My junior year in catholic high school, religion class, was assigned to do a project on religion in the arts. I brought in the Aqualung album, played My God, Hymn 43 and Wind Up. I got an A and my classmates loved me!
The music in My God is so brilliant, minor chords changing to major and back, that little piano jump part, it's all so good rolled into brilliant lyrics.
Jethro Tull was one of those unique foundational bands of the 70s. There was only a handful of bands that really set themselves apart from all the other, and JT was certainly one of them. Great stuff.
I'm so glad I found you, this is my favorite band!! I've seen them 5 times, best concerts I've ever seen, they sounded as good live as they did on the records!!!
I saw them in Wisconsin in the 1980's. They brought out the giant balloons, one of which had written on it "Oh, no! Not the balloons again!". They also turned the stage into a little café in the middle of the concert, with a brief play. It was a great show!
@@MsUrbangirl Only one thing I was disappointed in, or maybe just taken aback and confused. Ian didn't sound like himself at all. He sounded like a munchkin, or like he was breathing helium. I was shocked at first. I heard that somewhere along the line he had damaged his voice. I wonder if it was related to that? At any rate, even though it was a distraction, I still enjoyed the show and was glad I went.
@HareDeLune Yes, tragically, that did happen. I think it had to do with smoking. I'm just glad I got to see him before that happened. Too bad you couldn't have, but at least you got to see the whole band live!
Always interesting watching all these, mostly young, "guitar-players, drummers" or whatever filming themselves talking a lot and fast, filming themselves, talking about good music! Keep up the interesting work! (Okey, "Wond'ring aloud" a favourite, short and amazing!)
I bought this album when it first came out, and I loved it. But have to confess that it's been decades since I slapped it on a turntable and listened to it (or anything, since the turntable is buried). So all I've heard in the longest time have been the tracks from it that got played on the radio or online: Aqualung, Locomotive Breath (which I got really sick of hearing) and Cross-Eyed Mary. This reaction was a revelation! I forgot how much I loved these other songs. So thank you Lee for doing this!
Great reaction as always Lee - and as a fellow Dad, the smile on your face whenever your munchkin shows up warms my heart. As a lifelong Tull fan, it's a been a ton of fun watching you discover the many incarnations of their sound. Peace and love from Canada☮
This album means a lot to me, I remember buying it in the early 70's in the summertime from hippies, about a hundred of them sitting on their blankets on a high street here in Berlin, selling their handmade jewellery, leather belts, bags etc and sometimes records. It's hard to imagine today, but I've never forgotten this great time of my youth.😊
This album has been blowing me away for decades, ever since I bought the vinyl. Every song is good, but I think My God in my favorite, or maybe Locomotive Breath. This album and Living In the Past are two of my favorite rock albums. It's good to be alive when Jethro Tull is around! I love the softer acoustic songs like Wond'ring Aloud and Cheap Day return. A truly marvelous band.
Wond'ring Aloud ...Ian never writes standard love songs, but these indirect expressions of love. Up To Me is worth a second listen just for that riff. And My God ... who else but Tull would include what sounds like a Gregorian chant in a rock song? Love it.
I only knew aqualung by Jethro Tull. I am so happy to see all these videos and see what unique lovely music come from them. I had no idea I’m thrilled to hear it. Thank you Lee!
No one knows so little as the one who knows it all. Great review, strengthened with incite, and threaded through with an ever-growing wisdom. Nice one, L33, from an old man that heard it all first time round, and is still trying to get a toehold. Keep on, keeping on 😎
Lee: When I saw them do this live, the jaw-dropping memory in my mind all these decades later is seeing Ian go from seated on a stool with his acoustic to kicking his stool flying across the stage as he stood and passed his guitar off while grabbing the flute - all in a single motion! The standing up and stool kick was simultaneous, shocking (cuz the band comes in at that moment) and completely badass.
Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond plays bass on this album; Glenn Cornick plays bass on the live version of My God at The Isle of Wight...he got sacked from the band sometime after that concert. There is an early studio version of My God with Cornick on bass...you can only find it on the 40th Anniversary Adapted Edition of Aqualung.
Ian met with Sir George Martin about producing this album. George more or less told Ian 'you seem to be doing a pretty good job yourself' and declined. Some criticize the sound quality on the album, it's a little flat, but they were in a very large, temperamental studio space and really struggled to get things the way they wanted. They experimented a lot, doing stuff like hanging mics from the ceiling and swinging them around the room during recordings, etc. I love the album, one of my faves from the band, it just has such a cool dynamic. Heavy, dark and creepy on one side while also light and contemplative and sentimental on the other. Pretty inspired effort, IMO. Thanks for the reaction Lee, keep up the great work.
