The year before Chris Cornell’s untimely death, the late Soundgarden singer surprised an entire LA audience when he appeared on stage with folk-rock legend Cat Stevens to sing his ‘70s hit, “Wild World.” As this low-key performance nears 9 million views over on YouTube, it’s had viewers spiraling with astonishment and existentialism for the legacy of Cat’s music and those keeping his era’s sound alive for a new generation.
Filmed in June 2016, this clip sees a 67-year-old Cat Stevens strum his acoustic guitar, alongside a black-clad Chris Cornell, 51 years old, who splits verses with Cat, padding out his hit with striking harmonies.
As the pair sing the chorus together, Chris’ deep voice almost outshines Cat’s own classic lines. Chris mumbles along to the loose melody of Cat’s guitar brief solo like only a true fan would, while Cat displays an undying dexterity and talent as he plays the hit he wrote 46 years prior.
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Featured on his fourth LP, “Tea For The Tillerman,” the “Wild World” single didn’t manage to break into Cat’s native UK Top 40, but it hit #11 on the US Billboard Hot 100, cementing its legacy with a number of covers.
With a huge split between their base genres and audience demographics, fans have been left astounded by Cat and Chris’ crossover, profoundly commenting, “Love seeing the old and new generation keeping classics alive” and “I like that Cornell’s fans are listening to Cat Stevens. That’s how music stays alive.” This laid-back performance lets the pair’s raw individual talent shine, immortal, showing how musical moments like this defeat all sense of mortality and bind the generations together.
Countless lifelong Cat Stevens fans have been taken aback by Chris’ performance, from his trademark voice to his clear humility as a rockstar, letting go of his ego to give Cat the limelight during this set.
Chris Cornell rose to rock stardom in the 1980s as founding member and frontman of grunge pioneers Soundgarden, later forming the equally successful post-grunge/hard rock band Audioslave and amassing 18 Grammy Award nominations in the process. Just under eleven months after performing this gig with Cat, Chris Cornell would pass away at the age of 52 from suicide.
With one fan remarking, “If it matters, I’ll be downloading [Cornell’s] tunes in the hope of extending his musical lifespan a tiny bit,” this clip proves that some songs run deeper than being simple pop hits, but time-capsule voices and eras that can persist forever.
Chris Cornell’s collaboration with Cat Stevens is a testament to the timelessness of music that transcends generations. Their unforgettable performance of “Wild World” invites both nostalgia and reflection on the legacies they leave behind. To explore more about this iconic moment and the artists’ enduring influence, check out the links below.