Yusuf / Cat Stevens' Classic 'Foreigner' Remastered And Set For Reissue On July 26

Since 2020, Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ iconic 1970s albums have steadily been lovingly remastered and reissued in celebration of their enduring popularity more than a half century later. Now, following acclaimed multi-format reissues for Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman, Teaser and the Firecat, Harold and Maude, and most recently Catch Bull At Four, the legendary singer-songwriter’s classic 1973 album, Foreigner, will be released in a variety of newly remastered formats on July 26 via A&M/UMe.

Foreigner showed enormous artistic ambition and courage with Cat boldly stepping away from his signature acoustic sound in order to freely explore the heat and love of the soul and R&B genres. Recorded in the heart of Jamaica, the album reached No. 3 on both the U.S. and U.K. album charts. 

The album will be available on vinyl for the first time since its original release, on both 180-gram black vinyl and limited edition 180-gram blue vinyl, with a replica 12” lyric card insert. The blue vinyl pressing can be purchased exclusively at CatStevens.com, uDiscover Music and Sound of Vinyl.

Foreigner will also return to CD for the first time since its reissue in 2000, complete with a 16-page booklet. The new remaster will also be available for streaming in both standard and stunning hi-resolution audio. The initial production run of the vinyl and CD versions will feature the super rare color front cover, originally released only on the original A&M pressings in 1973.

Pre-order Foreigner

Foreigner, released in 1973, was Cat Stevens’ fifth LP with Island Records/A&M and represents the adventurous, risk-taking streak in his character. In addition to the radical shift away from his more familiar acoustic sound in favor of a smoother, more luxurious American sound, the album is also entirely self-produced - the first time Stevens had worked fully independently in this way. He chose to record predominantly in Jamaica and recruited an all-star band from the R&B world including drummer Bernard Purdie, guitarist Phil Upchurch and the Tower of Power horn section in order to help realize his soulful vision. 

As a result, Foreigner is simply one of the most creative of all Stevens’ albums: the entire first side consists of the 18-minute opus, “Foreigner Suite,” which transports the listener on an epic journey of compelling grooves and deeply layered lyrical meaning, and the album’s second side includes the Top 40 hit, “The Hurt,” which exemplifies the authenticity of Stevens' relationship with soul music. Foreigner is essential listening for anyone who truly wishes to understand the range and courage that underpins Cat Stevens’ artistry.

Yusuf / Cat Stevens offers, "We’re all foreigners. Say to an American or a European, that he’s a foreigner and he’ll say, 'No, you’re the foreigner!' But we’re all foreigners here, in a wider sense. We're all looking for freedom and accommodation within humanity."

In addition to Foreigner being re-released, Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ timeless trilogy, 1970’s Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman and 1971’s Teaser and the Firecat are being pressed on limited edition 180-gram color vinyl, with each LP receiving a unique color variant: Mona Bone Jakon on Sky Blue, Tea for the Tillerman on Mint Green, and Teaser and the Firecat on Neon Orange. The albums will each boast the remastered 2020 audio and be released on July 5.

Pre-order Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman, and Teaser and the Firecat color vinyl.