High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Past, Present and Future is Al Stewart`s fifth studio album, released in October 1973 in the UK and in May 1974 in the US. This album is considered Stewart`s first "major album" and it reached #133 on the Billboard Rock Album chart in 1974. He had taken on a different approach from his previous, folkier work, an approach that would stay with him for most of his career. All songs on this record have historical themes, each song representing a decade of the 20th century. The final song, "Nostradamus," is about the famous supposed prophet and his prophecies.