# In 1972, Cat Stevens released his biggest record. It went “terribly wrong” and changed his life

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1972-cat-stevens-released-his-biggest-record-it-went-terribly-wrong-and-changed-his-life/
- Published: 2026-11-01T19:39:53+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-01T20:16:48+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1972-cat-stevens-released-his-biggest-record-it-went-terribly-wrong/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- *Catch Bull at Four* topped the US chart.
- Stevens went to Jamaica to make *Foreigner*.
- Success led him to seek greater privacy.

## Summary

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.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.