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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
This set surveys all of Stevens's stages, from the orchestrated late-1960s sides through his early-'70s peak to his more eclectic late-1970s experiments. Following the progression makes for an interesting endeavor as Stevens learns to harness his ambitious ideas with arrangements that don't obscure his rhapsodic messages. Few artists of his generation were more gifted when it came to plucking timeless melodies out of thin air, and his sumptuous voice was always able to movingly convey his bittersweet lyrics. As a career overview this set achieves its goal, hitting all of the chart successes along the way and basically defining his role as a sensitive '70s singer-songwriter, but some fans may opt for the classic early-'70s studio records, which find Stevens at his most consistently touching. --Marc Greilsamer
Product Description
602498112090
-UNIVERSAL TVCD-24 TRACKS
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
79 of 84 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Born Steven Georgiou, he adopted the name Cat Stevens for his musical career but subsequently became a Muslim, quitting his musical career and changing his name again, this time to Yusuf Islam. This compilation of his music as Cat Stevens is as good as any you are likely to find.
Cat had a minor UK hit in 1966 (I love my dog) but established himself as a songwriter by providing the Tremeloes with their first hit since Brian Poole left them (Here comes my baby) and by providing P P Arnold with her first hit (First cut is the deepest). Those hits were both in 1967, the year in which Cat had his first major hit as a singer, when Matthew and son peaked at number two in the UK. It was the biggest hit he ever had. He had another top ten UK hit (I'm gonna get me a gun) and two minor hits (A bad night, Kitty) in 1967 but none of those hits are included here. Actually, despite their hit status, they aren't really important.
Cat left his original label (Deram) and signed to Island, after which he recorded a series of albums that won him international acclaim. Although he placed six singles on the UK charts, all included here, his reputation ultimately rests with his albums. This explains why so many of his fans do not like compilations of his music, preferring the original albums.
Nevertheless, there is a market for compilations and there are plenty of people who don't want (or can't afford) to collect Cat's original albums. So here you get those hits (Lady D'Arbanville, Moon shadow, Morning has broken, Can't keep it in, Another Saturday night, Remember the days of the old school yard) as well as other classic tracks such as Peace train, Father and son, Wild world and Cat's own versions of Here comes my baby and First cut is the deepest.
If you want just one Cat Stevens collection, make it this one - but if you decide to collect his original albums instead, start with Tea for the tillerman or Teaser and the firecat.
30 of 34 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
This is an excellent value compilation, extending to 24 songs over 77 minutes, which pretty much lives up to its title. Four pop hits from 1967-68 are included for the sake of completeness, but their overblown arrangements are grating and only serve to emphasise the appealing simplicity and restraint of much of Cat Stevens' Island Records work from 1970-78. The weakest tracks in the collection are 'Don't be shy' and 'If you want to sing out', which although rarities not available on other albums certainly do not rank among Stevens' best work. Their place would have been better taken by the tracks 'Ready' and 'Two fine people' (which both appeared on his 1975 Greatest Hits album, the latter not being available anywhere else), or 'The hurt'. This CD has the same tracks as the earlier collection 'Remember Cat Stevens', with the exception of two substituted songs, both of which are improvements over the selection on 'Remember'. Altogether a collection well worth having, although for the committed Cat Stevens fan there is no substitute for all his original Island albums, which are now available in superb sounding remastered editions with all the original artwork.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Customer
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
A great compilation, especially if looking for your first CAT album - over 70 minutes on a CD that does live up to its title and represents money well spent, in my opinion.
Opening with the incredible 'Moonshadow', followed by the excellent 'Father and Son' then the haunting 'Morning has Broken' - you soon realise that this is not an average 'Best Of' album.
Along with:
'Wild World', 'The First Cut is the Deepest', 'Matthew and Son', 'Hard-Headed Woman', 'Can't Keep It In', '(Remember The Days Of The) Old School Yard', 'Where do the Children Play?', 'Peace Train' and 'Another Saturday Night', this CD pack is exactly what the title says it is, for a change - simply the very best!
Presented in a cardboard cover, included with the CD is a 14-page pamphlet simply entitled 'Cat', detailing his life, the various albums and ending in a list of the 24 tracks on this CD.
[..]
Opening with the incredible 'Moonshadow', followed by the excellent 'Father and Son' then the haunting 'Morning has Broken' - you soon realise that this is not an average 'Best Of' album.
Along with:
'Wild World', 'The First Cut is the Deepest', 'Matthew and Son', 'Hard-Headed Woman', 'Can't Keep It In', '(Remember The Days Of The) Old School Yard', 'Where do the Children Play?', 'Peace Train' and 'Another Saturday Night', this CD pack is exactly what the title says it is, for a change - simply the very best!
Presented in a cardboard cover, included with the CD is a 14-page pamphlet simply entitled 'Cat', detailing his life, the various albums and ending in a list of the 24 tracks on this CD.
[..]
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Forgotten How Good Cat Is!
Heard 'Morning Has Broken' on the radio in the car, and this spurred me to check out what was available to purchase. Read more
Published 11 days ago by David Mann
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great music
I like Cat Stevens.
It's great to have his best of CD.
the item is in good condition.
Easy Listening.
It's great to have his best of CD.
the item is in good condition.
Easy Listening.
Published 1 month ago by Robbie T
5.0 out of 5 stars
PERFECT..!
This is perfect for any Stevens fans, brings back a lot of memories of good times. And very good value for money.
Published 1 month ago by Raymond
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good introduction to Cat Stevens' career
This compilation is very good - of course it is - but it falls into an obvious trap that I am surprised the producers failed to see. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Stephen
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Cats whiskers
Anyone who grew up in the 60's will be delighted by this collection. This really is "the very best of" in the truest sense. Buy it, play it, absorb it. You'll love it.
Published 2 months ago by Schoales Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great cd
Very pleased with the selection of his hits, great sound quality, would recommend this to all his fans very good value
Published 2 months ago by Margaret
4.0 out of 5 stars
good album
i like cat steven's lyrics and voice.wouldn't say all the tracks are excellent but there's a couple of songs that make it a necessary addition to my collection.
Published 2 months ago by Mrs D Cumberpatch
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely variety of songs
Very enjoyable collection of music.The friend I bought it for is delighted with it.Ideal for the car or as an introduction to this great artist.
Published 3 months ago by Pidge
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent
A superb albulm. I bought it to play at a funeral as one track was loved by the person who had died. I listened to it all the way through a cracking albulm. Read more
Published 3 months ago by arfakoffin
5.0 out of 5 stars
easy listening
This guy has a great voice and we have really loved the songs on here,a must for thoes relaxing nights chilling with a glass of wine!
Published 4 months ago by mrs s small
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