February 14th - How Can I Tell You?

I'm ambiguous, as it's in my nature to be, about Valentine's Day. Usually on this day, I put up my favourite song, ever, "Origin of Love". But "How Can I Tell You?" was on one of those best-of CDs my future ex-husband gave me at Christmas, and I'd never heard it before! How can that be? How could I possibly have missed a Cat Stevens song! I even owned - _owned_ - Izitso, although maybe that purchase isn't a good example of my adoration, being a bit of a departure from his other strummings. Anyhow, most lovey love songs I don't like; I get queasy, or I end up just thinking about Stuart Smalley's "Boundaries, Anyone?" skit and snickering. But this song, now. My daughter says it's been used for some ad, and I'm sorry to hear that. I imagine it would be tricky to sing, because with these lyrics it could easily sound like a stalker song. Not with Cat Stevens's sweet voice, though, - he sings it simple and authentic, and I like it. Oh, and speaking of love and February 14th, Happy Birthday to Oliver, the only hairy guy in pirate pants I've ever loved!)