[6] After the low chart success of Essence to Essence, Donovan entered the studio in late 1974 with a different producer and a new set of songs.

The songs were originally intended for use as part of an operetta about the preceding 10 years of Donovan's life and times.

"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.

The melody on "How Silly" is nearly identical to "A Funny Man" from H.M.S.

[citation needed] AllMusic wrote that "a fair hearing of 7-Tease reveals an album steeped in disillusionment, yet built upon beautiful melodies and some of the most diverse and appealing sounds and arrangements of [Donovan's] career, and a harder rocking sound than he was usually known for.