Tea for the Tillerman

Somewhat similar sounding throughout, this is a nice collection of 3 & 1/2 minute folk pop songs, with a few all time classics spread throughout.

It took me a good four listens before it really clicked. I could tell there was something special going on, but it took a bit to fully land. I love it now - absolutely gorgeous string arrangements and really dig his voice. Favourite tracks: Wild World, Sad Lisa, Longer Boats, On the Road to Find Out, Father and Son, Tea for the Tillerman.

Great album. Hadn't listened to much Cat Stevens before. Much enjoy.

I hadn't heard this in ages but I think a bit of maturity has set in that lets me hear this in a whole new light. I guess I always enjoyed the radio hits a bit but this really made perfect Saturday morning, quiet in the house, coffee drinking, cat in my lap, music. I heard the songs as stories being told, well crafted vignettes that capture a moment and then proceed to expertly describe the mood, pulling me in to a specific place and time. I really enjoyed this and am glad that it came up today - I think it was just what I needed!

Another great album that I have - happy to hear it again today 4/5 #albumsky #musicsky #musicchallenge

Arrancamos la última semana de junio (si, ya sé que es cliché pero qué impresionante el paso del tiempo, de los años, ¡de la vida, la puta madre!) con un artista que, creo, sólo ubico de nombre. Luego de que le doy play a éste álbum, me recuerdo que lo ubicaba del soundtrack de "Rushmore" de Wes Anderson: peliculón ineludible. Folk rock tranca, relajadazo. Descubro también ahora que "Wild World", temazo eterno, es una canción de él. Imposible no destacar canciones como "Father and son" y todo el disco en sí. Gracias muchas. Hasta mañana

I have always had a certain amount of love for Cat Stevens. I can’t listen to this all the time, but it’s pleasant enough sporadically.

Never heard of him before. After reading the description, imagined something else (worse). Was a pleasant listen.

Tommy really liked it

This was my first time hearing a Cat Stevens album and I have to tell you I really enjoyed this, I can't believe he was only 22 when he recorded this.

Ein tolles Album, kurz knackig, jedes Lied einfach schöne 3 Minuten. Und mit Father and Son und Wild World einfach wahnsinnig tolle Hits mit dabei.

This sounds like Tenacious D trying to cover Neil Young, and it's fucking awesome. While I don't find this album perfect, there's so many times I found myself tapping along or humming like a fool to this thing. I'm not going to go into insane detail into each song, someone more intelligent than me has probably done that already. Nor did I look at what songs I was actually listening to while I listened to it; so excuse me. I still really enjoyed this thing. I've never heard of Cat Stevens before, so hoping (MASHALLAH) there's more to come.

Solid. Good sound. Good feeling.

So chill. Great voice.

Tempted to give this 5 stars. It's emotional, it's timeless, it has bangers. But I'll give it a strong 4-4.5 stars because it's not something I'll reach for as often as the other 5 star albums.

Good for chillout

So nice

where will the children play is so yum, hard headed woman fine, WILD WORLD<333333 so nostalgic :[ , sad lisa strings go CRAZYYYYY, miles from nowhere….guess i’ll take my time….oh yeah…..to reach there.., but i might die tonight fire!!!!, longer boats v chill and fun, into white :(( , on the road to find out is sooooo cool, father and song saddest song ever Lol, tea for the tillerman…HAPPY DAY! wow this was such a cool album, obviously i have the nostalgia attached to a few of the songs but even the ones i didn’t know were really great<3 loved the strings and harmonies and guitar, his voice is heart breaking or angry when it needs to be and just. god. that was good

I have loved this album for years.

Ooo, wild world is in this one. A lot sounds like it, a nice melancholy album. I was expecting it to be one of those where one song is expected to carry the album, but it wasn't. 4* Highlights: wild world

enjoyable

Classic, sweet singer-songwriter stuff

Litt varierende, men jevnt over bra og et par knallsanger.

El primer tema no me convenció, pero continué escuchando el álbum y me pareció hermoso. El cover de "Wild World" es excelente, y el tema "Sad Lisa" también. No solo sabe ser tierno / melancólico, sino que también tiene groove y energía por momentos.

This pinnacle of the singer-songwriter mountain fell on me when I had just turned 12, the most appropriate age for the music (and I don't mean that in a dismissive way, so was everything else on the radio). I don't think I can sort my affection now from my affection then, or even if I want to. The strings almost make me cringe, though. Please no more. Easily met my young need for socially engaged lyrics.

Cat / Yusuf always sounds just right. And tonight…this album was perfect.

Classic Cat Stevens

Honestly? I was really impressed by how much I liked this. Way more than I would've expected. It's just a perfect pop album. Understated, confident, timeless songwriting. Doesn't feel dated or like an oldies radio station at all, unlike the Elton John album I got the day before. It has so much charm to it. Pretty blown away, honestly. Very, very good. It's not quite my thing enough to be a 5, but it is something special.

Enjoyed this, chill but thoughtful

No surprise but it’s a very good album, some of the songs have really easy to play chord progressions but the way he makes the songs around them makes them feel so much more complicated and interesting, it starts off strong strong with the first song and kind of drops off a bit for me with the next 3 songs, nothing drastic but they weren’t as enjoyable as the rest of the album, wild world isn’t a favourite of mine aswell. Fortunately though all of the songs after I consider to be much better. Favourites: longer boats, on the road to find out and father and son is a certified classic. Overall, 8/10.

