"Catch Bull at Four" is the eighth studio album released by the British singer-songwriter, Cat Stevens. The album was launched on Island Records in the UK and A&M Records in the US and Canada on September 27, 1972. It is notably known for having achieved significant commercial success.
The album is named after one of the Ten Bulls of Zen, a series of short poems and accompanying pictures that are intended to illustrate stages of a practitioner's progression towards understanding, and the return to society to enact enlightenment. The name reflects the philosophical approach of the album, which features introspective and spiritual thematic content.
Famous for its hit singles "Sitting" and "Can't Keep It In," the album quickly rose to the top of the charts, becoming Stevens' first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 in the US, where it stayed for three weeks. It also managed to top the charts in Canada and Australia while in the UK it reached number two. These accomplishments cemented "Catch Bull at Four" as one of Stevens' most commercially successful albums.
Musically, "Catch Bull at Four" retains Cat Stevens' traditional folk rock sound while also experimenting with more ambitious arrangements and production techniques. Overall, the album received positive reviews from critics for its songwriting and musical diversity, further solidifying Stevens' status as one of the leading singer-songwriters of his generation.
