Wild World

Released as a single in September 1970, it peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was not issued as a single in the UK, where Jimmy Cliff's version, released a few months later, reached number 8. Stevens played classical and acoustic guitar and keyboards, with Alun Davies on acoustic guitar, Harvey Burns on drums and John Ryan on double bass. It has been credited with giving the album enough kick to be played on FM radio.

In a 2009 interview he said he was warning himself to be careful as his career began again. He told Mojo that the chord sequence is common in Spanish music, and that the theme is leaving and what lies beyond. He re-recorded it with altered lyrics for Tea for the Tillerman 2, replacing the word girl with baby and child.

Live and covers

In 2003 he performed it with Peter Gabriel at Nelson Mandela's 46664 concert, the first time in 25 years he had performed in English in public. In 2023 he ended his Glastonbury set with it and Father and Son. Maxi Priest's 1988 version reached number 5 in the UK and number 25 on the Hot 100, and Mr. Big's 1993 version reached number 27.