That's my favorite from them too... heavy, proggy and with all the folky elements, it might be their most balanced album, with some of Martin's best guitar playing... Black Satin Dancer is definitely my favorite Jethro Tull song...
True, I hate when people call Songs From The Wood a "folk" album, yeah the folk element is definitely there but you wouldn't hear songs like Velvet Green, Pibroch (Cap In Hand), Hunting Girl, The Whistler, or the title track on a true folk album. Only the two shortest tracks are purely folk, Jack-In-The-Green and Fire At Midnight. To me the album is progressive rock but with a heavy folk flavor to it (same thing for Heavy Horses).
@@Nemesis7475 good list. I think Heavy Horses is very underrated. Would be surprised if any Tull fan never had Songs From The Woods at least in the top five. I like the first half of Thick As A Brick much more than the second half. Minstrel In The Gallery and Benefit are also good. Tull never made many mediocre albums, not up to Stormwatch anyway. A was a bit so so as was Too Old To Rock N Roll.
Hi Barry, I just watched your top 10 tull songs followed by Petes worst to best albums. What a great afternoon. "If you wear a warmer sporran, you can keep the foe at bay. You can pop those pills and visit some psychiatrist who'll say There's nothing I can do for you, everywhere's a danger zone. I'd love to help get rid of it, but I've got one of my own. Beastie. Only Ian could write these sublime lyrics". Andy H
That should make it easier, because some albums should hit the spot more than others, if they truly are diverse enough. This is exactly the case. Unless one uses another argument, that of "quality" and/or personality. Then I guess it becomes more even (understandable to a fan, but less relevant to any random listener).
I have not heard all their albums. Aqualung will always be my number one. Every song is great. Too old to rock and roll is the worst I've heard so far. Ian Anderson's lyrics were great, as most of his lyrics usually were, but the execution in this album was bad.
Great that Pete explains the Superbowl to those of us who are not American and wouldn't necessarily know what the hell it exactly is. Great channel Pete and peace from Glasgow 🏴 Scotland.
My top 5: 1. Thick as a Brick Such an amazing album, and my 2nd favourite album of all time. Everything flows together so well and it’s just an absolute masterpiece. 2. Songs From The Wood I absolutely love this album, and the genre is something I’ve never seen done anywhere else. This album cemented Jethro Tull as a band that is truly one of a kind. 3. Aqualung An absolute classic. Almost every song in this is a masterpiece and an absolute bop. The guitar work in this is amazing and Jethro Tull dominated the hard rock genre. 4. A Passion Play This felt like a jazzier twist on TAAB, and I absolutely loved it. It’ll obviously never compete with the masterpiece that is Thick as a Brick, but I still love it as both a piece of music, and as a concept. 5. Stand Up Jethro Tull can truly dominate any genre, and they totally dominated the blues genre. So many songs in this albums are absolute classics.
Pretty much agree with your top 5 but I'd put in Stormwatch at #5 and no Songs From The Wood and bump the other albums up a notch with TAAB still at #1.
Songs From The Wood has been my absolute favorite album of all time, since I first heard it in '77. Phenomenal songwriting, instrumentation, and some wicked vocal harmony. I'm norrnally a minor key guy, but this album stays in the major key from start to finish, and does it masterfully. I listen to this on special occasions only.
I was slightly disappointed with it when it was released because I thought it didn't have enough hard rock on it, Hunting Girl being the exception. Since then, I have changed my opinion about it. It is a great album with great songs and much underrated.
It has a special place in mine too. Great to see a lot of love for this record in the comments as it largely seems quite ignored in their catalog. It's such a transitional work coming off of Stand Up. IIRC Ian said something to the effect that because of some of the experimental sounds on the record, people thought of it as a "drug" record. And while he didn't do drugs, he did concede that Benefit could be considered a Lowenbrau record.
You nailed it today!!! Benefit is one of the great albums of all time. That was the best cup of coffee I have ever had. The wonderful Martin Barre. Great job.
I put TAAB first but I find myself going back to listen to Benefit more often than any other Tull album. Right up there with Disraeli Gears and LZ 4 for greatest hard rock lp of all time
Growing up the the late 70s, I never really "got" Tull. It wasn't until I hit 50 years old that it dawned on me. Incredible music and they have at least 7 albums that are fantastic. Everything they produced from '69 to '79 in particular. Hard to pick a favorite.
Songs from the Wood is a masterpiece! It’s such an uplifting album and Barriemore Barlow kills it on this Tull classic. Aqualung and Minstrel in the Gallery are a close second favorite for me. Again the drumming is incredible! Clive and Barriemore are legends!!
Fall of 73 I was a sophomore, and in our school library/media center were private rooms with glass doors, the rooms used for listening to record albums with library provided record players and albums. One day I walked past a room with two guys in my class I didn't really know, listening to a Mozart classical album propped up against the wall. For whatever reason I stopped and took in the scene, thinking one day I would do what they were doing. Surprisingly, they smiled and waved me inside. "Hey, you like classical music, right?" one of them asked. "Yeah, it's fine, I suppose, depending on what it is," I probably said. The truth is that at that point in my life, classical would have been the LAST music I wanted to hear. The great sounds of all that incredible 60's and early 70's classic rock was my passion. It was everywhere, on radio, TV, juke boxes, car 8-track players. FM rock out of Cleveland was especially dynamic, and with me still a few months away from buying my first decent turntable and the beginnings of my record collecting, radio was all I listened to. My favorite bands at the time were Deep Purple and Grand Funk. "You gotta hear this incredible Mozart composition," one of them said. They handed me the headphones plugged into the record player, and dropped the tonearm at the start of the album. Instead of Mozart, I heard the opening riff to Aqualung! I hadn't heard it before, and my eyes went wide. They laughed, then opened up the Mozart album sleeve to reveal the Tull album hidden inside. They obviously planned that ruse, signing out a record player and an "approved" album as a cover to listen to their rock and prog albums. The three of us became fast friends from that day forward, our friendship based around music.
check out tull miming to 'the mouse police never sleeps' and a great live version of 'minstrel in the gallery'. Love their 'rural rock' songs from the wood / horses / stormwatch period the most.
