Cat Stevens Izitso CD

Cat Stevens bounced back from the lackluster Numbers with an album of pop/rock songs that brought his usual rhythmic folk-rock into contemporary style with the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, a snappy Dave Kershenbaum production, and lots of synthesizers. Most of the songs were unusually lightweight, but the autobiographical "(I Never Wanted) To Be a Star" explored Stevens' ambivalence about being in the music business, an attitude that would find him dropping out and finding religion after one more album. In the meantime, Izitso produced a final Top 40 hit in "(Remember the Days of The) Old Schoolyard" and a singles-chart entry in the instrumental "Was Dog a Doughnut." As a result, Stevens returned to the Top Ten LPs list with a ninth straight gold album, his last. ~ William Ruhlmann

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Reissue producer: Bill Levenson.

Engineers include: Freddy Hansson, Tom Jung, Paul Martinson.

Personnel: Cat Stevens (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, classical guitar, bouzouki, piano, celesta, electric piano, Fender Rhodes piano, harpsichord, electric harpsichord, keyboards, ARP synthesizer, drums, percussion, loops); Evette Benton, Barbara Ingram, Carla Benson, Elkie Brooks, Suzanne Lynch (vocals); Ray Gomez (guitar, electric guitar); Pete Carr (guitar); Reggie Young (electric guitar); Weldon Myrick (steel guitar); Marjorie Lagerwall (harp); David Campbell (strings); Jean Roussel (flute, piano, electric piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizer, string synthesizer, vibraphone, glockenspiel); Broderick Smith (harmonica); Barry Beckett (piano, electric piano, organ, keyboards); Tim Henson (piano, organ); Jean Rouselle (grand piano, organ, string synthesizer, vibraphone); Chick Corea (electric piano, keyboards); Bruce Lynch (synthesizer); Andy Newmark, Roger Hawkins, Bill Berg, Barry Morgan (drums); Claude Dupras (programming).

Unknown Contributor Roles: Chick Corea; Evette Benton; Barbara Ingram; Carla Benson; David Campbell ; Jimmy Johnson ; David Hood; Elkie Brooks; Marjorie Lagerwall; Broderick Smith; Tim Henson; Jean Roussel; Andy Newmark; Pete Carr; Ray Gomez; Reggie Young ; Roger Hawkins; Barry Beckett; Weldon Myrick; Suzanne Lynch; Bill Berg; Barry Morgan; Bruce Lynch.

Personnel includes: Cat Stevens (acoustic guitar, guitar, classical guitar, bouzouki, harpsichord, Fender Rhodes piano, piano, ARP synthesizers, drums, percussion); Susan Lynch, Elkie Brooks, Carla Benson, Evette Benton, Barbara Ingram (vocals); Ray Gomez, Barry Beckett (electric guitar); Pete Carr (guitar); Marjorie Lagerwall (harp); Jean Roussel (flute, electric piano, organ, ARP synthesizer, string synthesizer, vibraphone); Broderick Smith (harmonica); Chick Corea (electric piano); Tim Henson (organ); Bruce Lynch, David Hood (bass); Bill Berg, Barry Morgan (drums).

Producers: Cat Stevens, Dave Kershenbaum.