A brilliant recording, "My God" being one of the best lyrical compositions ever. Aqualung began a period of amazing albums followed by Thick As A Brick, Passion Play, Minstrel In The Gallery and Songs From The Woods. Ian Anderson is at his best when he writes in the "accusatory" pointing out hypocrisy and the facades of the upper class and venerated institutions. I was Ian's/Tull's publicist during this period and it was a distinct honor to work with such a literary and musical genius.
The liner notes on the album give a huge insight to the themes of this masterwork: 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 seven 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 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.
Has nobody ever noticed that Martin Barr's guitar solo on Aqualung is probably the most well constructed and melodious minor pentatonic solo ever, made remarkable by the fact that while it uses the exact same scale as a million other solos before and ever since, it does not use a single one of the cliches universally associated with that scale?
Yes I have. It's brilliant and for me it's an earworm. Once that solo and his breaks between episodes of the song starts playing in my head I can't get rid of it for days. It's SO GOOD. I've long wondered whether Martin came up with it or Ian.
As a young teen I attended my second Pink Floyd concert, and as their opening act a new ( to me) band from UK came on as Jethro Tull. It was so good, I hung on every lyric, and the music was awe inspiring. I was a Floyd fan, but kept replaying the unexpected JT performance on the ride home. I bought their album the next day, and the subsequent albums. I was expecting the usual second rate opening act, but was duly impressed with Ian Anderson's musical ballet presence. We were fans from that first tour in Canada. I am still huge fans of both UK bands. My only regret today is that we will not likely see these bands live now in 2022. Cheers, I enjoy your channel. My date that night and then my husband to be is a very gifted musician.
It's a shame that people only ever seem to play Aqualung and Thick As a Brick. I wish my favourite Tull album, "Stand Up" got more love. So great and so under-appreciated.
Their first two albums were great works. "With You There To Help Me" is a favorite, as is "The Teacher", and many others. These are what you get when real talent is pursued and made into skill. It is an act of volition, not a lottery win as the envious claim. It is an act of devotion and failth. It takes a lot of courage to pin one's future on an uncertainty. That is what defines the enterpreneur anc visionary. I have nothing but the deepest respect and admiration for all who pursue their lives in this manner and make good.
I have a fondness for "Song For Jeffery" because the first time I heard it was on Rolling Stones Circus, and the guitar player that inspired me to start playing, Tony Iommi, was playing guitar.
I`m just a simple german musician... born in 1961... growing up as a Tull/Genesis/a.m.o. --- still love to play my classic-rock guitar every day & since today: love your channel & comments !!! ---
“I was a huge success as a flute player, playing it entirely wrongly,” Anderson tells Ken Bruce, laughing heartily. “I discovered, when my daughter was learning to play flute at school, that she was using different fingering for some of the notes. I told her: ‘This is wrong; it should be like this.’ She said: ‘No, it’s not; look, it says so in the book!’ I had to come to the unnerving conclusion that she was right, the books were right, and I was most embarrassingly wrong.”
One wonders (I don't play the flute): if he did play notes that fitted the rest of the music, it wasn't musically wrong. He only didn't use the standard fingerings for it. Probably there are good reasons to start learning flute with these fingerings (like I did with guitar), but that doesn't make other fingerings wrong by definition ;-)
In the same interview he also said that, as he discovered that, he started learning again how to play with the correct fingering. So kudos for an artist who has still the will of learning after years of work and success.
This 70's era is full of truly iconic passages in which they depart from the common musical construction. They also bring us a reflection on an ancestral social inequality reflected in our era in which the change of various work technologies was too fast to accommodate an equitable adaptation to the income that this work provides. The musical excerpts represent and they thus reflect an image of the sudden changes and extinctions of certain skills for certain jobs that the machines of the industrial revolution and those of computer technologies have brought to a society that does not adapt so easily to the unhappiness of many poor unfortunates who thus are remembered and exposed to the world by these excellent musicians. I think that these 70's came to show us that all human behavior should be rethought and changed in order to soften all unnecessary social upheavals, especially economic poverty. Nowadays only bread and circuses no longer works. People specialized more than that. This is pure humanity.
My 'God' is my passion, MUSIC... I cant help writing and have the ability to record and now release to the world. I have written since the 3rd grade but it wasnt until 50 years ago that I really felt the urge, the pull to really write poems, prose, verse, songs... and it became my passion. I have always asked my co-workers what their passion is.. and have been surprised by the number of people who dont have any passion at all. It drives me. My father was an incredible musician and vocalist. He was a tenor and sang in choirs for decades because of his love of singing. Boeing Stratosingers was a group he sang with for the longest. But he also did barber shop and church music having been a catholic the first 55 years of his life... just keeping it as real as I can... Mark Q. Warren
LOVED YOUR ANALYSIS OF THIS THOUGHT PROVOKING CLASSIC - AS A LAPSED CATHOLIC WHO WAS ONCE a NALTAR BOY -I GOT THE IDEA THAT IT'S ALOT MORE ABOUT LOVING , PEOPLE , ANIMALS AND things in NATURE ,,,AND LESS ABOUT ALL THOSE DOGMATIC RULES and unconscious prayers THAT MAKE US THINK THAT IT IS 'US AGAINST THEM'',,,, [AND THAT OUR PARTICULAR RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND HAS ALL THE ANSWER S . but that THAT IF WE CAN CONNECT WITH OUR TRUE SOULS -WE ARE GOD , AND WE CAN BE AS LOVING AS JESUS WAS ,,,THANX, MAESTRO DOUG ,,I LOVE YOUR SHOWS !
I hate those posts that ask you to name the artist, album, or songs that meant the most to you growing up - but, for me, Jethro Tull just might be that artist, Aqualung just might be that album, and the songs just might be Aqualung, Locomotive Breath, and Wind-Up. I saw the band live several times, as well. I never clicked a video so fast. You're awesome, Doug. Loved the thoughtful and eloquent commentary.
I am a theory nerd, and love the commentary :) Not only is the opening Aqualung riff bluesy, but I love how including the opening d-flat introduces a tri-tone, the so-called "Devil's tone." A harmonic revelation of the two ways in which people see Aqualung himself: deserving of pity, or the devil himself :) I saw Jethro Tull live at every opportunity: five times between 1972-75 alone. Truly electrifying. Sorry that you don't care for the acoustic parts of the title song. I feel strongly that this is where we get the compassionate view of Aqualung: "Aqualung my friend, Don't just start away uneasy. You poor old sod, you see it's only me." Other see the snot, while one alone (acoustic) calls him friend. Thanks, Doug!