From what I know about Cat Stevens is that he left his record label to focus more on his vision of folk/singer songwriter music with deep spiritual focus. Tea for the Tillerman is the results of his vision, and probably his most successful album. Some of the production choices are weird and not really playing to the strengths of Stevens, but maybe this is just a result of the time. I find there are some amazing songs on this album and the rest of it was just okay. I am not a big Cat Stevens fan, but gotta respect the man for sticking to his vision; and I think it paid off for him. Standouts: Where Do the Children Play?, Hard Headed Woman, Wild World, Father and Son

bien, muy bien

the songs that are good are peak goodness but there were a few that just kinda came and went fo me

Tell Me, Where Do The Children Play? 1001 Albums Generator 32 (05/16/2025) Tea For The Tillerman is the fourth studio album by Cat Stevens, and sits smack dab in the middle of his most well acclaimed trilogy of albums. The style of Tea For The Tillerman is, despite what Wikipedia says, not rock for the most part. Aside from a few moments where the drums start knockin, this album is pure acoustic guitar-driven folk pop a la Simon And Garfunkel. Adorned with an adorable piece of art painted by Stevens himself (he went to Hammersmith School of Art for a year), Tea For The Tillerman caught my eye immediately after gracing my screen, and knowing nothing about the album going into it, I didn't know what to expect. The opening song, Where Do The Children Play? is a great distillation of the best aspects of this album. Opening with a simple, catchy melody played on an acoustic guitar and an organ with another acoustic strumming in the background before a bass and Cat's vocals come in, within 30 seconds, you have heard many of the sounds that you would get familiar with throughout the length of this album. In asking the titular question, Stevens questions the true benefits associated with the technological advancements that he had seen happen all around him. Specifically, the verses seem to hint at a level of skepticism at the ceaseless industrialization around him. With skyscrapers and roads being built everywhere, where can the children go to play? The two most well known songs on this album, and Stevens' most well known songs in general, are Wild World and Father And Son. The former was written about a real life relationship Stevens was in at the time, written as a warning to a love lost, and the latter is written as a conversation between a father and a son. The father gives his son advice and questions why he must leave and in the final verse, the son tells his father that it's his destiny and he will be okay. This song was famously featured in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and has been covered countless times. I also love Longer Boats, with its group vocals that sound straight out of the Caribbean. This album also has some really good chamber moments with more extended instrumentation, such as the piano and string ensemble on Sad Lisa. The only complaint I can provide about this album is that there are a few songs that are laid back to a fault. The biggest perpetrator is Into White, which features an okay guitar arpeggio part, but just failed to stick in my brain. On every relisten, I had to remind myself of this song's existence. The outro title track is short enough that I don't feel justified in complaining about it, but I don't really understand the purpose of having it here. Tea For The Tillerman was a nice surprise after a week of albums that ranged in quality from pretty bad to just above average. I will certainly be taking some time to explore Cat Stevens' albums that bookend it, as I have heard good things about both. 4/5. Favs: Where Do The Children Play? Longer Boats Father And Son Least Fav: Into White

He had a different, yet pleasant voice. Overall this album was pretty relaxing to listen to.

This album, great as it is, is one that I just don’t enjoy quite as much as I always think I will. I like it, quite a lot actually. It’s just that for someone with an affinity for this sort of singer-songwriter classic thing it falls just short of the masterpiece its reputation suggests. Wild World and Father and Son (a song that really only first had my attention when I read about Steven’s’ suit against the Flaming Lips for their fantastic song Fight Test) are bangers.

Nice

Alltså om det bara vore Wild World och Father and Son det handlade om skulle det så klart bli en femma. Två klassiska låtar. Världsklass! Men resten är ojämnt och till och med lite tråkigt. Det kan alltså bara bli en fyra.

Just a wonderful sound. such emotion.

Great folk rock songwriting here. This was Stevens' fourth album at only 22 years old too. Ready to take on the world at this point, Stevens was very reflective at this young age. That's heard in his storytelling, representing the young and spiritually enlightened voices out there. Don't have much else to say here, as someone not overly familiar with Cat Stevens, this was a pretty easy and comfortable listen. Best tracks: Where Do the Children Play?, Father and Son

It was actually quite good even though I don't listen to much singer/songwriter type music

really good

is that caseoh on that album cover!!!! laughing emoji

Folk songs so catchy, an album full of hits.

mies entspannt fav track father and son

Great voice and thoughtful lyrics.

Really good album

pleasantly surprised, love the vibe!! gave me very much a mix of sting and simon and garfunkel, super epic. i listened to it at like sunrise aswell so it was perfect

This is like my kind of music that I didn’t know was my kind of music . Didn’t know I kind of liked folk . But here we are . It’s such an easy like summery listen it just makes me quite happy . The guitary type instruments really made me like this even more . Very solid . Many added to my playlist.

Good folk rock album, little slow at times but what folk rock album isn't. 4/5

A lovely acoustic album that's easy to listen to, and of course Wild World is a stonker.

Absolutely loved this! Such a fun album.

Nice, easy, mellow listen. Really enjoyed it.

I might be Miles from Nowhere while I listen to this album, but remember we live in a Wild World. Might need some Longer Boats.

Some good ‘70’s acoustic rock. Wild World and Father and Son are amazing.

steak for the son...

Clever and nostalgic

Classic acoustic rock. Favorite track: sad lisa other picks: where do the children play, father and son, wild world

4 Essential listening

Fav: Where Do The Children Play?; Wild World; Miles From Nowhere; Father and Son

Całkiem spoko płyta. W sam raz na chill w weekend. Zawiera Father and son znane ze Strażników Galaktyki.

Favorite tracks: Hard Headed Woman Miles from Nowhere

It's a nice album. Much better than I expected. Cat Stevens can sing well, it turns out. "Tea for the Tillerman" reminds me of early Bowie. I hope this week has more incredible albums waiting for me. 4 stars for "Tea for the Tillerman".

