During the seventies, a young man with a deft knack for beautiful melody and a questing for spiritual focus wrote songs like "Peace Train," "Moon Shadow," "Wild World" and one of the most uplifting songs of all time, "Morning Has Broken." Cat Stevens had the voice, the musicianship and the earnestness to capture the hearts of listeners for the better part of a decade. His message was so universal that his biggest hits crossed radio boundaries and international borders. All Stevens' best known American hits are collected here, although you may find yourself drawn to 2000's "The Very Best Of Cat Stevens" set, which boasts 20 songs to this CD's twelve. Main selling points here, the songs "Two Fine People" was done specifically for this album, and "Ready," a non-hit from "Buddha and The Chocolate Box."

It was a bout with TB that brought Stevens into focus and transformed his style. As a teenage pop singer, he was coming across as a Mccartney clone or even like a Bee Gee. But once he recovered from his illness, the music became based more on guitar and piano melodies and the lyrics tried to convey more spiritual messages. "Teaser and The Firecat" and "Tea For The Tillerman" were the American breakthroughs; with the unforgettable "Peace Train" and "Wild World," and Stevens' had become a star.

That star life began to nag him with doubts, which led to more introspection. "Oh Very Young," asks how you would feel about your life if you knew you would be gone tomorrow. It led to such songs as a remake of "Another Saturday Night" and (though not included here) "Remember The Days Of The Old Schoolyard." Finally, in 1977 and his discovery of the Muslim faith, he pulled the plug.

This "Greatest Hits" captures not only the innocence of Stevens' quest, but also his transformation. If you have followed his post Cat life as Yusef Islam deeper than the headlines, you know that he has tithed is earnings to charities (primarily to children and orphans' groups, including UNICEF). He's also spoken out and written editorials condemning fanatical terrorist actions, writing after 9/11 "No right-thinking follower of Islam could possibly condone such an action. The Quran equates the murder of one innocent person with the murder of the whole of humanity." (He also donates a portion of his box-set royalties to 9/11 family charity groups.) But as recent events have proven again, people of peace are considered dangerous if powerful men don't like the words. Stevens joins such men as John Lennon, Bruce Cockburn and The Clash as musicians who found themselves on the wrong side of policy makers and Visa Checkers.

I pulled my old CD of this album out not just because I remember this music with a lot of fondness, but because it sends a message (albeit as small one): we're not all idiots.

Great though this is (with phenomenal sound quality, too), it falls short compared to the "Very Best of Cat Stevens" released last year, which covers his full career in the same excellent sound. Trouble is, this CD contains the 1975 hit "Two Fine People" available nowhere else. Completists know : isn't this always the way?

Cat Stevens will never be forgotten. He sang so beautifully and employed the guitar so well in the arrangements of his songs that just one listen to his music thrills you. This CD makes you crave more of his fine artistry; his voice on this CD is strong, masculine yet sensitive and passionate.

The CD opens with a very popular song which will forever be associated with Cat Stevens entitled "Wild World." The lyrics show just how much Cat mourns the loss of his woman and the guitar changes chords at all the right moments in order to enhance the melancholy feel of this ballad. The overall effect strikes you with its beauty and beckons you instantly to listen to the rest of the CD.

"Can't Keep It In" allows Cat the opportunity to explore the topic of feeling a love for someone who can't quite relax in order to experience her true love for him. The musical arrangement stays strong with the band and a chorus in the background. Excellent!

"Hard Headed Woman" possesses great strength as well; Cat sings of his desire to find his one true love. His voice is passionate and the arrangement for the guitar moves me deeply.

Other beautiful songs on this CD include Cat's declaration of true love for his woman in "Two Fine People;" "Peace Train" with a rock feel that also sounds vaguely like a country ballad and "Father & Son" which deals with the predictable but honest disagreements between a father and son about how best to live life.

The CD ends with two memorable ballads. "Morning Has Broken" features lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon and Cat's musical arrangement leaves nothing to be desired. The piano and the guitar sound wonderful; and the choir in the background bolsters the song even further. "Another Saturday Night," written by Sam Cooke, closes the album on a playful note even if Cat feels frustrated that he cannot find a woman to have fun with now that he "just got paid."

The liner notes include the lyrics and some of the album credits are there, too. The CD artwork shines and reflects a great deal of forethought.

Cat Stevens is still one of the few artists who could turn out songs that appealed to very broad audiences. His melodies strike you instantly as being infectiously catchy and very admirable. If you like this CD I recommend other CDs by Cat Stevens including Tea For The Tillerman and Footsteps in the Dark: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2. Fans of classic rock and pop will also enjoy this CD.

Like most compilations, this one skims over a musician's career. Yes, it captures many great moments but my all-time favourites are missing such as 'Sad Lisa', 'Where do the children play' and 'Rubylove'. Nevertheless, it does contain 'Two fine People', and 'Sitting' which are not on a CD compilation I bought titled 'Masterpieces-The Best of Cat Stevens' in 1990 (no longer available). 'Greatest Hits' was purchased on vinyl in 1982, and it is still worth having in your collection. However, if you are considering getting into the music of Cat Stevens, buy each of his individual albums. You will find that many of the album tracks are brilliant, if not better, than the hit singles. I love Cat Steven's music, he was one of the greatest gifts to the music world. But I have to be honest, I hate 'Wild World' - it's all that radio ever plays! Radio just doesn't do him justice.

This 12 track greatest hits album, first released on vinyl in the summer of 1975 and a big hit at that time, gave good coverage of Cat Stevens' American hit singles up to that time, though the British hit `Lady D'Arbanville' was unfortunately not included. In the CD era this collection is now rather redundant since the most recent Cat CD compilations include almost all these songs, and many more besides. However, this album does include one track specially recorded for the original release, namely `Two fine people', which is quite a good song in a lively pop style, with prominent keyboards - not unlike the later `Remember the days of the old schoolyard'. This track is not available on any other album. Another relatively little known song is the superb `Ready', which is available on the `Buddha and the chocolate box' album but on no other hits compilations. I have a sentimental attachment to the Greatest Hits collection as I often listened to the original LP version back in 75, and in its remastered version (part of the excellent 1999 remastering of all Cat's albums from 1970 to 78), with all the original artwork and lyrics, it's a nice package. But unless you really need the rarer tracks mentioned above the much more comprehensive `Very best of Cat Stevens' (particularly recommended is the British edition issued in 2003) is a better collection of his best known songs.