A colleague recently contacted me to tell me about a client who is researching his recently purchased Beauford Delaney abstract. One of the things mentioned in his message was the fact that Cat Stevens (now known as Yusef / Cat Stevens) mentions Beauford in a song called "Into White." I was intrigued - of course - and immediately began investigating!
"Into White" is one of eleven songs recorded for Stevens' Tea for the Tillerman album, which was released in November 1970. The fanciful lyrics describe a house built by the songwriter and its surroundings. The materials used are barley rice, green pepper, and water ice...
Part of the second verse of the song goes as follows:
Yellow Delaney
Would sleep well at night
With everything emptying
Into white
In Googling the song, I found several chat threads where Stevens' fans discuss and attempt to understand the meaning of this lyric. References to Beauford as a painter who used the color "yellow" can be found in at least three of these threads.
I wondered whether Stevens collected art and might even own a Beauford Delaney painting. I did not find any information to support this, but I did learn that Stevens attended Hammersmith School of Art for a year.
I find Cat Stevens' music soothing and wonder if Beauford would have as well. Here is a yellow self-portrait that might have "slept well" in Stevens' barley rice home. Beauford painted it the same year that Stevens recorded and released "Into White."
(1970) Gouache on paper
Collection of David A. Leeming
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Listen to "Into White" by clicking on the image below.
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