Was waiting for this guy to pop up! Not aware of any songs I know but I love this folksy stuff. Good easy listening

super wholesome but also tugs at your heart strings here and there

Banger after banger Rating: 4.0

Lovely vocals. Hard Headed Woman, Wild World and Miles From Nowhere are good tracks. I like the depth of the drums and bass in the latter. I also like the album sleeve.Tea For The Tillermam is a beautiful way to end the album. Father and Son is an all time beautiful song and a classic. What a charming album!

Like this…

I like this and have the vinyl, its an easy listen, sad melodies but also uplifting.

classic album cover

Light four I enjoy Mr. Steven’s classic works but prefer Teaser and the Firecat a bit more

Not super familiar with folk music or folk rock, but I really appreciated this album. It felt very heartfelt, vulnerable, and sincere. Stevens' singing style and the mood of the album didn't feel like it changed much, so songs started to feel really similar to each other, but that's a minor gripe for how good this album is

I used to think Father and Son was twee, but listening to it today, I found it surprisingly moving. It could be the peri-menopause or maybe I just had to hear it in the context of this rather lovely album.

An almost perfect album. The songs are nearly all engaging in the lyricism is beautiful.

Another great album!

God bless Cat Stevens for making this album. It has both great hits like Father and Son and Wild World, while also having some beautiful deep cuts like Sad Lisa and But I Might Die Tonight. Cat has such a warm voice that cradles you through the instrumentals of this peaceful odyssey. I think this is his peak, as the next album, while having some great songs, shows cracks of fatigue, while the previous one shows of artistic insecurity. This one perfectly walks the line of a calm journey through themes of love and life's questions without getting too philosophical. Maybe it's a bit paradoxical too: it's both intimately fragile, yet confident in its stride. I'm glad to have this in my library. I have the greatest hits, but this one has a lot more meat than usually stated when talking about Cat's musical portfolio, which is always great in the musical journey aspect. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

At first glance, "Tea for the Tillerman" may appear to be a simple album. However, it is in fact, a masterclass of storytelling and folk-pop, exploring the intricacies of love, life and the world around us. From the opening track "Where Do the Children Play?" to the final song, the album showcases incredible guitar performances alongside Cat Stevens/Yusuf's moving vocals. This album also stands out for me due to its cohesive yet diverse nature, featuring a range of songs from contemplative ballads to more lively and intense pieces. While "Wild World," arguably his most famous song, along with "Heard Headed Woman" and "Sad Lisa," are exceptional, the pinnacle of this album undoubtedly "Father and Son." Additionally, I appreciate that the questions posed in this album in 1970 remain relevant in 2025, and are worth the time to reflect and consider. Overall, this is a beautiful album.

1970. Right around the peak of new music revolution. Protest songs. Environmental songs. Wooden music. Tillerman is an appropriate album to introduce a decade of music that started off caring about everything, but ended with disco. Bummer. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ________________________________ 🎧 LPs reviewed: 79 🎧 LPs left to review: 922 🎧 LPs I found great/relevant enough to be mandatory listens (5): 18 🎧 LPs I *might* include in my own list (4): 20 🎧 LPs I will certainly *not* include in mine (1-2): 21

Decent 70s sound

Good album. Recognized a good number of these songs. Very enjoyable.

Great album

Can't believe I never got around to listening this one before. A nice folky album with some big early 70's hits on it. There was a lot of Folk Rock going around at the time, but Cat Stevens chart successes makes him one of the more memorable ones. It's a very easy album of folky acoustic classics to get into and to listen to.

Gutes Album aber bin einfach kein Fan. Zu viele musikalisch gute, aber für mich persönlich langweilige, Balladen. Es war jetzt gefühlt ne Woche lang hier nur Classic Rock :D es wird etwas eintönig

It was a really good album

👍

3 1/2 stars

I’m a bit colder on this one but you can’t deny the sincerity and talent. A few classics on here.

No me gustó la voz, pero unas canciones si me gustaron, me sentía dentro de una historia de amor medieval por alguna razón. Creo que una cancion de él la escuche en Skins Un inicio decepcionante con un final super bueno

First thing I noticed is a little nerdy; the production here is fantastic. It sounds as though it could have been recorded today, yet it’s over a half century old. Listen to how those instruments just pop. Real nice. Vocals are fairly iconic and complement the instruments well. It all blends together smoothly to make a very satisfying combination. The songwriting and musical arrangements are beautiful on all songs, even if the lyrical content can stray from perfection. Although, a good number of these songs are downright gorgeous, start to finish. The intro and two massive hits, obviously, but also the intro to “Sad Lisa” is flawless. I don’t know if it’s just the way that instrument sounds or if it’s the way it’s mixed, but it’s absolutely gorgeous. The breakdowns in that song as well as “Miles From Nowhere” are fantastic and energetic, yet still controlled. “Longer Boats”, “Into White”, and “On the Road to Find Out” are where the album can get pretty boring. Not much going on those. Last track is a nice closer. All in all, pretty great stuff. 4/5

Beautiful, soulful album with some greatet-of-all-time bangers. Definately deserving to be in this top

Really good. Polished songwriting and production. A little slow at times, but thats the folk style. Wild World is an all timer.

Overall nice album, a few really good songs.

No complaints here - very much enjoyed the acoustic vibe, some good songs on here

At first I wasn’t sure I was feeling this album, something wasn’t clicking. But I kept listening and heard some parallels to other folk music I enjoy like Simon and Garfunkel and just let myself unwind and try to enjoy the album for what it was. Pleasant surprise to hear Wild World as part of this album. I would give this one another listen.

It's a really good album. The highs are high and the other tracks are good, if forgettable.