Martin Barre's great lead guitar work sounds pretty Rock to me. That great lead solo in Aqualung, the riffing and fills in Locomotive Breath, and the great leads in Wind-Up are prime examples of a great Rock guitarist. Tull had moved away from the Blues when Martin joined on the 2nd album and it shows in the guitar content.
Three songs, so I gave three comments :) Wind Up: I grew up in a religious home. This was a favorite album of mine in 1971 (I was 14 years old). When my father heard Wind Up for the first time on a Sunday (I was singing along in my room: "you can excommunicate me..." as he listened on the other side of the door) he freaked out, and made me turn off my turntable. It was only many years later when we could talk about it calmly that I explained that I, too, was not interested in a God one had to "wind up" on Sundays. Jethro TUll was MY voice at that age. I am a mystic, so my view of divinity is quite different. You are one of the very few reactors who really get it ;) Thanks!
I loved your exposition at the end. I was raised as a Catholic. Having that experience, I found "Wind Up" spoke volumes to me. It very much summed up how I felt about God and some of the problem I had with what I had been taught. It said exactly what I wanted to say, in that I felt God was a wonderful presence for me and I wanted to scream at some people, "No! He isn't some sort of wind-up doll! Quit trying to make him LESS by confining him to your walled-in version of what he is." Anyway, thank you and _ I mean this in whatever way it means something nice to you - God bless :-)
I agree with you about Wind Up. I love the lyrics. He's not the kind you wind up on Sunday. And he carries their God under his arm on the way to school. I don't believe you can limit God to an ancient book.
The album isn't only about religion and our place in society. The other major theme was of the plight of the outsider (the homeless, etc). The other thing in the album was the contrast between the heavy, dark and brooding vibes of most of the album with the lighter and less intense ditties in between. Ian said this was a difficult album to record and that he still wasn't perfectly happy with it after lots of attempts.
1971, went to a friend's house who had a stereo with Altech Lansing voice of the theater speakers. Aqualung, Abbey road, Cosmos factory. It was paradise 🙂
Ian Anderson's father was a minister in the church, so he was brought up in a religious environment. The line "don't tell me I'm my fathers son..." I think is personal to him, about his own upbringing. Once you realise this, the whole song makes a lot more sense, he is singing about his own childhood. Had the pleasure of seeing Tull in Manchester, in 1976. One of the best concerts I have ever been to. They were absolutely brilliant, and of course, so was Anderson. What a stage presence! Martin Barre is celebrating 50 years of Aqualung by playing the full album live on tour, and it just so happens that he is playing it in my home town of Grimsby, Lincolnshire on my birthday, in September. Can't wait!!
Anderson's father a minister in the church? Please direct me to where you can find that information, as the only credited occupation of his father on the net is that he ran the RSA Boiler Fluid Company in East Port, Dunfermline before the family moved to Blackpool.
Hey Doug, your comments at the end, and your discussion about where your belief lies and your approach to the bible was one of the more beautiful things I've seen on RUclips for a while. When I first heard "Wind-Up" back in the early 90s, it was like a lightning bolt for me, too, and helped me to settle some of my own struggles with the dogmatic side of religious institutions, the nature of belief, and one's human responsibilities versus the abdication of that personal responsibility to a ritualized institution. I just wanted to thank you for sharing your personal experiences, and for doing it in such a beautiful and respectful way.
Thanks for telling your story, Doug. I thought it would be rude to ask, but I'm glad to hear it! I was raised Catholic, but have only been in a church for weddings since I left home at 19. Most of my family is still religious (and Republican!), however. Definitely I've loved the lyrics for this album, especially "My God" and "Wind Up", since I first heard the album. They just seem so...reasonible, to me!
I come back to this video every now and then to play along with wind up because of just how much it resonates with me, and the commentary just help to draw out those emotions. Thanks again Doug.
Ian has said he was inspired by Robert Burns "To A Mouse" when he wrote the line "don't you start away uneasy". Burns wrote "Thou need na start awa sae hasty,". And indeed the plight of the homeless man is like the plight of the mouse who Burns has made homeless with his plow on a cold winter day. Burns of course is Anderson's countryman and fellow bard.
Hey Doug, thank you for your reaction videos which I as a musician enjoy everytime. The only thing I don‘t like is when you talk in the middle of the music because then I miss out on both. But anyway: Go, Doug, go! ;-)
Ian Anderson is a brilliant lyricist. "Wind Up" has to be one of the greatest satires of religion ever written. You should also listen to "My God" and "Hymn 43" from this album - very much the same territory
Without swearing a single time ,it is one of the most vicious and attacking diatribes to religion I’ve read in a lyrics’ song . And yes “My God “and “Hymn 43”goes the same way .
It's not religion as a general concept that he's railing against - it's unchanging, cult-like, organized religion specifically. He's found his own way to talk to God, and doesn't need their Church or their Bible or their ceremonies.
Great Video Doug. Thanks! In an interview one time, Ian Anderson said "Aqualung" was actually a poem his wife wrote about common misconceptions people have about the homeless. He was so impacted by it, he wrote the music to make it a song. "Wind Up" was one of three songs on this classic album where Ian blasts the National Church of England and their schools for trying to teach about man's version of God - different than the God that Ian understood. The other two songs are "My God" and "Hymn 43" (based loosely on Psalm 43). Around the same time, Emerson, Lake & Palmer recorded the song "Jerusalem" (based on an old Hymn) on the album Brain Salad Surgery, that describes the same concerns Ian had. ALL of these songs are REALLY great songs, whether or not you like the messages!
Aqualung is and was the song that introduced me to Jethro Tull. And I have been a fan to this day. Owning every record, seen them seven times and still listening today at 63. It’s not the kind you have to Wind Up on Sundays. The entire album is a play.
It's so nice to hear someone praise "Wind Up"', it's a song that's really resonated with me ever since I first heard it as a teenager. I had the same experience as Ian - being packed off to "Sunday School" and feeling like I was being indoctrinated into a cult, not being taught about God. Anyway, most people who listen to songs off of Aqualung never react to this one, and a lot of those that do the content just goes right over their heads - so thank you, sincerely, for your thoughtful take on it.
