, and everyone jump on the peace train.” These talk about how we should join the movement towards peace and having peace come closer to our country.

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This particular line was used a few times in Islam’s song. It could be interpreted in many ways but one way that I personally saw it was onomatopoeia. I think he is making the sound referencing to the ‘peace train’ that is coming. It is a good transition between his verses and it gives the song more mood. Also, every time Islam talks about the peace train, he hums this sound after the verse.

Examples of Onomatopoeia