So many styles explored by Ian and the boys over time. 1. Passion Play 2. Stand Up 3. Benefit 4. Songs From the Wood 5. Minstrel in the Gallery 6. Heavy Horses 7. Thick as a Brick 8. Aqualung 9. Living in the Past 10. Crest of a Knave
I learned to really appreciate B&B by just cranking it up in the car. Plus hearing all the outtakes and realizing all the work and writing that goes into making these albums. Broadsword turned into one of my faves.
Some great songs. Pussy Willow is very catchy and Beastie is good played loud. Always a favourite of mine. Maybe because it was the Broadsword tour when I first saw them.
@@mrgrey361 or for that matter, anything they did after A Passion Play for me. I saw them in 1970, 1972, 1973, and 1976. The first two were by far the best followed by 1976 and that horrid PP tour in 1973. The '76 show was better than '73. They actually played a lot of their older stuff cause Ian figured out that the audience didn't want to hear APP anymore. Good call Ian
Hard to rank these records, but I agree when it comes to "Benefit". Great album with no weak spots in my opinion. My own top 5 would probably look like this : 1. Benefit 2. Aqualung 3. Thick as a brick 4. Minstrel 5. Stand up Well, at least these are the albums i keep going back to when i get an urge for Tull :)
Recently listened to the entirety of Thick As A Birck. Absolutely amazing album and it was a blast from start to finish. As for my favourite Jethro Tull album, mine is probably Songs From The Woods purely because it's a very nostalgic album for me as, it was not only the first Jethro Tull album I listened to, but it was my introduction to the progressive rock genre, so for that it has a very special place in my heart.
I unapologetically agree!! It is a complete work of genius. I was disappointed to hear Ian Anderson himself discounts his own work in this case. He seems to think he "took it too far", but as far as I am concerned there is not one wasted note on it. I enjoy Mr. Pardo's description of it here!
YES!!! Was waiting in suspense by #5 to see if Benefit was going to be your #1 pic.. Benefit I absolutely love it always been my #1 favorite Tull album What a massive discography this band has
My top three: "Songs from the wood", "Heavy horses" and "Stormwatch" from their 77-79 period. Love these trilogy , also the band lineup. There are so many great Tull albums, no "mistake" is possible. ☺
Have loved Tull for years. My top cd for many of those was Broadsword & The Beast ... mainly because that was the one that introduced me to the band. That said, my top 10 now are: 1. Songs From The Wood 2. Broadsword 3. Stormwatch 4. Heavy Horses 5. Passion Play 6. Thick As A Brick 7. Catfish Rising 8. Under Wraps 9. Benefit 10. Walk Into Light ... I know, it's an Ian solo record but I really love it.
Benefit is my favorite as well. Nothing To Say is Tull at their most psychedelic. Passion Play is definitely close to the top for me. The last 10 minutes is incredibly powerful and has brought me to tears.
Tull is easily one of the best bands of all time, and Anderson is something of a genius, musically. He taught himself to play the flute and just one year later Tull release their first album! His guitar work isn't too shabby also, and plays some fairly complex acoustic work whilst singing. I've been playing the superb live album 'Bursting Out' a great deal of late - what a band and John Glascock's bass playing is top-notch! My favourite studio album is 'Songs From The Wood,' but there are so many great ones to choose from. I agree with Pete on 'Under Wraps, it's an execrable album! It's a shame Ian had such voice problems, he really struggles with the singing these days. It always amazes me how many superb bands have come out of such a small country like the UK; of course America has produced some equally stunning bands etc, but there's just something a bit special with Britain: Tull, Purple, Sabbath, Zeppelin, The Who, Uriah Heep, Lizzy, Queen, Floyd, The Stones, The Beatles, Maiden, Priest, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, Cream, Rainbow, Bad Company, T.Rex, Whitesnake, UFO, Blind Faith, Mott The Hoople, ELP, Yes, Ten Years After, Small Faces, Quo, Wishbone Ash, and loads I've probably left off, incredible!
Yes , like it is The Wellspring , the very Fountainhead of the Mystic Vapors of the Creativity Muses and Gods of Rock , and flows outwards from there , diluting as it covers the earth . So there is some everywhere , but right there , in that beautiful land , must be it's purest , undistilled source ! Or something else . Yeah , PROBABLY something else that doesn't sound near as cool as this explanation .
My first Rock-Concert in my life was during the "Heavy Horses-Tour". I love this album and until this very day I am very, very impressed of Barrymore Barlows Drum Solo! Regard "Bursting out - J.T. live" - "Conundrum"! Milestone!
Bonus points for the great mention of Dark Ages. One of my favourite Tull tracks from a personal favourite record. A criminally overlooked song. Nice video, enjoyed your views on this
I agree re: Dark Ages being a great song. The problem with some Tull albums is". The Mix. They could never decide whether to be heavier (and they SHOULD have)
Saw this video when you released it a few years ago and I come back to it from time to time. I love Tull and I really appreciate this list. Actually fun to agree and disagree with the rankings to make me think where I might rank them and also it gets me to go "Hey, I missed that deep cut (Occasional Demons)" or "I forgot all about that song, I have to go back to it (Dark Ages)". Thanks man!
My top Tull list changes with my mood but Benefit, Aqualung, Thick, Stand Up, and Minstrel always are in the mix along with War Child and Living. What I always found interesting, and probably why I like them so much, are the sometimes weird and unusual time signatures Anderson uses. That and the fact that through all the line-up changes the musicianship has been incredible. My favorite Anderson story is that when his daughter took up the flute he realized he's been playing it 'wrong' all those years. He relearned how to play it 'properly'.
Pete you are amazing. Thanks for taking the time to dedicate an episode to one of the world's best and most under appreciated bands. They are unique in sound, look and stage performance (totally outrageous). Great job ranking the music. Thanks again.
First album that got my interest was Bursting Out. Seeing them live in '78 made me a fan ! It was the second concert I ever went to, & still remains in my top 10 shows I've ever been to. Just got introduced to this channel. Very good !!!
The first 7 LPs are the cream of the crop for me.. but I’m old and started listening to Tull on this was!! It should be in the top five!! Great job Pete
"My God" is a electrified, progged up version of "God Bless The Child" By Blood Sweat & Tears (originally by Billie Holliday). Listen and you'll hear the clear connection
Only ever heard Living in the Past Pete, but never listened to anything else. Now I've seen this I will have to check them out. Most definitely thanks Pete for the heads up much appreciated. Great Show, Great Channel 🎶🎶🎶👍👍👍🍻🍻🍻.