Doug! The words you've been kind enough to share with us outside of the music, I hear and respect and love what you're saying and your sentiments on religion, and your views of it. I can't thank you enough for how honest you've been with us since the beginning of your channel. I'm so taken back right now, by your continued respect and decency!💜💜💜 You've really developed a loving and supportive community! Everyone should try to be so decent and fourth coming!🙏🙏🙏 "We can ALL be heroes!"- My youtube professor!
I loved your confiding your spiritual worldview in us, Doug. And I’m delighted that “ Wind Up” struck such a chord. My favourite JT track, and gave review of yours
It's so great to see someone get "Wind Up". Such an awesome song. It was the last song of their early seventies concerts. Really cool...so many memories.
Funny, I saw Tull somewhere around ‘75 and absorbed their albums. I mean absorbed. I used to sing dance around the living room when nobody was home but I have no memory of Wind Up
To go along with your discussion of Ian Anderson's view on religion the vinyl album (I'm not sure if the CD had these) liner notes included these lines that seem to express his view nicely: 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 seven 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 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. Rather interesting stuff.
When i was in college in 1974 I played Wind Up in church. When I tell (told, really; haven’t mentioned it in years) people in the know that, they are amazed-until I elaborate that it was in a Unitarian Universalist church. I wouldn't have dared played it in a Catholic Church, where I was raised and went to grade school. No point in preaching to a choir that is incapable of listening. A year later I took an elective course at university in classical guitar. The classroom was on the top of the school’s bell tower, and the professor’s name was John Lennon. On day 1 he whipped out a copy of Bach’s “Bourree” (well known to any Tull fan) and announced that my first assignment was to learn it. Just more of the famous Tull coincident synchronicity. My God is the song of the Aqualung album, not to be overlooked. There’s more passion and variation in its flute solo than anywhere in the Tull catalog.
I only gave this a look today because of Aqualung. I was there when it came out and gave me a great appreciation for a whole different kind of rock. I love it. It was part of me for a long time.
Thanks for being so honest (about your theological views) Doug and I'm happy that Jethro Tull was the act that provoked. The lyrics are always very sincere.
One of thee coolest things about the 70's... Everyone was trying to use songs and song (Lyrics) to make you think about more then, holding hands, or your girl friend, or being glad all over, and BS like that. All of a sudden everybody wanted to be like Bob Dylan with his intellectual lyrics. The Beatles and Stones both switched off the pop songs and started using lyrics as stories or messages or even lyrical weapons. Ian Anderson, like John Lennon, Ray Davies, John Prine, Paul Simon, Jim Croce, and many more, was a master at making you listen closely to what he had to say.. Geezer Butler wrote some amazing lyrics, but because it was "Black Sabbath", he was under rated, because it must be devil music. So many groups and singer/songwriters from the 70's & 80's to mention. Jethro Tull is ALWAYS my go to nostalgia music, even over Steely Dan. P.S. God is NOT religious, what so ever ! God is A CREATOR WITH A PLAN !
Hi Doug - great review. I always thought the lines in Wind Up about "How do you dare tell me that I'm my father's son because that is just an accident of birth" was also a comment on the English (UK) class system and private (misnamed Public in the UK) school system where a lot is/was rooted in inherited position and privilege (ie you will be successful and behave in a certain way because you are "you're father's son") and in the song it sounds like its the Headmaster telling him this. This is why he goes on to say a better measure of his worth is composing a better song (ie rather than his inherited position). I think it is partially about the private school system because of the way he says he leaves it with "their God tucked under his arm" - it sounds to me like he's running away from a boarding school (he also says when he was young "they packed me off to school" and being "groomed for success" right at the beginning). I agree it is provocative and thought provoking (the whole album is).
Glad you liked it. Smart, witty, poignant writer, Ian Anderson is. One of the best bands of the 70's. Have you done a long listen to either "Thick As a Brick", or "A Passion Play"? Would love to see your reactions to those. Cheers!
Aqualung, the song, is such a well constructed song; it opens with the heavy riff with lyrics that reflect what one usually feels when confronted by a homeless person; then it goes to just guitar when the lyrics describe the pathetic man he is; it picks up again and the lyrics tell what he has to do to live each day. It ends with the lyrics of "disgust" with the heavy riff. Lastly one of the great guitar solos I've ever heard. I was there when this album came out. Consider the album "Benefit" in the future if you would. Thanks for doing this Doug, enjoyable.
I still remember the first time I heard "Wind up" - my mind racing with all the multi-layered meanings, but most of all being blown away by the complex nature of the title itself. The title references so many things all in just two words: -It is the last song of the album, so it "winds up". -"He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays" can be interpreted as saying you don't have to treat church or God as a wind-up toy - something to be done each week simply because it won't work otherwise. But also this could refer to a lot of people just going to church on Sunday as their single shallow religious activity without actually applying Christian belief to their actual lives. Ian seems to be accusing these people of winding God up - lying to Him. -The song has a strong message of individuality - socially as well as religiously - Ian calls it an "accident of birth". He is releasing himself from his parentage and saying that his beliefs are his own - he has "wound up" where he is, there was no plan to that, and that is for the best. The song showcases Ian's mastery with words, and the power of verse. It is truly one for the ages.
Only Anderson could perform Locomotive breath the way it was meant to be played. Professional flautists are blown away, bearing in mind he was self taught
@@stevemd6488 it was to them i was referring, specifically 'Locomotive Breath (Live)' His technique defied classical rules and thus he was able to surpass even some orchestral flautists.
Only in the late 1990's, Anderson realized that he was playing the flute wrong. His fingerings were incorrect, but he re-dedicated himself to learn the correct fingerings, and felt that he was much improved. Also, the baby finger on his right hand is deformed (or broken badly), which inhibits his playing to some extent.
Saw them on the “Songs From The Wood” tour on November 20, 1977 at Nassau Coliseum , Long Island NY. I was one very lucky 16 year-old - still the best show I’ve ever seen of dozens & dozens over years & years.
Hi Doug - Very enjoyable video you have rekindled my love of Jethro Tull. Love your comments at the end. I have an idea for a short vid sometime - You may know this but on JT's second album "Stand Up" there is a song called "We Used To Know" which - how can I put this diplomatically - pre-echoes the mega hit "Hotel California". I'd love to hear from you how closely they do relate to one another, is it plagiarism, inspiration or coincidence? The chord sequence definitely supports terrific guitar solos on both songs. Apparently Ian Anderson says he's fine with it - they are both great songs. Which means he's a grand generous fellow (which he is) or just maybe he got it from somewhere else - maybe some old english folk music. My name is Alan from Yorkshire UK - you tube gave me this stupid handle and I never bothered to change it.
