Tea for the Tillerman

A perfect little package of 3-minute acoustic guitar pop gems. Great song writing, beautifully recorded, sequenced and presented. Has Father and Son on it - objectively an all-time great song.

Mona Bone Jakon only began Cat Stevens' comeback. Seven months later, he returned with Tea for the Tillerman, an album in the same chamber-group style, employing the same musicians and producer, but with a far more confident tone. Mona Bone Jakon had been full of references to death, but Tea for the Tillerman was not about dying; it was about living in the modern world while rejecting it in favor of spiritual fulfillment. It began with a statement of purpose, "Where Do the Children Play?," in which Stevens questioned the value of technology and progress. "Wild World" found the singer being dumped by a girl, but making the novel suggestion that she should stay with him because she was incapable of handling things without him. "Sad Lisa" might have been about the same girl after she tried and failed to make her way; now, she seemed depressed to the point of psychosis. The rest of the album veered between two themes: the conflict between the young and the old, and religion as an answer to life's questions. Tea for the Tillerman was the story of a young man's search for spiritual meaning in a soulless class society he found abhorrent. He hadn't yet reached his destination, but he was confident he was going in the right direction, traveling at his own, unhurried pace. The album's rejection of contemporary life and its yearning for something more struck a chord with listeners in an era in which traditional verities had been shaken. It didn't hurt, of course, that Stevens had lost none of his ability to craft a catchy pop melody; the album may have been full of angst, but it wasn't hard to sing along to. As a result, Tea for the Tillerman became a big seller and, for the second time in four years, its creator became a pop star.

A few good songs here and there, but otherwise utterly boring.

A masterpiece by a musical genius. Cat Stevens is a master storyteller. Wish we could have more music by him, but his personal and religious choices are his own. Songs of my youth all abound here (it's before my time, but Cat Stevens was a mainstay in my house growing up). Wild World and Father and Son are some of the best songs ever to grace my ears and I get tears listening to them to this day. Some weaker songs make this a 4.5/5, but I just can't give this album, that meant so much to me growing up, anything other than a 5/5.

I don't know how you can listen to this and not have a smile on your face. Just a joy. Best track: Father and Son

Great fan of this album- was all set to give it 4* (purely for preferring Teaser and the Firecat) but then listened again and was hit by the emotional depth, the wonderful melodies, the great simplicity of the songwriting and arrangements across the record. Bookends don't come much better than "Where do the Children Play" and "Father and Son" (plus the brilliant title track).

Il est arrivé dans ce générateur avec un statut de favori, et force est de constater qu'il n'a pas déçu. Après une entame tonitruante, Cat Stevens ayant déjà creusé l'écart avec ses principaux concurrents (Gene Clark qui ?) au bout de quatre chansons décide de poser le jeu et faire courir ses adversaires. Une dernière action de classe en fin d'album avec Father And Son permet à Yusuf de terminer la partie sur une bonne note sans avoir été mis en difficulté une seule seconde.

I've never really been a Cat Stevens fan, TBH. He's a little too chill for my taste. That said, the songwriting is pretty damn solid. This album was apparently his big "here I am world" moment and it shows with songs like "Wild World" that have stood the test of time and been covered a thousand times. Mostly, this album is kind of ho-hum for me. It's not offensive or exciting. It just... is.

Started this record on the way to drop the kid off at daycare, toying with a joke around Cat Stevens singing “where do the children play”; ended it half a day later driving back with the kid listening to “Father and Son” wondering what portion of my eyes’ moistness I could ascribe to hayfever. One of our group’s silent members loves Cat Stevens and will shake his head for my finding the man’s records too earnest for my taste, taking me back to misty recollections of weird, late 70’s children’s’ tv optimism, but the sheer commitment, the smart production, and the ear worms put him up there regardless of my never-trust-a-hippy reflexes.

It’s full of heart and soul. Incredible guitar work and earnest vocals. Father and Son made me tear up.

Listened to Cat Stevens multiple times before, but haven't heard any tunes in a while, so this is a quite pleasing listening experience.

