
Nostalgia is big business and the record industry loves a good anniversary reissue. Once or twice a decade, why not repackage an old album? Maybe remaster it. Maybe add a big pile of extra tracks no one thought it worth inflicting on the public before. For the 50th anniversary of his ‘Tea For The Tillerman’ album, Yusuf/Cat Stevens has done something different, though. He’s re-recorded the whole album anew, calling it ‘Tea For The Tillerman²’ or just ‘T4TT²’.
Back when he first wrote and recorded the original album, he was a young man in his early 20s. It was, nonetheless, his fourth studio record. And also his first big success.
Its influence was strong back in the early 70s and has continued through the decades. But now Stevens is a different man. He doesn’t really go by the name Stevens anymore, for one thing. Which means that when he sings “we’ve come a long way” on opening track ‘Where Do The Children Play?’, the lyric carries a different weight.
“Though my songwriting adventures were never limited to ‘Tillerman’, the songs on that album certainly defined me and pointed the way for my mysterious life’s journey”, he says.
He goes on: “Since those originative sessions in Morgan Studios, Willesden, in 1970, ‘Tillerman’ has grown and developed its own gravitas and influence on music history and as the soundtrack to so many people’s lives. Like it was destiny waiting to happen, ‘T4TT²’ feels like the timing of its message has arrived again”.
The new version of the record will be released on 18 Sep. Listen to the new version of ‘Where Do The Children Play?’ here:
Explore what’s in stock by Yusuf/Cat Stevens at eil.com…
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- Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman - 2nd - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £18.00, $24.48, €20.16 (New Item) (arrived 05-Mar-2021 12:47)on March 5, 2021 at 11:11 pm
CAT STEVENS Tea For The Tillerman (1971 issue of the 1970 UK 11-track vinyl LP on the pink rim 'palm tree' label, housed in a non-laminated gatefold picture sleeve with lyrics printed on the reverse. The sleeve has some minor edgewear, whilst thevinyl looks barely played ILPS9135)
- Cat Stevens - Buddha And The Chocolate Box - US - vinyl LP - £15.00, $20.40, €16.80 (New Item) (arrived 06-Feb-2021 12:07)on March 5, 2021 at 11:11 pm
CAT STEVENS Buddha & The Chocolate Box (1973 US 9-track vinyl LP, complete with full colour illustrated lyric inner, thick card internal pocket gatefold picture sleeve. The sleeve [VG] shows just minor shelfwear & some edge scuffing, with the vinylremaining in excellent condition with just a few light surface scuffs to show for its forty odd years ILPS9274)
- Cat Stevens - Greatest Hits - 3rd - UK - vinyl LP - £15.00, $20.40, €16.80 (New Item) (arrived 06-Feb-2021 09:51)on March 5, 2021 at 11:11 pm
CAT STEVENS Greatest Hits (1975 UK issue of the 1970 12-track compilation LP, picture sleeve with lyric inner. The sleeve shows minimal wear and the vinyl looks barely played ILPS9310)
- Cat Stevens - Back To Earth - US - vinyl LP - £15.00, $20.40, €16.80 (New Item) (arrived 06-Feb-2021 10:43)on March 5, 2021 at 11:11 pm
CAT STEVENS Back To Earth (1978 US 10-track vinyl LP including 'Bad Brakes', 'Just Another Night', 'Last Night Love Song' and 'Randy', embossed picture sleeve with small deletion notch cut & lyric inner. The sleeve shows light wear with seam split to the inner, whilst the vinyl has minimal sign of play SP4735)
- Cat Stevens - The First Cut Is The Deepest - UK - vinyl LP - £15.00, $20.40, €16.80 (New Item) (arrived 06-Feb-2021 10:45)on March 5, 2021 at 11:11 pm
CAT STEVENS The First Cut Is The Deepest (1981 UK 14-track compilation LP, picture sleeve. The sleeve shows minimal wear and the vinyl has just the odd light sign of play TAB25)
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