Jethro Tull wrote this about the homeless problem in England. Initially, he expresses the view of others looking at "Aqualung," who sees this dirty old man who won't get a job. Then they take you through different views so you can see the different perspectives of the issue. Instead of being a dirty old man, he is a lonely man down on his luck, dependent on charity, freezing to death in the English cold, which has messed up his lungs. It's pretty powerful.
Jethro Tull is a "SHOW". The musical talent is on full display and the messages in the songs are hard hitting and unapologetic. The two 'voices' Ian uses are the outside voices of others looking at Aqualung and the inner thoughts of Aqualung himself. Looking down on homeless has been an issue for a long time. Dog Ends are bent cigarette butts, Bogs are bathrooms, and Salvation Ala Mode is the food the Salvation army hands out to those in need. One of the biggest issues homeless have is boredom and that is what the line 'taking time the only way he knows how' is all about. Aqualung is a breathing device for underwater use, it makes a distinct rattling sound and heavy breathing...think Darth Vader like sounds. Great react as always.
This is one of the best explanations of this song I've ever seen. I love Jethro Tull. I love this song. Over the years I have spent a lot of time figuring out part of it, then forgetting what it's about. Then figuring it out again. Then forgetting again. Perhaps this full explanation will stick in my head.
It confused me for a long time as an American, but when Ian says, "He bends to pick a dog-end, and goes down to the bog and warms his feet." A "Dog-end" is a cigarette butt, and the "Bog" is a public bathroom (many English refer to toilet paper as bog-roll), indicating that Aqualung is homeless...
Yes, he is homeless and sick and bored with nothing to do. "spending time the only way he knows". Basically the Salvation Army will only feed a person near the meal times and the possible places to sleep are only used at night. This leaves a lot of free time.
The army up the road is a reference to Salvation Army Missions. Salvation served on the side with bowl of soup and some tea. You really need to listen to the entire album to get the full story of Aqualung’s life and how he came to be where he is, an old homeless man wandering lonely with a severe respiratory condition, hence the nickname Aqualung.
Ian Anderson is truly a genius. The Songs From The Wood album is soul healing. The first year they gave a heavy metal grammy it was given to JT.........completely surprised they accepted it as it was so tone deaf. We all need a little 15th century flavored minstrel music now and then. Brilliant.
This song is about a real homeless person, that the singer actually knew and used to chat too. The electric part is how other people view him, as an old pervert, sitting in the park, ominously watching the children play. The acoustic part is the reality of the man he talked too. That he is a lonely old man, with a crippled leg and tuberculosis (aqualung) who is sitting on a park bench trying to get warm, while he waits for a Salvation army center to open so he can get warm and a have a cup of tea and something to eat. And in fact he is the one that is scared because people actually abuse him (don't start (run) away, it's only me). So basically, don't judge by appearances. In British slang, a "dog end" is a cigarette butt, and a "bog" is a toilet. The Salvation or Sally Army are a volunteer charity that help the homeless, poor etc.
This song is about a homeless man and the two perspectives of seeing him. One of disgust and one of empathy and compassion. The lyric, "The Army's up the road, Salvation a la mode is referring to the Salvation Army homeless tenant where Aqualung would grab a cup of tea and seek (hopefully) empathy.
Yes, and I take it as the two perspectives are in the same mind. The singer hits on the fact he is a pervert, and also that he is pathetic and also that he has lost hope and there is nothing the singer can do. Somehow, I always took it that the lungs were broken in military service and he gets no help from that either.
Probably the greatest concert I ever saw. Circa '72 when they were on their "Thick As A Brick" tour where they also performed the entire Aqualung Album. This was Tull at their peak. They blew the roof off the place. The Hammond organ blasting Leslie cabs was mind numbing. "Aqualung" is social commentary on homelessness. The quiet acoustic parts are Aqualung as he lives is life. The rock'n parts are how society perceives him. You have to listen to it a few times to get the real meaning.
The song is about perspective on a homeless guy. The intro characterizing him as somewhat threatening and even dangerous. But in reality he is just an old man trying to get through another day.
This song deals with our reaction to the homeless population. Jethro Tull vocalist and flute player Ian Anderson wrote the song and called it "a guilt-ridden song of confusion about how you deal with beggars, the homeless." Elaborating in the 40th anniversary reissue of the album, he said, "It's about our reaction, of guilt, distaste, awkwardness and confusion, all these things that we feel when we're confronted with the reality of the homeless. You see someone who's clearly in desperate need of some help, whether it's a few coins or the contents of your wallet, and you blank them out. The more you live in that business-driven, commercially-driven lifestyle, you can just cease to see them.
Not to repeat what everyone else has said but I probably will. This is the title track and a massive hit from his most iconic album, Aqualung. And that photo that you see there is the album cover which is meant to portray Aqualung. And it is such a brilliant and skating look at the plight of the homeless and how they are regarded by Society vs. The reality of it.
I am honored that I am the one who started you down the Jethro Tull rabbit hole. My journey started due to Ms. Atwood, my humanities teacher. This was her favorite band and would play his albums in class. Listen to "Bouree" no vocals but will blow you away.
Jethro Tull are a British progressive rock band formed in 1967. The group’s founder Ian Anderson plays flute & acoustic guitar & is the lead singer & quite a showman. They've had a lot of different members over the years. They had a lot of great songs such as "Thick As A Brick", "Songs From The Wood", "A New Day Yesterday", "Cross-Eyed Mary", "Bungle In The Jungle", "Sweet Dream", "Life’s A Long Song" etc.",
Love me some Jethro Tull. Perhaps the most unique sounding band ever. A blend of rock,folk,blues......no other band sound like them. That's the best compliment I can give.......you really should listen to anything off of their "Songs from the Wood "......Great reaction as per usual👍👍 A dog end is a discarded cigarette!!!! It's a song about homelessness, a hobo.......a poor old sod is an English phrase meaning....a wretched soul down on his luck.......hope that helps!!!! I'm a poor old sod from London 😂😂😂😂
Yes, in my mind "me" always has been the Grim Reaper, telling Aqualung not to be afraid because he will take him to a better place where his leg doesn't hurt and the flowers bloom in the warm sun.
