On the Border

The story behind

Al Stewart wrote On the Border in 1976, as part of his album Year of the Cat. The song was released in Canada, where it reached number 47 on the charts. Stewart had all the material ready before deciding on the song titles. Sometimes he would write four different versions of the lyrics for the same song. The song was recorded with a backing band, and its rhythm is based on a classic structure. It has a traveling feel, as if it were describing a path without a destination. The singer's voice moves between storytelling and emotion, without complications. It is a song that can be played with a piano and a guitar, and that feels like a story being told aloud.