Tea for the Tillerman

Though undercurrents of melancholy run through many songs, Mr. Stevens does not give in to sadness and depression. Instead, the theme of love lost in the classic Wild World absolves his lost lover and warns her about the ways of the world. He confronts dying with an unflinching resolve in But I Might Die Tonight and appeals to the ideas of Zen in the muscular, celebratory Miles from Nowhere. Mr. Stevens raises the eco-flag in Where Do the Children Play, which still sounds relevant despite a few archaic (at least to current American sensibilities) words such as "lorry."

He visits the quest motif more than once---perhaps an indication of his own state of mind at that time---in the jaunty On the Road to Findout and the plaintive dialogue that captures the essence of the generation gap in Father and Son. In Sad Lisa, he confronts a quest of a different sort, chronicling the narrator's efforts to deal with some form of mental illness, though it's not entirely clear if Lisa is real or an apparition only the narrator can see.

Mr. Stevens also delves into the possibly related themes of contacts with UFOs in the metaphorical Longer Boats and experimentation with psychotropic drugs as he catalogs images and experiences that merge Into White.

The stellar band that supply the musical textures here are in fine form, especially second guitarist Alun Davies, long the unsung hero on the best of Cat Steven's recordings. Mr. Stevens and Mr. Davies interweave melodies and ideas so seamlessly that it's almost impossible to separate one from the other. The rhythm section here ranges, whether nearly muted or unleashing torrents of energy, never intrudes but always anchors the songs. The strings on "Tea for the Tillerman" sparkle like moonlight on the ocean, offering subtle relief and counterpoint without choking out the music as they do on some of Mr. Steven's later recordings.

Mr. Stevens made many excellent recordings, some good ones, and one transcendent one, "Tea for Tillerman." I hope that he has found the peace he sought and am thankful for this gift he left us before entering the life of contemplation and devotion that beckoned him.


A Perfect Album?   March 9, 2000
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

This is one of the few albums I've ever owned that does not have at least one weak track- this is truly a collection of gems.

It's Stevens at his best, predating the self-consciousness that perhaps shaped some later offerings. Gentle but never sappy, easy to listen to but never the dreaded "Easy Listening." The intelligently constructed songs and eloquent, spiritually-tinged lyrics are the perfect vehicle for Stevens' soft-spoken delivery.

"Into White" has always been a favorite, but there is not a song on here that is not remarkable. If you only own one Cat Stevens album, take this over a "greatest hits" collection anyday.


Showcase of the early 70s   March 4, 2000
 4 out of 7 found this review helpful

A truly classic album, this is how we want to remember Cat Stevens before he began supporting fatwas against Salman Rushdie. Indeed it's difficult to understand why such a gentle and intelligent person would embrace the barbarism of Islam. The tracks on this album are superb - a classic album devoid of filler tracks. It can be listened to from start to finish without skipping anything. The best track is undoubtedly On The Road To Find Out which is almost a chronicle of his conversion to Islam a full eight years before he took the plunge. Yusuf (his Islamic name) used the royalties from this and his other albums to finance a Muslim school in London and almost all the royalties from his albums now go to the church. Don't let that put you off. This is an album you will never grow tired of hearing.


How can you describe Tea For The Tillerman?   March 4, 2000
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

This Cd is amazing. I really don't know how to describe it. I think very highly of every song on here....I really like the pacifist viewpoint that Cat (Yusuf) displays. The songs "Wild World" and "Sad Lisa" are some of his best. I really consider this album a greatest hits album...there is really nothing i can say about this album except if you want to hear something other then Corn and groups like that, you can go get "Tea For the Tillerman" (I know some people still have the LP they can blow the dust off of) off the shelf, clean your record needle and listen to the sounds of Cat Stevens (Yusuf)


new fan   February 4, 2000
 7 out of 8 found this review helpful

it all started when i saw "Harold and Maude". then i was so obsessed with the songs that my dad pulled out his old Tea for the Tillerman record and i fell in love with it. it is sooooooo good, i really recommend it to ANYBODY.