BRAVO, sir! What a marvelous dissertation on the music of Jethro Tull. Whether you and I agree on our rankings is irrelevant; it is obvious you have great respect, admiration, passion, and love for the music. And - for me - you have put into words the emotions I have carried through my life for this music. For that alone I am deeply grateful.
Doing this list before watching the video. 1) Benefit. My first Tull Album. Not a single weak moment on this album. 2) Broadsword and the Beast. I'm a Scot and this is a Scottish album. Broadsword, The Clasp and Beastie. Watching you, Watching me is so much fun. I saw them in Montpellier, France when they toured this. 3) Every other album they ever made. Ian Anderson is from the same town as me as are Nazareth (I lived opposite Pete Agnew) and the Skids/Big Country. Proud to be Scottish and proud to be european!
Well done sir! Just found your channel and enjoyed this a lot. Been rediscovering Tull ever since TAAB2, as I had become disenchanted with them (and busy with life) after Walk Into Light and Under Wraps (excepting, of course, their return to “commercial greatness” with Crest of a Knave). Saw TAAB 1 & 2, two nights apart (Vienna, VA, then Philly) and have ever since and again been proud of my love of Anderson/Tull music and admiration for Ian himself. What a great musical journey we’ve been taken on, courtesy of IA.
Funny how everyone develops special bonds with different albums. I got Under Wraps in early 1986 and it was the “current” Jethro Tull album at the time. I felt really proud of its modern sound and listened to it constantly! Still one of my favorites.
@@joebloggs4754 For non-European countries that was all new fresh stuff though at the time, and the original packaging was so damn good, Ian put some effort into that one
I completely agree. NOT a compilation - mostly new material, with a handful of old songs. Remember, it was a double album, so there was enough new material for 1 full-length album, plus 2 long live numbers.
@@joethomas1146 yeah, that stuff had been released in the UK as singles but the audience in America had no idea because the singles weren't included on the albums, so it was a collection of their UK singles plus an album track per side/time period and the live side. :)
Nightcap is amazing, Anderson's flute paying on this album to me, is his best ever! I love all of your hard work, and commitment, you put into your channel Pete. Thanks!
Benefit was the first album that my sister bought. She was 5 years older than me, but didn't mind that I played it as well. It was on an old stereogram. It really shaped what I thought about music. Martins guitar on 'Teacher' was so dynamic, and the band was as one unit. Thanks Gina!
There is no such thing as a bad Jethro Tull album (there . . . . . . I said it!), which makes them extremely difficult to rank. Half are excellent to some degree, and the other half are very good to some degree. Unlike many folks, I love Under Wraps . . . . . . but it would go in that second half rather than the first. To me it's just a measure of how great Tull is.
1. A 2. Thick As a Brick 3. Songs from the Wood 4. Under Wraps 5. Heavy Horses 6. War Child 7. Stand Up 8. A Passion Play 9. Benefit 10. Aqualung 11. Stormwatch 12. Broadsword and the Beast No particular order after that.
Under Wraps is not crap...when you ever saw Tull LIVE is when you jumped in and followed that album. Uneducated trolls criticize the albums and wish that Catfish Rising was their favorite album. Why is 'A' your favorite???? [I love 'A' but it's not my fav]
Found your channel just recently and a big thumbs up from across the [pond in the U.K! I would have to say that for me personally Benefit is one of my favourites as it has a certain vibe to it that gives it real charm. Always an album I like to go back to every so often and enjoy listening to. As they say class always lasts!
Jethro Tull, Aqualung, was my first concert in 1971 at The Forum in Inglewood Calif. I was 13. My jaw was on the floor, my eyes were as big as frisbee`s it was great. So it`s my #1
Same here! Hated it when it first released in 1984 but i never really gave it a second listen. Rediscovered it recently and to my delight found that most, even dare I say all, the songs are belters. I just wish IA would remix it with Doane Perry playing rather than the slightly robotic drum machine he used.
@@seankayll9017 Exactly, in 1984 I just expected Tull to do something completely different. But then again, that's what great artists do: They don't write what you want them to but rather do something you might not be ready for, yet.
I know it goes without saying - when buying a Tull album, try and find a version with bonus tracks, even if you have to pay a few more pennies for it: Pan Dance Kelpie Broadford Bazaar Jack-A-Lynn Summerday Sands Living in these Hard Times King Henry's Madrigal Lick your Fingers Clean March the Mad Scientist Why the likes of these songs were never included on the original albums, I'll never know.
Agree!!! I recently rediscovered Jack-A-Lynn (quiet version) and am blown away by what a wonderful piece of music it is, and marvel that it was not an A-side track for one of the albums.
Yep, that's the fun with Jethro Tull. So many albums to suit so many moods. But the two that I return to most often are Aqualung and Too Old To Rock n' Roll: Too Young to Die. The latter has wonderful arrangements and lyrics: nostalgic and rather moving. 'From A Dead Beat To An Old Greaser' and 'The Chequered Flag (Dead Or Alive)' always bring a lump to my throat.
Great reviews! JT have been my favorite group my entire life, and I appreciate your balanced and reasonable approach. Quite often critics tear the albums they dislike to shreds while praising their favorites, but you offer a fair and balanced viewpoint throughout. I love Stormwatch, Roots to Branches, Songs From the Wood...etc. so it was great to hear your opinion on those. Fantastic job!
Songs from the Woods. hit me at a time when I was into hiking, I loved the sound. A favorite hidden gem, One Whine Duck, simple elegance. in the string arrangements
For me, I might sound weird with this ranking, and it's really hard for me to choose between Tull's albums between 1968 and 1977, but for now it's: 20- Under Wraps 19- Rock Island 18- Jethro-Tull Dot Com 17- A 16- Catfish Rising 15- Stormwatch 14- The Broadsword And the Beast 13- Roots To Branches 12- Crest Of Knave 11- Too Old To Rock N' Roll; Too Young To Die 10- A Passion Play 09- This Was 08- Heavy Horses 07- Stand Up 06- Benefit 05- Minstrel In the Gallery 04- War Child 03- Aqualung 02- Songs From the Wood 01- This As A Brick
Just a couple of friendly corrections: It was "A", not Under Wraps which was originally to be an Anderson solo album. TAAB2 is very definitely Anderson solo. Ian ended Tull in 2011 and performed under his own name until very recently. He now appears to be using the Tull name again.