Interesting. That line always set me wondering (sometimes aloud😊). I did read recently though that it might refer the old man coughing up blood onto snow covered ground and the blood ‘blooms’ like blossoms in the snow
My best friend and I drove up to the Capital Centre (Landover, MD) about 1/2 hour before the concert was to begin. 1978. We walked up to the ticket window and, to our disbelief, several dozen unused promotional tickets had been turned back in. We got center stage third row seats. It was the 'Bursting Out' tour with the humongous balls bouncing around the arena throughout the performance. I've been to hundreds of concerts. This was a Top 5 for me. Yes, 'In the Round', Rush and Pink Floyd are there, as well. Frank Zappa at the Warner Theater is in there, too.
It's about an sickly old homeless man. Aqualung is referring to the sound of his breathing which is rough. The song has a couple view points. One from the people who see him. And then his view point.
Ian is talking about the homeless, street people, that the "working" "normal" people ignores, and looks down, because they" Made it!! "OH its is so sad.
The first negative view of Aqualung is based on the impressions, fears, and conclusions that people jump to about the homeless. One of the best examples of his live flute playing is on "My God" from the Isle of Wight concert in 1970. They are a British band.
He is showing the difference between what society thinks this old Homeless man does, then he speaks of what is reality an old Homeless man dying of pneumonia living on the street.
Love Jethro Tull, this was the first album that I bought when I was 14. I saw them live several times in the 70's. They are my favorite Prog band. Ian Anderson is a great showman, and Martin Barre is an underrated guitarist.
One of my favorite bands, Ian Anderson vocals, flute a musical genius and great performer, this band is on another level. I have been listening to them for 50 years! You should delve into them they have a huge catalogue of music. I recommend the album "Thick as a Brick", to start with.
From the same period, another very theatrical band was Genesis with Peter Gabriel at the front. Take the time to watch some of their live performances from the 1972-1974 era. And on the 3rd of July, in theaters, David Bowie's last concert as Ziggy Stardust at the Hammersmith Odeon, London. A MUST WATCH !!!
The whole album is a concept album. E@ch song interlinks, commentary on human frailty and what we don’t understand we vilify. Once again the characters in each song is testament to Ian Andersons story telling. Locomotive Breath is just amazing, Crosseyed Mary is equally controversial, bite the bullet and play yourself the complete album. Yes you will have to call up the meanings of the English slang but they are jewels of narrative.
This song speaks of the two perspectives on the homeless. One is societies negative viewpoint and the other is ones own personal point of view. The two distinct voices sung express both perspectives. Agualung refers to his labored breathing and a "dog end" is a crushed out cigarette butt. It's a deep powerful song!
Per Wikipedia, Jennie Anderson, Ian’s wife, photographed homeless people hanging out along the Thames river. One person (or likely a picture of him after the film was developed) captured their attention and they wrote a song together about him. Lyrics are credited to Jennie and Ian. Seems like 3 perspectives are given musically and lyrically: (1j harsh, judgmental, distant from subject… (2) softer, almost dreamy, empathetic, sentimental, closer to subject (3) faster, compressed, matter of fact…like a newspaper maybe
Martin Barre (guitarist) tells a great story on the recording of Aqualung. At that point, if he didn't nail the guitar solo by the second take, Ian would just make it a guitar solo. Just as he was about to do the first take Jimmy Page of Led Zepplin walked into the studio to watch and say hello. Martin had to turn his back on Jimmy and recorded the solo in one take.
Ian is so underrated as a musician. He plays multiple instruments well, sings, and he is so entertaining visually. See Jethro Tull the first time was such a crazy experience. I listened to them all the time but was so unprepared for what I heard and saw. Thanks for reacting to and loving Jethro Tull!
The hardcore beginning refers to how the public sees a homeless man as dangerous.. Acoustic part shows his actual life, just trying to survive the night.
My favorite band in junior high school! Great reaction and this band bypassed the drug scene and he has some amazing things in his life. Thank you so much for reacting to them! Much love and appreciation from California.❤️🌈🍀😇🙏🏻❣️
Seen Tull live 3 times! Always masterful musicianship! Aqualung is about society's judgement and fear of this homeless man. The narrator sees him differently. Salvation Army is the army up the road. Dog end is a cigarette butt. Martin Barre is highly underrated. Brilliant guitarist.
Right on concerning the narrator. In a song with many great lines, I think “Aqualung, my friend, doncha start away uneasy…it’s only me” is the most humane part of the song.
This song is a song of compassion to one of those kind of homeless men who we see walking alone who have fallen into such self-neglect they look like they are wearing Hollywood designed filthy clothes from head to toe, everything filthy. And the agonizing lonliness and invisibleness of such men on this earth. Nobody will love them, care for them Yes, the lyrics reveal the depraved heart and thoughts of such men, whose sexual emptiness leads them to staring lustfully at little girls. The song is inspirational to me to reach out and love such people. No it is not glorifying pedophilia is just being real. I took one of these guys home and I literally puked in my car from the smell. I had to use scissors to cut his pants off when I got to the house so he could shower. I found him laying in the shrubbery at a gas station like a discarded candy wrapper.
Hey, Britt! So glad you're getting into Tull but like some others I wish you'd catch the studio versions first. I think hearing the initial version would help you catch the "extra sprinkles" Ian and the gang insert live. Great reaction anyway!