Album version: My God. First time I heard it in the 70's to today, it never fails to deliver a CHILL...! Fantastic Album. Only "Thick as a Brick" is better.
This album came out when I was 16. I just had smoked a joint for the first time and listened to Aqualung and had a spiritual experience. One of my top ten albums, except all the Beatles albums come first, of course.
You did not remember the 'monkish' chants in My God because they were not there in the 1970 live version.. Also the flute solo is more refined in the studio version.
Since you're such a Tull fan I strongly encourage you to go through the whole Benefit album - absolutely awesome, and in some ways, even better than Aqualung, which was the next album after Benefit. Specifically, Nothing to See, which was Martin Barre's favorite Tull song, a brilliant piece of music with fantastic lyrics about a broken relationship. But every song's a gem. Teacher was a big hit single for them in the UK but not released as a single in the US, is a fun song about a guru who takes advantage of the singer.
Teacher has long been one of my favorites. Never realized it was not released as a single, because I heard it played so much and treated it as such way way back when I had a college radio show.
I think you would like the "Living in the Past" album. Wondring Aloud is on that. Double album. It has it's head bangers like Locomotive Breath and Hymn 43 - but they have so many great songs on that album where they seem to kick back a little and get a bit more creative.
Beneath a good deal of Aqualung is truly an indictment of the Anglican Church. Have you listened to "Wind Up"? It summarizes his feelings well. Three of the five times I saw them he finished the show with it.
Hey Lee I have been listening to you for some months now and you seem to be open for all types of music and I appreciate that but no one had mentioned a group that I really love I may be wrong but I haven't seen them on your show and that's Savoy Brown I first heard their song Sunday Night and it went from there we lost Kim Simmons awhile ago but he was a great guitar player they have slot of albums please listen to them you won't be sorry Hellbound train is great too thanks and keep doing what your doing l love it your smart and insightful
Hey buddy. I'm gonna recommend a video for you to see. Genesis live on Belgian TV. It's absolutely awesome. Peter & Steve at their best. As well as Phil, Tony & Michael.
My God is the best Jethro Tull song, IMHO. Proggy, a bit of folk, and when Martin Barre comes in with the electric guitar---mercy, almost metal. Great lyrics too, Ian Anderson's vocals superb. The flute, of course, completes the song brilliantly
You're pretty hyped for that lovely little song : ) You might want to check out the lyrics before next week. Ian enjoys using metaphors and having us all guessing.
There's 4 albums that determined my musical tastes from when I was 16: Aqualung, Selling England By The Pound, Close To The Edge & One Size Fits All (not necessarily in that order)
I've tried to learn Wond'ring Aloud to play for my wife. Can't seem to play acoustic well enough to pull it off. I love that song. Ian just has a wonderful style with his acoustic...just one more thing to love about Jethro Tull.
These three along with Mother Goose are my favorites off this album. I always thought it was Martin playing the acoustic guitar on My God, but apparently it’s Ian? Wow!
There is a lovely version of WONDERIN being played live by an older Ian and a quartet _ a pianist and drummer. Search youtube for "Jethro Tull - Wondring Aloud with String Quartet"
Ian is critical of organized religion.But he likes true Christianity, and he's creating the Clear examples of each. For a rock and role person , it's a pretty good sermon.
Having been a Tull fan since the 70's and listened to these albums on various quality sound systems, I can vouch that the original mixes and sound quality are, well, not that good. Which is to say that these Steve Wilson remixes are one of the best things to ever happen to these albums, IMHO. 😊
Okay, now you gotta quickly follow up with WOND'RING AGAIN off their Living In The Past album! My favorite song from Aqualung remains to this day MOTHER GOOSE, followed closely by AQUALUNG and CROSS-EYED MARY. Once you get to Living In The Past album, hit UP THE 'POOL. Two other groups that used a Flute successfully in Rock music were The Moody Blues and The Marshall Tucker Band, but nobody attacked the instrument like Ian! Check out The Moody Blues' LEGEND OF A MIND from their album In Search of the Lost Chord (1968), written/sung by Ray Thomas their flautist.
Jollyrodgers check out a band called Attic of Love. The singer plays the flute. Definitely influenced by Jethro Tull. I suggest a song called "Bridge of Lost Desire." They're a great band and the singer does fantastic covers of Tull.