That's right.. I wasn't watching this, only listening and I was assuming he was talking about "A" until he mentioned Under Wraps. I did hear the the "A" stood for Anderson as it was going to be a solo effort. As an aside; Crossfire from the A album was about the SAS storming the Iranian Embassy in London in 1980. Under Wraps isn't a bad album. I do like lots of the tracks on there, although performing it live did a lot of damage to Ian's voice at the time.
@Martin Hayward Ian is Jethro Tull just like fogery is CCR and mark Knopfler is dire straits and ELO is jeff lynne. Anyone who they hire makes up the rest of the band but without those guys you don't have those bands
And a major THANK YOU for the heads up about Ian Anderson's Thick As A Brick 2. I did not know that it even existed and after watching your show, I immediately found it. On my third listen of the night already!! Thanks again Pete!!
@@danohstoolbox Farm on the Freeway might be an even more meaningful song now. I was a teen when it came out and knew it was great then but now it's epic. But sad also.
My favorite Tull album: Benefit In the Spring of 1971, I had dropped a tab of mescaline the first time I listened to Benefit. I was in a van traveling to the Camptown Races (doo-da, doo-da) in Virginia, USA. It was truly a pychetastic experience! Nothing To Say was stamped indelible on my mind that day. Thus, Benefit has a special place in my music listening life. Never to be forgotten!
Such a great, and overlooked point, regarding favorite albums often being driven by moments in our lives. For those that don't follow trends, and sincerely listen to the music, I believe this is probably at the top of the list for deciding factors.
Passion Play gets my vote for #1. That's the one I can listen to forever and never get tired of it.
Call me crazy but " Minstrel In The Gallery " is my favorite Jethro Tull album. Very prog heavy and dark.Cheers!
you're not crazy,Minstrel is a masterpiece and one of my top five JT albums.
That's my favorite from them too... heavy, proggy and with all the folky elements, it might be their most balanced album, with some of Martin's best guitar playing... Black Satin Dancer is definitely my favorite Jethro Tull song...
Baker St Muse is probably my favorite Tull song. Minstrel is my second favorite behind Passion Play
Not crazy, but it’s not my favorite.
Absolutely agreed!
I agree...Stormwatch is a great album that doesnt get the appreciation it deserves. I play it for people and they love it. Should be known more.
One of the best bands in the history of the world and so fun to see Tull live. Pure energy!
I can’t believe Ian Anderson is still touring.
‘Songs From The Wood’, tops my list. Very prog and melodic.
True, I hate when people call Songs From The Wood a "folk" album, yeah the folk element is definitely there but you wouldn't hear songs like Velvet Green, Pibroch (Cap In Hand), Hunting Girl, The Whistler, or the title track on a true folk album. Only the two shortest tracks are purely folk, Jack-In-The-Green and Fire At Midnight. To me the album is progressive rock but with a heavy folk flavor to it (same thing for Heavy Horses).
My favorite description of SFTW came from the original Rolling Stone Record Guide, where the reviewer called it "pure unadulterated Elizabeth boogie"
It is my clear favourite too
I’d say these are my Top 5.
5. Songs From The Wood
4. Aqualung
3. Stormwatch
2. Heavy Horses
1. Thick as a Brick
@@Nemesis7475 good list. I think Heavy Horses is very underrated. Would be surprised if any Tull fan never had Songs From The Woods at least in the top five. I like the first half of Thick As A Brick much more than the second half. Minstrel In The Gallery and Benefit are also good. Tull never made many mediocre albums, not up to Stormwatch anyway. A was a bit so so as was Too Old To Rock N Roll.
Tull are such a diverse band it is tricky trying to rank the albums
Hi Barry,
I just watched your top 10 tull songs followed by Petes worst to best albums. What a great afternoon.
"If you wear a warmer sporran, you can keep the foe at bay.
You can pop those pills and visit some psychiatrist who'll say
There's nothing I can do for you, everywhere's a danger zone.
I'd love to help get rid of it, but I've got one of my own. Beastie. Only Ian could write these sublime lyrics".
Andy H
That should make it easier, because some albums should hit the spot more than others, if they truly are diverse enough. This is exactly the case. Unless one uses another argument, that of "quality" and/or personality. Then I guess it becomes more even (understandable to a fan, but less relevant to any random listener).
I have not heard all their albums. Aqualung will always be my number one. Every song is great. Too old to rock and roll is the worst I've heard so far. Ian Anderson's lyrics were great, as most of his lyrics usually were, but the execution in this album was bad.
Love the accolades he gave to Stormwatch. One of my favorites.
Last Jethro Tull LP I ever bought !!
Great that Pete explains the Superbowl to those of us who are not American and wouldn't necessarily know what the hell it exactly is. Great channel Pete and peace from Glasgow 🏴 Scotland.
My top 5:
1. Thick as a Brick
Such an amazing album, and my 2nd favourite album of all time. Everything flows together so well and it’s just an absolute masterpiece.
2. Songs From The Wood
I absolutely love this album, and the genre is something I’ve never seen done anywhere else. This album cemented Jethro Tull as a band that is truly one of a kind.
3. Aqualung
An absolute classic. Almost every song in this is a masterpiece and an absolute bop. The guitar work in this is amazing and Jethro Tull dominated the hard rock genre.
4. A Passion Play
This felt like a jazzier twist on TAAB, and I absolutely loved it. It’ll obviously never compete with the masterpiece that is Thick as a Brick, but I still love it as both a piece of music, and as a concept.
5. Stand Up
Jethro Tull can truly dominate any genre, and they totally dominated the blues genre. So many songs in this albums are absolute classics.
Pretty much agree with your top 5 but I'd put in Stormwatch at #5 and no Songs From The Wood and bump the other albums up a notch with TAAB still at #1.
Couldn't agree more. 🎯
Songs From The Wood has been my absolute favorite album of all time, since I first heard it in '77. Phenomenal songwriting, instrumentation, and some wicked vocal harmony. I'm norrnally a minor key guy, but this album stays in the major key from start to finish, and does it masterfully. I listen to this on special occasions only.
