An Other Cup
Encyclopedia
An Other Cup is an album
by Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens
). It was released on November 10, 2006 in Germany, November 13 in the UK and in the U.S. and worldwide on November 14. An Other Cup is Islam's first Western pop
album since Back to Earth
, which was released in 1978 under the name Cat Stevens. On the album cover, the singer is credited as "Yusuf" with a cover label identifying him as "the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens". In an interview as to why he presented both names, he said, "You know, the cup is there to be filled ... with whatever you want to fill it with. For those people looking for Cat Stevens, they'll probably find him in this record. If you want to find Yusuf, go a bit deeper, you'll find him."
Craig Kallman
, the Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Records
, has described the new record as speaking to 'the essence of all the great Cat Stevens albums of the past', adding, 'It was a chilling experience sitting in a very tiny rehearsal room as he was working through all the new material'.
Islam told the BBC
: "It's me, so it's going to sound like that of course ... This is the real thing (. . . ) When my son brought the guitar back into the house, you know, that was the turning point. It opened a flood of, of new ideas and music which I think a lot of people would connect with." In another interview Islam said, "I feel right about making music and singing about life in this fragile world again. It is important for me to be able to help bridge the cultural gaps others are sometimes frightened to cross."
The album was produced by Rick Nowels
and Islam, and is distributed by Atlantic Records
in North America, in a venture with Islam's own label, Ya Records. It features guest performances from Youssou N'Dour
. Additional guests, Alun Davies
and Jean Roussel, two of Islam's long time friends, who both played in his band as Cat Stevens from 1970 in Davies' case, during the time he was writing and recording Mona Bone Jakon
, and 1973 for Roussell during Stevens' Catch Bull at Four
, album and tour. Both worked, recorded, and toured with Stevens, until he left the Western pop music business in 1978; however both made an appearance with him, performing on Stevens' first television broadcast performance, performing with him, on Later... with Jools Holland in 2006. However, this was the only performance where Roussell was present. Davies remained as a guitarist with backing vocals as he had done for so many years in the days of "Cat Stevens", and still performs with Islam as part of his new, tight-knit band. Artwork is credited to "Yoriyos", believed to be Yusuf Islam's son Mohammed Islam, also a musician.
The album features a cover of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
". "Heaven/Where True Love Goes", released as a download-only single, is taken from the last part of the "Foreigner Suite" that appeared on the album Foreigner
, with some words changed to fit his new Islamic faith. The album also features a slightly new version of "I Think I See The Light" from Mona Bone Jakon
The full album was first available to hear exclusively in the 'Mes Amis' Members Area of Yusuf's new 2007-8 website, at: http://www.yusufislam.com, until it was then released as a CD.
The album debuted at No. 52 on the Billboard 200
.
"An Other Cup" was certified platinum in Germany and Gold in the U.K.
Yusuf Islam was asked to perform for Nobel Peace Prize winners in Oslo in 2006, playing "Heaven/Where True Love Goes", "Midday (Avoid City After Dark)", and "Peace Train".
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
). It was released on November 10, 2006 in Germany, November 13 in the UK and in the U.S. and worldwide on November 14. An Other Cup is Islam's first Western pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
album since Back to Earth
Back to Earth (Cat Stevens album)
Back to Earth is a 1978 album released by the British singer/songwriter Cat Stevens. It was the only album he recorded using the name Cat Stevens after his conversion to Islam in December 1977...
, which was released in 1978 under the name Cat Stevens. On the album cover, the singer is credited as "Yusuf" with a cover label identifying him as "the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens". In an interview as to why he presented both names, he said, "You know, the cup is there to be filled ... with whatever you want to fill it with. For those people looking for Cat Stevens, they'll probably find him in this record. If you want to find Yusuf, go a bit deeper, you'll find him."
Craig Kallman
Craig Kallman
Craig Kallman is Chairman and CEO of Atlantic Records.Craig Kallman signed the legendary lyricist Percee P and released his sought after 12" "Puttin' Heads To Bed" on his imprint Big Beat in the early 1990s. He joined the company in 1991, when Atlantic acquired Kallman's independent Big Beat...
, the Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, has described the new record as speaking to 'the essence of all the great Cat Stevens albums of the past', adding, 'It was a chilling experience sitting in a very tiny rehearsal room as he was working through all the new material'.
Islam told the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
: "It's me, so it's going to sound like that of course ... This is the real thing (. . . ) When my son brought the guitar back into the house, you know, that was the turning point. It opened a flood of, of new ideas and music which I think a lot of people would connect with." In another interview Islam said, "I feel right about making music and singing about life in this fragile world again. It is important for me to be able to help bridge the cultural gaps others are sometimes frightened to cross."
