My Life and Times

Oh baby, it's a wild world for the artist formally known as Cat Stevens (+909%). The ex-folk rocker who now goes by the name Yusuf Islam (+449%) was kicked out of the country (or "deported") when his name appeared on a "no fly" list. Apparently security officials believed his activities could be linked to the ongoing war on terrorism, a charge Mr. Islam calls "ridiculous." While it was no surprise that interest in the singer-turned-peace activist took off when news of the incident broke, some related "cat" searches were less obvious. Interest in the schmaltzy father-son ballad "Cat's in the Cradle" shot up a whopping 450%, driven, no doubt, by those laboring under the mistaken belief the song, written and made popular by Harry Chapin, was recorded by the once feline-named singer. Those who didn't limit themselves to just one Cat hit sent searches on "Cat Stevens Lyrics" up 769%. Inquiring minds seeking the singer's whole story pushed searches on "Cat Stevens bio" from near nil into the thousands. Meanwhile, interest in "who let the dogs out" remains scant. Priorities, people.