It's easy to imagine Cat Stevens here as some wise old hermit figure, bestowing his songs upon us like a minstrel. In reality though, he was still a young man at a mere 22 years old. So my take is this: that bearded fellow on the cover, merrily laughing along with the children yet with an air if spiritual authority, as if he might fade away into a cloud of vapour at any moment, that's who Cat Stevens really wanted to be. I.e., even his musical persona reflects his deep longing for that certain higher *something* - call it enlightenment if you will. And perhaps that's exactly what makes this music resonate so well, that constant sensation of yearning for a higher purpose after having seen only glimpses of it from beneath the crack of the door. But then again, maybe it's just the very good songwriting mixed with that warm and pleasant instrumentation. Who can really tell?

Before: This album reminds me of my grandma because she loves Cat Stevens. Wild World is one of my favorite songs of all time. Excited to get more into his discography. Standouts: Wild World Miles From Nowhere Into White (I LOVE the strings) Father And Son (TEARS) Least favorites: Sad Lisa Standout lines: "If you wanna leave, take good care." - Wild World "Lord, my body has been a good friend, but I won't need it when I reach the end." - Miles From Nowhere "I love everything so don't it make you feel sad, cause I'll drink to, my baby" - Miles From Nowhere During/After: Wild World is always a treat! I LOVED Miles From Nowhere - it almost felt like a wall of sound and the lyrics were great. Longer Boats has a really fun reggae (at least I thought it was reggae) inspiration that I was surprised by and interested to hear. I'm very happy I listened to this all the way through! Lots of the songs sounded pretty similar to one another for my taste and I wish the album were more varied, but it was a really fun album overall. I don't love the religious overtones, but I know that comes with the territory. His lyricism isn't amazing but I do appreciate the simplicity. Father and Son made me sad and it stood out but it's painful to listen to and I don't think I can listen to it again anytime soon because it's SO sad lol. He has such an iconic voice and I love the soothing guitar and strings on tracks like Into White. This album feels like a warm hug. 4/5

82% Best: Where Do The Children Play?; Wild World; Miles From Nowhere Must-Hear? Sure

Faktisk et ret godt album. Der er lige et par sange der er lidt blah på side 2. Men særligt når Cat Stevens og arrangementerne bliver intense får det en fed kant

4 - Definitly carried by a few songs but a great album in and of itself

Beautiful album and his voice is uniquely wonderful.

Not normally a fan of singer-songwriters in this vein but this surprised me with how much I enjoyed it (and how many songs I already knew). The opening track was the highlight though, loved the way it built in intensity and the lyrics were thought provoking and still relevant today. Favourite tracks: Where Do the Children Play?, Father and Son & Tea for the Tillerman. Will probably revisit. 3.5/5

It's better than I expected it to be. I was familiar with Wild World, but didn't know much else about the artist, other than my dad hating him, so I didn't get much exposure in my youth, despite a lot of similar artists of the time being ubiquitous. As for this era, he's a better singer and performer than most of his peers, which is frankly not hard, because folk is filled with great songwriters who are bad singers. I don't know if he's "selling out/going pop," but I honestly like a lot of Bob Dylan covers, and almost no Bob Dylan songs, so I'm not one to judge. The songs are good lyrically and musically. I know the criticisms of Wild World at this point, and, yeah, but I like art from assholes, if the art is an honest perspective of being an asshole. It's an honest expression of being human. It's a guy being a bit of a dick about a breakup that didn't go his way, and that's a relatable feeling. It's not a good feeling, it's the "wrong" feeling, but it's still there, it still matters, and he expresses it in a realistic way. And the whole album feels like that. It's emotionally resonant. It's emotionally true to the artist, and more importantly, true to the art, which is what I really care about.

It's a fun folk album Got a some great hits. Feels very summertime playing with the kids. I heavily enjoyed it.

what an album !!! nothing more to say. my favorite album from Cat. "Father & Son" always makes me cry. what makes it not a 5 star is the final song which is so bad !

Well, certainly better than The Furs, and very good but not perfect.

Classic and well done, I'm a fan of Cat Stevens. When I first started to listen, I didn't notice I'd selected "Tea for the Tillerman2", which is a modern remake, with a very groovy remake of "Wild World"... also a good album.

Enjoyed it...it's a tweener for me, but I'll be generous and round up.

Great album, start to finish. Both the hits and the lesser-known songs are well worth the listen. But it doesn't transcend -- there's nothing brilliant about it.

I burned out really hard on folk and folk-rock in high school. Never want to hear the happy-slappy nonsense again (CSN, I’m looking at you). Also, just a dude and a guitar is fine if you’re writing a song, but for recording or performance it’s too simple. I was prepared to hate this…but it turned out to be pretty interesting. The lyrics are dark and sad, in a way that I wasn’t expecting. Definitely wouldn’t consider it major rotation material, but a totally worthwhile listen.

Knew a few songs before, but a few were new to me. In particular, On the Road to Find Out was new to me and stood out as an instant favorite. Definitely will be playing this one more regularly.

First listen, very fun chill album for the most part, very few lows, with some really great moments.

Solid album. 4/5

Just beautiful songwriting. Sad lisa isch en fave woni vorher kennt gha ha. Wild World isch en früehe song woni demit singe gern ha glernt ha. Und er git liebi vibes ab. Instrumentation isch mer amal chli minimalistisch, zwenig perkussion für min taste. Isch aber au stimmigsabhängig.

4.5. excellent

I grew up listening to this record, but not until adulthood did I realize how angry it is. Hard to hear when it’s all set against such mellow beautiful music. I find some of these songs a little cloying, but most of them hold up well even after many listens.

