Smuggled Sounds: Cat Stevens - Radio Sessions '71

Tea for the Tillerman marked his American LP chart debut in February 1971, followed shortly by the single release of his own recording of "Wild World," which appeared on the album; it peaked in the Top 20. With that, Stevens suddenly became a major star in the U.S. Tea for the Tillerman reached the Top Ten and went gold; Mona Bone Jakon finally reached the charts (it was belatedly certified gold in 1976); and Deram reissued Matthew & Son and New Masters as a two-LP set, which also charted. Stevens was hailed as one of the most important figures in the currently popular folk-rock singer/songwriter trend, along with James Taylor, Carole King, and others.
In June 1971, Stevens released a new single, "Moon Shadow," which made the Top 40 in the U.S. and the U.K. This was followed in September by "Peace Train," which hit the pop Top Five and reached number one in the easy listening charts in the U.S., just in advance of Stevens' fifth album, Teaser and the Firecat. An immediate gold-record seller, the LP just missed the top of the U.S. charts and hit the Top Five in the U.K. In addition to "Moon Shadow" and "Peace Train," it contained "Morning Has Broken," an adaptation of a hymn, which became Stevens' second consecutive easy listening number one and reached the pop Top Ten on both sides of the Atlantic.

01 - How Can I Tell You - BBC, June 1971
02 - Where Do the Children Play - KCET, LA, June 8, 1971
03 - On the Road to Find Out - KCET, L.A., June 8, 1971
04 - Maybe You're Right - BBC, June 1971
05 - Longer Boats - KCET, LA, 6-8-1971
06 - I Love My Dog - fades out BBC, June 1971
07 - Morning has broken - 'In Concert,' ABC TV, 11-73 stereo
08 - Peace Train - Live - Concert For NYC