Nice rant (ish) at the end Doug good words and sentiment. Music is a religion and there are zealots and haters there too. And no one knows the answer we have to be open and accepting.
My pet peeve of many 70s songs were the great instrumental intros that were cut off in the single versions for radio play, I have always loved the piano intro to Locomotive Breath!
I had the great fortune of seeing Jethro Tull LIVE! 7 (seven) times, back in the `70's ... always an unforgettable performance ... not simply just masterful musicianship, but absolutely extraordinary showmanship! They put on a SHOW to remember in each and every play of their passion. An Historic Treasure of Progressive Rock, et al.
50 years on, ... I had caught most of the lyrics, and I had thought of it as another step in waking from mass hypgnosis by established religions; glad to hear your clear "this was bold" (or however you put it). Your musical technical language is like trying to follow spanish after 1 semester 9 years ago. A few morphemes here and there. But emotional, non-"understood" content feels as strong as ever. thanks for this.
Thanks so much for your closing comments, Doug. Back in high school, Ian Anderson (the Holy Subversive) reinforced my innate understanding that I'm gonna have to work all this out on my own, and that I can do this! Through their music and lyrics, Ian and others pointed me in the right direction and encouraged me to have creative faith in myself without being arrogant.
Keep in mind, his criticism of the church is mostly focused on The Church of England, with a bit of residual on The Vatican. However, I'm sure if Ian had grown up in the midwest he would not have been satisfied with our particular brand of Protestant Christianity. Our individual churches and pastors seem to have great intentions yet on a larger scale, these institutions have created a legacy of jackassery on a scale difficult to anticipate even by the most imaginative minds.
You say that Wind-up "is Brilliant!" Imagine us (UK) public school pupils hearing this for the first time way back then!! Talk about hitting a nerve! Genius!
Ian Anderson is always very good with words. Did you pick up on the TRIPLE meaning of "wind up"? 1) As he sings it, his God is not the kind you have to wind up (like clockwise). 2) This song, being the last track, pretty obviously "winds up" the album. 3) In casual usage in the UK, to "wind someone up" means to provoke them, and a "wind up" is a provocation. I'm pretty sure Ian had all three meanings in mind ...
Great final commentary, Doug. I was born a catholic as most brazilians are (or at least were, though the Catholic religion is still somewhat predominant in Brazil, the gap from other religions has been closing) and as time went by I have changed a lot in terms of how I see religion and the bible. Though I've changed to another religion, my current point of view is very similar to yours.
Idk if I've watched this before (alcoholism, you see) but Wind Up is very dear to me. All of Aqualung is, but especially Wind Up. It's a very sweet song
Tull. ..,... Was.., is. My favorite concert was tull . Even though I was escorted out after the concert was over. A friend of mine , " tony " " started yelling out cross eyed Mary . The one song he was there to hear above all others . They didn't and he loudly proclaimed his hurt feelings . Funny then , funny now . Longliverock !!!!
Doug. Thank you. Your comments at the end of the video really transcended Rock music. I have owned this album since ‘71 and have every lyric memorized, every tone is known. But honestly I was here alone with you listening and weeping at the joy and connection I felt from you and your story. Thank you so much
As a teenager, Wind Up gave me strength and inspiration to go on finding my own belief. Even though I quickly settled for an atheistic view, this song still makes tears in my eyes.
FYI, Jethro Tull was an Englishman who in 1701 revolutionized the agriculture of England by inventing the horse-drawn "seed-drill", allowing huge tracts of land to be economically planted and farmed. RockOn,, Doug.
A brilliant recording, "My God" being one of the best lyrical compositions ever. Aqualung began a period of amazing albums followed by Thick As A Brick, Passion Play, Minstrel In The Gallery and Songs From The Woods. Ian Anderson is at his best when he writes in the "accusatory" pointing out hypocrisy and the facades of the upper class and venerated institutions. I was Ian's/Tull's publicist during this period and it was a distinct honor to work with such a literary and musical genius.
This. I always skip back and listen to this at least one more time.
Lucky you, He's him.
"Jack-A-Lynn" and "Kelpie" i also LOVE
The liner notes on the album give a huge insight to the themes of this masterwork:
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 seven 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 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.
Posted these on my wall at 20 YO. And Ian insists it wasn't a concept album...
The encredible thing about most of the tullalbums are the vereity . so you have so many tunes to love from different decades.WOW !
Has nobody ever noticed that Martin Barr's guitar solo on Aqualung is probably the most well constructed and melodious minor pentatonic solo ever, made remarkable by the fact that while it uses the exact same scale as a million other solos before and ever since, it does not use a single one of the cliches universally associated with that scale?
Wow. I just re-listened to that solo. Amazing! Thanks for the comment
At least get his name right. It's not Barr.
Yes I have. It's brilliant and for me it's an earworm. Once that solo and his breaks between episodes of the song starts playing in my head I can't get rid of it for days. It's SO GOOD. I've long wondered whether Martin came up with it or Ian.
@@PhillipLandmeierExcellent question. Now that you mention it, the note choices are definitely not choices a guitar player would intuitively make.
And Jimmy Page was in the studio producing that track.
First concert that I ever attended in Leeds just before the release of this album.
IIRC Ian's wife wrote AQUALUNG
As a young teen I attended my second Pink Floyd concert, and as their opening act a new ( to me) band from UK came on as
Jethro Tull. It was so good, I hung on every lyric, and the music was awe inspiring. I was
a Floyd fan, but kept replaying the unexpected JT performance
on the ride home. I bought their album the next day, and the subsequent albums. I was expecting the usual second rate opening act, but was duly
impressed with Ian Anderson's
musical ballet presence. We were fans from that first tour in Canada. I am still huge fans of both UK bands. My only regret today is that we will not likely
see these bands live now in 2022. Cheers, I enjoy your
channel. My date that night and then my husband to be is a very
gifted musician.
Incredible geniuses but seeing them live adds to the admiration of Jethro Tull.
Dude,the piano intro to Locomotive Breath is iconic. Just the first two notes at a concert drives everyone wild.
But it was a radio edit. Except for those alternative rock stations extended plays.
Love your videos Doug ,keep up the good work.
It's a shame that people only ever seem to play Aqualung and Thick As a Brick.