In my opinion, Tea for the Tillerman (and his followup Teaser and the Firecat) are the two best folk albums of the 1970’s. Just great from start to finish. “Wild World” is an obvious standout and gives the album it’s needed pop hit, but “Father and Son” is one of the best songs - in any genre - ever written.

This is my favorite album of all time, must listen!

This is an absolutely amazing start to this project! This is my first time ever listening to Cat Stevens. Such clean guitar acoustics and soulful lyrics.

Far be it from me to come barging back in here and start throwing my weight around but this is so good. I've always thought Cat Stevens has some good tracks but existed all on one level, a sort of airy fairy very light folk sound. I've had him all wrong, this album is really really good. When Wide World came on I was pleased to hear this was a Cat song, but Sad Lisa really got me listening. From then on there are regular gut punches and tear jerks. It's got a rich, full sound and his voice has a wonderful quality that can jump from lightness to great depth at the spin of a wheel.

Instant 5 stars for me. This is one of my all time favorites, and one I revisit frequently. Another one I have a hard time even putting into words. What can be said about Father and Son? or But I Might Die Tonight? Spent the day listening to various mixes of this album. Tea for the Tillerman 2 is wild. Love the addition of strings.

My mom wore through 2 Lps of this one. I really enjoy it too.

4.5/5, some of my favorite Cat Stevens songs on this one

Absolutely love this album. Spoke to many moments and thoughts currently experiencing. 11/11/2020

I mean, it's Cat Stevens

The over-amped mic capturing the plectrum scraping the strings on "Wild World" is, in my opinion, the single worse recording decision in the history of popular music. Otherwise a great album

I have recently bought a turntable to play my handful of high school and university vinyls. It's a bluetooth turntable so that I can listen to surviving 7 record albums on my speakers. Somewhere along the way, I suppose it was "on the road to find out", this much played & beloved album disappeared. Cat Stevens music is unique in both sound and lyrics.

How happy I was to listen to this today. I wish I had better words to talk about it. It's beautiful. It's both nostalgic and timeless. A few limited observations among many: The lyrics of "Into White" intrigued me. I love the build-up in "Miles from Nowhere" as his search progresses. And as the father of a teenage son, "Father and Son" caught me by surprise and took the wind out of me.

Beautiful songwriting and great lyrics, but the dynamics are really what got me. Stevens is equally powerful whether he be a whispering breeze or a howling gale. In a genre that can often find itself with the dynamics of a snack pack of vanilla pudding, this was quite refreshing.

Flawless.

Really enjoyed way more than I thought I would!

In my collection already

Love this album

Beautiful. Truly.

5 stars!