It’s hard to pick a favorite song from this album as a kid a young child I loved Aqualung the song, over the last 20 years or so my two favorite songs are Mother Goose and Hymm 43. It’s a tie.❤ then again my God would be right up there too.😅 so, it’s not reasonably possible for me to answer your question. Lol.
This side of the album is my favourite, but narrowing it down to individual songs is too hard. However, the song I find myself singing most often is _Wind_ _Up..._
I think Ian has it right.If God is God, He's not the kind You only wind up on Sunday. God is inside you and me, and He is God always, not just on Sunday. Christianity is not a religion, though It is referred to as one most of the time. Christianity is a family , the family of God. God, Has nothing against religion, per se, but He says that true , religion is taking care of orphans, and widows.
"We are our own saviours..And it's only the giving that makes you what you are"...
He was laying down some deep truth there.
My junior year in catholic high school, religion class, was assigned to do a project on religion in the arts. I brought in the Aqualung album, played My God, Hymn 43 and Wind Up. I got an A and my classmates loved me!
That’s all you need to do. That’s a mic drop moment right there lol
The first time I heard My God and Wind Up was a revelation. My first thought was--I'm not the only one who thinks this way.
That middle section of My God where the band kicks in the vocals sounds like a group of demented monks in a monastery.
The music in My God is so brilliant, minor chords changing to major and back, that little piano jump part, it's all so good rolled into brilliant lyrics.
The filmed Isle of Wight version of "My God" is awesome. The drums and guitar blow you out of your seat and Ian goes nuts on the flute.
I was there & have to agree, they were excellent.
This whole album is amazing! Not a single bad song! Love Hymn 43 and My God!
My God is the favorite on this album, actually in all of their catalog, strong lyrics and musically brilliant. The entire album is fantastic.
Jethro Tull was one of those unique foundational bands of the 70s. There was only a handful of bands that really set themselves apart from all the other, and JT was certainly one of them. Great stuff.
The adding of the Gregorian chant during the flute solo accentuated the “religious “ aspect of this song
The lyrics of " My God" are extraordinary - perfect "second person condescending"
I'm so glad I found you, this is my favorite band!! I've seen them 5 times, best concerts I've ever seen, they sounded as good live as they did on the records!!!
I’m jealous!! I wish I could go rock out to some live Tull. They put on a hell of a show lol
I saw them in Wisconsin in the 1980's. They brought out the giant balloons, one of which had written on it "Oh, no! Not the balloons again!".
They also turned the stage into a little café in the middle of the concert, with a brief play.
It was a great show!
@HareDeLune That's cool. Yes, every show we had the balloons too. I saw them all through the 70s.
@@MsUrbangirl
Only one thing I was disappointed in, or maybe just taken aback and confused.
Ian didn't sound like himself at all. He sounded like a munchkin, or like he was breathing helium. I was shocked at first. I heard that somewhere along the line he had damaged his voice. I wonder if it was related to that?
At any rate, even though it was a distraction, I still enjoyed the show and was glad I went.
@HareDeLune Yes, tragically, that did happen. I think it had to do with smoking. I'm just glad I got to see him before that happened. Too bad you couldn't have, but at least you got to see the whole band live!
Always interesting watching all these, mostly young, "guitar-players, drummers" or whatever filming themselves talking a lot and fast, filming themselves, talking about good music!
Keep up the interesting work! (Okey, "Wond'ring aloud" a favourite, short and amazing!)
All 3 of these songs are FIRE!!!!
I bought this album when it first came out, and I loved it. But have to confess that it's been decades since I slapped it on a turntable and listened to it (or anything, since the turntable is buried). So all I've heard in the longest time have been the tracks from it that got played on the radio or online: Aqualung, Locomotive Breath (which I got really sick of hearing) and Cross-Eyed Mary. This reaction was a revelation! I forgot how much I loved these other songs. So thank you Lee for doing this!
Great reaction as always Lee - and as a fellow Dad, the smile on your face whenever your munchkin shows up warms my heart. As a lifelong Tull fan, it's a been a ton of fun watching you discover the many incarnations of their sound. Peace and love from Canada☮
This album means a lot to me, I remember buying it in the early 70's in the summertime from hippies, about a hundred of them sitting on their blankets on a high street here in Berlin, selling their handmade jewellery, leather belts, bags etc and sometimes records. It's hard to imagine today, but I've never forgotten this great time of my youth.😊
This album has been blowing me away for decades, ever since I bought the vinyl. Every song is good, but I think My God in my favorite, or maybe Locomotive Breath. This album and Living In the Past are two of my favorite rock albums. It's good to be alive when Jethro Tull is around! I love the softer acoustic songs like Wond'ring Aloud and Cheap Day return. A truly marvelous band.