I wish my favourite Tull album, "Stand Up" got more love. So great and so under-appreciated.
The first 3: This Was, Stand Up, Benefit are their best works IMO.
“We used to know” is a fantastic song. “Hotel California’s” chord progression is exactly the same.
Their first two albums were great works.
"With You There To Help Me" is a favorite, as is "The Teacher", and many others.
These are what you get when real talent is pursued and made into skill. It is an act of volition, not a lottery win as the envious claim. It is an act of devotion and failth. It takes a lot of courage to pin one's future on an uncertainty. That is what defines the enterpreneur anc visionary. I have nothing but the deepest respect and admiration for all who pursue their lives in this manner and make good.
I have a fondness for "Song For Jeffery" because the first time I heard it was on Rolling Stones Circus, and the guitar player that inspired me to start playing, Tony Iommi, was playing guitar.
I love that album. Benefit and War Child are also great albums.
I`m just a simple german musician... born in 1961... growing up as a Tull/Genesis/a.m.o. --- still love to play my classic-rock guitar every day & since today: love your channel & comments !!! ---
Your analysis of Wind Up is spot on. Sometimes music is more than music.
“I was a huge success as a flute player, playing it entirely wrongly,” Anderson tells Ken Bruce, laughing heartily. “I discovered, when my daughter was learning to play flute at school, that she was using different fingering for some of the notes. I told her: ‘This is wrong; it should be like this.’ She said: ‘No, it’s not; look, it says so in the book!’ I had to come to the unnerving conclusion that she was right, the books were right, and I was most embarrassingly wrong.”
But brilliant. Who says it has to be done by the classical book? If it works, it works.
he always has sounded perfectly right .
Daughter: You are blowing in the wrong end.
Ian: Who cares.
One wonders (I don't play the flute): if he did play notes that fitted the rest of the music, it wasn't musically wrong. He only didn't use the standard fingerings for it. Probably there are good reasons to start learning flute with these fingerings (like I did with guitar), but that doesn't make other fingerings wrong by definition ;-)
In the same interview he also said that, as he discovered that, he started learning again how to play with the correct fingering. So kudos for an artist who has still the will of learning after years of work and success.
Your insight and delight into the lyrics of "Wind Up" is my favourite thing yet. Thanks Doug.
I don't think anyone mentioned it, but I'm pretty sure often on radio they used an edit that cut out the intro.
I was going to suggest more tull. However we'd be here for weeks. Its all good.
This 70's era is full of truly iconic passages in which they depart from the common musical construction.
They also bring us a reflection on an ancestral social inequality reflected in our era in which the change of various work technologies was too fast to accommodate an equitable adaptation to the income that this work provides.
The musical excerpts represent and they thus reflect an image of the sudden changes and extinctions of certain skills for certain jobs that the machines of the industrial revolution and those of computer technologies have brought to a society that does not adapt so easily to the unhappiness of many poor unfortunates who thus are remembered and exposed to the world by these excellent musicians.
I think that these 70's came to show us that all human behavior should be rethought and changed in order to soften all unnecessary social upheavals, especially economic poverty.
Nowadays only bread and circuses no longer works. People specialized more than that.
This is pure humanity.
My 'God' is my passion, MUSIC... I cant help writing and have the ability to record and now release to the world. I have written since the 3rd grade but it wasnt until 50 years ago that I really felt the urge, the pull to really write poems, prose, verse, songs... and it became my passion. I have always asked my co-workers what their passion is.. and have been surprised by the number of people who dont have any passion at all. It drives me. My father was an incredible musician and vocalist. He was a tenor and sang in choirs for decades because of his love of singing. Boeing Stratosingers was a group he sang with for the longest. But he also did barber shop and church music having been a catholic the first 55 years of his life... just keeping it as real as I can... Mark Q. Warren
LOVED YOUR ANALYSIS OF THIS THOUGHT PROVOKING CLASSIC - AS A LAPSED CATHOLIC WHO WAS ONCE a NALTAR BOY -I GOT THE IDEA THAT IT'S ALOT MORE ABOUT LOVING , PEOPLE , ANIMALS AND things in NATURE ,,,AND LESS ABOUT ALL THOSE DOGMATIC RULES and unconscious prayers THAT MAKE US THINK THAT IT IS 'US AGAINST THEM'',,,, [AND THAT OUR PARTICULAR RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND HAS ALL THE ANSWER S . but that THAT IF WE CAN CONNECT WITH OUR TRUE SOULS -WE ARE GOD , AND WE CAN BE AS LOVING AS JESUS WAS ,,,THANX, MAESTRO DOUG ,,I LOVE YOUR SHOWS !
I hate those posts that ask you to name the artist, album, or songs that meant the most to you growing up - but, for me, Jethro Tull just might be that artist, Aqualung just might be that album, and the songs just might be Aqualung, Locomotive Breath, and Wind-Up. I saw the band live several times, as well. I never clicked a video so fast. You're awesome, Doug. Loved the thoughtful and eloquent commentary.
I am a theory nerd, and love the commentary :) Not only is the opening Aqualung riff bluesy, but I love how including the opening d-flat introduces a tri-tone, the so-called "Devil's tone." A harmonic revelation of the two ways in which people see Aqualung himself: deserving of pity, or the devil himself :) I saw Jethro Tull live at every opportunity: five times between 1972-75 alone. Truly electrifying. Sorry that you don't care for the acoustic parts of the title song. I feel strongly that this is where we get the compassionate view of Aqualung: "Aqualung my friend, Don't just start away uneasy. You poor old sod, you see it's only me." Other see the snot, while one alone (acoustic) calls him friend. Thanks, Doug!
Martin Barre's great lead guitar work sounds pretty Rock to me. That great lead solo in Aqualung, the riffing and fills in Locomotive Breath, and the great leads in Wind-Up are prime examples of a great Rock guitarist. Tull had moved away from the Blues when Martin joined on the 2nd album and it shows in the guitar content.
Great songs. Great time spent again with u Doug. Very smart writing indeed.
Three songs, so I gave three comments :) Wind Up: I grew up in a religious home. This was a favorite album of mine in 1971 (I was 14 years old). When my father heard Wind Up for the first time on a Sunday (I was singing along in my room: "you can excommunicate me..." as he listened on the other side of the door) he freaked out, and made me turn off my turntable. It was only many years later when we could talk about it calmly that I explained that I, too, was not interested in a God one had to "wind up" on Sundays. Jethro TUll was MY voice at that age. I am a mystic, so my view of divinity is quite different. You are one of the very few reactors who really get it ;) Thanks!