Favorite Track: Wild World

Pleasant, charming, easy. Nice experience to listen to. Wild World and Father & Son are, obviously, timeless classics.

That was pretty good - although, ironically, it's not my cup of tea

Zajebista rzecz. Mega ładne utwory, jednocześnie melancholijne i w dziwny sposób podnoszące na duchu. Trochę na zasadzie "Jest dosyć smutno i ciężko, ale to w porządku, damy radę". Nie wiedziałem w sumie do tej pory, kto napisał "Wild World", teraz już wiem. Classified banger. Przez chwilę myślałem o 5, ale to przez zobaczenie recenzji Mikosa tuż przed napisaniem swojej. Wciąż zdecydowane 4,5.

Parę mega bangerów, jak można nie lubić Cata Stevensa. Moje licealne jamy przez cringeową teenage dramę Skins. Favki to Wild World, On the Road to Find Out, Longer Boats. Słabe 4

Väldigt bra album, int en tråkigt stund.

Very enjoyable. Good album to chill to.

Mighty fine

There are so many songs I know on this album. Although Stevens's music is not usually my favorite, it is something special. Stevens is the ultimate model of a singer-songwriter.

This is one cool Cat. Lyrical beauty

I am a cat Stevens enjoyer

Good music. Nostalgia is acting on me here, which may warp my perspective. When I saw what I’d be listening to today, I thought maybe 5 stars, but when I listened I thought 4 stars, so I expect I’ll rate it 4 stars.

I enjoyed this album, I expected it to be even more low key than it actually was. Several singles and solid songs overall!

Love it - great album - brings back childhood memories.

A beautiful record, really warm and cozy

4.5, has some all-timers on it

Cat Stevens is head and shoulders above the other singer/songwriters of the era.

What a classic. Didn't know Sad Lisa - SO good. Miles from Nowhere and But I Might Die Tonight were also new - not bad. Great ones all round.

Jaunty little white man. Pretty 70’s standard, but a staple nonetheless. Folk-psychedelic-pop fusion ting. Album is short as all hell, where’s the rest Cat? 7/10

the sound of a nonthreatening environment comfy music with a couple big standouts

This is a great example of some mellow folk music gems. No matter if the songs are energetic or slow, there is a calm vibe throughout the entire album. Cat shows some incredible songwriting and know how to make some catchy beats. Wild World and Father and Son in particular are bonafide classics. If I had to knock a star, some of the middle gets a little hazy. But it’s still a nice piece of east listening at the end of the day. It’s hard not to feel as least some emotion when it ends. Favorite track: Wild World Other hits: Father and Son, Where Do The Children Play, But I Might Die Tonight, Longer Boats, Into White

I really liked this one. I might already have heard this one before, but it's just really solid songwriting.

Nice classic rock tunes, reminds me of airplane over the sea a little bit. Not something I would listen to really carefully but nice album to play on the background

This is a great album

On second thought, it might just be Paul Simon and Bob Dylan I'm not a fan of, because this album is pretty sweet. Yusuf has a wonderful voice that's perfectly accompanied by the folk staples. Favorite song: Sad Lisa

Yusuf's one of the best singer/songwriters to ever do it. I also listened to the re-recordings of this album and they're also still great. His voice has aged like a fine wine.

I wish we could all be this reflective, calm and introspective. Cat Stevens questions life but not in a judging angry way, but in a way that welcomes us to ask the same questions if we want and not pass judgement if we don't. He wants to be questioned and learn from the good and the bad.

I was into Cat Stevens for a hot minute at one point in my life. Great instrumentation and recording quality. Love the poetry of the lyrics. Old favorites: Where Do the Children Play?, Wild World, On the Road to Find Out. New favorites: Miles from Nowhere, Father & Son

These songs mostly follow the formula of starting off lightly acoustic then erupting into an infectious sing along chorus. This children’s music style is lovely, but I just don’t care for Cat’s voice. Had that been different, I’d be in love with this album. Wild World has always been on my list of most annoying songs ever. On the other hand, Father and Son is lyrically and acoustically perfect. Overall, the songwriting is fantastic. The added strings totally make these songs soar. Repeat listens prove solid growth.

Makes me think of mom. I appreciate Cat Stevens for being a great singer-songwriter. I think I'll have to listen to this one again to get a better feel for what he's saying in some of the songs I've never heard before.

Yeah, a solid folksy album 3.5

Годно и стильно, прикольный мужик

Nothin like wild world

My relationship with Cat Stevens' music has mostly been through film and TV. The soundtrack to Hal Ashby's 1971 classic, Harold and Maude. A cameo on The Simpsons. The theme to Extras. Tea for the Tillerman is a gentle album. It evokes a late afternoon. It's a very pleasant listen.

Simple but deep. The musical epitome of finding light in dark moments. Glad to have revisited this album during such a bleak new year.

Very good album, really cool folk stuff, catchy melodies, nice sweet guitaring. All around very very enjoyable album

Very good

Pretty chill vibe. Wild World was catchy and Father and Son was sad

Great.

- Already listened

Amazing so many good songs on this album and has really stood the test of time.

Full disclosure, I love the movie Harold and Maude and this album is like it's unofficial sountrack. The song the album is named after is a low key all time favorite of mine I awlays want more than the 1 minute it gives us. Nice albumb to listen to in the car when you need a change of pace from something heavy.

This is an album that matures as I listen through the years. More relevant as I aged on. Becoming Yusuf gives this album another layer.