Just a perfect album.
"The rainy season comes to pass --
the day-glo pirate sinks at last --
and if I laughed a bit to fast.
Well it was up to me."
Tull is among the very best music during that early times from ‘68 to ‘79
Dr. Bogenbroom, Up The Pool, Nursie. My God, just packed full of Ian Anderson's delicious irony'.
Love these songs, My God is such an epic listen. Awesome reaction Lee.
This flows into Hymn 43.. my favorite track on the album.
Wond'ring Aloud ...Ian never writes standard love songs, but these indirect expressions of love. Up To Me is worth a second listen just for that riff. And My God ... who else but Tull would include what sounds like a Gregorian chant in a rock song? Love it.
I only knew aqualung by Jethro Tull. I am so happy to see all these videos and see what unique lovely music come from them. I had no idea I’m thrilled to hear it. Thank you Lee!
There IS only Aqualung by Jethro Tull. No one else. Help me understand what you’re getting at?
@@glenndespres5317 Aqualung was the only song I knew by Jethro Tull until recently, wait, I think I remember bungle in the jungle.
Gotcha. Was hearing that you may have heard Aqualung by another artist. Pay on attention to me. 😜
the whole album was always a favorite of mine -- thank you
No one knows so little as the one who knows it all.
Great review, strengthened with incite, and threaded through with an ever-growing wisdom.
Nice one, L33, from an old man that heard it all first time round, and is still trying to get a toehold.
Keep on, keeping on 😎
Lee: When I saw them do this live, the jaw-dropping memory in my mind all these decades later is seeing Ian go from seated on a stool with his acoustic to kicking his stool flying across the stage as he stood and passed his guitar off while grabbing the flute - all in a single motion! The standing up and stool kick was simultaneous, shocking (cuz the band comes in at that moment) and completely badass.
A concept album about hypocrisy, bias, and virtue signalling. These three songs are classics. Well analyzed. The little interruption was precious.
Ian's response to people wrongly calling this a 'concept' album was an actual concept album, Thick as a Brick.
@@gold98gtp It hit like a concept.
Anyone who appreciates Tull is ok in my book!
What an amazing album, all of it.
Any Steven Wilson remix is worth your time and a listen. He’s brilliant..
The second side is my favorite song from the album.
Musician geniuses all of them
That's such a better mix than my old vinyl platter.
Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond plays bass on this album; Glenn Cornick plays bass on the live version of My God at The Isle of Wight...he got sacked from the band sometime after that concert. There is an early studio version of My God with Cornick on bass...you can only find it on the 40th Anniversary Adapted Edition of Aqualung.
Ian met with Sir George Martin about producing this album. George more or less told Ian 'you seem to be doing a pretty good job yourself' and declined. Some criticize the sound quality on the album, it's a little flat, but they were in a very large, temperamental studio space and really struggled to get things the way they wanted. They experimented a lot, doing stuff like hanging mics from the ceiling and swinging them around the room during recordings, etc. I love the album, one of my faves from the band, it just has such a cool dynamic. Heavy, dark and creepy on one side while also light and contemplative and sentimental on the other. Pretty inspired effort, IMO. Thanks for the reaction Lee, keep up the great work.
Zepplin was recording in a studio downstairs at the same time
Incredibly confident and restrained leaving one of the great drummers of the day off two 2 1/2 of the 3 songs here.
Great reaction Lee! My favorite off this album is Wind Up
Next week! Can’t wait for slipstream finally
Album version: My God. First time I heard it in the 70's to today, it never fails to deliver a CHILL...! Fantastic Album.
Only "Thick as a Brick" is better.
This album came out when I was 16. I just had smoked a joint for the first time and listened to Aqualung and had a spiritual experience. One of my top ten albums, except all the Beatles albums come first, of course.
Wind Up is my favorite cut from Agualung
One contemplative album... Thank you, Jethro. Wond'ring
You did not remember the 'monkish' chants in My God because they were not there in the 1970 live version.. Also the flute solo is more refined in the studio version.
Since you're such a Tull fan I strongly encourage you to go through the whole Benefit album - absolutely awesome, and in some ways, even better than Aqualung, which was the next album after Benefit. Specifically, Nothing to See, which was Martin Barre's favorite Tull song, a brilliant piece of music with fantastic lyrics about a broken relationship. But every song's a gem. Teacher was a big hit single for them in the UK but not released as a single in the US, is a fun song about a guru who takes advantage of the singer.
