Jethro Tull (Official Thread)

Dave78

Dave's not here, man
Joined
Nov 13, 2009
Posts
2,143
Reaction score
427
Re: Jethro Tull

Still to this day I love Jethro Tull's music!

I couldn't get into their concept albums Thick as a Brick or A Passion Play, but I absolutely love Stand Up, Benefit, Aqualung and Songs From The Wood. Heavy Horses and Stormwatch only offered a few decent cuts, and my interest in the band waned after that.

As with most bands from the 70's, I made a killer 18 song "best of" cd that usually gets played a few times a year, which then leads me to playing the rest of the Tull cds I have.

1 - Reasons For Waiting
2 - Look Into The Sun
3 - Christmas Song
4 - Life's A Long Song
5 - Wiches Promise
6 - Living in the Past
7 - Rainbow Blues
8 - Sweet Dream
9 - Minstral in the Gallery
10- To Cry You a Song
11- With You There to Help Me
12- Nothing To Say
13- Teacher
14- Nothing is Easy
15- Cross-Eyed Mary
16- Hymm 43
17- Aqualung
18- Wind Up

I've been putting off burning a "Best Of - Vol. II" of material from Too Old To Rock & Roll: Too Young To Die, Warchild, Songs From The Wood, Heavy Horses and Stormwatch.

Finally saw them in '79 for the Stormwatch tour. They didn't play too much from their early works, but still a great show.

Has anyone else noticed that some of the songs listed on the back of Living in the Past don't match the label on the record itself? Weird, huh? Then it gets even weirder on the CD. :heheh:
 

LG

Fade To Black
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
36,862
Reaction score
71
Re: Jethro Tull

^^Come to think of it you are right KMET, must have been a glitch or someone was trying to have some fun with us.

Nice list as well, although I love all of Tull's stuff, some albums more than others and the very latest "World Music" he has dabbled in I have not checked out yet. Roots & Branches I believe was one of his last recordings.
 

Dave78

Dave's not here, man
Joined
Nov 13, 2009
Posts
2,143
Reaction score
427
Re: Jethro Tull

Ok, LG... I tried it again. Did I do it right this time? :confused:
 

LG

Fade To Black
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
36,862
Reaction score
71
Re: Jethro Tull

Yeah you got it right this time KMET.;)
 

LG

Fade To Black
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
36,862
Reaction score
71
Re: Jethro Tull

Time for some order in here...temporarily at least...:D

After This Was came "Stand Up", released in 1969. You can still feel the blues on this record, but not nearly as much as the debut. Already the folk influences are starting to show up, which is one of the things that I always loved about JT, the wide range of their songs is amazing and a tribute to the creativity that was a trademark of the band. This album was the debut of Martin Barre on lead guitar, and he became the one constant besides Ian Anderson in the band over their long and distinguished career.

Fatman.



StandUpFront.jpg

StandUpBack.jpg
 
Last edited:

0000

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Posts
5,316
Reaction score
10
Location
I
Re: Jethro Tull

How did I know you would do a Tull thread sooner or later, LG?

as much as I hate to say it, I do not like Jethro Tull at all, I can take a few tracks here and there, but I couldn't sit down and listen to a full album and enjoy it, I almost made it through Aqualung and Tick As A Brick, but couldn't get all the way through enjoyably, I do love "Bungle in the Jungle" though, that song is great I have to admit
 

LG

Fade To Black
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
36,862
Reaction score
71
Re: Jethro Tull

Different strokes for different folks my young friend. In my case I became interested in JT in 1975. We were logging one summer for the B.C Forest Service and one of my friends was raving on about "Locomotive Breath", and doing his own imitation of the song when we were driving into the bush to work. So I bought M.U. Volume One, and from then till now I have remained a die hard fan.:tup:
 

Dave78

Dave's not here, man
Joined
Nov 13, 2009
Posts
2,143
Reaction score
427
Re: Jethro Tull

Funny how that works sometimes, eh LG?

My appreciation for Tull began when I first heard "Living in the Past" on the radio when I was around 11 or 12 years old. Of course there were other Tull songs I would hear over the years, but in 1977 a radio station 120 miles away in San Diego, CA. was playing their top 100 rock albums of all time and that is where I first heard Stand Up, Benefit and Aqualung all the way through. That's all it took for me.