It’s funny, Cat Stevens is one of these places whose name I obviously know, and I know a lot of people appreciate, but honestly I couldn’t name a single song by them. This would be interesting. OK I obviously know some of this stuff. From now on if I’ll try to name a Cat Stevens song I can go for Wild World. Oh, Father and Son, that also. I have to say of all things this reminds me of Peter Gabriel era Genesis. Probably a poppier version but still. It’s not just the singing which is very much reminiscent of Gabriel, it’s also the general composition and production. After some Googling it turns out I was right, but in the wrong direction. It was actually Peter Gabriel who was a huge fan of Cat Stevens and actually tried to imitate his singing style. This started good and got even better. Really grew on me. Not sure if this is something I’ll listen to again of my own accord, since I usually like my singer songwriters to be a bit grittier, but it’s really all top tier. I just put it on for another listen. This makes me want to listen to the rest of the catalog. This is easily four stars. Sad Lisa is my favorite song on here.

i’ve been meaning to listen to this full album for a while now. before i listened, i already really enjoyed “hard headed woman” and “wild world”. great album

Musicas muito bonitas e marcantes, destaque para WIld WOrld, cantada por Pepê e neném. Father and son é bem bonita

You just can't help but smile. A neat, cute presentation of 11 sweet little stories in the forms of songs.

Solid

good almost great

Nice background music for a snowy woodsy afternoon.

mt top

I really enjoy Cat Stevens. He’s got a nice soothing sound. Yes, things can wander into cheese territory and the lyrics are pretty bizarre at times, but he’s got a lovely voice and he plays guitar so well. You just have to go with it. Let the corniness wash over you. Bask in its glory. There were a lot of fantastic songs on here. Father and Son is such a beautiful thoughtful song. And Where Do The Children Play is a favorite as well. More albums like this would be great please and thank you.

This album holds up. I enjoyed it enough to already own it.

it's so relaxing and chilled.

Album hits hard, man. Good stuff.

Stevens is a cool Cat.

Great album front to back. Lots of great memories and feelings from this one.

There are just enough good songs here for 4 stars or B+.

Yes

Packs a big punch for a short album. This was a nice way to start my day this morning

A classic folk-rock album packed with beautiful songwriting, life lessons and minimal production that doesn't get in the way of the music and the message. It's too bad I kept getting distracted, thinking of other media as I was listening, remembering scenes from Guardians Of Tne Galaxy 2 or the Extras outro! Liked Songs Added: Wild World Father And Son

Милый сингер-сонграйтер фолк-поп с великими Большими песнями, и неплохими небольшими песнями. Нравится его голос. Лучшая песня - Father and Son.

What a wonderful, beautiful recording. There are well known songs but all are well crafted and thoughtful.

If you like soft, folk, rock, then this is the album for you. Cat Stevens' (now Yusaf) songwriting is exquisite. He creates songs that are deeply personal without becoming too heavy or saccharine sweet. Sometimes, he even rocks out (especially Wild World). Most of all, Stevens/Yusaf keeps the emotional quotient in balance. He ensures that things don't get too sad or depressing but nothing is light or frothy. Hard headed Woman, Father and SOn, and Wild World were all major hits at the time and Wild World has been covered by a number of bands. 10000 Maniacs had another hit with their cover.

Un álbum que hace un excelente trabajo con su simple pero en momentos dramática instrumental junto a unas letras honestas y nostálgicas que resaltan con espiritualidad. Nunca he tenido un afán de folk pero este álbum tiene canciones memorables y te atrapa desde la primera canción para llevarte en un viaje que se siente como una caliente taza de té en una tarde de invierno que nos recuerda que todavía somos jóvenes. (En mi opinión, necesita un buen relistening de mi parte). Canciones a destacar (en ningún orden específico): Hard Headed Woman Father and Son Miles from Nowhere Wild World

Mange klassikere her. Vil egt si 3.5, men runder opp til 4

He has such a distinctive sound and I really like that sound. It is a really good album. With that being said, I might have a hard time telling the difference between his good album and a not so good album. However, I enjoyed this listen and will listen again.

Avery pleasant little album, with some good songs.

I always thought this was a pretty good album. 3.5 if I could do half point increments

kinda mid

Very nice folk music. Standout tracks: Wild World, Father and Son

Brilliant album. First time listening to it in its entirety. Really coherent in terms of sound and lyrics. A real easy listening album, I can see why it's a classic. Standout for me : Wild World, Sad Lisa, Miles from Nowhere, Father and Son. This will go into my regular rotation

Listened to this on record with my parents 30yrs ago very sweet album with some sad undertones

Anything by Cat Stevens gets a 4 at the very least.

I don't know half of these songs half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of them half as well as they deserve. But really these songs are nice and chill. The updated version with the little number 2 after the title is a nice refreshing update too, if you accidentally listen to that first.

This album is on frequent rotation in our house. Excellent music.

Not much to say, it's Cat Stevens. It's good.

An astonishingly lovely set of songs ☺️ Some of the worst cover art 🥲

Wild world. Father and son

Very neat album, this singer is very good at story-telling.

His voice was soothing. I loved that the things he sings about are relevant today. Way to stand up for social injustices.

Cover is cute from afar but up close is a bit odd. Music felt cozy.

Sorry all I can think ab is how my overpriced airport subway was wayyy underfilled and now I’m stilly hungy :(((( Always album was nice

7/10 - It was a pretty happy album that brought joy most of the time. It was not too long and had some songs that I had heard before. Overall enjoyable but nothing extraordinary.

Good album. Gonna have to relisten because I wasn't paying enough attention

Great singer. Great songs, and voice. Good album. All of his songs are either great or good. No bad songs.

Reminds me that I like pretty folk Music. A few duds (Sad Lisa notably) hold it back from five stars.

A wonderful collection of nice little diddleys

aaaaaand ...breeeeathe

One that’s in my vinyl collection but I’ve not listened to it for ages. I’d honestly forgotten how good this album is. I’ve really enjoyed listening to it today and must make a note of giving my vinyl copy a spin again soon.