Cat Stevens or Yusuf, his now adapted stage name, had already a couple of projects released when this dropped but this hit like a bomb. Especially 'Wild World' was and still is a huge success. The album is full of peacefull and soft Folk Pop tunes that are all really cute and interesting. 'Where Do the Children Play?' opens the album with soft guitar notes and slowly builds up into more and more but not anxious tension that releases into a final vocal climax. A beautiful song with a great structure and sound that keeps you interested throughout. This is an incredible song with many great moments both lyrically and instrumentally. The following 'Hard Headed Woman' is a much softer approach with the strings that at one point take most of the attention before the vocals explode out of nothing and completley contradict the start. It is a lovely song but I feel that at times it is a little streched rather than needed especially near the end. The already mentioned 'Wild World' follows and I do think that it's the best song on the album. The chorus is super catchy and the structure is a great mix between conventional and special. The same can be said about the tension that it creates and releases perfectly for the chorus to start again. A perfect song with perfect execution. This is how a Folk Pop song should be done. The more sentimental 'Sad Lisa' switches the guitar with a piano and creates a very sad sounding and emotionally dense track that is amplified even more with the mourning strings that let the song flow through the bridge. 'Miles From Nowhere' closes the albums first half with another great song that really shows the more fast-paced side of the album. It is a really great blend between the Folk Pop of before with more Rock influence. The only thing that I criticise about this song is that the verse can feel a little bland compared to chorus and bridge. The short but sweet 'But I Might Die Tonight' starts the second side with another really good song that again has a little bit of Rock sprinkled in. The "ah-ah-ah" part is really good and for being so short, the song has quite the moments. 'Longer Boats' starts by sounding a lot like a Beach Boys inspired song and that typical vocal harmony style is kept throughout even if it is much less present than what is standard with the Beach Boys. But overall the song is much more average and isn't all that interesting compared to most this project offers. The much more classic Folk inspired 'Into White' is a similar case of being not bad but much more average than most other songs. It's really cute and all but a very peaceful guitar and vocal sound but I'm just not widely interested with what is going on. The by far longest song is 'On the Road to Find Out' is again a rather uninteresting song with the few moments that are being pretty overshadowed. But the length doesn't really matter here which is a pretty good sign because it doesn't get super tiring. Just before the album finishes we get another classic. This time 'Father and Son' is a really simple but hypnotising song that shows the lyrical and songwriting abillity Cat Stevens has in the fullest potential. It's a really lovely song that really sticks out in this second half. This is a really emotional and deeply connecting song. The one minute long title track 'Tea for the Tillerman' closes the album as a kind of outro that mainly plays with piano to create a song that sounds like a final symphonic end to this album. favourites: Wild World, Where Do the Children Play?, Father and Son least favourites: On the Road to Find Out, Into White Rating: decent 8 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Trevligare än när han dömer Salman Rushdie till döden i alla fall. Duktig låtskrivare med en lätt frikyrklig ton.

Less spaced-out than Donnovan, less insincere than James Taylor, Stevens is undeniably melodic, consistently rhythmic and surprisingly not annoying; everything I'd expected he wouldn't be. Given how insanely catchy the closer/title track is, I'm shocked it's only lasts a minute. But given his virility as a folk-pop peddler, leaving them wanting more is exactly the right thing to do.

I need to apologize: I totally thought Cat Stevens was the guy behind Cats In The Cradle. I guess him being named Cat and the song having Cat’s in the title confused me for years. Totally different dude. This guy sings a lot like Peter Gabriel. I could listen to this style of early 70’s singer-songwriter music all day. Toss it in the Jim Croce/Todd Rundgren/Carole King/Labi Siffre collection. Just a bunch of really well written and performed songs. I listened to this four times before writing a review not because I was unsure of my rating or thoughts, just because I enjoyed it that much.

What a beauty. One of The Ones. One of the special albums. Stunning songs, great instrumentation and powerful vocals. Musical balm.

A real banger, from start to finish.

Yes

Was unsure at first however true music and it is very fun yet cute

Beautiful album - such a delicate tenderness to it.

Peaceful and sweet. Put me at ease.

This is pretty much the gold standard for singer songwriters of the 1970s, both for it's quality and for its themes of reflection and search for meaning. Beautiful, melodic songs, with balanced, elegant arrangements. There's something in Stevens' delivery that makes him seem like he was beamed in from another time, long ago - a pop star Thoreau come to tell us, "Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!" He's still on the journey himself at this point, of course. But it's delightful to ride along with him for a while. Listen in a sunny window, cup of tea at hand. Fave Songs: Wild World, Sad Lisa, Father and Son, Hard Headed Woman

Classic Cat right here. In my adolescence I used to think this guy was corny as fuck, but in my adulthood his earnest charm has been slowly eroding my defenses and, at 40, I reckon I could say I'm a fan. I'm a guitar teacher and have taught his tunes for years, but it was more from wanting to share the wider repertoire of guitar with students than from being a fan. Well... rock on... no, that's not right.. folk on, Mr. Cat!

Cat Stevens reflects on the world in front of him as he sees it, asking fundamental questions and offering humble advice. He tends to come at you slowly and then all at once with a jolt of emotion as if his patience has run out. It’s during these 0-60 moments with this sense that he’s betrayed or surprised himself with outburst that he carries a unique sincerity. Where do the children play. Miles from nowhere. On the road to find out.