I was slightly disappointed with it when it was released because I thought it didn't have enough hard rock on it, Hunting Girl being the exception. Since then, I have changed my opinion about it. It is a great album with great songs and much underrated.
Tull's "Benefit" album has a special place in my heart.
Great stuff..love cry you a song
It has a special place in mine too. Great to see a lot of love for this record in the comments as it largely seems quite ignored in their catalog. It's such a transitional work coming off of Stand Up. IIRC Ian said something to the effect that because of some of the experimental sounds on the record, people thought of it as a "drug" record. And while he didn't do drugs, he did concede that Benefit could be considered a Lowenbrau record.
There's a beer that was everywhere back in the day but now it's nowhere...
It's #2 on my list. I still listen to it today. Played the crap out of it this last summer starting around mid-July😉
Thats my fav album
"Benefit" people,the best Tull album ever!Period!
Yes! You could play that album 10 times in a row while playing poker.
You nailed it today!!! Benefit is one of the great albums of all time. That was the best cup of coffee I have ever had. The wonderful Martin Barre. Great job.
I put TAAB first but I find myself going back to listen to Benefit more often than any other Tull album. Right up there with Disraeli Gears and LZ 4 for greatest hard rock lp of all time
I torture my family with Jethro Tull Christmas every year lol, love that album!
Benefit is a hidden gem of Folk Rock and To cry You A Song has one of the catchiest riffs ever.
1 - Stand Up 2- Thick As a Brick 3- Aqualung 4 - Minstrel In The Gallery
Good order
Yes!! I'd put Benefit and songs from the wood next on my list.
Growing up the the late 70s, I never really "got" Tull. It wasn't until I hit 50 years old that it dawned on me. Incredible music and they have at least 7 albums that are fantastic. Everything they produced from '69 to '79 in particular. Hard to pick a favorite.
For me ...grew up in the 80's...and when I hit the 40's I started listening seriously and grow up rapidly.....
I love Tull.
A Passion Play has always been my favorite.
Mine as well. Judt a great band all around.
Indeed. Good album
Long time fan of the band, but Passion Play I just don't get.
Love A Passion Play. Best Tull song is The Hare who lost his spectacles!!!
@@ParadoxapocalypSatan Totally agree...so much wasted space...and no great songs
Songs from the Wood is a masterpiece!
It’s such an uplifting album and Barriemore Barlow kills it on this Tull classic. Aqualung and Minstrel in the Gallery are a close second favorite for me. Again the drumming is incredible! Clive and Barriemore are legends!!
Fall of 73 I was a sophomore, and in our school library/media center were private rooms with glass doors, the rooms used for listening to record albums with library provided record players and albums. One day I walked past a room with two guys in my class I didn't really know, listening to a Mozart classical album propped up against the wall. For whatever reason I stopped and took in the scene, thinking one day I would do what they were doing. Surprisingly, they smiled and waved me inside. "Hey, you like classical music, right?" one of them asked. "Yeah, it's fine, I suppose, depending on what it is," I probably said. The truth is that at that point in my life, classical would have been the LAST music I wanted to hear. The great sounds of all that incredible 60's and early 70's classic rock was my passion. It was everywhere, on radio, TV, juke boxes, car 8-track players. FM rock out of Cleveland was especially dynamic, and with me still a few months away from buying my first decent turntable and the beginnings of my record collecting, radio was all I listened to. My favorite bands at the time were Deep Purple and Grand Funk.
"You gotta hear this incredible Mozart composition," one of them said. They handed me the headphones plugged into the record player, and dropped the tonearm at the start of the album. Instead of Mozart, I heard the opening riff to Aqualung! I hadn't heard it before, and my eyes went wide. They laughed, then opened up the Mozart album sleeve to reveal the Tull album hidden inside. They obviously planned that ruse, signing out a record player and an "approved" album as a cover to listen to their rock and prog albums. The three of us became fast friends from that day forward, our friendship based around music.
Songs From the Wood is in my all time Top 5
Jethro Tull is a band I largely ignored during their prime. As I've aged, I've come to really enjoy and appreciate their catalog. Aging isn't all bad.
check out tull miming to 'the mouse police never sleeps' and a great live version of 'minstrel in the gallery'. Love their 'rural rock' songs from the wood / horses / stormwatch period the most.
@@coolrocknroll Thanks! Will do.
How can you say that? Aqualung, A Passion Play, Heavy Horses, Songs from the Wood were massive at my time.
you are nuts,,,,rthey were HUGE!,,since then they perhaps have been but not in 1971 72..
@@joebloggs4754 I was seven. Learn to read and take a chill pill.
"I have no time for Time Magazine...or Rolling Stone...."
So many styles explored by Ian and the boys over time.
1. Passion Play
2. Stand Up
3. Benefit
4. Songs From the Wood
5. Minstrel in the Gallery
6. Heavy Horses
7. Thick as a Brick
8. Aqualung
9. Living in the Past
10. Crest of a Knave
Hunting Girl - One of the coolest/tastiest intros to a song... Ever?
Mmm I bet she was tasty, haha
In My TOP 10 Singles...EASY
Sexy as fuck. Same with Velvet Green.
Sexy as fuck. Same with Velvet Green.
Sexy as fuck. Same with Velvet Green.
Benefit has always been at the top for me, too.... vastly underrated album.
Maybe not everyone's favorite, but I loved Broadsword & The Beast. Especially "Flying Colors"
Agree, it has a great 'energy' like
'Minstrel', and in a way, Tull at their best.
I learned to really appreciate B&B by just cranking it up in the car. Plus hearing all the outtakes and realizing all the work and writing that goes into making these albums. Broadsword turned into one of my faves.
Some great songs. Pussy Willow is very catchy and Beastie is good played loud.
Always a favourite of mine. Maybe because it was the Broadsword tour when I first saw them.
@@Shadowking-oz5tb Never warmed to the "80s synth-rock" version of Tull.