That radio station (KGB) was like the older brother or sister I never had with all the cool records. That's also where I first heard Cheap Thrills, John Mayall's Turning Point and many more from the 60's that I may have never heard otherwise. :cheers:
 

Magic

Woman of the World
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
24,784
Reaction score
4,523
Location
Ohio, USA
Re: Jethro Tull

My first experience with JT began with "Bungle in the Jungle". We use to have a blast with that song when I was a teen.

The first album I purchased was "Aqualung" and this still remains one of my favorite Tull albums to this day.

My next purchase was "Thick as a Brick". Of course at the time I purchased the album, I had no clue it was a concept album but this album is what got me started on progressive rock. I loved all the instrumentation used on this album.

I never really understood the concept story of "Thick as a Brick", because the lyrics are so complex, but I do realize now that the story is told by a boy, Little Milton, and this boy is supposedly Anderson and the story is coming from his viewpoint. When I purchased this album, I just basically ignored the lyrics, and enjoyed the music. :D

Even reading these lyrics makes my head hurt, and I still dont understand the story:

Thick As A Brick

Really don't mind if you sit this one out.

My words but a whisper -- your deafness a SHOUT.
I may make you feel but I can't make you think.
Your *****'s in the gutter -- your love's in the sink.
So you ride yourselves over the fields and
you make all your animal deals and
your wise men don't know how it feels to be thick as a brick.
And the sand-castle virtues are all swept away in
the tidal destruction
the moral melee.
The elastic retreat rings the close of play as the last wave uncovers
the newfangled way.
But your new shoes are worn at the heels and
your suntan does rapidly peel and
your wise men don't know how it feels to be thick as a brick.

And the love that I feel is so far away:
I'm a bad dream that I just had today -- and you
shake your head and
say it's a shame.

Spin me back down the years and the days of my youth.
Draw the lace and black curtains and shut out the whole truth.
Spin me down the long ages: let them sing the song.

See there! A son is born -- and we pronounce him fit to fight.
There are black-heads on his shoulders, and he pees himself in the night.
We'll
make a man of him
put him to trade
teach him
to play Monopoly and
to sing in the rain.

The Poet and the painter casting shadows on the water --
as the sun plays on the infantry returning from the sea.
The do-er and the thinker: no allowance for the other --
as the failing light illuminates the mercenary's creed.
The home fire burning: the kettle almost boiling --
but the master of the house is far away.
The horses stamping -- their warm breath clouding
in the sharp and frosty morning of the day.
And the poet lifts his pen while the soldier sheaths his sword.

And the youngest of the family is moving with authority.
Building castles by the sea, he dares the tardy tide to wash them all aside.

The cattle quietly grazing at the grass down by the river
where the swelling mountain water moves onward to the sea:
the builder of the castles renews the age-old purpose
and contemplates the milking girl whose offer is his need.
The young men of the household have
all gone into service and
are not to be expected for a year.
The innocent young master -- thoughts moving ever faster --
has formed the plan to change the man he seems.
And the poet sheaths his pen while the soldier lifts his sword.

And the oldest of the family is moving with authority.
Coming from across the sea, he challenges the son who puts him to the run.

What do you do when
the old man's gone -- do you want to be him? And
your real self sings the song.
Do you want to free him?
No one to help you get up steam --
and the whirlpool turns you `way off-beam.

LATER.
I've come down from the upper class to mend your rotten ways.
My father was a man-of-power whom everyone obeyed.
So come on all you criminals!
I've got to put you straight just like I did with my old man --
twenty years too late.
Your bread and water's going cold.
Your hair is too short and neat.
I'll judge you all and make damn sure that no-one judges me.

You curl your toes in fun as you smile at everyone -- you meet the stares.
You're unaware that your doings aren't done.
And you laugh most ruthlessly as you tell us what not to be.
But how are we supposed to see where we should run?
I see you shuffle in the courtroom with
your rings upon your fingers and
your downy little sidies and
your silver-buckle shoes.
Playing at the hard case, you follow the example of the comic-paper idol
who lets you bend the rules.

