Tea for the Tillerman

Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template other Template:Category handler Template:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Mona Bone Jakon1970Teaser and the Firecat1971studioTea for the TillermanTea for the Tillerman.jpegCat Stevens23 November 1970May–July 1970*Morgan, London

Island, London
Olympic, LondonFolk rock36:49Island (UK/Europe)
A&M (US/Canada)Paul Samwell-Smithx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}}

Tea for the Tillerman is the fourth studio album by singer-songwriter Cat Stevens, released in November 1970.

OverviewEdit

Stevens' fourth album released during the year 1970, Tea for the Tillerman includes many of his best-known songs such as "Where Do the Children Play?", "Hard Headed Woman", "Wild World", "Sad Lisa", "Into White", and "Father and Son".

Stevens, a former art student, created the artwork featured on the record's cover.

In November 2008, a "Deluxe Edition" was released featuring a second disc of demos and live recordings. In January 2012, a hi-res 24/192 kHz version was remastered using an Ampex ATR100 and a MSB Technology Studio ADC and released on HDtracks.com.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Fifty years after the original album's release, in September 2020, Stevens remade the album as Tea for the Tillerman², including new lyrics and new instrumentation, and he sings along with his 22-year-old self in "Father and Son".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> That same year, Tea for the Tillerman was re-released as a 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition.<ref name="Kreps 2020">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Along with five discs, the Super Deluxe Edition also includes a Blu-ray containing music videos, live videos, and audio of the 2020 mixes of the original album, as well as a 12" vinyl record of live recordings by Stevens in 1970 at the Troubadour, Los Angeles.<ref name="Kreps 2020" />

Critical receptionEdit

Template:Album ratings In a contemporary review for The Village Voice, music critic Robert Christgau found the music monotonous and lacking the "dry delicacy" Stevens exhibited on Mona Bone Jakon (1970).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Rolling Stone magazine's Ben Gerson said that Stevens' songs effortlessly resonate beyond their artfully simple lyrics and hooks, despite his occasional overuse of dynamics "for dramatic effect."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In a retrospective five-star review, AllMusic's William Ruhlmann praised Stevens' themes of spirituality and transcendence, and felt that he had continued to show his ability as a pop melodicist: "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."<ref>{{#ifeq: | yes | https://www.allmusic.com/album/r19021{{

 #if: review
 | /review
 }}

| {{#if: r19021

 | {{#if: Ruhlmann
   | {{#if: |[[{{{author-link}}}|Ruhlmann{{#if: William|, William }}]]|Ruhlmann{{#if: William|, William }}}}. 
   }}[https://www.allmusic.com/album/r19021{{
   #if: review
   | /review
   }} {{
   #if: 
   | {{{title}}}
   | Template:PAGENAMEBASE
   }}] at AllMusic{{
   #if: 11 March 2005
   | . Retrieved 11 March 2005.
   }}

 | {{#if: {{#property:P1728}}
   | Template:First word {{#if:  | {{{title}}} | Template:PAGENAMEBASE }} at AllMusicTemplate:EditAtWikidata

   | {{#if: {{#property:P1729}}
     | Template:First word {{#if:  | {{{title}}} | Template:PAGENAMEBASE }} at AllMusicTemplate:EditAtWikidata

     | {{#if: {{#property:P1730}}
       | Template:First word {{#if:  | {{{title}}} | Template:PAGENAMEBASE }} at AllMusicTemplate:EditAtWikidata

       | {{#if: {{#property:P1994}}
         | Template:First word {{#if:  | {{{title}}} | Template:PAGENAMEBASE }} at AllMusicTemplate:EditAtWikidata

         | {{AllMusic}} template missing ID and not present in Wikidata.Template:Main other

         }}
       }}
     }}
   }}
 }}

}}</ref> On 18 November 2003, Rolling Stone included this album in its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list at number 206,<ref name="RS500">Template:Cite magazine</ref> number 208 in a 2012 revised list,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and currently at number 205 on its latest list published in 2020. In 2006, the album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2007, the album was included in the list of "The Definitive 200 Albums of All Time", released by The National Association of Recording Merchandisers and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was voted number 342 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.<ref name="Larkin">Template:Cite book</ref>

Track listingEdit

All songs were written by Cat Stevens.

Original releaseEdit

Template:Tracklist Template:Tracklist

Deluxe EditionEdit

Disc oneEdit

Original album.

Disc twoEdit

Template:Tracklist

Super Deluxe EditionEdit

Discs one, two and threeEdit

The first disc on the Super Deluxe Edition contains 2020 remasters of the original album; the second disc contains 2020 mixes of the original album; and the third disc contains Tea for the Tillerman².<ref name="Kreps 2020" />

Disc fourEdit

Template:Tracklist

Disc fiveEdit

Template:Tracklist

Re-recordingEdit

On 28 May 2020, Yusuf (also known as Cat Stevens) announced his new album, Tea for the Tillerman², which was released on 18 September 2020. Tea for the Tillerman² is a reimagining of "the same eleven songs for a new age with dramatic results", celebrating the 50th anniversary of Tea for the Tillerman.

PersonnelEdit

Adapted from liner notes of 2020 CD reissue.

Cat Stevens – guitar (tracks 1 to 3, 5 to 10), keyboards (tracks 1, 3 to 7, 10, 11), vibraphone (track 1), Hammond organ (track 9), lead vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (1, 5 to 7, 9, 11)
Alun Davies – guitar (tracks 1 to 10), backing vocals (tracks 1, 5 to 7, 9)
Harvey Burns – drums and percussion (tracks 1 to 3, 5 to 7, 9, 10)
John Ryan – double bass (tracks 1 to 3, 5 to 10)
Del Newman – string arrangements (tracks 1, 2, 4, 8)
Jack Rothstein (as John Rostein) – solo violin (track 4)
Paul Samwell-Smith – backing vocals (tracks 1, 5 to 7, 9, 11)

Technical

Cat Stevens - front cover illustration
Shepard "Shep" Sherbell - photography

ChartsEdit

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2

Weekly chartsEdit

Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart

Chart (1970–2020)	Peak position
Australia Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref name="aus">Template:Cite book</ref>	2

Template:Col-2

Year-end chartsEdit

Chart (1971)	Position
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	8

Template:Col-end

CertificationsEdit

Template:Certification Table Top Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Bottom

In popular cultureEdit

"Tea for the Tillerman" was used as the closing title track of the British sitcom Extras.

The opening scene to a 2014 episode of The Simpsons titled "Super Franchise Me" parodied the artwork to this album, with the title track playing over it.<ref name="stevens">Template:Cite news</ref>

A previously unreleased version of "But I Might Die Tonight", was used in the 1970 film Deep End in the opening and closing scenes. The version of the song used in the film was eventually released in 2020.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Four of the songs from this album were used in the 1971 film Harold and Maude: "Tea for the Tillerman"; "Where Do the Children Play"; "Miles from Nowhere" and "On the Road to Find Out".

The song "Father and Son", was used in the closing scene of the 2017 film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The song is also featured in the 2009 film The Boat That Rocked.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

Template:Cat Stevens

Template:Authority control