🎵 AotW AOTW: Cat Stevens - BACK TO EARTH (SP-4735)

[LPJim]

Cat Stevens
BACK TO EARTH
A&M SP-4735

Released in December 1978, BACK TO EARTH was Cat Stevens' final A&M label studio album. After a long absense from the music scene, he reemerged as Yusuf.

TRACKS:

Just Another Night 3:48
Daytime 3:55
Bad Brakes 3:27
Randy 3:12
The Artist 2:29

Last Love Song 3:26
Nascimento 3:18
Father 4:08
New York Times 3:24
Never 3:03

Top 200 Billboard Album Peak Chart Position: # 33; charted for 15 weeks

Reissued on CD and available via amazon.com


JB

 

[Mike Blakesley]

This was pretty much a one-player for me. Played it once, filed it and forgot it. He clearly had lost his mojo, his muse or whatever he had.

But, he got it back, big time. His two albums, so far, as Yusuf have been outstanding, especially the latest (ROADSINGER).

 

[AM Matt]

As the lyric goes "Bad brakes, whole car shakes, looks like i'm headin' for a breakdown". Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[AM Matt]

Forgot to mention, the Top 10 WORST albums of 1978. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[Dave]

This one I thought had a few quality tunes & decent arrangements, though not a particularly "fond farewell" at A&M (or to ending his pop career) & to most was no great shakes...

Still for my money, "Nascimento", "New York Times" and "Bad Brakes", I thought added up to some pretty good tracks and "Just Another Night", if I can still hum to, ranks as my favorite, (& I like the way it's followed by "Daytime", making the two songs almost ONE!) w/ "The Artist" running a fairly good second...

There was a lot of commercial retrenching in this phase of Cat's career, but I think he would have finally perfected his "formula" had we (and especially himself) given him a chance...!



Dave

 

[Dave]

Recorded at: Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark; Le Studio, Morin Heights, Quebec, Canada; Advision Studios, London, England; CBS Studios, New York, New York; Longview Farms, North Brookfield, Massachusetts

(All songs written/composed by Cat Stevens, except as noted)

Side 1:

1. Just Another Night (4:37)

Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards - Cat Stevens
Bass - Bruce Lynch
Drums - Gerry Conway
Piano - Jean Roussel
Steel Guitar - Brian Cole

2. Daytime (3:54)

(Lyrics by Alun Davies)

Vocals, Keyboards, Spanish Guitar - Cat Stevens
Bass - Bruce Lynch
Drums - Dave Mattacks
Harp - John Marson
Choir - Cat Stevens, Paul Samwell-Smith

3. Bad Brakes (3:27)

(Music / Lyrics by - Alun Davies)

Vocals, Bass - Cat Stevens
Acoustic Guitar - Alun Davies
Drums - Dave Mattacks
Electric Guitar - Eric Johnson
Harmonica - Graham Smith
Keyboards - Jean Roussel


4. Randy (3:08)

Guitar, Keyboards - Cat Stevens
Bass - Bruce Lynch
Drums - Dave Mattacks
Strings Arranged by Derek Wadsworth

5. The Artist (2:27)

Bass - Bruce Lynch
Guitar, Keyboards - Cat Stevens
Strings Arranged by - Del Newman





Side 2:

1. Last Love Song (3:27)

Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards - Cat Stevens
Bass - Bruce Lynch
Drums - Dave Mattacks
Electric Piano - Jean Roussel
Choir - Cat Stevens , Paul Samwell-Smith
Strings Arranged By - Del Newman


2. Nascimento (3:14)

Vocals, Electric Guitar - Cat Stevens
Bass - Bruce Lynch
Drums, Congas - Gerry Conway
Electric Piano - Jean Roussel
Saxophone - Don Weller

3. Father (4:07)

Vocals, Electric Guitar, Keyboards - Cat Stevens
Strings Arranged By - Richard Niles
Bass - Bruce Lynch
Drums - Dave Mattacks


4. New York Times (3:25)

Vocals, Synthesizer - Cat Stevens
Bass - Will Lee
Drums - Steve Jordan
Hammond Organ - Jean Roussel
Background Vocals - Luther Vandross, The McCrarys
Strings Arranged by Jean Roussel

5. Never (2:59)

Vocals, Guitar - Cat Stevens
Bass - Bruce Lynch
Drums - Gerry Conway
Keyboards - Jean Roussel


Cat Stevens - Electric Guitar, Acoustic guitar, Classical Guitar, Steel Guitar, Ovation Guitar, Lead Guitar, Bass, Double Bass, Piano, Electric piano, Organ, Hammond Organ, ARP String Synthesizer, Harmonica, Vocals, Backing Vocals

Produced by Paul Samwell-Smith & Cat Stevens

Engineered by: Declan O'Doherty, Don Gehman, Freddy Hansson, Jeff Titmus, Jesse Henderson, Mike Stavrou, Nick Blagona , Stig Kreutzfeldt

Mastered By - Lee Hulko

Photography - Ed Cooper


"Daytime" was written for The UNICEF "Year of the Child"


Dave

 

[Harry]

I grabbed this one as a throwaway at the radio station years ago, and I don't think I've ever listened to it.

Harry