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Saturday, April 9, 2022

Cat Stevens' Yellow Delaney

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."

Self-portrait
(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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