Check out "Gaudete" by Steeleye Span.
Latin church choral to die for...
Please don’t forget “Minstrel in the Gallery “ and Songs from the Woods.
I loved your exposition at the end. I was raised as a Catholic. Having that experience, I found "Wind Up" spoke volumes to me. It very much summed up how I felt about God and some of the problem I had with what I had been taught. It said exactly what I wanted to say, in that I felt God was a wonderful presence for me and I wanted to scream at some people, "No! He isn't some sort of wind-up doll! Quit trying to make him LESS by confining him to your walled-in version of what he is." Anyway, thank you and _ I mean this in whatever way it means something nice to you - God bless :-)
I agree with you about Wind Up. I love the lyrics. He's not the kind you wind up on Sunday. And he carries their God under his arm on the way to school. I don't believe you can limit God to an ancient book.
The album isn't only about religion and our place in society. The other major theme was of the plight of the outsider (the homeless, etc).
The other thing in the album was the contrast between the heavy, dark and brooding vibes of most of the album with the lighter and less intense ditties in between. Ian said this was a difficult album to record and that he still wasn't perfectly happy with it after lots of attempts.
Crosseyed Mary & Hymn 43 are the next most popular songs of the album.
" I don't normally do this right at the beginning" LOL yes you do! HAHAHAH happy easter!
1971, went to a friend's house who had a stereo with Altech Lansing voice of the theater speakers. Aqualung, Abbey road, Cosmos factory. It was paradise 🙂
Ian Anderson's father was a minister in the church, so he was brought up in a religious environment. The line "don't tell me I'm my fathers son..." I think is personal to him, about his own upbringing. Once you realise this, the whole song makes a lot more sense, he is singing about his own childhood.
Had the pleasure of seeing Tull in Manchester, in 1976. One of the best concerts I have ever been to. They were absolutely brilliant, and of course, so was Anderson. What a stage presence!
Martin Barre is celebrating 50 years of Aqualung by playing the full album live on tour, and it just so happens that he is playing it in my home town of Grimsby, Lincolnshire on my birthday, in September. Can't wait!!
Anderson's father a minister in the church? Please direct me to where you can find that information, as the only credited occupation of his father on the net is that he ran the RSA Boiler Fluid Company in East Port, Dunfermline before the family moved to Blackpool.
Hey Doug, your comments at the end, and your discussion about where your belief lies and your approach to the bible was one of the more beautiful things I've seen on RUclips for a while. When I first heard "Wind-Up" back in the early 90s, it was like a lightning bolt for me, too, and helped me to settle some of my own struggles with the dogmatic side of religious institutions, the nature of belief, and one's human responsibilities versus the abdication of that personal responsibility to a ritualized institution. I just wanted to thank you for sharing your personal experiences, and for doing it in such a beautiful and respectful way.
Thanks for telling your story, Doug. I thought it would be rude to ask, but I'm glad to hear it! I was raised Catholic, but have only been in a church for weddings since I left home at 19. Most of my family is still religious (and Republican!), however.
Definitely I've loved the lyrics for this album, especially "My God" and "Wind Up", since I first heard the album. They just seem so...reasonible, to me!
Had a copy of this album since it came out. Remastered now.
I come back to this video every now and then to play along with wind up because of just how much it resonates with me, and the commentary just help to draw out those emotions. Thanks again Doug.
The singer, the basist, and the drummer deserve so much credit!
Ian has said he was inspired by Robert Burns "To A Mouse" when he wrote the line "don't you start away uneasy". Burns wrote "Thou need na start awa sae hasty,". And
indeed the plight of the homeless man is like the plight of the mouse who Burns has made homeless with his plow on a cold winter day. Burns of course is Anderson's
countryman and fellow bard.
Hey Doug, thank you for your reaction videos which I as a musician enjoy everytime. The only thing I don‘t like is when you talk in the middle of the music because then I miss out on both. But anyway: Go, Doug, go! ;-)
This album had so much influence on 14 year old me. One of the best albums of all time! Was lucky enough to see the concert too.
Ian Anderson is a brilliant lyricist. "Wind Up" has to be one of the greatest satires of religion ever written. You should also listen to "My God" and "Hymn 43" from this album - very much the same territory
Without swearing a single time ,it is one of the most vicious and attacking diatribes to religion I’ve read in a lyrics’ song .
And yes “My God “and “Hymn 43”goes the same way .
It's not religion as a general concept that he's railing against - it's unchanging, cult-like, organized religion specifically. He's found his own way to talk to God, and doesn't need their Church or their Bible or their ceremonies.
Great Video Doug. Thanks! In an interview one time, Ian Anderson said "Aqualung" was actually a poem his wife wrote about common misconceptions people have about the homeless. He was so impacted by it, he wrote the music to make it a song. "Wind Up" was one of three songs on this classic album where Ian blasts the National Church of England and their schools for trying to teach about man's version of God - different than the God that Ian understood. The other two songs are "My God" and "Hymn 43" (based loosely on Psalm 43). Around the same time, Emerson, Lake & Palmer recorded the song "Jerusalem" (based on an old Hymn) on the album Brain Salad Surgery, that describes the same concerns Ian had. ALL of these songs are REALLY great songs, whether or not you like the messages!
Listening to this on Easter Sunday lol
Aqualung is and was the song that introduced me to Jethro Tull. And I have been a fan to this day. Owning every record, seen them seven times and still listening today at 63. It’s not the kind you have to Wind Up on Sundays. The entire album is a play.
That piano sounds friggin awesome!
Aqualung is a perfect song.
EVEN IF THE VIDEO IS 30+ MINUTES LONG, IS LIKE CHATING WITH A GREAT FRIEND ABOUT MUSIC AND OTHER STUFF. THANKS.
It does very much remind me of hanging out with my old bandmates.
It's so nice to hear someone praise "Wind Up"', it's a song that's really resonated with me ever since I first heard it as a teenager. I had the same experience as Ian - being packed off to "Sunday School" and feeling like I was being indoctrinated into a cult, not being taught about God. Anyway, most people who listen to songs off of Aqualung never react to this one, and a lot of those that do the content just goes right over their heads - so thank you, sincerely, for your thoughtful take on it.