@@mrgrey361 or for that matter, anything they did after A Passion Play for me. I saw them in 1970, 1972, 1973, and 1976. The first two were by far the best followed by 1976 and that horrid PP tour in 1973. The '76 show was better than '73. They actually played a lot of their older stuff cause Ian figured out that the audience didn't want to hear APP anymore. Good call Ian
Hard to rank these records, but I agree when it comes to "Benefit". Great album with no weak spots in my opinion. My own top 5 would probably look like this :
1. Benefit
2. Aqualung
3. Thick as a brick
4. Minstrel
5. Stand up
Well, at least these are the albums i keep going back to when i get an urge for Tull :)
I love Benefit. Sossity, To Cry You a Song are treasures.
With You There to Help Me
To Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me was played a lot in my house last summer.
@@jameschristiansson3137 the whole album is. Not a bad song on it.
Red X I have to agree 100%.
Recently listened to the entirety of Thick As A Birck. Absolutely amazing album and it was a blast from start to finish.
As for my favourite Jethro Tull album, mine is probably Songs From The Woods purely because it's a very nostalgic album for me as, it was not only the first Jethro Tull album I listened to, but it was my introduction to the progressive rock genre, so for that it has a very special place in my heart.
With no apology, A Passion Play is my fav Tull album. Saw the tour when it rolled through LA; show was so spectacular I went back the next night!
I unapologetically agree!! It is a complete work of genius. I was disappointed to hear Ian Anderson himself discounts his own work in this case. He seems to think he "took it too far", but as far as I am concerned there is not one wasted note on it. I enjoy Mr. Pardo's description of it here!
YES!!! Was waiting in suspense by #5 to see if Benefit was going to be your #1 pic.. Benefit I absolutely love it always been my #1 favorite Tull album What a massive discography this band has
My top three: "Songs from the wood", "Heavy horses" and "Stormwatch" from their 77-79 period. Love these trilogy , also the band lineup. There are so many great Tull albums, no "mistake" is possible. ☺
My favourite too!
Don’t have any Tull depth of knowledge outside of the usual players, this is a good jump off point for me to do some exploring
Have loved Tull for years. My top cd for many of those was Broadsword & The Beast ... mainly because that was the one that introduced me to the band. That said, my top 10 now are:
1. Songs From The Wood
2. Broadsword
3. Stormwatch
4. Heavy Horses
5. Passion Play
6. Thick As A Brick
7. Catfish Rising
8. Under Wraps
9. Benefit
10. Walk Into Light ... I know, it's an Ian solo record but I really love it.
Benefit is my favorite as well. Nothing To Say is Tull at their most psychedelic.
Passion Play is definitely close to the top for me. The last 10 minutes is incredibly powerful and has brought me to tears.
I agree. Benefit consistently sifts to the top of my list. Could be persuaded to agree to Thick as a Brick. All others are also-rans.
Tull is easily one of the best bands of all time, and Anderson is something of a genius, musically. He taught himself to play the flute and just one year later Tull release their first album! His guitar work isn't too shabby also, and plays some fairly complex acoustic work whilst singing. I've been playing the superb live album 'Bursting Out' a great deal of late - what a band and John Glascock's bass playing is top-notch! My favourite studio album is 'Songs From The Wood,' but there are so many great ones to choose from. I agree with Pete on 'Under Wraps, it's an execrable album! It's a shame Ian had such voice problems, he really struggles with the singing these days. It always amazes me how many superb bands have come out of such a small country like the UK; of course America has produced some equally stunning bands etc, but there's just something a bit special with Britain: Tull, Purple, Sabbath, Zeppelin, The Who, Uriah Heep, Lizzy, Queen, Floyd, The Stones, The Beatles, Maiden, Priest, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, Cream, Rainbow, Bad Company, T.Rex, Whitesnake, UFO, Blind Faith, Mott The Hoople, ELP, Yes, Ten Years After, Small Faces, Quo, Wishbone Ash, and loads I've probably left off, incredible!
Yes , like it is The Wellspring , the very Fountainhead of the Mystic Vapors of the Creativity Muses and Gods of Rock , and flows outwards from there , diluting as it covers the earth . So there is some everywhere , but right there , in that beautiful land , must be it's purest , undistilled source !
Or something else .
Yeah , PROBABLY something else that doesn't sound near as cool as this explanation .
The Kinks.
Roxy Music has to be in there--"understandable" omission I suppose but give them a listen...they belong in the top 5 bands of your list!!!
My first Rock-Concert in my life was during the "Heavy Horses-Tour". I love this album and until this very day I am very, very impressed of Barrymore Barlows Drum Solo! Regard "Bursting out - J.T. live" - "Conundrum"! Milestone!
John Bonham agreed and called BB the best drummer
Bonus points for the great mention of Dark Ages. One of my favourite Tull tracks from a personal favourite record. A criminally overlooked song. Nice video, enjoyed your views on this
I agree re: Dark Ages being a great song. The problem with some Tull albums is". The Mix. They could never decide whether to be heavier (and they SHOULD have)
Saw this video when you released it a few years ago and I come back to it from time to time. I love Tull and I really appreciate this list. Actually fun to agree and disagree with the rankings to make me think where I might rank them and also it gets me to go "Hey, I missed that deep cut (Occasional Demons)" or "I forgot all about that song, I have to go back to it (Dark Ages)". Thanks man!
Yess! Thanks for doing my request Pete!! My favourite band ❤️ I've always loved the folk trilogy and War Child the most!
For me (1) Songs From the Wood, (2) Broadsword and the Beast, (3) Stormwatch and (4) 'A' . These are all great albums IMO
Stand Up stands alone!
You’re absolutely correct!! Stand up is the most listenable and enjoyable for me.. this was is a great lp
For some reason I always loved Stand Up best also. It's not like anything I usually go for. Maybe it's because it's the first I got..sentimental.
My top Tull list changes with my mood but Benefit, Aqualung, Thick, Stand Up, and Minstrel always are in the mix along with War Child and Living. What I always found interesting, and probably why I like them so much, are the sometimes weird and unusual time signatures Anderson uses. That and the fact that through all the line-up changes the musicianship has been incredible. My favorite Anderson story is that when his daughter took up the flute he realized he's been playing it 'wrong' all those years. He relearned how to play it 'properly'.
Pete you are amazing. Thanks for taking the time to dedicate an episode to one of the world's best and most under appreciated bands. They are unique in sound, look and stage performance (totally outrageous). Great job ranking the music. Thanks again.
