Teaser and the Firecat [Super Deluxe Edition 4CD/Blu-Ray/2LP/7"]

by Cat Stevens

Overview

Even as a serious-minded singer/songwriter, Cat Stevens never stopped being a pop singer at heart, and with Teaser and the Firecat he reconciled his philosophical interests with his pop instincts. Basically, Teaser's songs came in two modes: gentle ballads that usually found Stevens and second guitarist Alun Davies playing delicate lines over sensitive love lyrics, and up-tempo numbers on which the guitarists strummed away and thundering drums played in stop-start rhythms. There were also more exotic styles, such as the Greek-styled "Rubylove," with its twin bouzoukis and a verse sung in Greek, and "Tuesday's Dead," with its Caribbean feel. Stevens seemed to have worked out some of his big questions, to the point of wanting to proselytize on songs like "Changes IV" and "Peace Train," both stirring tunes in which he urged social and spiritual improvement. Meanwhile, his love songs had become simpler and more plaintive. And while there had always been a charming, childlike quality to some of his lyrics, there were songs here that worked as nursery rhymes, and these were among the album's most memorable tracks and its biggest hits: "Moonshadow" and "Morning Has Broken," the latter adapted from a hymn with words by English author Eleanor Farjeon. The overall result was an album that was musically more interesting than ever, but lyrically dumbed-down. Stevens continued to look for satisfaction in romance, despite its disappointment, but he found more fulfillment in a still-unspecified religious pursuit that he was ready to tout to others. And they were at least nominally ready to listen: the album produced three hit singles and just missed topping the charts. Tea for the Tillerman may have been the more impressive effort, but Teaser and the Firecat was the Cat Stevens album that gave more surface pleasures to more people, which in pop music is the name of the game. ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	11/19/2021
Label:	A&M / Island
UPC:	0602435513072
Rank:	146288

Tracks

Disc 1

1. The Wind
2. Rubylove
3. If I Laugh
4. Changes IV
5. How Can I Tell You
6. Tuesday's Dead
7. Morning Has Broken
8. Bitterblue
9. Moonshadow
10. Peace Train

Disc 2

11. The Wind [Dubville Sessions 2020]
12. Rubylove [Studio Demo]
13. If I Laugh [Studio Demo]
14. Changes IV [Alt. Mix 1971]
15. How Can I Tell You [Studio Demo]
16. Tuesday's Dead [Studio Demo]
17. Morning Has Broken [Basing Street Rehearsal]
18. Bitterblue [Basing Street Rehearsal]
19. Moonshadow [Olympic Studio Demo 1970]
20. Peace Train [Extended String Mix 1971]
21. The Day They Make Me Tsar [Studio Demo]
22. I Want To Live In A Wigwam
23. Fisherman Song [Studio Demo]
24. Changes IV [Studio Demo]
25. Tuesday's Dead [Alt. Mix 1971]
26. Morning Has Broken [Studio Demo]
27. Bitterblue¿¿ [Reimagined 2021]

Disc 3

28. Moonshadow [BBC Radio Session, November 8, 1970]
29. Tuesday's Dead [BBC Radio Session, March 23, 1971]
30. How Can I Tell You [BBC Radio Session, March 23, 1971]
31. Peace Train [BBC Radio Session, March 23, 1971
32. Moonshadow [BBC Radio Session, March 23, 1971]
33. Bitterblue [BBC Radio Session, March 23, 1971]
34. Moonshadow [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971]
35. Where Do The Children Play? [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971]
36. Longer Boats [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971]
37. Tuesday's Dead [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971]
38. Sad Lisa [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971]
39. Hard Headed Woman [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971]
40. Father and Son [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971]
41. If I Laugh [The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, October 5, 1971]
42. Changes IV [The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, October 5, 1971]
43. Moonshadow [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971]
44. Tuesday's Dead [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971]
45. How Can I Tell You [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971]
46. Bitterblue [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971]
47. Changes IV [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971]

Disc 4

48. Intro [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
49. Hard Headed Woman [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
50. On The Road To Find Out [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
51. Wild World [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
52. Longer Boats [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
53. Maybe You're Right [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
54. Sad Lisa [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
55. Miles From Nowhere [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
56. Katmandu [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
57. Lady D'Arbanville [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
58. Father And Son [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
59. Where Do The Children Play? [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]
60. Peace Train [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971]

