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Cat Stevens / Teaser and the Firecat 50th anniversary reissue

Massive super deluxe packed with audio and video

By Paul Sinclair

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Teaser and the Firecat 50th anniversary / Cat Stevens 4CD+blu-ray 'slimmed down' super deluxe

SDE Reader Rating

4.2

Cat Stevens’ 1971 album Teaser and the Firecat will be reissued in November across five physical formats, including TWO super deluxe editions.

The classic album includes songs such as ‘Moonshadow’, ‘Peace Train’, ‘Morning Has Broken’ and ‘The Wind’. It has been remastered at Abbey Road Studios, overseen by original album producer, Paul Samwell-Smith and as with previous reissues, an extensive super deluxe edition is the premium offering.

The super deluxe edition box set of Teaser and the Firecat (click image to enlarge)

The super deluxe features four CDs, a blu-ray, two LPs and a seven-inch vinyl record and two books. It will include: 41 previously unreleased audio tracks and 21 live video performances on disc for the first time.

In terms of packaging, the new box is consistent with Mona Bone Jakon and Tea for the Tillerman super deluxe editions and includes a 44-page, 12-inch softcover replica of the original ‘Teaser and the Firecat’ book (hand written and illustrated by Yusuf in 1972) and a 108 page hardcover 12-inch essay book.

For the first time there will be an additional format, which is a ‘slimmed down’ version of the super deluxe. This contains the 4CDs and Blu-ray, but no vinyl. It also includes the 108-page book in a softcover format with all this content housed in a rigid slipcase. See the image, below.

The ‘slimmed down’ super deluxe does away with vinyl (click image to enlarge)

Additionally there is a two-CD edition, a standard vinyl LP and a single CD option. Interestingly, there is no stereo remix of the album this time, but the scale of the offering on the super deluxe edition(s) is quite stunning.

CD 2 (‘Demos, Alternate Versions, Bonus Tracks’) offers 17 tracks and the third disc (‘Live On Air, UK, 1971’) offers 20 tracks from various radio and TV appearances in Britain over a 12-month period. The fourth disc is Live in Montreux from 2 May 1971.

While the blu-ray doesn’t have a surround mix (he’s clearly not interested!) there is the hi-res stereo but more importantly an enormous amount of video material; 23 separate performances including two promo videos (including a a restored version of the 1977 animated video for ‘Moonshadow’).

The super deluxe set includes a vinyl record made up of alternate versions of the songs on Teaser and the Firecat and another LP (Live 1971) that included five live performances at Montreux in 1971 and six BBC recordings. Finally, the big box features a remastered seven-inch single of ‘Moonshadow’, backed with a previously unreleased Spike Milligan narration of the track from the 1977 ‘Teaser and the Firecat’ animated video.

The ‘slimmed down’ super deluxe has exactly the same content on the optical discs (CDs, blu-ray) but as stated above includes no vinyl and has a softcover (not hardcover book). The two-CD deluxe has a bonus CD with 13 of the demos and alternate versions (the super deluxe CD has 17).

These 50th anniversary editions of Teaser and the Firecat will be released on 19 November 2021 (was 12 November) via UMC / Island.