Yusuf/Cat Stevens has a great voice and great lyrics. Not a single instrument is out of place on this album.

A unique voice that draws you in.

Quite nice! Cat Stevens has such a pleasant voice.

Every day we get a singer songwriter my hatred for Dylan and Cohen grows

i like cat stevens as a songwriter, i dislike cat stevens as a performer adore this album cover, why is there a guy conjuring lightning way in the back

Cat Stevens was also a regular on the potty training playlist, but my interest didn't make it past childhood even in a Greatest Hits style. Listening to this, I am reminded of why - songs are pretty but simple, with my overall impression on the nursery rhyme side of things. Still, "Father And Son" offers good mystical advice, "Miles From Nowhere" would make a neat cremation epitaph, and the title track is odd and majestic.

Folk music framed as a children's book: whimsical, playful, and a bit intense at times. Stevens is particularly good at building songs with this intensity, giving it a sort of build and fall. To that extent, I think Stevens is an excellent songwriter. That being said, it doesn't resonate with me very much. No fault of the music, it just doesn't stick with me.

Nee echt niet mn ding. Wild World was een grappige verrassing, had geen idee van wie dat was, maar verandert mn mening niet. Enige lol die ik had tijdens het luisteren was dat ik geregeld mn lach moest inhouden van hoe lullig het allemaal klonk.

This is maybe one of the most just not for me albums out there. This is like Raffi for adults.

Cat Stevens sucks

Song that makes me laugh and cry when it rains on a cloudless day

Lovely. Required listening.

Epic

Tea for the Tillerman is one of those rare albums that feels timeless every time I return to it. I first discovered it through Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums list, and it immediately became one of my favourites—an album I still play several times a year. Revisiting it reminded me why it has endured for so long. From the opening moments of “Where Do the Children Play?” Cat Stevens establishes the album’s warm folk-rock sound, blending beautiful arrangements with thoughtful songwriting. Tracks like “Hard Headed Woman,” “Sad Lisa,” and “Longer Boats” showcase his remarkable voice and gift for storytelling, while the lush instrumentation—piano, strings, layered vocals, and percussion—adds depth without ever overshadowing the songs themselves. “Wild World” remains one of my favourite Cat Stevens songs, balancing a catchy, sing-along chorus with lyrics that feel wounded, bitter, and heartbreakingly human. The only song that rivals it for me is “Miles From Nowhere,” a life-affirming masterpiece that captures the search for meaning, growth, and adventure. It’s the kind of song that can inspire you no matter how many times you hear it. The album is filled with highlights, from the reflective “But I Might Die Tonight” and vivid imagery of “Into White” to the emotional power of “On the Road to Find Out.” Then there’s “Father and Son,” one of the greatest songs Cat Stevens ever wrote—a heartbreaking and beautifully crafted reflection on independence and generational conflict. The title track closes everything perfectly, with elegant piano and a gospel choir providing a short but unforgettable farewell. From start to finish, Tea for the Tillerman is an incredible album. The vocals, compositions, arrangements, and storytelling are all exceptional. It’s a must-listen record and, in my view, one of the greatest albums ever made. 9.7/10

I loveee, heerlijke vibe en zo warm

This is a fantastic album. Sad Lisa and Father and Son are standouts for me, but the album is just great as a whole.

(92/100)

The very fact that Father and Son are on here guarantees it a 5 star rating. Damn, there's so much emotion coming through this whole album. It's not a listen-every-day album for me because it generally gets me to cry, but it is a very good album.

Based.

I basically cry at Father and Som every time

Absolutely loved this album! True folk and the album cover is so cute. Love!

Wieder mal ein Klassiker! Vertraut, zeitlos, gut!

This is the exact gem of an album that I do this project to find. A beautifully arranged folk album that doesn't overstay it's welcome. Loved it.

