I’ve written a lot here about my mother’s record collection and had been working on one about Cat Stevens’ 1971 album “Teaser and The Firecat” before I left for London to see her. It was one of those albums you’d always find sitting next to “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Tapestry” in the homes of over-30s like my mother, offering a little taste of folky counter-culture bohemia in a nice, gentle package for those who were too old for Woodstock but too young for Val Doonican and James Last.

The album contained Stevens’ beautiful version of the old English hymn “Morning Has Broken” which, coincidentally, was played by the church organist at the end of my mother’s funeral ceremony. Well, not all that coincidentally really, my sister asked them to play it because it’s a lovely tune and was on one of my mother’s favourite albums.

Download: Morning Has Broken – Cat Stevens (mp3)

PS: I’d like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and best wishes, it’s much appreciated.