Catch Bull at Four

Last updated

Catch Bull at Four
Catch Bull at Four.jpg
Studio album by
Released27 September 1972
RecordedMay 1972
Studio The Manor Studio, Oxfordshire;
Château d'Hérouville, Hérouville, France;
Morgan Studios, London
Genre Folk rock, soft rock
Length39:40
Label Island (UK/Europe)
A&M (US/Canada)
Producer Paul Samwell-Smith
Cat Stevens chronology
Teaser and the Firecat
(1971)
Catch Bull at Four
(1972)
Foreigner
(1973)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide C [2]
Rolling Stone (Favorable) [3]

Catch Bull at Four is the sixth studio album by Cat Stevens. The title is taken from one of the Ten Bulls of Zen. [4]

Contents

In the United States the album spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard 200. It also reached number one in Australia and Canada and became Stevens's second consecutive album to reach number two on the UK Albums Chart. The song "Sitting" was released as a single in July 1972, reaching 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Critical reception

Catch Bull at Four was well received both commercially and critically. Rolling Stone was satisfied with the "gorgeous melody and orchestration", while simultaneously disappointed by the lack of a single track comparable to "Morning Has Broken" from Teaser and the Firecat . [5]

Record World described "Sitting" as a "magnificently produced up tempo tune" that is "one of [Stevens'] best." [6]

Track listing

All songs written by Cat Stevens except as noted.

Side one

  1. "Sitting" – 3:14
  2. "Boy with a Moon & Star on His Head" – 5:57
  3. "Angelsea" – 4:30
  4. "Silent Sunlight" – 3:00
  5. "Can't Keep It In" – 2:59

Side two

  1. "18th Avenue (Kansas City Nightmare)" – 4:21
  2. "Freezing Steel" – 3:40
  3. "O Caritas" (Andreas Toumazis, Jeremy Taylor, Stevens) – 3:41
  4. "Sweet Scarlet" – 3:49
  5. "Ruins" – 4:24

Personnel

Production

Chart positions

Certifications

}

Certifications for Catch Bull at Four
Region Certification
United States (RIAA) [20] Platinum

Related Research Articles

<i>Discovery</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1979 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

Discovery is the eighth studio album by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released on 1 June 1979 in the United Kingdom by Jet Records, where it topped record charts, and on 8 June in the United States on Jet through Columbia Records distribution. A music video album featuring all the songs being played by the band was then released on VHS in 1979, then re-released as part of the Out of the Blue: Live at Wembley DVD and VHS in 1998.

<i>52nd Street</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Billy Joel

52nd Street is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on October 11, 1978 by Columbia Records. Presenting itself as the follow-up to his breakthrough studio album, The Stranger, Joel tried to give the new album a fresh sound, hiring various jazz musicians to differentiate it from his previous studio albums.

<i>Peter Gabriel</i> (1978 album) Second solo album by Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel, released on 2 June 1978 by Charisma Records. Gabriel started recording the album in November 1977, the same month that he had completed touring in support of his debut solo release. He employed former King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp, who was part of Gabriel's early touring band, to produce the album and incorporated his use of Frippertronics effects on the co-written "Exposure".

<i>Waking Up with the House on Fire</i> 1984 studio album by Culture Club

Waking Up with the House on Fire is the third album by the English new wave group Culture Club, released on 22 October 1984. The album peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the band's third top five album.

<i>Teaser and the Firecat</i> 1971 studio album by Cat Stevens

Teaser and the Firecat is the fifth studio album by Cat Stevens, released in October 1971.

<i>Buddha and the Chocolate Box</i> 1974 studio album by Cat Stevens

Buddha and the Chocolate Box is the eighth studio album by Cat Stevens. The title came to Stevens when he was travelling to a gig on a plane with a Buddha in one hand and a box of chocolates in the other. He pondered that if he were to die in the plane, these would be the last objects with him, and he would be caught between the spiritual and the material worlds. The album leans towards the spiritual path and is an indication of the direction his life would follow.

<i>The One</i> (Elton John album) 1992 studio album by Elton John

The One is the twenty-third studio album by British recording artist Elton John, released on 22 June 1992. It was recorded at Studio Guillaume Tell in Paris, produced by Chris Thomas and managed by John Reid. The album was dedicated to Vance Buck, and its cover artwork was designed by Gianni Versace.

<i>Dirty Work</i> (Rolling Stones album) 1986 studio album by the Rolling Stones

Dirty Work is a studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. It was released on 24 March 1986 on the Rolling Stones label by CBS Records, their first under their new contract with Columbia Records. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, the album was recorded during a period when relations between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards had soured considerably, according to Richards' autobiography Life.

<i>Goodnight Vienna</i> 1974 studio album by Ringo Starr

Goodnight Vienna is the fourth studio album by Ringo Starr. It was recorded in the summer of 1974 in Los Angeles, and released later that year. Goodnight Vienna followed the commercially successful predecessor Ringo, and Starr used many of the same players, including Billy Preston, Klaus Voormann, Robbie Robertson, Harry Nilsson, and producer Richard Perry. The title is a slang phrase meaning "it's all over".