Honestly… it’s just gorgeous. The whole thing has this really warm, simple feel to it, like it’s not trying too hard but still hits you right in the chest. Songs like “Wild World” and “Father and Son” are obviously great, but even the quieter tracks have something about them. It’s one of those albums that’s easy to just put on and drift through without skipping anything. Not much else to say really—just a beautiful, heartfelt record.

An absolute delight from start to end

Just lovely stuff.

The first half of the album is spectacular, the back half is a little weaker but it’s still a fantastic album will definitely listen to this again and again.

sentimental

this is so wholesome

I don’t give out many 5 stars. This album is what the world needs now more than ever.

- Timeless sound - This guy is a poet - Music feels like a perfect day with the sun shining - The sound took me away to peaceful locations - Beautiful guitar playing, piano, bass, drums, violin, etc. it's all great - Started beautifully and ended on a high note with call backs to the beginning to wrap it all up nicely - Grateful to listen to this album

Fun one

I was familiar with some Cat Stevens, but I have never listened to a full album. As it happens, this album is maybe one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. By the time I got to “Father and Son”, a song that is - sadly - better known by my generation due to the Boyzone cover, I was an emotional wreck. Simply one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded. Just stunning.

I think this might be the first album I ever loved! I literally sat on the floor staring at the album cover when I was still in diapers! This and Teaser and the Firecat. They were indiscriminately “Firecat.” I’d scream “Firecat” and my parents would put whichever was handy on and let me have the album cover to examine. Anything Yusuf/ Cat Stevens gets a 5+ from me. Sorry, nothing “rational” about that. Purely from the heart. ❤️ Boolean rating: YES Firecat forever

Absolute classic.

We probably could have avoided Columbine if those two fellas heard this album

Ночной кошмар скоблинга ласт фм. Тезка моего кота Стивена. Мужская версия Шинейд О’Коннор. Красивый приятный альбом, приятный вокал. Плюс песня, которую содрали уже триста раз. Нра.

Magnificent. Yusuf/Cat Stevens is absolutely phenomenal and this is perfect

All time classic. From the first song til the last

I was a teenager in the mid '90's, and many of the girls I knew were hippie types... and they ALL listened to Cat Stevens. I didn't get it back then, but now that I'm older, I have a much greater appreciation... for Cat Stevens AND the hippie girls. ;)

Stevens’s voice is so sincere, and his lyrics are so spiritual; the greats here are powerful and the others are equally interesting.

5/5. Punkt.

Was thinking about giving it a four but the overall vibe of this album is very consistent and has nice easy feeling to it.

cat stevens good- not the keyboardist for the price is right

Going to revisit this but I loved it. 4.5 rounded up

Absolutely astounding, such a great album. Not a single bad song in my opinion

This is just a beautiful album. Chill, perfect for a rainy day without being depressing, like a warm blanket.

It is exactly albums like this that made be begin this project. Wild World is just incredible.

His voice is so much more than the sum of it’s parts. Beautiful stuff from a complex, difficult guy.

It's a beautiful album, I like its simplicity and relatable themes. I enjoy Stevens' voice and as far as acoustic floo pop, it's about as good as it gets. Must have had lots of comparisons with Van Morrison and Dylan etc at the time. I prefer Dylan as a complex songwriter and Van as an emotive and evocative performer, but there's no denying the pop power and joy that this album gives. My first listen to this album too, remarkable to have two huge hits in Wild World and Father and Son on one album.

A lot of the songs on Tea for the Tillerman are about wanting a better world for all and while one hears Tea for the Tillerman it truly is a better world. Cat Stevens made the world a better place by releasing so many wonderful songs that seemingly have healing qualities and feel like a warm hug from a friend at exactly the time you need it the most. Eleven of his best songs are found here.

Puras joyas…o bueno, casi.

I love Cat Stevens. I just do. Never gets old

Perfect

Absolutely great, Where will the children play? is a great opener, Wild World has such a great energy. Feels melancholic but celebratory at the same time, like optimistic pessimism. 9/10

Another brilliant songwriter at the top of his game.

Really enjoyed that. A really complete album with lots of surprise twists and turns, finished leaving me wanting more.