Out Now: Yusuf/Cat Stevens Revisits Seminal 1970 Album — with a Twist — on ‘Tea for the Tillerman²’ (Listen)

In 1970, Yusuf/Cat Stevens cast an indelible place in music history with Tea for the Tillerman, a groundbreaking achievement in his career and a collection of music that would stand the test of time as one of the most important albums ever recorded.

To commemorate that record’s 50th anniversary, Yusuf has re-released it today, Sept. 18 — as Tea for the Tillerman², a clever and inspired re-imagining of the original record.

(Click here to pick up Tea for the Tillerman² from our Rock Cellar Store).

Yusuf/Cat Stevens has previewed this new release in recent weeks with a few songs, sharing with the world his re-interpreted versions of the original tunes. “Where Do The Children Play?,” for example, received a gorgeous and powerful animated music video:

As did “Father and Son,” which actually includes new vocals paired with Stevens’ voice from a live recording circa 1970:

Yusuf/Cat Stevens spoke with Rock Cellar’s Ken Sharp in a new feature interview — click here to read it in its entirety — and he shed some light on what brought about this innovative way to celebrate Tea for the Tillerman‘s anniversary:

 “Well, it was kind of logical in a way because the fiftieth anniversary of its release was coming up.

So we’re now in 2020 and my son and I were discussing ideas. He came up with the idea of perhaps recording the whole thing again. He probably wasn’t serious but I said, “Yeah, that’s a really great idea.”

The end result is a captivating listen from one of the most cherished singer/songwriters of all time. If you loved the original album — and who didn’t? — you should definitely enjoy Tea for the Tillerman², a fresh, re-invigorated update of a legendary album.

Stream it below, via Spotify: