7-Tease

7-Tease is the twelfth studio album, and fourteenth album overall, from British singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the US (Epic PE 33245) in November 1974 and in the UK (Epic SEPC 69104) in January 1975.

History

After the low chart success of Essence to Essence, Donovan entered the studio again in late 1974 with a different producer and a new set of songs. The songs were originally intended for use as part of a stage performance piece, and ranged from up-tempo songs to the balladry that Donovan had become known for.

Some of the songs on 7-Tease feature lyrical lines or melodies from earlier Donovan songs. "The Voice of Protest" features a line about a ship going "all on her starry way", in a direct lift from a line in "The Voyage of the Moon" on H.M.S. Donovan. The melody on "How Silly" is nearly identical to "A Funny Man" from H.M.S. Donovan. Since H.M.S. Donovan sold poorly, it is possible that the similarities were not noticed by many fans.

While 7-Tease achieved significantly more chart success than its predecessor in the United States, it still marked a decline in Donovan's popularity.