- Geil, hab mich abseits der Top 5-6 Songs von Cat Stevens bzw. Yusuf Islam nie mit ihm beschäftigt, aber das hat mir mega gut gefallen - Also mal wieder ein klassischer Fall, wo die 1001 einem mal wieder helfen, sich mit Artists auch tiefergehender zu befassen. - Ich hatte immer eine unbegründete Sympathie für den alten Mann mit weißem Rauschebart und mochte auch alles, was ich von ihm kenne - hab einige Songs von ihm in verschiedenen Playlists. Der Mann hatte in der Vergangenheit aber auch einige radikalislamischen Ansichten, was ich nicht so wusste. Wurde aber auch Verständiger zwischen den Kulturen geehrt. Schwierig mal wieder. - Abgesehen davon, ein ganz wunderbares Album. Sehr schöne Melodien. Sehr entspannt und ruhig. Alles akustisch. Mit "Wild World" und "Father and Son" zwei Welthits auf dem Album. - Fand aber auch die anderen Tracks, besonders "Where do the Children Play?" oder "Miles From Nowhere" richtig geil Rating: 4,25/5

A truly lovely album. We used to sing Cat Stevens songs to our girls as lullabies. Would but everyone was as peaceful as these songs.

Yusuf Cat Stevens Islam är dum som inte skrev en hel låt av tea for tillerman. Märkligt med en minut. Det hade kunnat bli en sjukt bra låt! Sen tog det ett tag att komma på (efter intensiv googling) att det är intro-låten till Ricky Gervais serie Extras. Hur som helst, väldigt bra album. Cat har otroligt skön röst.

Kvalitetsskiva rakt igenom kryddad med ett par riktiga topplåtar.

Some really classic songs on this album. I love his voice and the mellow guitar playing. Very relaxing and cozy songs. I already have a few songs from the album on playlists and always love when they come up.

This was a very nice folk/singer-somgwriter album. Unfortunately I only had time to listen to it once, but I will be coming back to it.

A chill album for comfortable chill listen. I liked it

As a registered folk / singer-songwriter hater, I am a little surprised that I enjoyed this album. I think the biggest thing that separates this album from the countless bland 70's folk album on this list is 3 fold: 1. He can actually sing, and is a really good at it 2. There are melodies which are complex but still memorable. 3. It has more instruments than just an acoustic guitar Probably not something I would listen too again, but I wouldn't be upset if it came on. Low 4.

****

Im actually loving this lowkey This so sweet and pleasent i love it

A perfectly pleasant album that I really enjoyed listen to. Nothing blew me away, but nothing turned me off either. I love the storytelling aspect of the lyrics, and the melodic sounds. It feels like a good background album while getting stuff done.

Gorgeous stuff, though Wild Workd is kinda catty when you pay attention to it.

Generally enjoyed it and there are a couple top-tier songs (“Wild World” and “Father And Son”). I also listened to his 2020 re-recording, Tea for the Tillerman 2. Mix of upgrades and downgrades there - its “Wild World” sucks.

Pretty good. Short album and has a couple of jams

Pretty damn good, just wish some of the songs were more energetic

Great album

It's mellow. Good sing along.

Good and weird and good. Couple bangers. And pretty chill. Enjoyed the listen.

Cat Stevens is an impeccable writer and showcases that talent on this Folk classic. There are some stand out tracks, and the low points are still enjoyable.

Really loved my time with this album. Just pleasant songwriting. A handful of songs are among my favourites. Maybe this is just because I love Harold and Maude. 4.5/5

Because it´s not exactly my jam I had to give it a few tries before it clicked for me. Some (even too) beautiful songs on this! I can feel why many declare it a masterpiece. favourite: "Where Do The Children Play?", "Wild World", "Sad Lisa", "Longer Boats" and "Father And Son"

More layered and dynamic than expected, having previously only heard the hits. Many classic late 60s/early 70s studio sounds are present including Chamber strings, Rhodes, tape echo, plate reverb, piano through a Leslie speaker(!), etc. The songs are well crafted and arranged and the album is a tight and brisk 11 songs in 37 minutes without too much filler. Some points off for occasionally sloppy musicianship and a couple songs that don’t really go anywhere. All in all a very good folk-pop album, definitely of its time, and clearly a big influence for later artists.

Banger

Classic Cat. Whimsical, folklore and lyrical crafting near the top.

Oh I just really love this one

this is not really my taste but i recognize that it's executing the vibe it's going for near-flawlessly. 3.5/5

I owned Teaser and the Firecat on cassette as a kid, and liked that one. I had never heard Tea for the Tillerman, only a couple of selections. I think that overall, I like Tea a bit more. I’ll give it a 4, rounded up from 3.5.

This is relaxing and comforting music for me. I'm not a huge Cat Stevens fan, I really like "If you want to sing out.." which resides on another album, but this was a good listen.

3.5 some bangers

7/10 rounded up on the back of Father and Son, and Wild World

Cat Stevens, haven't heard from him for a long time, but wow, I was well-known high-flyers. Wild World or Farther and Son, but 'Sad Lisa'. Some days I cry my eyes out, it's unbelievable how much emotion can be contained in so few words. Beautiful album with truly exceptional songs and little filler.

6,72

Soooo good! 4/5

A beautiful, timeless gem. 8/10

I've never listened to this album before. I like several Cat Stevens songs but I actually dislike the only song I know from this album- "Wild World" As soon as I heard "Father and Son" my first thought was "Holy Shit, this sounds just like Flight Test, I bet the Flaming Lips had to pay up for that one!" - lo and behold the lawsuit has its own section on the wikipedia page. Beautiful song, an album standout even though I had a backwards nostalgia for it.