This was the biggest "hit" song Jethro Tull had early in their career. It was not a pop hit, they were rarely heard on pop radio, but on album radio this was a big hit. Don't worry if you don't know what album radio is, its not a thing anymore. Back in the day, pop music could be found on AM radio, but the good stuff was on FM.
My favorite Jethro Tull song is Wondering Aloud. It shows a sensitive side to the band. One of the sweetest songs ever. The last line of the song is a mantra I've tried to live by since the late 1970's. *smile*
My favorite performance on UA-cam. Saw them several times in the 70's several times. Ian is just a dynamic performer. So underrated. I didn't get what is was about for a bit back then. Once you see it you go wow, how did I miss that?
In April, 2011, Ian Anderson performed a flute duet. His flute partner was Cady Coleman. The unique part is while he was on earth she was aboard the International Space Station, orbiting the earth.
Jethro Tull were a stunning live band; the guitarist Martin Barre is a true master of his instrument and I saw him play a pub gig a couple of years ago which was as good as any of the big ticket gigs like Floyd, Queen, that I have seen. Aqualung was one of punk Johnny Rotten's favourite albums.
Ian Anderson hated that people called the album Aqualung a "concept album" so he decided to make what he called the "mother of all concept albums", which of course turned out to be the epicl 43 minute long, single track album, Thick as a Brick. Which was followed by the even longer- and in my opinion better- A Passion Play, also an album consisting of a single track.
Yes, the first time I heard "Thick as a brick" in a record store, the salesman was freaked out that there were only two songs on it, because he wanted to jump to the next songs on the CD player, but there were no more :D
Even 50 years later, it feels spot on, politically as well as musically. I always get tears in my eyes, thinking how a human creature (Aqualung) endures this kind of life. This is perhaps one of the most artistic albums of all Time, lyrically and musically. You have to question whether they receive the appreciation they deserve for this.
Another song about a misunderstood older man that you might enjoy is "Art Lover" by the Kinks. It's not as theatrical, and is a lot more cheerful sounding. The Kinks have a huge number of great story songs. --- Answering your final question, an Aqualung is a SCUBA (underwater breathing aparatus). In the song Anderson describes the sound of the old mans breathing as though it is through one of these. The man probably has pneumonia.
Ian Anderson, the most theatrical front man, and yet with perfect diction. Tull, masters of their instruments. JT the complete package. Ian Anderson is a poet who puts his words to music with incredible musicians. Aqualung is a tramp, a dogend is a cigarette butt, the bog is a toilet. All English slang. Salvation Army is a church charity that provide for the likes of Aqualung.
@@brittreacts I have followed JT since 'This Was' released in 1968, though 'Stand Up' in 1969 was the first true Tull album after Martin Barre joined. Old age is the price I am paying for being there at the start, yet I do not regret a single day. It is great that young people are discovering these great bands of the 60s and 70s. I have to say my favourite video of yours is your reaction to Freddie Mercury sliding off the piano stool and grabbing the stick mike in 'Somebody to Love', a mixture of joy and disbelief. I just keep playing it over again.
OK Britt. You are my new guilty pleasure. You are quite funny and I appreciate how much you appreciate the songs you react to. Going down the rabbit hole watching your vids. Thanks.
This is a song about the homeless, Britt. ,,,, and I understand how you can be confused trying to figure it out on your own. It didn't make sense to me till someone pointed it out years ago. BTW, I love your reaction videos and I am so glad you are finding the music from my time period valuable to you. It's a pleasure for me to watch. So thank you so much for sharing that with me and for bringing this music to the attention of other people your own age, as well as other people who may not have heard this music for other reasons. Sharing cultural information from the past is such an important thing to do. So keep up the good work. It is much appreciated by so many. Kurt from Maine
Tull had a ton of great music, this whole album is pretty solid, ranging from hard rock to several very pretty acoustic guitar based ditties... the Benefit and Thick as a Brick albums are also excellent
It's two different takes on a homeless man. The 2nd take (acoustic slow part) is empathy. Ian Anderson is Scottish. Their whole catalog is intelligent lyrics and progressive folk-rock, hence the medieval/old England style.
Aqualung is a homeless guy who is a little "pervy" as he eyes little girls "with bad intent". He has (at least the way I interpret it) a female counterpart named "Cross-eyed Mary". Some guys I used to play in a band (or two) with had a band in-between named, "Cross-eyed Mary". Perhaps the song about her should be your next Jethro Tull reaction. It is aptly titled, "Cross-eyed Mary"😀 I know that other people told you what the British meaning of "bog" is but it also has is the name for a kind of swampy area that looks like solid ground and has grasses and reeds coming out of it but the whole thing is actually floating on water. In a nature park in Minneapolis, there is a feature called the "Quaking Bog". I know that is unrelated to the story in the song but I think it's kind of cool anyway.
A bog is a type of wetland that is made up of partially decayed plant matter called peat. Bogs are usually found in cool, northern climates and are often located in poorly draining lake basins created by glaciers. Bogs are also called mires, quagmires, and muskegs.
Ian Anderson chose a historic agriculturalist to name his band after. Jethro Tull invented the seed drill ! That's why you should listen to HEAVY HORSE because its also the farming theme!