<i>Made in the Shade</i> 1975 greatest hits album by The Rolling Stones

Made in the Shade, released in 1975, is the third official compilation album by the Rolling Stones, and the first under their Atlantic Records contract. It covers material from Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile on Main St. (1972), Goats Head Soup (1973) and It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (1974).

<i>No Secrets</i> (Carly Simon album) 1972 studio album by Carly Simon

No Secrets is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records on November 28, 1972.

<i>Boys in the Trees</i> 1978 studio album by Carly Simon

Boys in the Trees is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records, in April 1978.

<i>Amigos</i> (Santana album) 1976 studio album by Santana

Amigos is the seventh studio album by Santana released in 1976. It generated a minor U.S. hit single in "Let It Shine" and was the band's first album to hit the top ten on the Billboard charts since Caravanserai in 1972. In Europe, the song "Europa" was released as a single and became a top ten hit in several countries.

<i>Marathon</i> (Santana album) 1979 studio album by Santana

Marathon is the eleventh studio album by Santana. This marked the beginning of the group's commercial slide, in spite of having the Top 40 hit "You Know That I Love You". Alex Ligertwood, who would sing with the group throughout the 1980s, joined the group for this album.

<i>Izitso</i> 1977 studio album by Cat Stevens

Izitso is the tenth studio album released by the British singer-songwriter Cat Stevens in April 1977. After the lacklustre Numbers, the album proved to be his comeback. The album updated the rhythmic folk rock and pop rock style of his earlier albums with the extensive use of synthesizers and other electronic music instruments, giving the album a more electronic rock and synthpop style, and anticipating elements of electro.

<i>Back to Earth</i> (Cat Stevens album) 1978 studio album by Cat Stevens

Back to Earth is the eleventh studio album released by the British-Emirati singer/songwriter Cat Stevens. It is the only album he recorded using the name Cat Stevens after his conversion to Islam until the release in September 2017 of The Laughing Apple, his fifteenth studio album. It was also the last album of contemporary Western music that he recorded until An Other Cup, 28 years later.

<i>Blue</i> (LeAnn Rimes album) 1996 studio album by LeeAnn Rimes

Blue is the debut studio album by American country music singer LeAnn Rimes, released in the United States on July 9, 1996, by Curb Records. It peaked at number three on the US Billboard 200, and number one on the Top Country Albums chart.

<i>Simple Dreams</i> 1977 studio album by Linda Ronstadt

Simple Dreams is the eighth studio album by the American singer Linda Ronstadt, released in 1977 by Asylum Records. It includes several of her best-known songs, including her cover of the Rolling Stones song "Tumbling Dice" and her version of the Roy Orbison song "Blue Bayou", which earned her a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year. The album also contains covers of the Buddy Holly song "It's So Easy!" and the Warren Zevon songs "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" and "Carmelita". The album was the best-selling studio album of her career, and at the time was the second best-selling album by a female artist. It was her first album since Don't Cry Now without long-time musical collaborator Andrew Gold, though it features several of the other Laurel Canyon-based session musicians who appeared on her prior albums, including guitarists Dan Dugmore and Waddy Wachtel, bassist Kenny Edwards, and producer and multi-instrumentalist Peter Asher.

<i>Living in the USA</i> 1978 studio album by Linda Ronstadt

Living in the USA is the ninth studio album by American singer Linda Ronstadt, released in 1978. The album was Ronstadt's third and final No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

<i>What a Crying Shame</i> 1994 studio album by The Mavericks

What a Crying Shame is the third studio album by American country music band The Mavericks. The album was released on February 1, 1994, by MCA Nashville. It includes the singles "What a Crying Shame", "O What a Thrill", "There Goes My Heart", "I Should Have Been True" and "All That Heaven Will Allow". In order, these singles reached numbers 25, 18, 20, 30 and 49 on the Billboard Country Singles chart. The album was certified platinum by the RIAA and 2× Platinum by the CRIA.

References

  1. Ruhlmann, William. Catch Bull at Four at AllMusic
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved 13 March 2019 via robertchristgau.com.
  3. Rolling Stone review
  4. zen, 10 bulls by Kakuan
  5. 1 2 Connolly, Dave Review and Information regarding Catch Bull At Four
  6. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 18 November 1972. p. 1. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  7. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  8. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4218". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  9. "Dutchcharts.nl – Cat Stevens – Catch Bull at Four" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  10. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Cat STEVENS". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 246. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  11. "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste : Cat Stevens". infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 6 May 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2012. Note: user must select 'Cat STEVENS' from drop-down
  12. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 17 June 2022.Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Catch bull at four".
  13. "Norwegiancharts.com – Cat Stevens – Catch Bull at Four". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  14. "The Official Charts Company – Cat Stevens – Catch Bull at Four" (PHP). Official Charts Company . Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  15. "allmusic ((( Catch Bull at Four > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". allmusic.com. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  16. "Album Search: Cat Stevens – Catch Bull at Four" (ASP) (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 24 February 2012.[ dead link ]
  17. "Les Albums (CD) de 1972 par InfoDisc" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original (PHP) on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  18. "Top Pop Albums of 1973". billboard.biz. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  19. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1973. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  20. "American album certifications – Cat Stevens – Catch Bull at Four". Recording Industry Association of America.