4/5

4.5

Really good. I knew a couple of these songs but didn’t know who Cat Steven’s was.

What’s there to say, it’s a classic Cat Steven’s record! Favorite Track: Father and Son

Actually, Cat Stevens' music is exactly the kind of music that was strummed around the campfire by zeitgeist-moving teenagers in my day. I found it quite annoying back then. So I had rather low expectations of this album. But I was wrong. I liked it a lot. I had almost forgotten about Wild World and Father And Son. And it was nice to hear them again. The music won't make it into my daily stream, but I'll be happy to listen to it again in between. 4/5

Easy listening. Puts me in a mellow mood. Father and Son gets me every time.

A unique voice that's tender, vulnerable, deep, and strong at the same time

Set the scene for modern folk. Well done.

Totale découverte de l'artiste et du genre. J'aime bien. Beaucoup d'instruments qui rendent l'album "vraie" pour accompagner les propos. Très rythmé.

I liked it. It's one I bought when it came out, we all listened, sang along. It was good fun!

The second half was pretty amazing folk music. Pity it took a while to get there. Stand-out: Miles From Nowhere, Longer Boats

Lovely album and must listen. Beautiful lyrics and melodies to describe life.

First time listening to a full Cat Stevens album, and it's just a nice chill time with good tunes.

See? Proof that just because I own an album on vinyl doesn’t automatically mean it gets 5 stars.

This is hipster music before hipster music was a thing.

Wild World is one of my favorite songs...period. That alone warrants a 4 for me. The rest of the album is solid...not spectacular.

Lovely!

this was a pleasant listen. i had heard wild world a few times going into this, but none of the others. there's a good vibe throughout and the songs are all the right length. i'm sure i'll listen to these tracks again later on. favorites: where do the children play, wild world, sad lisa, father and son

An absolutely brilliant album that has some all time classic songs on it. Listening to the album just fills my heart with joy and puts a smile on my face.

Kinda vibed with this one tbh

Fav: Father And Son Least Fav: Tea For The Tillerman

Un classique je crois. Du pur Folks, a reecouter for sure. 3.8/5

Andrew: Nice! 7/10

Lots of classics, some good sing alongs and some good relaxed tracks

Too much of a classic.

4 stars

A nice album to listen on a weekend morning. Father and son was especially cute

Such beautiful songs. I'm not crying.

Pwetty instruments

I think is album is just swell. Mikes from nowhere was revelation this listen around. Someone commented ’you can learn about 90% of what it means to be a good person simply by listening to Cat Stevens songs’, and that strikes a chord for me.

warm and cozy like a cup of cocoa in the winter.

Grew up with this in high school, pure love 4stars

Such a pleasant album. Cat's got some great pipes and every song is an enjoyable listen. 8/10 (4/5)

Pleasant. Father and son is a masterpiece:

Not bad, some earnest hits that have fallen out of the zeitgeist on here

I always remember seeing this album sitting in my dad's collection. I always thought it looked a bit lame. A lame title and naff artwork. What we need to remeber is that small children don't know shit.

A soft and almost sentimental folk album, Cat Stevens has an excellent voice and the vibe becomes Immaculate because of that. A fun all-round album, with a pair of well known singles to showcase the album's might. 4.2/5

goated, kind of banger after banger here

Great album

Love this album.

This was really good! Easy listening.

very relaxed and good

Très bon album folk, très relax, un peu (trop) tristounet par moment, mais une bonne écoute somme toute

All over a nice album, not only the well-known songs

over 50 years and we still haven’t found where the children play yet

86/100

Wild Word and Father and Son are all time greats

I've never been big on the singer/songwriter sound and tend to prefer music with a little more energy to it. That said, hard to argue with the staying power of songs like Wild World and Father and Son. Cat Stevens is a legit tour de force when it comes to songwriting and has a buttery delivery of said songs. Tea for the Tillerman is nice, tight little package of songs barely over 35 minutes, and makes the most of that short runtime. Notable songs: Wild World, Miles From Nowhere, Father and Son

Wow this was great. Really good song writing and his voice adds so much to their meanings. I wasn't expecting to like this one so much!

Some excellent songwriting here

It's like a nice man at a communal bonfire is taking my hand and telling me things are going to be alright, that there is still wonder in the world, and there still much to do. Life affirming, sincere, and sweet; occasionally feather-light. Highlights: Where Do The Children Play?, Hard Headed Woman, Miles From Nowhere, On The Road To Find Out, Father And Son

I actually quite liked this album a lot. The simple tunes were great, the storytelling equally great, I really, really liked this. His voice sounded great. The songs were simple without getting super repetitive and devolving into just some dude and an acoustic guitar around a campfire. Would recommend.

07/10/24 S Tier————————— A Tier—————————4 Wild World Longer Boats Miles From Nowhere But I Might Die Tonight B Tier—————————3 Where Do The Children Play Hard Headed Woman Father and Son On The Road To Find Out Tea for the Tillerman Into White C Tier—————————2 Sad Lisa D Tier—————————1

A first impression: if this had been my first exposure to Cat Stevens, I'd probably love this, but over time I've grown to find his music a bit... too ~obliging? Or something about his voice? I might regret this, but I'll stick to my rating system, which mostly takes into account how much I enjoyed listening to or discovering an album on that particular day, and today, this is not quite one of the 5s.

I like the slight darkness and layers

This is a great album full of wonderful little songs. Plus, it has one of the best songs ever on here: Father and Son

Very good very nice

great melodies great writing good album

Didn’t think I would like it at first. Has grown on me. Not usually something I listen too but appreciate the art. Added a few songs