Britt, You need to listen to a few other songs from that album to understand more about the character, Aqualung and what he's all about. One of the songs, "Locomotive Breath" which I hear as sort of the precursor to Aqualung's situation, explains the beginnings of his fall, and also the song "Cross-Eyed Mary" which I'll touch on later in this post. For me, those songs kind of tie it all together sort of to get a better picture of Aqualung's story. My interpretation is that Aqualung (a term which can refer to wheezy breathing due to smoking too many cigarettes or whatever) is a homeless Vietnam vet who went to war and was wounded in battle while away at war. Note the lyric "Leg hurting bad as he bends to pick a dog-end (a used cigarette butt). In the song, "Locomotive Breath" He comes home from the war only to find his family had basically abandoned him. He caught "his wife in bed with his best friend and having fun", His children started to abandoned him (They "jumped off at the stations one by one") You conclude that his time in the military had taken control and stolen his life which is spiraling out of control like a runaway train "Old Charlie stole the handle and the train it won't slow down, it never will slow down" ("Charlie was a term that soldiers in Vietnam used to refer to the enemy forces of the Viet Cong) So, basically I take that phrase as saying his time in Vietnam and his injury at the hands of "Charlie" basically ruined his life as evidenced by how he was loosing everything he had at home. So, he eventually becomes homeless. He's a lonely old man, who finds himself roaming the streets and hanging around schoolyards peering through the fence and watching young girls. As it turns out there's one school girl who's an outcast with all the other girls because she's little more, umm,.. _matured_ you might could say, lol. She' bored with being a school girl and notices Aqualung watching through the fence railing. "Cross-eyed Mary gets no kicks from little boys and she'd rather make it with a letching grey" (a dirty old man) "Maybe her attention is drawn to Aqualung who watches through the railings at them play...Cross-eyed Mary finds it hard to get along, she's a poor man's rich girl". So, anyway, if you listen to those 2 other songs and follow along with the lyrics, I think you start to get the picture about the man, Aqualung.
I'm 70 and Grew up with Jethro Tull, these earlier albums are harder, but, when this was written there were lots of homeless WW2 Veterans around, Homeless and left to Freeze to death, Try Never Too Old to Rock and Roll, Warchild and or North Sea Oil. These albums are Basically older English Folk Music, set to rock and a bit of Jazz, about the problems in our world, if you look on Google for the words you don't understand under English slang from the 70's you should find it all. So glad you enjoyed The Tull. For example, Aqualung was probably someone once and now his old Homeless, and probably drinking a mix of Methylated sports and This Kind of old strong cheap wine, that Roman soldiers drank, supposed to be mixed with water, not Meth. They used to live in parks 24/7 year round incontinence would have been a problem, left to Dry in the warm sun. Watching the young women with short skirts and frilly knickers was his only entertainment, not a child molesting thing we wouldn't have tolerated that. This was the 70's, Hope you enjoy them, you'll have to switch time Zones. All the Best.
So much wonderful creative chaotic power in Ian Anderson and the Jethro Tull band. *(They're British, btw). It's a perspective on homelessness and mental health issues.
Saw Tull in 81. At the time I was going to trade school. I was blown away because most of my teachers were there and participating in various illegal substances. I was 19.
"Deep sea diver sounds" refers to the rattling, bubbly breath of someone with a lung problem (probably TB) because the "flowers blooming" refers to coughing up flecks of blood.
Jethro Tull wrote this about the homeless problem in England. Initially, he expresses the view of others looking at "Aqualung," who sees this dirty old man who won't get a job. Then they take you through different views so you can see the different perspectives of the issue. Instead of being a dirty old man, he is a lonely man down on his luck, dependent on charity, freezing to death in the English cold, which has messed up his lungs. It's pretty powerful.
I believe I had read somewhere Anderson’s wife wrote or had contributed bits of the lyrics
@@tristanrl1940 Yes Anderson's wife wrote the lyrics.
He got the inspiration from photos of the homeless taken by his wife who was a photographer.
Jethro Tull is a "SHOW". The musical talent is on full display and the messages in the songs are hard hitting and unapologetic. The two 'voices' Ian uses are the outside voices of others looking at Aqualung and the inner thoughts of Aqualung himself. Looking down on homeless has been an issue for a long time. Dog Ends are bent cigarette butts, Bogs are bathrooms, and Salvation Ala Mode is the food the Salvation army hands out to those in need. One of the biggest issues homeless have is boredom and that is what the line 'taking time the only way he knows how' is all about. Aqualung is a breathing device for underwater use, it makes a distinct rattling sound and heavy breathing...think Darth Vader like sounds. Great react as always.
THIS. Very nicely written. 👏👏👏
You are a supreme educator!
Thank you. Never knew all those details of what the lyrics meant.
Precise, succinct, and correct. This song is a masterpiece, and the musical talent and showmanship is off the charts.
This is one of the best explanations of this song I've ever seen. I love Jethro Tull. I love this song. Over the years I have spent a lot of time figuring out part of it, then forgetting what it's about. Then figuring it out again. Then forgetting again. Perhaps this full explanation will stick in my head.
It confused me for a long time as an American, but when Ian says, "He bends to pick a dog-end, and goes down to the bog and warms his feet." A "Dog-end" is a cigarette butt, and the "Bog" is a public bathroom (many English refer to toilet paper as bog-roll), indicating that Aqualung is homeless...
I had no idea that "bog" was Brit slang for bathroom!
Yes, he is homeless and sick and bored with nothing to do. "spending time the only way he knows". Basically the Salvation Army will only feed a person near the meal times and the possible places to sleep are only used at night. This leaves a lot of free time.
You saved me having to write that out lol ty
Perfect
The army up the road is a reference to Salvation Army Missions. Salvation served on the side with bowl of soup and some tea. You really need to listen to the entire album to get the full story of Aqualung’s life and how he came to be where he is, an old homeless man wandering lonely with a severe respiratory condition, hence the nickname Aqualung.
Thanks. Explained salvation army so much better than I could
Yes another example of a song that really needs to be listened to with the rest of the album to get the whole story
Ian Anderson is truly a genius. The Songs From The Wood album is soul healing. The first year they gave a heavy metal grammy it was given to JT.........completely surprised they accepted it as it was so tone deaf. We all need a little 15th century flavored minstrel music now and then. Brilliant.
