In 1972, Cat Stevens released his biggest record. It went “terribly wrong” and changed his life
Cat Stevens, later known as Yusuf, found that the success of his 1972 album *Catch Bull at Four* threatened the solitude that had sustained his songwriting. The article says the record’s prominence prompted him to change direction and seek a more private setting for his work.
The album, his sixth studio release, reached number one in the United States but did not top the UK chart. Stevens later recalled feeling that things were “going terribly wrong” and went to Jamaica to make *Foreigner*, which was less successful. The article links his changing musical direction and move towards a more private life with his wider search for meaning, including a later change in religion.
In short
- *Catch Bull at Four* topped the US chart.
- Stevens went to Jamaica to make *Foreigner*.
- Success led him to seek greater privacy.
Explained simply
Cat Stevens was a British singer-songwriter whose early 1970s albums brought him international success. *Catch Bull at Four*, released in 1972, was his sixth studio album and reached number one in the United States.
Stevens later used the name Yusuf. He has said that growing fame made it harder to find the quiet and privacy he needed to write songs, and that this affected the direction of his music. His search for a more private life was part of a wider personal journey, which later included a change in religion.