Tracklisting

Teaser and the Firecat Cat Stevens / Super Deluxe Edition

    • CD 1: Teaser and the Firecat (50th Anniversary Remaster)
      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
    • CD 2: Demos, Alternate Versions, Bonus Tracks
      1. The Wind (Dubville Sessions 2020)
      2. Rubylove (Studio Demo)
      3. If I Laugh (Studio Demo)
      4. Changes IV (Alternate Mix, 1971)
      5. How Can I Tell You (Studio Demo)
      6. Tuesday’s Dead (Studio Demo)
      7. Morning Has Broken (Basing Street Rehearsal)
      8. Bitterblue (Basing Street Rehearsal)
      9. Moonshadow (Olympic Studio Demo, 1970)
      10. Peace Train (Extended String Mix, 1971)
      11. The Day They Make Me Tsar (Studio Demo)
      12. I Want To Live In A Wigwam
      13. Fisherman Song (Studio Demo)
      14. Changes IV (Studio Demo)
      15. Tuesday’s Dead (Alternate Mix, 1971)
      16. Morning Has Broken (Studio Demo)
      17. Bitterblue² (Reimagined 2021)
    • CD 3: Live on Air, UK 1971
      1. Moonshadow (BBC Radio Session, 8th November 1970)
      2. Tuesday’s Dead (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
      3. How Can I Tell You (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
      4. Peace Train (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
      5. Moonshadow (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
      6. Bitterblue (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
      7. Moonshadow (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
      8. Where Do The Children Play? (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
      9. Longer Boats (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
      10. Tuesday’s Dead (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
      11. Sad Lisa (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
      12. Hard Headed Woman (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
      13. Father and Son (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
      14. If I Laugh (The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, 5th October 1971)
      15. Changes IV (The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, 5th October 1971)
      16. Moonshadow (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
      17. Tuesday’s Dead (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
      18. How Can I Tell You (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
      19. Bitterblue (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
      20. Changes IV (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
    • CD 4: Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971
      1. Intro (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      2. Hard Headed Woman (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      3. On The Road To Find Out (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      4. Wild World (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      5. Longer Boats (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      6. Maybe You’re Right (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      7. Sad Lisa (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      8. Miles From Nowhere (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      9. Katmandu (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      10. Lady D’Arbanville (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      11. Father And Son (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      12. Where Do The Children Play? (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
      13. Peace Train (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
    • Blu-ray
      HD 24bit/48kHz audio of Teaser and the Firecat (50th anniversary remaster)
      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
      Videos
      1. The Wind
      2. Moonshadow
      Cat Stevens Live In Montreux, Switzerland (2nd May 1971)
      1. Longer Boats
      2. Sad Lisa
      3. Wild World
      4. Katmandu
      5. Lady D’Arbanville
      6. Where Do The Children Play?
      7. Peace Train
      Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends (Yorkshire TV) (7th September 1971)
      1. Moonshadow
      2. Where Do The Children Play?
      3. Longer Boats
      4. Tuesday’s Dead
      5. Sad Lisa
      6. Hard Headed Woman
      7. Father And Son
      The Old Grey Whistle Test (BBC TV) (5th October 1971)
      1. If I Laugh
      2. Changes IV
      Cat Stevens In Concert (BBC TV) (27th November 1971)
      1. Moon Shadow
      2. Tuesday’s Dead
      3. How Can I Tell You
      4. Bitterblue
      5. Changes IV
    • Vinyl LP 1: LP1: Teaser and the Firecat (alternative Versions)
      Side 1
      1. The Wind (Dubville Sessions 2020)
      2. Rubylove (Studio Demo)
      3. If I Laugh (Studio Demo)
      4. Changes IV (Studio Demo)
      5. How Can I Tell You (Studio Demo)
      Side 2
      1. Tuesday’s Dead (Studio Demo)
      2. Morning Has Broken (Basing Street Rehearsal)
      3. Bitterblue (Basing Street Rehearsal)
      4. Moonshadow (Olympic Studio Demo, 1970)
      5. Peace Train (Extended String Mix, 1971)
    • LP 2: Live 1971
      Side 1: Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971
      1. Hard Headed Woman
      2. Wild World
      3. Lady D’Arbanville
      4. Father And Son
      5. Peace Train
      Side 2: Live At The BBC, 1971
      1. Moonshadow (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
      2. If I Laugh (The Old Grey Whistle Test, 5th October 1971)
      3. Tuesday’s Dead (Cat Stevens In Concert, 27th November 1971)
      4. How Can I Tell You (Cat Stevens In Concert, 27th November 1971)
      5. Bitterblue (Cat Stevens In Concert, 27th November 1971)
      6. Changes IV (Cat Stevens In Concert, 27th November 1971)
    • Seven-inch single
      1. Moonshadow
      2. Spike Milligan narration

Tracklisting

Teaser and the Firecat Cat Stevens / 2CD deluxe

    • CD1: Teaser and the Firecat (50th Anniversary Remaster)
      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
    • CD 2: Demos, Alternate Versions, Bonus Tracks
      1. The Wind (Dubville Sessions 2020)
      2. Rubylove (Studio demo)
      3. If I Laugh (The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, 5th October 1971)
      4. Changes IV (Studio demo)
      5. How Can I Tell You (Studio demo)
      6. Tuesday’s Dead (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
      7. Morning Has Broken (Basing Street Rehearsal, 1975)
      8. Bitterblue² (Reimagined 2021)
      9. Moonshadow (Olympic studio demo, 1970)
      10. Peace Train (Extended String Mix, 1971)
      11. The Day They Make Me Tsar (Studio Demo)
      12. Fisherman Song (Studio Demo)
      13. I Want To Live In A Wigwam (Morning Has Broken B – side)

Tracklisting

Teaser and the Firecat Cat Stevens / vinyl LP

    • Side 1
      1. The Wind
      2. Rubylove
      3. If I Laugh
      4. Changes IV
      5. How Can I Tell You
    • Side 2
      1. Tuesday’s Dead
      2. Morning Has Broken
      3. Bitterblue
      4. Moonshadow
      5. Peace Train

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