This song is about a real homeless person, that the singer actually knew and used to chat too. The electric part is how other people view him, as an old pervert, sitting in the park, ominously watching the children play. The acoustic part is the reality of the man he talked too. That he is a lonely old man, with a crippled leg and tuberculosis (aqualung) who is sitting on a park bench trying to get warm, while he waits for a Salvation army center to open so he can get warm and a have a cup of tea and something to eat. And in fact he is the one that is scared because people actually abuse him (don't start (run) away, it's only me).
So basically, don't judge by appearances.
In British slang, a "dog end" is a cigarette butt, and a "bog" is a toilet. The Salvation or Sally Army are a volunteer charity that help the homeless, poor etc.
It is Ian’s take on homelessness!! ☮️💙💙💙
This song is about a homeless man and the two perspectives of seeing him. One of disgust and one of empathy and compassion. The lyric, "The Army's up the road, Salvation a la mode is referring to the Salvation Army homeless tenant where Aqualung would grab a cup of tea and seek (hopefully) empathy.
Yes, and I take it as the two perspectives are in the same mind. The singer hits on the fact he is a pervert, and also that he is pathetic and also that he has lost hope and there is nothing the singer can do. Somehow, I always took it that the lungs were broken in military service and he gets no help from that either.
@@kensmith5694 The "Little Girls" are the ones with "Bad intent" - Cross-Eyed Mary and the gang.
This album tells a story, and should be listened to from start to finish in order. I wore this vinyl out back in the day.
Probably the greatest concert I ever saw. Circa '72 when they were on their "Thick As A Brick" tour where they also performed the entire Aqualung Album. This was Tull at their peak. They blew the roof off the place. The Hammond organ blasting Leslie cabs was mind numbing. "Aqualung" is social commentary on homelessness. The quiet acoustic parts are Aqualung as he lives is life. The rock'n parts are how society perceives him. You have to listen to it a few times to get the real meaning.
It's crazy you fell in love with Jethro Tull without ever hearing Aqualung. This is easily their most well-known and successful song.
The song is about perspective on a homeless guy. The intro characterizing him as somewhat threatening and even dangerous. But in reality he is just an old man trying to get through another day.
Britt go into a big city(any city) and observe...There Aqualungs all around.
Peoples lives that sadly went sideways and now live on the street.
This song deals with our reaction to the homeless population. Jethro Tull vocalist and flute player Ian Anderson wrote the song and called it "a guilt-ridden song of confusion about how you deal with beggars, the homeless." Elaborating in the 40th anniversary reissue of the album, he said, "It's about our reaction, of guilt, distaste, awkwardness and confusion, all these things that we feel when we're confronted with the reality of the homeless. You see someone who's clearly in desperate need of some help, whether it's a few coins or the contents of your wallet, and you blank them out. The more you live in that business-driven, commercially-driven lifestyle, you can just cease to see them.
Not to repeat what everyone else has said but I probably will. This is the title track and a massive hit from his most iconic album, Aqualung. And that photo that you see there is the album cover which is meant to portray Aqualung. And it is such a brilliant and skating look at the plight of the homeless and how they are regarded by Society vs. The reality of it.
I am honored that I am the one who started you down the Jethro Tull rabbit hole. My journey started due to Ms. Atwood, my humanities teacher. This was her favorite band and would play his albums in class. Listen to "Bouree" no vocals but will blow you away.
Jethro Tull are a British progressive rock band formed in 1967. The group’s founder Ian Anderson plays flute & acoustic guitar & is the lead singer & quite a showman. They've had a lot of different members over the years. They had a lot of great songs such as "Thick As A Brick", "Songs From The Wood", "A New Day Yesterday", "Cross-Eyed Mary", "Bungle In The Jungle", "Sweet Dream", "Life’s A Long Song" etc.",
I hope she reacts to all of your suggests
Skating Away
Love me some Jethro Tull. Perhaps the most unique sounding band ever. A blend of rock,folk,blues......no other band sound like them. That's the best compliment I can give.......you really should listen to anything off of their "Songs from the Wood "......Great reaction as per usual👍👍
A dog end is a discarded cigarette!!!!
It's a song about homelessness, a hobo.......a poor old sod is an English phrase meaning....a wretched soul down on his luck.......hope that helps!!!!
I'm a poor old sod from London 😂😂😂😂
Ian Anderson is one of the most expressive and interesting performers in Rock history.
My favorite line in the song is "and the flowers bloom like madness in the spring." He's speaking of this man's funeral.
Yes, in my mind "me" always has been the Grim Reaper, telling Aqualung not to be afraid because he will take him to a better place where his leg doesn't hurt and the flowers bloom in the warm sun.
Interesting. That line always set me wondering (sometimes aloud😊). I did read recently though that it might refer the old man coughing up blood onto snow covered ground and the blood ‘blooms’ like blossoms in the snow
@@gordoncameron5082 ...I've never heard that one. I favor the funeral explanation due to the previous line, which mentions taking a "last breath."
@@micscwisby7798 ...interesting. I've always assumed that "me" was just the person who didn't see Aqualung as a bad man. Something to think about!
Just the return of warm weather, I think.
Mine too! Talk about creativity & uniqueness! They were so much fun! Talk about showmanship!
My best friend and I drove up to the Capital Centre (Landover, MD) about 1/2 hour before the concert was to begin. 1978. We walked up to the ticket window and, to our disbelief, several dozen unused promotional tickets had been turned back in. We got center stage third row seats. It was the 'Bursting Out' tour with the humongous balls bouncing around the arena throughout the performance. I've been to hundreds of concerts. This was a Top 5 for me. Yes, 'In the Round', Rush and Pink Floyd are there, as well. Frank Zappa at the Warner Theater is in there, too.
