You’re eating my heart away/
And there’s nothing much left of me.

Cat Steven’s “Trouble” is about a generic unease and the desire for relief. It is a great depiction about how a troubled mind/soul/body can almost overcome your whole being.  We feel for Stevens when he asks Trouble to “please be kind” to him. He has a gentle soul and the voice to match.

The best part of “Trouble” is the bridge: “I’ve seen your eyes…” The piano comes in and the song begins to take on another form than the verses. The verses tell us of his weariness, but the bridge sounds like his heart and body fighting back; like he is going to conquer this trouble.

Cat Steven’s “Trouble” is a beautiful song. For those not familiar with Cat Stevens, his story is fascinating. He was a huge star who gave up everything at the height of his fame to be an Islamic devotee. He didn’t perform any of his songs for 30 years. He also changed his name to Yusaf Islam.

He has an amazing catalog of work that is underrated for several reasons. One, is that I think people are turned off by the Islamic turn he had. Two, the fact that he turned his back to music that was important to so many fans. Three, most would consider him soft-rock, and as I have previously mentioned, I think that genre gets a bad rap.

Lyrics Trouble

Trouble
Oh trouble set me free
I have seen your face
And it’s too much too much for me

Trouble
Oh trouble can’t you see
You’re eating my heart away
And there’s nothing much left of me

I’ve drunk your wine
You have made your world mine
So won’t you be fair
So won’t you be fair

I don’t want no more of you
So won’t you be kind to me
Just let me go where
I’ll have to go there

Trouble
Oh trouble move away
I have seen your face
And it’s too much for me today

Trouble
Oh trouble can’t you see
You have made me a wreck
Now won’t you leave me in my misery

I’ve seen your eyes
And I can see death’s disguise
Hangin’ on me
Hangin’ on me

I’m beat, I’m torn
Shattered and tossed and worn
Too shocking to see
Too shocking to see

Trouble
Oh trouble move from me
I have paid my debt
Now won’t you leave me in my misery

Trouble
Oh trouble please be kind
I don’t want no fight
And I haven’t got a lot of time

written by Cat Stevens