First album that got my interest was Bursting Out. Seeing them live in '78 made me a fan ! It was the second concert I ever went to, & still remains in my top 10 shows I've ever been to. Just got introduced to this channel. Very good !!!
Benefit has always been my favorite.
The first 7 LPs are the cream of the crop for me.. but I’m old and started listening to Tull on this was!! It should be in the top five!! Great job Pete
Awesome discography and great video thank you.
I can tell you my number one album would be"Benefit"and "'My God" will always remain my favorite Tull song off of any album.
Yeah, great album, one of my favs would be "Inside"
Benefit is their best album. Finally. Kindred.
"My God" is a electrified, progged up version of "God Bless The Child" By Blood Sweat & Tears (originally by Billie Holliday). Listen and you'll hear the clear connection
@@nastyhardcore7641 I can hear a bit of that in the riff, yeah. Hadn't made the connection. Both songs are great.
Best band ever !!
1 Benefit
2 Warchild
3 Too Old To Rock n' Roll: Too Young to Die !
Only ever heard Living in the Past Pete, but never listened to anything else. Now I've seen this I will have to check them out. Most definitely thanks Pete for the heads up much appreciated. Great Show, Great Channel 🎶🎶🎶👍👍👍🍻🍻🍻.
BRAVO, sir! What a marvelous dissertation on the music of Jethro Tull. Whether you and I agree on our rankings is irrelevant; it is obvious you have great respect, admiration, passion, and love for the music. And - for me - you have put into words the emotions I have carried through my life for this music. For that alone I am deeply grateful.
Benefit is my fave too - and I also love Stormwatch which I agree is really underrated
Big up for stormwatch comment.
Amazing dark album.very underrated.
@@peggs1 in my top 5
Doing this list before watching the video.
1) Benefit. My first Tull Album. Not a single weak moment on this album.
2) Broadsword and the Beast. I'm a Scot and this is a Scottish album. Broadsword, The Clasp and Beastie. Watching you, Watching me is so much fun. I saw them in Montpellier, France when they toured this.
3) Every other album they ever made.
Ian Anderson is from the same town as me as are Nazareth (I lived opposite Pete Agnew) and the Skids/Big Country. Proud to be Scottish and proud to be european!
GREAT STORY!!
I could not agree with you more! This is amazing! Loved your picks! Great job, great band. Really enjoyed this!
Well done sir! Just found your channel and enjoyed this a lot.
Been rediscovering Tull ever since TAAB2, as I had become disenchanted with them (and busy with life) after Walk Into Light and Under Wraps (excepting, of course, their return to “commercial greatness” with Crest of a Knave). Saw TAAB 1 & 2, two nights apart (Vienna, VA, then Philly) and have ever since and again been proud of my love of Anderson/Tull music and admiration for Ian himself. What a great musical journey we’ve been taken on, courtesy of IA.
Funny how everyone develops special bonds with different albums. I got Under Wraps in early 1986 and it was the “current” Jethro Tull album at the time. I felt really proud of its modern sound and listened to it constantly! Still one of my favorites.
“Living in the past” .... a súper álbum.
a compilation
@@joebloggs4754 For non-European countries that was all new fresh stuff though at the time, and the original packaging was so damn good, Ian put some effort into that one
I completely agree. NOT a compilation - mostly new material, with a handful of old songs. Remember, it was a double album, so there was enough new material for 1 full-length album, plus 2 long live numbers.
@@joethomas1146 yeah, that stuff had been released in the UK as singles but the audience in America had no idea because the singles weren't included on the albums, so it was a collection of their UK singles plus an album track per side/time period and the live side. :)
@@Youman71463 ahh, singles... I remember buying 45rpm records.
Thank you! Very informative, as usual.
My favorite band. His music is beautiful, it transports me to other dimensions.
"Roots to Branches" My favourite Tull album and I love most of their work.
Nightcap is amazing, Anderson's flute paying on this album to me, is his best ever! I love all of your hard work, and commitment, you put into your channel Pete. Thanks!
Yes, nightcap is really good.
Brilliant stuff, a superb look through the tull catalogue 👍
Benefit was the first album that my sister bought. She was 5 years older than me, but didn't mind that I played it as well. It was on an old stereogram. It really shaped what I thought about music.
Martins guitar on 'Teacher' was so dynamic, and the band was as one unit.
Thanks Gina!
There is no such thing as a bad Jethro Tull album (there . . . . . . I said it!), which makes them extremely difficult to rank. Half are excellent to some degree, and the other half are very good to some degree. Unlike many folks, I love Under Wraps . . . . . . but it would go in that second half rather than the first. To me it's just a measure of how great Tull is.
Tull is awesome. That would be a nightmare for me to rank. I always like Rock Island a lot. That would be the sleeper on my list.
Rock Island is my favorite of the post 70's Tull.
You are brilliant Pete. Love your insights and passion for music
Thanks for doing this!
loved broadsword! this was my first album i ever bought by them, so very nostalgic.
I can’t stop listening to “Old Aces Die Hard” unreleased track from SFTW. The arrangement is one of their best.
Only recently discovered your vids and channel Pete, but what can i say other than brilliant, love them. Keep up the good work.
Can't stop listening to A. It just blows me away. Had to say it.
1. A
2. Thick As a Brick
3. Songs from the Wood
4. Under Wraps
5. Heavy Horses
6. War Child
7. Stand Up
8. A Passion Play
9. Benefit
10. Aqualung
11. Stormwatch
12. Broadsword and the Beast
No particular order after that.
A rocks. I think of it as classic Tull with a healthy injection of Ultravox.
@@painevenice5030 That was the album that really got me into them.
Under Wraps is the biggest crap ever , even by 80ties standards.
@@scotchgod8478 Tull's classic style and syntax upgraded for the Fairlight age. It requires a trained set of ears to fully appreciate its complexity.
Under Wraps is not crap...when you ever saw Tull LIVE is when you jumped in and followed that album. Uneducated trolls criticize the albums and wish that Catfish Rising was their favorite album. Why is 'A' your favorite???? [I love 'A' but it's not my fav]
Yeah you really got to give props to Steven Wilson re-mixes. Them things sound great
Found your channel just recently and a big thumbs up from across the [pond in the U.K! I would have to say that for me personally Benefit is one of my favourites as it has a certain vibe to it that gives it real charm. Always an album I like to go back to every so often and enjoy listening to. As they say class always lasts!