Disc 5

61. The Wind [HD Audio] [Blu-Ray]
62. Rubylove [HD Audio] [Blu-Ray]
63. If I Laugh [HD Audio] [Blu-Ray]
64. Changes IV [HD Audio] [Blu-Ray]
65. How Can I Tell You [HD Audio] [Blu-Ray]
66. Tuesday's Dead [HD Audio] [Blu-Ray]
67. Morning Has Broken [HD Audio] [Blu-Ray]
68. Bitterblue [HD Audio] [Blu-Ray]
69. Moonshadow [HD Audio] [Blu-Ray]
70. Peace Train [HD Audio] [Blu-Ray]
71. The Wind [Music Video] [Blu-Ray]
72. Moonshadow [Music Video] [Blu-Ray]
73. Longer Boats [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
74. Sad Lisa [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
75. Wild World [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
76. Katmandu [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
77. Lady D'Arbanville [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
78. Where Do The Children Play? [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
79. Peace Train [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
80. Moonshadow [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
81. Where Do The Children Play? [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
82. Longer Boats [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
83. Tuesday's Dead [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
84. Sad Lisa [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
85. Hard Headed Woman [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
86. Father And Son [Out Front: Cat Stevens and Friends, Yorkshire TV, September 7, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
87. If I Laugh [The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, October 5, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
88. Changes IV [The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, October 5, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
89. Moon Shadow [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
90. Tuesday's Dead [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
91. How Can I Tell You [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
92. Bitterblue [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971] [Blu-Ray]
93. Changes IV [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971] [Blu-Ray]

Disc 6

94. The Wind [Dubville Sessions 2020] [LP]
95. Rubylove [Studio Demo] [LP]
96. If I Laugh [Studio Demo] [LP]
97. Changes IV [Studio Demo] [LP]
98. How Can I Tell You [Studio Demo] [LP]
99. Tuesday's Dead [Studio Demo] [LP]
100. Morning Has Broken [Basing Street Rehearsal] [LP]
101. Bitterblue [Basing Street Rehearsal] [LP]
102. Moonshadow [Olympic Studio Demo 1970] [LP]
103. Peace Train [Extended String Mix 1971] [LP]

Disc 7

104. Hard Headed Woman [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [LP]
105. Wild World [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [LP]
106. Lady D'Arbanville [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [LP]
107. Father And Son [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [LP]
108. Peace Train [Live in Montreux, May 2, 1971] [LP]
109. Moonshadow [BBC Radio Session, March 23, 1971] [LP]
110. If I Laugh [The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, October 5, 1971] [LP]
111. Tuesday's Dead [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971] [LP]
112. How Can I Tell You [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971] [LP]
113. Bitterblue [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971] [LP]
114. Changes IV [In Concert, BBC TV, November 27, 1971] [LP]

Disc 8

115. Moonshadow [7"]
116. Narration [7"]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Cat Stevens   Primary Artist,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Marimba,Harmonium,Keyboards,Percussion,Tambourine,Vibraphone,Co-Producer,Harpsichord,Lead Vocals
Spike Milligan   Primary Artist
Rick Wakeman   Guest Artist,Piano,Organ (Hammond)
Alun Davies   Claves,Guitar,Vocals,Autoharp,Clapping,Vocals (Background)
Paul Samwell-Smith   Finger Cymbals,Vocals (Background)
Andy Roberts   Organ,Guitar,Strings
Angela Howell   Vocals (Background)
Chico Batera   Percussion
Larry Steele   Bass,Flute,Bongos,Congas,Guitar,Clapping,Percussion,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Jean Roussel   Keyboards
Linda Lewis   Voices,Vocals (Background)
Sue Lynch   Vocals (Background)
Kimberley Carlson   Vocals (Background)
Andreas Toumazis   Bouzouki
Del Newman   Strings
Mark Warner   Guitar,Bouzouki
Yusuf   Guitar,Vocals
Bruce Lynch   Guitar (Bass)
Gerry Conway   Drums,Voices,Percussion
Harvey Burns   Drums
Angelos Hatzipavli   Bouzouki
John Ryan   Bass

Technical Credits

Tony Clarke   Mixing Engineer
Ted Jensen   Mastering
Traditional   Arranger,Composer
Paul Samwell-Smith   Producer
Eleanor Farjeon   Composer
Cat Stevens   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Rob Mathes   Arranger
Bill Levenson   Reissue Supervisor
Ian Grimble   Mixing
Del Newman   Arranger,String Arrangements
Beth Stempel   Reissue Coordination
Lee Hulko   Mastering
David P. Bailey   Photography