‘Saturnight,’ Cat Stevens Concert Album, Loaded with Hits: Review
by Jeff Burger
Cat Stevens (aka Yusuf) was at the peak of his popularity when he performed at the June 1974 concert that is featured on Saturnight: Live from Tokyo. Originally available only in Japan, the remastered recording includes five top 20 singles and seven key album tracks.
From 1970’s Mona Bone Jakon comes “Lady D’Arbanville,” while the same year’s superlative Tea for the Tillerman yields “Wild World,” which rose to #11 on the singles charts, as well as “Father and Son,” “Hard Headed Woman” and “Where Do the Children Play.” From Teaser and the Firecat (1971), Stevens performs “Bitterblue” and “Peace Train,” the latter a #7 hit. “Sitting,” a #16 single from Catch Bull at Four (1972), is here, as are “A Bad Penny,” “King of Trees” and the #10 hit “Oh Very Young,” all from Buddha and the Chocolate Box (1974). Also included is “Another Saturday Night,” a non-album Sam Cooke cover that gave Stevens a #6 hit in 1974.
Saturnight is far from the only CD where you can find vintage live Stevens material. The Early Broadcasts collects 22 radio performances from the same period, for example, and expanded versions of several of his albums, issued in the past few years, incorporate concert performances. That said, if you want a succinct, hits-loaded taste of what Stevens sounded like on stage back then, this well-recorded album will deliver.
[Stevens has announced his long-awaited memoir, Cat on the Road to Findout. The autobiography, coming September 18, 2025, in the U.K. through Constable, and October 7 in North America through Genesis Publications, is described as “an extraordinary soul-baring journey through the triumphs, trials, and transcendental quest of one of music’s most enigmatic figures of our time.” It’s available for pre-order in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here. (The audiobook will be narrated by its author.) More details here.]
A top editor at leading consumer and trade magazines for more than 40 years, Jeff has interviewed dozens of musical luminaries, including Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, Roger McGuinn, John Sebastian, Wolfman Jack, Tommy James, Tom Waits, the Righteous Brothers, and the members of Steely Dan.
No Comments so far
Jump into a conversationNo Comments Yet!
You can be the one to start a conversation.