Jethro Tull, Aqualung, was my first concert in 1971 at The Forum in Inglewood Calif. I was 13. My jaw was on the floor, my eyes were as big as frisbee`s it was great. So it`s my #1
I love "Under Wraps", can't help it.
Same here! Hated it when it first released in 1984 but i never really gave it a second listen. Rediscovered it recently and to my delight found that most, even dare I say all, the songs are belters. I just wish IA would remix it with Doane Perry playing rather than the slightly robotic drum machine he used.
@@seankayll9017 Exactly, in 1984 I just expected Tull to do something completely different. But then again, that's what great artists do: They don't write what you want them to but rather do something you might not be ready for, yet.
I know it goes without saying - when buying a Tull album, try and find a version with bonus tracks, even if you have to pay a few more pennies for it:
Pan Dance
Kelpie
Broadford Bazaar
Jack-A-Lynn
Summerday Sands
Living in these Hard Times
King Henry's Madrigal
Lick your Fingers Clean
March the Mad Scientist
Why the likes of these songs were never included on the original albums, I'll never know.
Agree!!! I recently rediscovered Jack-A-Lynn (quiet version) and am blown away by what a wonderful piece of music it is, and marvel that it was not an A-side track for one of the albums.
Yep, that's the fun with Jethro Tull. So many albums to suit so many moods. But the two that I return to most often are Aqualung and Too Old To Rock n' Roll: Too Young to Die. The latter has wonderful arrangements and lyrics: nostalgic and rather moving. 'From A Dead Beat To An Old Greaser' and 'The Chequered Flag (Dead Or Alive)' always bring a lump to my throat.
Totally WITH you on Stormwatch -- I love it! What a cool album cover, too. One of my favorites!
fantastic ranking - thanks - my top 10: passion play - 9:too old - 8: minstrel - 7: benefit - 6: horses - 5: stand up - 4: songs wood - 3 - broadsword - 2: aqualung - 1: brick
Ah yes... Crest of a Knave. Grammy winner for best "metal" album.
My favorite Tull is A Passion Play. Never tire of it. Enjoyed hearing your ranking!
Teacher is the BEST song and.thick as.a.brick the.best álbum of J T
Great reviews! JT have been my favorite group my entire life, and I appreciate your balanced and reasonable approach. Quite often critics tear the albums they dislike to shreds while praising their favorites, but you offer a fair and balanced viewpoint throughout. I love Stormwatch, Roots to Branches, Songs From the Wood...etc. so it was great to hear your opinion on those. Fantastic job!
Songs from the Woods. hit me at a time when I was into hiking, I loved the sound. A favorite hidden gem, One Whine Duck, simple elegance. in the string arrangements
For me, I might sound weird with this ranking, and it's really hard for me to choose between Tull's albums between 1968 and 1977, but for now it's:
20- Under Wraps
19- Rock Island
18- Jethro-Tull Dot Com
17- A
16- Catfish Rising
15- Stormwatch
14- The Broadsword And the Beast
13- Roots To Branches
12- Crest Of Knave
11- Too Old To Rock N' Roll; Too Young To Die
10- A Passion Play
09- This Was
08- Heavy Horses
07- Stand Up
06- Benefit
05- Minstrel In the Gallery
04- War Child
03- Aqualung
02- Songs From the Wood
01- This As A Brick
Just a couple of friendly corrections: It was "A", not Under Wraps which was originally to be an Anderson solo album. TAAB2 is very definitely Anderson solo. Ian ended Tull in 2011 and performed under his own name until very recently. He now appears to be using the Tull name again.
qdaveq yes sir correct. I loved Mark Craney
That's right.. I wasn't watching this, only listening and I was assuming he was talking about "A" until he mentioned Under Wraps.
I did hear the the "A" stood for Anderson as it was going to be a solo effort.
As an aside; Crossfire from the A album was about the SAS storming the Iranian Embassy in London in 1980.
Under Wraps isn't a bad album. I do like lots of the tracks on there, although performing it live did a lot of damage to Ian's voice at the time.
I was gonna say the same
More marketable using the Jethro Tull name again, although it is certainly not JT anymore.
@Martin Hayward Ian is Jethro Tull just like fogery is CCR and mark Knopfler is dire straits and ELO is jeff lynne. Anyone who they hire makes up the rest of the band but without those guys you don't have those bands
Excellent listing, one of the best I have seen on these channels.
And a major THANK YOU for the heads up about Ian Anderson's Thick As A Brick 2. I did not know that it even existed and after watching your show, I immediately found it. On my third listen of the night already!! Thanks again Pete!!
Crest of a Knave is a very underrated album imo. Love it.
I love farm under the freeway
@@shaynewest8757 Not only a metal..., it is a heavy metal instrument!!! ;))
@@danohstoolbox Farm on the Freeway might be an even more meaningful song now.
I was a teen when it came out and knew it was great then but now it's epic. But sad also.
@@russellgentile4719 where i am in Canada i have seen so much farmland being sold for houses and highways
@Eirik Rødberg That was Rock Island, wasn't it?
3-way tie for first: Aqualung, Minstrel, Thick/Brick.
My favorite band! nice to hear about them.
Well, now I'm going to have to go and listen to all of these albums again!
Up To Me has some of the best wa wa ever.
Two albums that I continually come back to are Stand Up and Heavy Horses. Also is there a better album cover than Broadsword and the Beast?
One of the absolute best bands to see on stage!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
My favorite Tull album:
Benefit
In the Spring of 1971, I had dropped a tab of mescaline the first time I listened to Benefit. I was in a van traveling to the Camptown Races (doo-da, doo-da) in Virginia, USA. It was truly a pychetastic experience! Nothing To Say was stamped indelible on my mind that day. Thus, Benefit has a special place in my music listening life. Never to be forgotten!
My favorite song on the Auqualung album is "Mother Goose".
My all time favorite is Benefit too! For Michael Collins Jeffrey and me the song that i love.
Such a great, and overlooked point, regarding favorite albums often being driven by moments in our lives. For those that don't follow trends, and sincerely listen to the music, I believe this is probably at the top of the list for deciding factors.
Sensational Pete. I have never heard heavy horses or storm watch - now I am going out to get them, thanks mate