Doug! The words you've been kind enough to share with us outside of the music, I hear and respect and love what you're saying and your sentiments on religion, and your views of it. I can't thank you enough for how honest you've been with us since the beginning of your channel. I'm so taken back right now, by your continued respect and decency!💜💜💜 You've really developed a loving and supportive community!
Everyone should try to be so decent and fourth coming!🙏🙏🙏 "We can ALL be heroes!"- My youtube professor!
@acidrockpro I agree with you completely. Very well said.
I loved your confiding your spiritual worldview in us, Doug. And I’m delighted that “ Wind Up” struck such a chord. My favourite JT track, and gave review of yours
It's so great to see someone get "Wind Up". Such an awesome song. It was the last song of their early seventies concerts. Really cool...so many memories.
Ian Anderson really disliked his Religious Education teacher, who was a cruel man. He's spoke about him.
Funny, I saw Tull somewhere around ‘75 and absorbed their albums. I mean absorbed. I used to sing dance around the living room when nobody was home but I have no memory of Wind Up
To go along with your discussion of Ian Anderson's view on religion the vinyl album (I'm not sure if the CD had these) liner notes included these lines that seem to express his view nicely:
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 seven 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 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.
Rather interesting stuff.
When i was in college in 1974 I played Wind Up in church.
When I tell (told, really; haven’t mentioned it in years) people in the know that, they are amazed-until I elaborate that it was in a Unitarian Universalist church. I wouldn't have dared played it in a Catholic Church, where I was raised and went to grade school. No point in preaching to a choir that is incapable of listening.
A year later I took an elective course at university in classical guitar. The classroom was on the top of the school’s bell tower, and the professor’s name was John Lennon. On day 1 he whipped out a copy of Bach’s “Bourree” (well known to any Tull fan) and announced that my first assignment was to learn it. Just more of the famous Tull coincident synchronicity.
My God is the song of the Aqualung album, not to be overlooked. There’s more passion and variation in its flute solo than anywhere in the Tull catalog.
Unique, underrated, fantastic
I only gave this a look today because of Aqualung. I was there when it came out and gave me a great appreciation for a whole different kind of rock. I love it.
It was part of me for a long time.
Thanks for being so honest (about your theological views) Doug and I'm happy that Jethro Tull was the act that provoked. The lyrics are always very sincere.
As much as this album is a classic, Wind Up is one of my favourite songs ever! Phenomenal.
One of thee coolest things about the 70's... Everyone was trying to use songs and song (Lyrics) to make you think about more then, holding hands, or your girl friend, or being glad all over, and BS like that. All of a sudden everybody wanted to be like Bob Dylan with his intellectual lyrics. The Beatles and Stones both switched off the pop songs and started using lyrics as stories or messages or even lyrical weapons. Ian Anderson, like John Lennon, Ray Davies, John Prine, Paul Simon, Jim Croce, and many more, was a master at making you listen closely to what he had to say.. Geezer Butler wrote some amazing lyrics, but because it was "Black Sabbath", he was under rated, because it must be devil music. So many groups and singer/songwriters from the 70's & 80's to mention. Jethro Tull is ALWAYS my go to nostalgia music, even over Steely Dan. P.S. God is NOT religious, what so ever ! God is A CREATOR WITH A PLAN !
Hi Doug - great review.
I always thought the lines in Wind Up about "How do you dare tell me that I'm my father's son because that is just an accident of birth" was also a comment on the English (UK) class system and private (misnamed Public in the UK) school system where a lot is/was rooted in inherited position and privilege (ie you will be successful and behave in a certain way because you are "you're father's son") and in the song it sounds like its the Headmaster telling him this. This is why he goes on to say a better measure of his worth is composing a better song (ie rather than his inherited position).
I think it is partially about the private school system because of the way he says he leaves it with "their God tucked under his arm" - it sounds to me like he's running away from a boarding school (he also says when he was young "they packed me off to school" and being "groomed for success" right at the beginning).
I agree it is provocative and thought provoking (the whole album is).
Glad you liked it. Smart, witty, poignant writer, Ian Anderson is. One of the best bands of the 70's. Have you done a long listen to either "Thick As a Brick", or "A Passion Play"? Would love to see your reactions to those. Cheers!
Aqualung, the song, is such a well constructed song; it opens with the heavy riff with lyrics that reflect what one usually feels when confronted by a homeless person; then it goes to just guitar when the lyrics describe the pathetic man he is; it picks up again and the lyrics tell what he has to do to live each day. It ends with the lyrics of "disgust" with the heavy riff. Lastly one of the great guitar solos I've ever heard. I was there when this album came out. Consider the album "Benefit" in the future if you would. Thanks for doing this Doug, enjoyable.
A brilliant album that shaped my early teenage years. Wind up is my favourite.
I still remember the first time I heard "Wind up" - my mind racing with all the multi-layered meanings, but most of all being blown away by the complex nature of the title itself. The title references so many things all in just two words:
-It is the last song of the album, so it "winds up".
-"He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays" can be interpreted as saying you don't have to treat church or God as a wind-up toy - something to be done each week simply because it won't work otherwise. But also this could refer to a lot of people just going to church on Sunday as their single shallow religious activity without actually applying Christian belief to their actual lives. Ian seems to be accusing these people of winding God up - lying to Him.
-The song has a strong message of individuality - socially as well as religiously - Ian calls it an "accident of birth". He is releasing himself from his parentage and saying that his beliefs are his own - he has "wound up" where he is, there was no plan to that, and that is for the best.
The song showcases Ian's mastery with words, and the power of verse. It is truly one for the ages.
A wonderful breakdown. Thank you.
Just started listening to your channel, Doug, and am really enjoying your commentary. Thank you
Only Anderson could perform Locomotive breath the way it was meant to be played. Professional flautists are blown away, bearing in mind he was self taught
You probably know this but there's quite a few youtube reactions by concert level flautists and as you noted they are dumbfounded.
@@stevemd6488 it was to them i was referring, specifically 'Locomotive Breath (Live)'
His technique defied classical rules and thus he was able to surpass even some orchestral flautists.
When you are self-taught, you are free to develope techniques that trained musicians can't comprehend.
Only in the late 1990's, Anderson realized that he was playing the flute wrong. His fingerings were incorrect, but he re-dedicated himself to learn the correct fingerings, and felt that he was much improved. Also, the baby finger on his right hand is deformed (or broken badly), which inhibits his playing to some extent.
