Rare Yusuf / Cat Stevens Live Album Getting First-Ever US Release

A rare 1974 live album from Yusuf / Cat Stevens released only in Japan is coming to America for the first time to mark its 50th anniversary. Saturnight: Live from Tokyo will be out Nov. 29 as a Record Store Day Black Friday exclusive.

Saturnight documents Stevens’ concert June 22, 1974, at Sun Plaza Hall in Nakano, Tokyo during the Bamboozle World Tour supporting his studio album Buddha and the Chocolate Box. His performance featured several songs from that record (“Oh Very Young,” “King of Trees,” and “A Bad Penny” among them) plus a wealth of his early ‘70s hits including “Lady D’Arbanville,” “Wild World,” “Where Do The Children Play?,” “Hard Headed Woman,” “Father & Son,” “Peace Train,” “Bitterblue,” and “Sitting.”

The live album also includes Stevens’ first live performance of Sam Cooke’s “Another Saturday Night.” Just before the concert at Sun Plaza Hall, he and his band recorded the studio version of the cover in Tokyo with a Japanese brass section, a recording that would go on to become a hit single later that year.

The RSD reissue of Saturnight will be an “RSD First” release on 180-gram Orange Splatter color vinyl, cut at Abbey Road Studios. The gatefold sleeve includes lyrics and new liner notes from Stevens’ 1974 tour manager, Carl Miller, and bassist Bruce Lynch.

Proceeds from the original release of Saturnight benefitted UNICEF. Stevens had become a Goodwill Ambassador for the organization in 1974 and was becoming increasingly interested in advocacy and charity work, a passion that would become his main focus in later years.

Pre-order the Yusuf / Cat Stevens live album Saturnight now.