Ladies And Gentlemen... Once Again... The Back Of Jethro Tull's 'Aqualung'

[WillyT]

Cover Art:



Fine Print:

[Oilwellian]

1. Wow, I never noticed that before

Tull has always been one of my favorites and Aqualung is a classic. Those were some interesting words for the time.

[WillyT]

2. Oh.. I Must Have Listened To The Album 20 Or 30 Times Before I Actually Read The Cover...

But it struck me hard.

[Oilwellian]

9. I perused every one of my album covers

but that one definitely escaped me. It would have struck me as well.

I saw Jethro Tull in concert at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans around '75 or '76. It was a small, but ornate theater that held about a thousand people, and I was in row 11. He strutted up and down the aisle while twirling his flute, and his lead guitarist jumped five feet in the air every time he struck a hard chord. It was a fantastic performance and one of the best concerts I've ever attended.

[LWolf]

30. I saw him in '04, and he was still strutting and dancing

like an elf, and it was still one of the best concerts I've ever attended. Just the range of musical instruments, many not common for "rock" music, was astounding.

I had Aqualung on vinyl in high school in the 70s; it was a favorite then, and Ian Anderson is still a favorite now.

[2naSalit]

3. I had completely

forgotten that! I read it years ago when the album was young and was moved by it. Thank you for bringing it back to the fore! Well worth contemplation.

That was one of my favorite albums back then... oh the memories!

[WillyT]

4. You Are Quite Welcome !!!

[Uncle Joe]

5. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, WillyT.

[WillyT]

7. Anytime... Uncle Joe, Anytime...

[The Traveler]

6. I read that when I was a young man

and I agreed that we better start looking.

42 years ago or so? We better keep looking.

Ian Anderson was a helluva poet ...

Trav

[WillyT]

8. Here Ya Go...

[tea and oranges]

12. Thank You, WillyT, a Genuine Pleasure! nt

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

13. Enjoyed it! Also brought back memories of their epic performance on Don Kirchner's Rock Concert. Thanks!

[world wide wally]

17. One of my all-time favorite guitar solos.

Thanks

[ReRe]

20. An impressive pair of stretch pants...

Those were the days, my friend. Thanks, WillyT

[The Traveler]

21. Thanks WillyT

I think I already have this one in my playlists ...

But it really is good, isn't it? Thanks again, man.



Trav

[hunter]

18. I always get a "raised Catholic" vibe from Anderson.

The intellectual heresies of a Jethro Tull or a George Carlin are hard won.

[The Traveler]

22. I think it was the Church of England, actually

Same stuff, basically. Similar rationalizations that lead to ignoring the core teaching of Christianity while emphasizing the fringe. Anderson spent a lot of time detailing in his lyrics his disgust with the hypocrisy implicit in all that. Aqualung (the album) just concentrated a lot of that.

My sense about Anderson was he hoped there was a Divinity ... but he was certain he had no faith in priests, and no use for them.

That might be a complete misinterpretation of the man's work and some interviews I've seen over the years. I am not certain Anderson is atheist. He might be ... but I kinda doubt it.

Trav

[DreamGypsy]

10. And it's only the giving that makes us ...

...what we are.

Wond'ring aloud, will the years treat us well?

[lunasun]

11. Cross eyed Mary,by God, Slipstream...heck the whole album was great

And yes the cover's art and words of wisdom....thanks for the flashback and reminder

[Mojorabbit]

14. I had also forgotten about this. Thank you! nt

[Luminous Animal]

15. Still have the original album that I bought with my baby sitting money when I was 13.

[Maynar]

16. I hope you like this

if you haven't seen it already.

Anderson's voice isn't what it once was, but he still acquits himself well, IMHO.

Enjoy.

[Rex]

19. Words that are truer today then they were when written.

We better start looking with some haste.

[Monk06]

23. As my wife, former drummer for UJ3RK5 said, "Jethro Tull is toad stool rock."

[catbyte]

24. Wow, cool. Thanks!

[Rhinodawg]

25. I think...I'm too old to rock and roll...

and too young to die.

[Number9Dream]

26. "Wind-up" ends the album perfectly

Partial lyrics to "Wind-up" by Ian Anderson

When I was young and they packed me off to school
And they taught me how not to play the game
Oh, I didn't mind if they groomed me for success
Or if they said that I was just a fool

And so I left there in the morning
With their God under my arm
The half assed smiles and the book of rules

And so to my old headmaster and to anyone who cares
Before I'm through I'd like to say my prayers
And you can excommunicate me on my way to Sunday school
And have all the Bishops harmonize these lines

I don't believe you, you had the whole damn thing all wrong
And he's not the kind you have to wind-up on a Sunday

What a great song to end the album!

[Armstead]

27. Watching that, it struck me that he'd have been a great Dr Who

Okay I'm being shallow.

[kentuck]

28. On of my all-time favs!

A great showman! Shakespeare on stage.

[Octafish]

29. Every human being represents a priceless infinity of possibility.

1. In the beginning Man created god:
and in the image of Man created he him.

2. And Man gave unto god a multitude of names.
That he might be lord over all the earth when it was suited to Man.

3. And on the seventh millionth day Man rested and did
lean heavily on his god and saw that it was good.

4. And Man formed Aqualung of the dust of the ground.
And a host of others likened unto his kind.

5. And these lesser men Man did cast into the void.
And some were burned,
And some were put apart from their kind.

6. And Man became the god that he had created
and with his miracles did rule over all the earth.

7. But as all these things did come to pass,
the spirit that did cause man to create his god,
lived on within all men,
even within Aqualung.

8. And man saw it not.

9. But for Christ’s sake he’d better start looking.



Great thinks minding a lot alike and all...

[cry baby]

31. this album shaped me into the liberal i am today. nt

[SomethingFishy]

32. Call me old and crabby but they just don't make music like that anymore...

I can't remember the last time I was so looking forward to opening an album. To sift through the extras, to closely examine the album art, to read every lyric printed on the sleeve...

Tool is probably the only modern band where I still look forward to seeing what crazy shit they are going to do next..

on edit.. AND GET OFF MY LAWN!