Following the 50th anniversaries of Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ seminal albums Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman, and Teaser and the Firecat, 2022 will see the legendary singer-songwriter celebrate 1972’s Catch Bull At Four with a newly remastered 50th anniversary edition.
The platinum-selling title marked Cat Stevens’ most successful chart album. Catch Bull At Four will return to CD for the first time since its reissue in 2000 and the new remaster.
Released in the autumn of 1972, Catch Bull At Four marked Cat Stevens’ sixth studio album and fourth release on Island Records – A&M in the U.S. – following Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman (both 1970), and 1971’s Teaser and the Firecat. In the two years leading up to the highly anticipated title, the British singer-songwriter had soared to incredible heights, becoming a global star with such hits as “Father and Son,” “Wild World,” “Where Do The Children Play?” “Morning Has Broken” and “Peace Train.”
The album found Cat Stevens reuniting with producer (and former Yardbird) Paul Samwell-Smith and guitarist Alun Davies, who collaborated with the artist on his previous three records. Joining them in the studio was drummer Gerry Conway, who appeared on Teaser and the Firecat, plus bassist Alan James, and keyboardist Jean Roussel. The album’s title, meanwhile, was inspired by Kuòān Shīyuǎn’s “Ten Bulls of Zen,” a series of short poems, in which a protagonist sets out in search of a bull, catches and tames him, and, through the experience, finds enlightenment.
When examining the years leading up to Catch Bull At Four, it’s certainly no surprise that the artist found himself looking increasingly inward. After having initial success as a teenager with hits like “Matthew and Son” and “I Love My Dog,” Cat Stevens faced a near-fatal battle with tuberculosis. As he endured months of recovery, the artist made significant changes to his life and began to explore spirituality. This metamorphosis was also reflected in his songwriting, as he embraced a stripped-down, folk-rock aesthetic, while his lyrics became increasingly reflective and poetic. During this period, which proved to be quite prolific, the artist wrote more than three dozen songs – the majority of which appeared on Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman, and Teaser and the Firecat. By the time Cat Stevens began work on Catch Bull At Four, however, he was entering a new creative chapter.
The songs on Catch Bull At Four find the artist grappling with his dizzying rise to fame, while, at the same time, delving deeper into his spiritual journey. This search for meaning is illustrated in the album’s title, which specifically references the challenge and strength one must summon as they seek enlightenment. The opening track, “Sitting,” also speaks to this dichotomy. Cat Stevens sings, “Sitting on my own not by myself/Everybody’s here with me/I don’t need to touch your face to know/And I don’t need to use my eyes to see.” Later, the artist speaks to the trappings of celebrity: “Bleeding half my soul in bad company/I thank the moon I had the strength to stop.”
Upon its release Catch Bull At Four built on the massive success of its predecessor, becoming Cat Stevens’ first album to top the Billboard 200, where it remained No. 1 in the U.S. for three consecutive weeks. Certified Platinum by the RIAA, and broadly acclaimed by critics, Catch Bull At Four also topped the album charts in Canada and Australia and peaked at No. 2 in the U.K. Single “Sitting,” meanwhile, was a Top 20 hit in the U.S., while “Can’t Keep It In” peaked at No. 13 on the UK pop charts.
Now, a half a century later, fans can enjoy Catch Bull At Four at its best, with audio digitally remastered at 24bit/96kHz from the original stereo production tapes by Mazen Murad. The CD edition includes a new 16-page booklet featuring photos and press clippings from the era, as well as lyrics.
1. Sitting
2. The Boy With a Moon & Star On His Head
3. Angelsea
4. Silent Sunlight
5. Can't Keep It In
6. 18th Avenue (Kansas City Nightmare)
7. Freezing Steel
8. O' Caritas
9. Sweet Scarlet
10. Ruins