So!
Come on ye childhood heroes!
Won't you rise up from the pages of your comic-books
your super crooks
and show us all the way.
Well! Make your will and testament. Won't you?
Join your local government.
We'll have Superman for president
let Robin save the day.

You put your bet on number one and it comes up every time.
The other kids have all backed down and they put you first in line.
And so you finally ask yourself just how big you are --
and take your place in a wiser world of bigger motor cars.
And you wonder who to call on.

So! Where the hell was Biggles when you needed him last Saturday?
And where were all the sportsmen who always pulled you though?
They're all resting down in Cornwall --
writing up their memoirs for a paper-back edition
of the Boy Scout Manual.

LATER.
See there! A man born -- and we pronounce him fit for peace.
There's a load lifted from his shoulders with the discovery of his disease.
We'll
take the child from him
put it to the test
teach it
to be a wise man
how to fool the rest.

QUOTE
We will be geared to the average rather than the exceptional
God is an overwhelming responsibility
we walked through the maternity ward and saw 218 babies wearing nylons
cats are on the upgrade
upgrade? Hipgrave. Oh, Mac.

LATER
In the clear white circles of morning wonder,
I take my place with the lord of the hills.
And the blue-eyed soldiers stand slightly discoloured (in neat little rows)
sporting canvas frills.
With their jock-straps pinching, they slouch to attention,
while queueing for sarnies at the office canteen.
Saying -- how's your granny and
good old Ernie: he coughed up a tenner on a premium bond win.

The legends (worded in the ancient tribal hymn) lie cradled
in the seagull's call.
And all the promises they made are ground beneath the sadist's fall.
The poet and the wise man stand behind the gun,
and signal for the crack of dawn.
Light the sun.

Do you believe in the day? Do you?
Believe in the day! The Dawn Creation of the Kings has begun.
Soft Venus (lonely maiden) brings the ageless one.
Do you believe in the day?
The fading hero has returned to the night -- and fully pregnant with the day,
wise men endorse the poet's sight.
Do you believe in the day? Do you? Believe in the day!

Let me tell you the tales of your life of
your love and the cut of the knife
the tireless oppression
the wisdom instilled
the desire to kill or be killed.
Let me sing of the losers who lie in the street as the last bus goes by.
The pavements ar empty: the gutters run red -- while the fool
toasts his god in the sky.

So come all ye young men who are building castles!
Kindly state the time of the year and join your voices in a hellish chorus.
Mark the precise nature of your fear.
Let me help you pick up your dead as the sins of the father are fed
with
the blood of the fools and
the thoughts of the wise and
from the pan under your bed.
Let me make you a present of song as
the wise man breaks wind and is gone while
the fool with the hour-glass is cooking his goose and
the nursery rhyme winds along.

So! Come all ye young men who are building castles!
Kindly state the time of the year and join your voices in a hellish chorus.
Mark the precise nature of your fear.
See! The summer lightning casts its bolts upon you
and the hour of judgement draweth near.
Would you be
the fool stood in his suit of armour or
the wiser man who rushes clear.
So! Come on ye childhood heroes!
Won't your rise up from the pages of your comic-books
your super-crooks and
show us all the way.
Well! Make your will and testament.
Won't you? Join your local government.
We'll have Superman for president
let Robin save the day.
So! Where the hell was Biggles when you needed him last Saturday?
And where were all the sportsmen who always pulled you through?
They're all resting down in Cornwall -- writing up their memoirs
for a paper-back edition of the Boy Scout Manual.

OF COURSE
So you ride yourselves over the fields and
you make all your animal deals and
your wise men don't know how it feels to be thick as a brick.
 

Hepcat

retired
Joined
Sep 18, 2009
Posts
3,409
Reaction score
9
Location
Toronto, Ontario
Re: Jethro Tull

I bought Jethro Tull's first album within a few weeks of its release - and after all these years Jethro Tull still ranks among my favourite bands.
 

Attachments

  • Jethro.jpg
    Jethro.jpg
    55.3 KB · Views: 104

Find member

Forum statistics

Threads
30,655
Posts
1,064,762
Members
6,354
Latest member
edmerka

Staff online

Members online

Top