Heard this at every concert I've been to. Four times , always in Norway. Love this band. My favorite one.
A "bog" is a freshwater wetland of soft spongy ground - or in UK colloquialism a bog is also a toilet or water closet ...
It's about an sickly old homeless man. Aqualung is referring to the sound of his breathing which is rough. The song has a couple view points. One from the people who see him. And then his view point.
Ian is talking about the homeless, street people, that the "working" "normal" people ignores, and looks down, because they" Made it!! "OH its is so sad.
I saw them in 1981, awesome show.
The first negative view of Aqualung is based on the impressions, fears, and conclusions that people jump to about the homeless. One of the best examples of his live flute playing is on "My God" from the Isle of Wight concert in 1970. They are a British band.
In my top 5 favorite bands. Thx for the reaction Britt!
The facial expressions in this one…AMAZING!
Your first Tull show will make you want more...
My father bought me Thick as a Brick for my 15th birthday. I'm 65 it's still my favorite album.
He is showing the difference between what society thinks this old Homeless man does, then he speaks of what is reality an old Homeless man dying of pneumonia living on the street.
Love Jethro Tull, this was the first album that I bought when I was 14. I saw them live several times in the 70's. They are my favorite Prog band. Ian Anderson is a great showman, and Martin Barre is an underrated guitarist.
One of my favorite bands, Ian Anderson vocals, flute a musical genius and great performer, this band is on another level. I have been listening to them for 50 years! You should delve into them they have a huge catalogue of music. I recommend the album "Thick as a Brick", to start with.
Who needs the amazing Jethro Tull, just your facial expressions in this one are all the entertainment we need!!
From the same period, another very theatrical band was Genesis with Peter Gabriel at the front. Take the time to watch some of their live performances from the 1972-1974 era. And on the 3rd of July, in theaters, David Bowie's last concert as Ziggy Stardust at the Hammersmith Odeon, London. A MUST WATCH !!!
Yes this band played a concert just down the road from me in 1976!
Always loved this song. Could never really understand the words but who cares it’s still great.
The whole album is a concept album. E@ch song interlinks, commentary on human frailty and what we don’t understand we vilify. Once again the characters in each song is testament to Ian Andersons story telling. Locomotive Breath is just amazing, Crosseyed Mary is equally controversial, bite the bullet and play yourself the complete album. Yes you will have to call up the meanings of the English slang but they are jewels of narrative.
Ian has always stressed its not a concept album, but if you want it as such, it is up to you😊
This song speaks of the two perspectives on the homeless. One is societies negative viewpoint and the other is ones own personal point of view.
The two distinct voices sung express both perspectives.
Agualung refers to his labored breathing and a "dog end" is a crushed out cigarette butt.
It's a deep powerful song!
Per Wikipedia, Jennie Anderson, Ian’s wife, photographed homeless people hanging out along the Thames river. One person (or likely a picture of him after the film was developed) captured their attention and they wrote a song together about him. Lyrics are credited to Jennie and Ian.
Seems like 3 perspectives are given musically and lyrically:
(1j harsh, judgmental, distant from subject…
(2) softer, almost dreamy, empathetic, sentimental, closer to subject
(3) faster, compressed, matter of fact…like a newspaper maybe
Martin Barre (guitarist) tells a great story on the recording of Aqualung. At that point, if he didn't nail the guitar solo by the second take, Ian would just make it a guitar solo. Just as he was about to do the first take Jimmy Page of Led Zepplin walked into the studio to watch and say hello. Martin had to turn his back on Jimmy and recorded the solo in one take.
Ian would make it a FLUTE solo.
I'm 70 and grew up with Jethro Tull. No other band compares.
Ian is so underrated as a musician. He plays multiple instruments well, sings, and he is so entertaining visually. See Jethro Tull the first time was such a crazy experience. I listened to them all the time but was so unprepared for what I heard and saw. Thanks for reacting to and loving Jethro Tull!
Yeah, saw Jethro Tull in 69. Quite a show. Good memories.
The hardcore beginning refers to how the public sees a homeless man as dangerous.. Acoustic part shows his actual life, just trying to survive the night.
"... spitting out pieces of his broken lung." An emotional rendition that calls attention to the horrors of homelessness.
Broken luck .
@@markdraine3571 I would have sworn it was lung. You're right.
My favorite band in junior high school! Great reaction and this band bypassed the drug scene and he has some amazing things in his life. Thank you so much for reacting to them! Much love and appreciation from California.❤️🌈🍀😇🙏🏻❣️
Seen Tull live 3 times! Always masterful musicianship! Aqualung is about society's judgement and fear of this homeless man. The narrator sees him differently. Salvation Army is the army up the road. Dog end is a cigarette butt. Martin Barre is highly underrated. Brilliant guitarist.
3times for me also - always had a GIANT beach ball that the crowd bounced around
Right on concerning the narrator. In a song with many great lines, I think “Aqualung, my friend, doncha start away uneasy…it’s only me” is the most humane part of the song.
Just saw him a week ago.can still shred it.
This song is a song of compassion to one of those kind of homeless men who we see walking alone who have fallen into such self-neglect they look like they are wearing Hollywood designed filthy clothes from head to toe, everything filthy. And the agonizing lonliness and invisibleness of such men on this earth. Nobody will love them, care for them
Yes, the lyrics reveal the depraved heart and thoughts of such men, whose sexual emptiness leads them to staring lustfully at little girls. The song is inspirational to me to reach out and love such people. No it is not glorifying pedophilia is just being real. I took one of these guys home and I literally puked in my car from the smell. I had to use scissors to cut his pants off when I got to the house so he could shower. I found him laying in the shrubbery at a gas station like a discarded candy wrapper.
