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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Cat Stevens tends to be lumped in with the early-1970s singer/songwriter school led by James Taylor and Carole King but he actually fits in rather neatly with such wistful contemporaries as Nick Drake, Syd Barrett and Donovan. Tea for the Tillerman's "Wild World", "Into White" and "Longer Boats" indicate that he may have been a more gifted tunesmith than the lot of them. As with the best of the Brit folk-rockers, Stevens mixed melancholy with whimsy. Yes, he was prone to airy platitudes but when he harnessed his eccentricities, as he did throughout this 1970's masterwork, you had something truly distinctive. Stevens' greatest drawback was that he was a natural cult artist, à la Tim Buckley and Leonard Cohen. But that's a tough role to play when you're selling 25 million records, as Stevens did before he changed his name to Yusef Islam, established an Islamic school, and raised a ruckus by supporting Ayatollah Khomeini's death decree against author Salman Rushdie. --Steven Stolder
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
48 of 49 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album is a high watermark for early 1970s singer/songwriters. Always a popular one with the cheesecloth wearing fraternity - and not just the ladies - Cat Stevens seemed to hold many of us in his spell for a few years. This is technically better than "Mona Bone Jakon" but the songs on that previous album, for me, are superior. It must have been the (first) near-death experience. However, having bought this recently on CD has allowed me to drive along singing along happily. There are not that many albums from 1970 that I can more-or-less remember all the words to! Maybe that shows how strong the songs are. I don't actually think that the songs are too airy-fairy or hippy. Some of the songs such as the opener "Where Do The children Play?" stand up well today with its anti-pollution lyrics. I was also struck by the amount of mentions of the "Good Book" (sic) and the lyrics to "Miles From Nowhere" mention, "Lord my body has been a good friend, but I won't need it when I reach the end", I guess he wasn't quite so convinced as the seventh wave approached.
It's great to have an absolute classic on CD all sparky bright and sounding great (lending vinyl out in the early 70s was a dangerous hobby)and songs like "Father and Son" and "Wild World" are worth a lot in these days of trite Beatles rehashes. However, I think that if you enjoy this you should explore "Moan Bone Jakon" too.
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I was introduced to cat stevens in the 70's by my Father. As a young child i jollied away to them while he listened. Later I became embroiled in the new romantic scene in the eighties while i was a teenager, Cat stevens seemed so uncool. About ten years ago i rediscovered him and introduced him to my young family. They have all fallen in love with him including my wife who had never heard of him. This album in particular is a masterpiece to anyone who hasn'nt listened to Cat try this first. It is a sublime collection of beautiful songs that will stay in your heart for your entire life.
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I bought the album in vinyl when it was first released and I thought it was wonderful. That was around 30 years ago. Now I have bought it on REMASTERED CD and it sounds fresher now than when he first baked it.
This song (Father and Son) is so evocative for anyone who loved their father and realises now that he knew you better than you imagined back then. It also comes home when you are a father yourself and realise that generation gaps exist, but mean very little if the real foundations of the relationship are solid.
Yes, this is very deep. But Cat Stevens was a deep thinker and he wrote some of the best lyrics ever.
He was good enough to have cover versions of his songs (from this album) to be sung by todays artists this century! And the originals are still better.
This song moves me as surely as it ever did.
This song (Father and Son) is so evocative for anyone who loved their father and realises now that he knew you better than you imagined back then. It also comes home when you are a father yourself and realise that generation gaps exist, but mean very little if the real foundations of the relationship are solid.
Yes, this is very deep. But Cat Stevens was a deep thinker and he wrote some of the best lyrics ever.
He was good enough to have cover versions of his songs (from this album) to be sung by todays artists this century! And the originals are still better.
This song moves me as surely as it ever did.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman
This album makes me want to build a little hut in the middle of the woods and live the rest of my life there being all humble and kind to the animals. Read more
Published 3 months ago by rodgersviews
The best of Cat
I long thought of Cat Stevens as a name from the past - an ok singer/songwriter who penned a few good tunes but
nothing special. Read more
nothing special. Read more
Published 9 months ago by paul davenport
One Great Song, One Good song and Nine Tuneless Offerings!
Most people are comparing this album with Teaser and the Firecat - But you can't because this is not in the same league - Teaser and the Firecat is way better than this album which... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Ken
Great songs, great memories!
When I was at college in the 1970's, I bought the 'LP' of this album, and loved it. I listened to it over and over again, but then about 15 years ago my old record player went to... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Ms. Pam J. Cole
Another masterpiece
Cat Stevens made a fresh start in 1970, reinventing himself as a folksy singer songwriter after an uncomfortable early career as a pop singer. Read more
Published 16 months ago by D. J. Mortimer
Timeless Tillerman
I was drawn back to Cat Stevens in September 2010 when I watched his concert "Majikat" on More4,and was amazed at rediscovering this musical genius. Read more
Published 20 months ago by juliet R
A nostalgia trip
I first heard this when it was released many decades ago, I never actually brought it at the time, hence the purchase now. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Leon Crawley
Tea For The Tillerman
I almost had a copy of this album back in the long and distant past. I found the vinyl album on a train and then left it on the train myself. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Mr. Philip Lawrence
Great Cat Stevens album.
This must rank among the best of the Cat Stevens albums. I particularly enjoyed four of the songs here that appeared in the soundtrack of the film Harold & Maude: Where Do The... Read more
Published on 17 Jan 2010 by Close Range.
Still wonderful music after al these years
Anyone know of any other CD's with ONLY 5 star reviews?
And the man is (happily) STILL making wonderful music
And the man is (happily) STILL making wonderful music
Published on 1 Dec 2009 by Mikie
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