Scott 4 is Scott Walker's fifth solo album (a collection of songs he had performed for his BBC television series had been his fourth). It was originally released in late 1969 under his birth name, Scott Engel, and failed to chart. Subsequent reissues have been released under his stage name. It has since received praise as one of Walker's best works.
Scott 4 was the first Walker album to consist solely of self-penned songs. The preceding Scott, Scott 2 and Scott 3 albums had each featured a mixture of originals and covers, including several translations of Jacques Brel songs, which were later collected to form the album Scott Walker Sings Jacques Brel. Scott 4 also features slightly less ornate orchestral arrangements, opting instead for a more skeletal sound with greater emphasis on the rhythm section.