Hey, Britt! So glad you're getting into Tull but like some others I wish you'd catch the studio versions first. I think hearing the initial version would help you catch the "extra sprinkles" Ian and the gang insert live. Great reaction anyway!
always the studio version first
Yes! I wish reactors would do this!
This was the biggest "hit" song Jethro Tull had early in their career. It was not a pop hit, they were rarely heard on pop radio, but on album radio this was a big hit. Don't worry if you don't know what album radio is, its not a thing anymore. Back in the day, pop music could be found on AM radio, but the good stuff was on FM.
I saw hm in 1973 he never stops moving for the entire show one if not the best concert I have ever been to
The band name is that of a British Agronomist
My favorite Jethro Tull song is Wondering Aloud. It shows a sensitive side to the band. One of the sweetest songs ever. The last line of the song is a mantra I've tried to live by since the late 1970's. *smile*
As a former homeless man i can relate too this story. Great music.
Ian Anderson songs are renditions of games. He used to play with his action figures as a little child.Aqualung was one of his toys
Such a great band to see live. Great reaction, hope the comments help you to appreciate it more.
My favorite performance on UA-cam. Saw them several times in the 70's several times. Ian is just a dynamic performer. So underrated. I didn't get what is was about for a bit back then. Once you see it you go wow, how did I miss that?
Bursting Out. One of the best live albums!! ☮️❤️
Ian Anderson and Tull is a very special kind of music. I like it.
In April, 2011, Ian Anderson performed a flute duet. His flute partner was Cady Coleman. The unique part is while he was on earth she was aboard the International Space Station, orbiting the earth.
Jethro Tull were a stunning live band; the guitarist Martin Barre is a true master of his instrument and I saw him play a pub gig a couple of years ago which was as good as any of the big ticket gigs like Floyd, Queen, that I have seen. Aqualung was one of punk Johnny Rotten's favourite albums.
Ian Anderson hated that people called the album Aqualung a "concept album" so he decided to make what he called the "mother of all concept albums", which of course turned out to be the epicl 43 minute long, single track album, Thick as a Brick. Which was followed by the even longer- and in my opinion better- A Passion Play, also an album consisting of a single track.
Yes, the first time I heard "Thick as a brick" in a record store, the salesman was freaked out that there were only two songs on it,
because he wanted to jump to the next songs on the CD player, but there were no more :D
@@gablen23 Lol! I think I was the same way. I'd never heard of a song taking up an entire album.
@@j.woodbury412Michael Oldfield did some.
@@friedemannkemm63 That's true. Tubular Bells is a great album, and I have listened to it, But Thick as a Brick was the first one I ever heard.
Love Tull! Saw them twice and they do NOT disappoint. Ian Anderson is a modern day bard for sure.
Aqualung is an underwater breathing apparatus for divers. The Heavye Horsess album is excellent also.
Aqualung here is the old name for pneumonia. The old tramp is dying from pneonia.
Even 50 years later, it feels spot on, politically as well as musically. I always get tears in my eyes, thinking how a human creature (Aqualung) endures this kind of life. This is perhaps one of the most artistic albums of all Time, lyrically and musically. You have to question whether they receive the appreciation they deserve for this.
So glad to see someone young appreciate the great classics from Jethro Tull.
The 'crescendo' is a lost art.
Hard to crescendo when you’re all loud all the time. Nuance has been lost in favor of standing out?
This time he is referring to the Homeless and our perception of them. I heard that in an interview with Ian Anderson
Glad to see the ring is back.
Love your reaction.
Another song about a misunderstood older man that you might enjoy is "Art Lover" by the Kinks. It's not as theatrical, and is a lot more cheerful sounding. The Kinks have a huge number of great story songs. --- Answering your final question, an Aqualung is a SCUBA (underwater breathing aparatus). In the song Anderson describes the sound of the old mans breathing as though it is through one of these. The man probably has pneumonia.
Great comparison! That whole album (Give the People What They Want) is full of lyrics you really have to listen to.
Ian Anderson, the most theatrical front man, and yet with perfect diction. Tull, masters of their instruments. JT the complete package. Ian Anderson is a poet who puts his words to music with incredible musicians. Aqualung is a tramp, a dogend is a cigarette butt, the bog is a toilet. All English slang. Salvation Army is a church charity that provide for the likes of Aqualung.
they are great!
@@brittreacts I have followed JT since 'This Was' released in 1968, though 'Stand Up' in 1969 was the first true Tull album after Martin Barre joined. Old age is the price I am paying for being there at the start, yet I do not regret a single day. It is great that young people are discovering these great bands of the 60s and 70s. I have to say my favourite video of yours is your reaction to Freddie Mercury sliding off the piano stool and grabbing the stick mike in 'Somebody to Love', a mixture of joy and disbelief. I just keep playing it over again.
Ian Anderson's (the lead singer) wife wrote the lyrics to "Aqualung" for Jethro Tull
Martin Barre, a great guitarist. I used to play air guitar to this solo as a teenager.
This is now my favourite of all your reactions, I've also fallen in love with you .😍 Hugh, Australia
I would love to have you do a post-reaction review video where you talk about the song after reading the comments. I love your videos.
Big influence in my favorite Broadway play of all time...Les Miserables
☮️💙💙💙🔥🔥Ian is genius!!
OK Britt. You are my new guilty pleasure. You are quite funny and I appreciate how much you appreciate the songs you react to. Going down the rabbit hole watching your vids. Thanks.