The album was produced by Rick Nowels
Rick Nowels
Richard Wright Nowels Jr. is a Grammy / Ivor Novello award-winning songwriter/producer who has worked with many of the most vibrant artists in contemporary music...
and Islam, and is distributed by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in North America, in a venture with Islam's own label, Ya Records. It features guest performances from Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
. Additional guests, Alun Davies
Alun Davies (guitarist)
Alun Davies is a Welsh guitarist, studio musician, recording artist, and composer who rose to fame primarily with his supporting guitar work and backing vocals as accompanist for English musician Cat Stevens, from early 1970 to 1977...
and Jean Roussel, two of Islam's long time friends, who both played in his band as Cat Stevens from 1970 in Davies' case, during the time he was writing and recording Mona Bone Jakon
Mona Bone Jakon
Mona Bone Jakon is the third album released by singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. The album was released In July, 1970 on the Island Records label in the United Kingdom, and A&M record label in the United States and Canada...
, and 1973 for Roussell during Stevens' Catch Bull at Four
Catch Bull at Four
Catch Bull at Four is an album by Cat Stevens. It was Stevens' most successful album in the United States, holding the top spot on Billboards chart for three consecutive weeks...
, album and tour. Both worked, recorded, and toured with Stevens, until he left the Western pop music business in 1978; however both made an appearance with him, performing on Stevens' first television broadcast performance, performing with him, on Later... with Jools Holland in 2006. However, this was the only performance where Roussell was present. Davies remained as a guitarist with backing vocals as he had done for so many years in the days of "Cat Stevens", and still performs with Islam as part of his new, tight-knit band. Artwork is credited to "Yoriyos", believed to be Yusuf Islam's son Mohammed Islam, also a musician.
The album features a cover of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" is a song written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus for the singer/pianist Nina Simone, who first recorded it in 1964. "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" has been recorded or performed by many artists, and is widely known by the 1965 blues rock hit...
". "Heaven/Where True Love Goes", released as a download-only single, is taken from the last part of the "Foreigner Suite" that appeared on the album Foreigner
Foreigner (Cat Stevens album)
Foreigner is an album released by English singer-songwriter, Cat Stevens in July 1973. In addition to the minor hit "The Hurt", which received a moderate amount of airplay, Foreigner also included such songs as "100 I Dream" and the 18-minute-long "Foreigner Suite", which took up the entirety of...
, with some words changed to fit his new Islamic faith. The album also features a slightly new version of "I Think I See The Light" from Mona Bone Jakon
Mona Bone Jakon
Mona Bone Jakon is the third album released by singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. The album was released In July, 1970 on the Island Records label in the United Kingdom, and A&M record label in the United States and Canada...
The full album was first available to hear exclusively in the 'Mes Amis' Members Area of Yusuf's new 2007-8 website, at: http://www.yusufislam.com, until it was then released as a CD.
The album debuted at No. 52 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
.
"An Other Cup" was certified platinum in Germany and Gold in the U.K.
Track listing
All songs were written by Yusuf Islam, except where noted.- "Midday (Avoid City After Dark)" – 4:24
- "Heaven/Where True Love Goes" – 4:49
- "Maybe There's a World" – 3:06
- "One Day at a Time" – 4:54
- "When Butterflies Leave" – 0:41
- "In the End" – 4:02
- "Don't Let Me Be MisunderstoodDon't Let Me Be Misunderstood"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" is a song written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus for the singer/pianist Nina Simone, who first recorded it in 1964. "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" has been recorded or performed by many artists, and is widely known by the 1965 blues rock hit...
" (Bennie BenjaminBennie BenjaminClaude A. Benjamin was a songwriter, often teaming with George David Weiss. He was born on November 4, 1907 in Christiansted on the island of St. Croix . At the age of twenty, he moved to New York City. There, he studied the banjo and guitar with Hy Smith...
, Gloria Caldwell, Sol Marcus) – 3:22 - "I Think I See the Light" – 5:34
- "Whispers from a Spiritual Garden" – 2:04
- "The Beloved" – 4:51
- "Greenfields, Golden Sands" – 3:25
- "There Is Peace" – 3:03 (Bonus Track on the UK edition)
Yusuf Islam was asked to perform for Nobel Peace Prize winners in Oslo in 2006, playing "Heaven/Where True Love Goes", "Midday (Avoid City After Dark)", and "Peace Train".
Year-end
| End of year chart (2007) | Position |
|---|---|
| German Albums Chart | 35 |