New Masters

Studio album by Cat Stevens

Released

December 1967

Recorded

5 October 1967,
Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London

Genre

Baroque pop, folk pop

Length

30:13 (Original Release)
51:08 (1989 Reissue)
61:12 (2004 Reissue)

Cat Stevens chronology

Matthew and Son
(1967)

New Masters
(1967)

Mona Bone Jakon
(1970)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]

New Masters is the second studio album by singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. The album was released in December 1967 by Deram Records, a new subsidiary of Decca Records as a follow up to the highly successful debut album, Matthew and Son. The label was disappointed by his second album's poor sales, given that the previous album made the UK Top Ten and produced several hit singles. New Masters generated little interest, failing to chart in either the UK or the United States. The single "Kitty"/"Blackness of the Night" languished at number 47, becoming Stevens' first single to miss the top 40. This was a sudden and steep commercial decline from the considerable success that Stevens enjoyed with his earlier recordings.^[2]

Stevens attributed at least some of the album's failings to producer Mike Hurst, who gave the coffee-house-oriented songs elaborate baroque arrangements, much different from the stripped-down folk style that Stevens was eager to pursue. Even so, at least one song, "The First Cut Is the Deepest", has become a minor classic through the years after having been covered by many other artists with far more success than Stevens' original. Prior to the release of New Masters, Stevens had sold the song for £30 to P. P. Arnold (formerly of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue) which gave the former Ikette her first UK hit.^[3] In the decades to come it would also be a hit for Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow, James Morrison and Keith Hampshire. Hampshire's version reached no.1 on the Canadian charts in 1973. Other versions have been rendered by singer Barbara Jones, Colm Wilkinson of Les Misérables and Jesus Christ Superstar fame, Duffy and the Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Cat Stevens.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Kitty"	2:23
2.	"I'm So Sleepy"	2:23
3.	"Northern Wind"	2:51
4.	"The Laughing Apple"	2:39
5.	"Smash Your Heart"	3:02
6.	"Moonstone"	2:18
7.	"The First Cut Is the Deepest"	3:03
8.	"I'm Gonna Be King"	2:30
9.	"Ceylon City"	2:29
10.	"Blackness of the Night"	2:31
11.	"Come on Baby (Shift That Log)"	3:52
12.	"I Love Them All"	2:12

^[4] Bonus tracks (1989 CD reissue)
No.	Title	Length
13.	"Image of Hell"	3:08
14.	"Lovely City (When Do You Laugh?)"	2:43
15.	"The View from the Top"	3:36
16.	"Here Comes My Wife"	3:00
17.	"It's a Supa (Dupa) Life"	2:54
18.	"Where Are You?"	3:03
19.	"A Bad Night"	3:11

^[5] Bonus tracks (2004 CD reissue)
No.	Title	Length
13.	"Here Comes My Wife (Single Mono Version)"	3:00
14.	"A Bad Night (Single Mono Version)"	3:11
15.	"The Laughing Apple (Single Mono Version)"	2:39
16.	"Kitty (Single Mono Version)"	2:23
17.	"Blackness of the Night (Single Mono Version)"	2:31
18.	"Lovely City (When Do You Laugh?) (Single Mono Version)"	2:54
19.	"Image of Hell (Single Mono Version)"	3:08
20.	"It's a Supra (Dupa) Life (Single Mono Version)"	2:54
21.	"Here Come My Wife (Stereo Version)"	3:00
22.	"Where Are You? (Single Mono Version)"	3:03
23.	"The View From The Top (Single Mono Version)"	3:36

Personnel

Cat Stevens – guitar, piano, vocals
Chris Hunt – drums on "Lovely City"
Herbie Flowers – Bass on "The First Cut is the Deepest"
Arthur Greenslade, Lew Warburton, Ivor Raymonde – music direction

References

↑ Allmusic review
↑ Yusuflifeline Official Website
↑ Marrin, Minette (26 September 2004). "Profile: Yusuf Islam aka Cat Stevens: Not so much a zealot more a lost musician". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 22 July 2008.
↑ "Cat Stevens – New Masters (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
↑ "Cat Stevens – New Masters (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.

Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam/Yusuf

Studio pop albums	Matthew and Son New Masters Mona Bone Jakon Tea for the Tillerman Teaser and the Firecat Catch Bull at Four Foreigner Buddha and the Chocolate Box Numbers Izitso Back to Earth An Other Cup (as Yusuf) Roadsinger (as Yusuf) Tell 'Em I'm Gone (as Yusuf)

Live albums	Saturnight Majikat

Spiritual albums	The Life of the Last Prophet Prayers of the Last Prophet A Is for Allah I Look I See Footsteps in the Light

Compilations	Greatest Hits Footsteps in the Dark: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 The Very Best of Cat Stevens Gold I Have No Cannons That Roar

Singles	"I Love My Dog" "Matthew and Son" "I'm Gonna Get Me a Gun" "A Bad Night" "Lady D'Arbanville" "Father and Son" "Wild World" "Moonshadow" "Peace Train" "Morning Has Broken" "Another Saturday Night" "Oh Very Young"

Other songs	"Blue Monday" "Boots and Sand" "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" "The First Cut Is the Deepest" "Here Comes My Baby" "(I Never Wanted) to Be a Star" "If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out" "Into White" "Trouble" "Where Do the Children Play?"

Categories	Albums Compilation albums Live albums Songs Songs written by Cat Stevens

Related topics	Discography Harold and Maude (soundtrack)

Book Category

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