Cat-O-Log Records/BMGA remastered version of Cat Stevens‘ 1978 album Back to Earth will get its U.S. release on CD and vinyl on November 29, while a super-deluxe box set featuring various rare and previously unreleased live and studio tracks arrives on February 28, 2020.
Back to Earth was the final album Stevens released before taking a long hiatus from the music business. In 1977, Stevens converted to Islam and, in ’78, he changed his name to Yusuf Islam.
The album peaked at #33 on the Billboard 200, but did not feature any hit singles. Songs such as “Just Another Night” and “Last Love Song” find Stevens explaining his decision to walk away from the rock-star lifestyle and seek a more spiritual path.
The box set features five CDs and two vinyl LPs. The first CD boasts the remastered version of Back to Earth, while disc two features the album’s original stereo mix.
The third CD features various previously unreleased tracks, including two unheard songs — “Butterfly” and “Toy Heart” — alternate mixes, a demo of “Just Another Night” and an instrumental version of “Bad Brakes.” The disc also contains concert performances of four Back to Earth songs recorded in recent years.
The fourth CD features the 1978 album Alpha Omega by David Gordon, Stevens’ brother, which was produced by Cat.
The fifth CD features performances from UNICEF’s 1979 Year of the Child concert, held at London’s Wembley Arena, which marked the last time that the singer/songwriter played a show as Cat Stevens.
The two LPs featured on the box set boast the remastered version of Back to Earth and the Year of the Child concert.
Check out a video for “Toy Heart” at Islam/Stevens’ official YouTube channel.
Here’s the Back to Earth super-deluxe box set’s full track list:
CD 1: Back to Earth (remastered album)
“Just Another Night”
“Daytime”
“Bad Brakes”
“Randy”
“The Artist”
“Last Love Song”
“Nascimento”
“Father”
“New York Times”
“Never”
CD 2: Return to Earth (original stereo mix)
–Track list same as CD 1
CD 3: Unearthed
“Butterfly”*
“Toy Heart”*
“New York Times” (new mix)*
“Just Another Night” (demo)*
“Last Love Song” (session mix)*
“Daytime” (Live 2017 Adelaide)
“Bad Brakes” (Live 2011 Albert Hall)
“Last Love Song” (Live 2014 Toronto)
“Nascimento (Solto)”*
“Just Another Night” (Live 2016 Nashville)
“Bad Brakes” (instrumental)*
CD 4: Alpha Omega (A Musical Revelation) — David Gordon
“Universe”
“I Who Am I”
“Paradise”
“Inventions”
“I See That Face”
“Child for a Day”
“Sing, Love Is Everywhere”
“Alpha Omega”
“Music Is the 7th Wonder”
“Dreamer”
“World”
“Listen to Me”
“I Believe”
CD 5: UNICEF Year of the Child Concert at Wembley Arena 1979
“The Wind” (with intro from Paul Gambaccini)
“On the Road to Find Out”
“Just Another Night”
“Daytime/Where Do the Children Play?”
“Father & Son”
“Morning Has Broken” (with Belmont Junior School Choir)
“Peace Train”
“Child for a Day” (with Richard Thompson and David Essex)
LP 1: Back to Earth (remastered album)
LP 2: UNICEF Year of the Child Concert at Wembley Arena 1979
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