@@LordEriolTolkien My favorite is Heline and her reaction to the live version of "My God". But yea agree LB leaves them stunned as well.
I bought Aqualung when it came out. I was 20 & now 70. 50 years of TULL!!!
Saw them on the “Songs From The Wood” tour on November 20, 1977 at Nassau Coliseum , Long Island NY. I was one very lucky 16 year-old - still the best show I’ve ever seen of dozens & dozens over years & years.
Hi Doug - Very enjoyable video you have rekindled my love of Jethro Tull. Love your comments at the end.
I have an idea for a short vid sometime - You may know this but on JT's second album "Stand Up" there is a song called "We Used To Know" which - how can I put this diplomatically - pre-echoes the mega hit "Hotel California". I'd love to hear from you how closely they do relate to one another, is it plagiarism, inspiration or coincidence? The chord sequence definitely supports terrific guitar solos on both songs.
Apparently Ian Anderson says he's fine with it - they are both great songs. Which means he's a grand generous fellow (which he is) or just maybe he got it from somewhere else - maybe some old english folk music.
My name is Alan from Yorkshire UK - you tube gave me this stupid handle and I never bothered to change it.
Nice rant (ish) at the end Doug good words and sentiment. Music is a religion and there are zealots and haters there too. And no one knows the answer we have to be open and accepting.
This is the album that made me want to learn how to read, write, and play music.
My pet peeve of many 70s songs were the great instrumental intros that were cut off in the single versions for radio play, I have always loved the piano intro to Locomotive Breath!
Ian Anderson's contributions throughout the years have been nothing short of brilliant.
I had the great fortune of seeing Jethro Tull LIVE! 7 (seven) times, back in the `70's ... always an unforgettable performance ... not simply just masterful musicianship, but absolutely extraordinary showmanship! They put on a SHOW to remember in each and every play of their passion. An Historic Treasure of Progressive Rock, et al.
The more I listen to your reviews, I imagine trustfully that my understandings and my ears develop likewise... 😊🙏
50 years on, ... I had caught most of the lyrics, and I had thought of it as another step in waking from mass hypgnosis by established religions; glad to hear your clear "this was bold" (or however you put it). Your musical technical language is like trying to follow spanish after 1 semester 9 years ago. A few morphemes here and there. But emotional, non-"understood" content feels as strong as ever. thanks for this.
Just simply an awesome album. I'm glad you appreciated it as so many of us have been doing for years.
Thanks so much for your closing comments, Doug. Back in high school, Ian Anderson (the Holy Subversive) reinforced my innate understanding that I'm gonna have to work all this out on my own, and that I can do this! Through their music and lyrics, Ian and others pointed me in the right direction and encouraged me to have creative faith in myself without being arrogant.
One of the best drummers in the bizz.
Wonderful reflection at the end, I never caught it the first time around, so thanks for this opportunity. Love you, man! xoxo
Keep in mind, his criticism of the church is mostly focused on The Church of England, with a bit of residual on The Vatican. However, I'm sure if Ian had grown up in the midwest he would not have been satisfied with our particular brand of Protestant Christianity. Our individual churches and pastors seem to have great intentions yet on a larger scale, these institutions have created a legacy of jackassery on a scale difficult to anticipate even by the most imaginative minds.
You say that Wind-up "is Brilliant!" Imagine us (UK) public school pupils hearing this for the first time way back then!! Talk about hitting a nerve! Genius!
Wind Up has always been my favorite track on Aqualung and it’s always puzzled me why no one ever talks about it. Glad to see it getting some love!
Indeed, and Tull live was a thing to see and hear. This song live - brilliant!
I think I prefer the disillusioned hippie vibe of 'Stand Up' and 'Benefit.' Great review Doug.
Ian Anderson is always very good with words. Did you pick up on the TRIPLE meaning of "wind up"?
1) As he sings it, his God is not the kind you have to wind up (like clockwise).
2) This song, being the last track, pretty obviously "winds up" the album.
3) In casual usage in the UK, to "wind someone up" means to provoke them, and a "wind up" is a provocation.
I'm pretty sure Ian had all three meanings in mind ...
Pretty sure tuning on Locomotive Breath piano was intentional, that's a song you want to sound filthy.
Doug, it's awesome you play so much Tull!
Great final commentary, Doug. I was born a catholic as most brazilians are (or at least were, though the Catholic religion is still somewhat predominant in Brazil, the gap from other religions has been closing) and as time went by I have changed a lot in terms of how I see religion and the bible. Though I've changed to another religion, my current point of view is very similar to yours.
I'm surprised no one pointed out the lyrics, "and you snatched your rattling last breaths with DEEP SEA DIVER sounds." The aqualung.
They did, about 50 years ago.
Thank you, I was too lazy to point it out...
Hey, until today I always heard "December's foggy freeze" as "December's fucking freeze!"
@@timedmonson4839 lol nice
Precious reaction, timeless music.
Idk if I've watched this before (alcoholism, you see) but Wind Up is very dear to me. All of Aqualung is, but especially Wind Up. It's a very sweet song
Aqualung! One of my all time favourites... both the song and the album.
Tull. ..,... Was.., is. My favorite concert was tull . Even though I was escorted out after the concert was over. A friend of mine , " tony " " started yelling out cross eyed Mary . The one song he was there to hear above all others . They didn't and he loudly proclaimed his hurt feelings . Funny then , funny now . Longliverock !!!!
One review at the time included the exclamation: "Oh my God! Ian Anderson is making us think!".
50 years later it's still true.
Doug. Thank you. Your comments at the end of the video really transcended Rock music. I have owned this album since ‘71 and have every lyric memorized, every tone is known. But honestly I was here alone with you listening and weeping at the joy and connection I felt from you and your story. Thank you so much
Saw this concert early 70s. I was hooked and still am.
Locomotive Breath: (With apologies to Agent Smith), "That Mr Anderson is the sound of inevitability".
One of my Top 10 Desert Island albums.
As a teenager, Wind Up gave me strength and inspiration to go on finding my own belief. Even though I quickly settled for an atheistic view, this song still makes tears in my eyes.
Yes, me too!
Yes,..it's ok to question authority and traditions..Ian was the older wiser brother telling us to be ourselves.
FYI, Jethro Tull was an Englishman who in 1701 revolutionized the agriculture of England by inventing the horse-drawn "seed-drill", allowing huge tracts of land to be economically planted and farmed. RockOn,, Doug.