Budapest is a great song in concert!!!❤
This is a song about the homeless, Britt. ,,,, and I understand how you can be confused trying to figure it out on your own. It didn't make sense to me till someone pointed it out years ago. BTW, I love your reaction videos and I am so glad you are finding the music from my time period valuable to you. It's a pleasure for me to watch. So thank you so much for sharing that with me and for bringing this music to the attention of other people your own age, as well as other people who may not have heard this music for other reasons. Sharing cultural information from the past is such an important thing to do. So keep up the good work. It is much appreciated by so many. Kurt from Maine
Tull had a ton of great music, this whole album is pretty solid, ranging from hard rock to several very pretty acoustic guitar based ditties... the Benefit and Thick as a Brick albums are also excellent
It's two different takes on a homeless man. The 2nd take (acoustic slow part) is empathy. Ian Anderson is Scottish. Their whole catalog is intelligent lyrics and progressive folk-rock, hence the medieval/old England style.
Aqualung is a homeless guy who is a little "pervy" as he eyes little girls "with bad intent". He has (at least the way I interpret it) a female counterpart named "Cross-eyed Mary". Some guys I used to play in a band (or two) with had a band in-between named, "Cross-eyed Mary". Perhaps the song about her should be your next Jethro Tull reaction. It is aptly titled, "Cross-eyed Mary"😀
I know that other people told you what the British meaning of "bog" is but it also has is the name for a kind of swampy area that looks like solid ground and has grasses and reeds coming out of it but the whole thing is actually floating on water. In a nature park in Minneapolis, there is a feature called the "Quaking Bog". I know that is unrelated to the story in the song but I think it's kind of cool anyway.
A bog is a type of wetland that is made up of partially decayed plant matter called peat. Bogs are usually found in cool, northern climates and are often located in poorly draining lake basins created by glaciers. Bogs are also called mires, quagmires, and muskegs.
Ian Anderson chose a historic agriculturalist to name his band after. Jethro Tull invented the seed drill ! That's why you should listen to HEAVY HORSE because its also the farming theme!
I'd start with the original studio version. Live records are for people who already know the music.
Britt, You need to listen to a few other songs from that album to understand more about the character, Aqualung and what he's all about. One of the songs, "Locomotive Breath" which I hear as sort of the precursor to Aqualung's situation, explains the beginnings of his fall, and also the song "Cross-Eyed Mary" which I'll touch on later in this post. For me, those songs kind of tie it all together sort of to get a better picture of Aqualung's story. My interpretation is that Aqualung (a term which can refer to wheezy breathing due to smoking too many cigarettes or whatever) is a homeless Vietnam vet who went to war and was wounded in battle while away at war. Note the lyric "Leg hurting bad as he bends to pick a dog-end (a used cigarette butt). In the song, "Locomotive Breath" He comes home from the war only to find his family had basically abandoned him. He caught "his wife in bed with his best friend and having fun", His children started to abandoned him (They "jumped off at the stations one by one") You conclude that his time in the military had taken control and stolen his life which is spiraling out of control like a runaway train "Old Charlie stole the handle and the train it won't slow down, it never will slow down" ("Charlie was a term that soldiers in Vietnam used to refer to the enemy forces of the Viet Cong) So, basically I take that phrase as saying his time in Vietnam and his injury at the hands of "Charlie" basically ruined his life as evidenced by how he was loosing everything he had at home. So, he eventually becomes homeless. He's a lonely old man, who finds himself roaming the streets and hanging around schoolyards peering through the fence and watching young girls. As it turns out there's one school girl who's an outcast with all the other girls because she's little more, umm,.. _matured_ you might could say, lol. She' bored with being a school girl and notices Aqualung watching through the fence railing. "Cross-eyed Mary gets no kicks from little boys and she'd rather make it with a letching grey" (a dirty old man) "Maybe her attention is drawn to Aqualung who watches through the railings at them play...Cross-eyed Mary finds it hard to get along, she's a poor man's rich girl". So, anyway, if you listen to those 2 other songs and follow along with the lyrics, I think you start to get the picture about the man, Aqualung.
Tull are brilliant. Anderson is a musical and lyrical giant.
The name of the actor on Dennis the menace with Christopher Lloyd he came from taxi and also from back to the Future one of our greatest actors
I'm 70 and Grew up with Jethro Tull, these earlier albums are harder, but, when this was written there were lots of homeless WW2 Veterans around, Homeless and left to Freeze to death, Try Never Too Old to Rock and Roll, Warchild and or North Sea Oil. These albums are Basically older English Folk Music, set to rock and a bit of Jazz, about the problems in our world, if you look on Google for the words you don't understand under English slang from the 70's you should find it all. So glad you enjoyed The Tull. For example, Aqualung was probably someone once and now his old Homeless, and probably drinking a mix of Methylated sports and This Kind of old strong cheap wine, that Roman soldiers drank, supposed to be mixed with water, not Meth. They used to live in parks 24/7 year round incontinence would have been a problem, left to Dry in the warm sun. Watching the young women with short skirts and frilly knickers was his only entertainment, not a child molesting thing we wouldn't have tolerated that. This was the 70's, Hope you enjoy them, you'll have to switch time Zones. All the Best.
So much wonderful creative chaotic power in Ian Anderson and the Jethro Tull band. *(They're British, btw). It's a perspective on homelessness and mental health issues.
Poetic masterpiece! Great react
Saw Tull in 81. At the time I was going to trade school. I was blown away because most of my teachers were there and participating in various illegal substances. I was 19.
"Deep sea diver sounds" refers to the rattling, bubbly breath of someone with a lung problem (probably TB) because the "flowers blooming" refers to coughing up flecks of blood.
Started My English lessons with that one in 71
Will always be special to me
Maybe Lokomotive breath would be a good pick great reaction
Love your reactions. Tull is very talented behind all the theatrics.
This song in particular is about people's reactions to a homeless man.
On one of my CD's there's a song called Aeroplane by Jethro Tull