Hey user, I'd love to hear teacher and fat man again.
Teacher has long been one of my favorites. Never realized it was not released as a single, because I heard it played so much and treated it as such way way back when I had a college radio show.
I think you would like the "Living in the Past" album. Wondring Aloud is on that. Double album. It has it's head bangers like Locomotive Breath and Hymn 43 - but they have so many great songs on that album where they seem to kick back a little and get a bit more creative.
Beneath a good deal of Aqualung is truly an indictment of the Anglican Church. Have you listened to "Wind Up"? It summarizes his feelings well. Three of the five times I saw them he finished the show with it.
Ian started all his flute solos in concert with the riff from this and in concert seems likee he went on for 10 minutes
Blues for God!
Hey Lee I have been listening to you for some months now and you seem to be open for all types of music and I appreciate that but no one had mentioned a group that I really love I may be wrong but I haven't seen them on your show and that's Savoy Brown I first heard their song Sunday Night and it went from there we lost Kim Simmons awhile ago but he was a great guitar player they have slot of albums please listen to them you won't be sorry Hellbound train is great too thanks and keep doing what your doing l love it your smart and insightful
YESSSSSSS
Great album for sure, still gets regular play in my house. Hymn 43 kicks ass! Wind up made me think on a deeper level.
She said the house is on fire😂
Hey buddy. I'm gonna recommend a video for you to see. Genesis live on Belgian TV. It's absolutely awesome. Peter & Steve at their best. As well as Phil, Tony & Michael.
My God is the best Jethro Tull song, IMHO. Proggy, a bit of folk, and when Martin Barre comes in with the electric guitar---mercy, almost metal. Great lyrics too, Ian Anderson's vocals superb. The flute, of course, completes the song brilliantly
I agree the flute really adds the umph needed when it comes in. The acoustic and electric harmony is so damn good 😊
You're pretty hyped for that lovely little song : ) You might want to check out the lyrics before next week. Ian enjoys using metaphors and having us all guessing.
It’s too hard for me to pick a favorite song from this album because it’s so good
There's 4 albums that determined my musical tastes from when I was 16: Aqualung, Selling England By The Pound, Close To The Edge & One Size Fits All (not necessarily in that order)
Warchild & Minstrel In the Gallery feature a lot of strings.
I've tried to learn Wond'ring Aloud to play for my wife. Can't seem to play acoustic well enough to pull it off. I love that song. Ian just has a wonderful style with his acoustic...just one more thing to love about Jethro Tull.
These three along with Mother Goose are my favorites off this album. I always thought it was Martin playing the acoustic guitar on My God, but apparently it’s Ian? Wow!
There is a lovely version of WONDERIN being played live by an older Ian and a quartet _ a pianist and drummer. Search youtube for "Jethro Tull - Wondring Aloud with String Quartet"
Ian is critical of organized religion.But he likes true Christianity, and he's creating the Clear examples of each. For a rock and role person , it's a pretty good sermon.
Tullesdays forever!💪🙏
PLEASE do "Wind Up" and "Hymn 43"!
Having been a Tull fan since the 70's and listened to these albums on various quality sound systems, I can vouch that the original mixes and sound quality are, well, not that good.
Which is to say that these Steve Wilson remixes are one of the best things to ever happen to these albums, IMHO. 😊
Okay, now you gotta quickly follow up with WOND'RING AGAIN off their Living In The Past album! My favorite song from Aqualung remains to this day MOTHER GOOSE, followed closely by AQUALUNG and CROSS-EYED MARY. Once you get to Living In The Past album, hit UP THE 'POOL. Two other groups that used a Flute successfully in Rock music were The Moody Blues and The Marshall Tucker Band, but nobody attacked the instrument like Ian! Check out The Moody Blues' LEGEND OF A MIND from their album In Search of the Lost Chord (1968), written/sung by Ray Thomas their flautist.
Jollyrodgers check out a band called Attic of Love. The singer plays the flute. Definitely influenced by Jethro Tull. I suggest a song called "Bridge of Lost Desire." They're a great band and the singer does fantastic covers of Tull.
Tull !!
Aqualung masterpiece
It’s hard to pick a favorite song from this album as a kid a young child I loved Aqualung the song, over the last 20 years or so my two favorite songs are Mother Goose and Hymm 43. It’s a tie.❤ then again my God would be right up there too.😅 so, it’s not reasonably possible for me to answer your question. Lol.
I really enjoy this album but you should listen to their "Stand Up" album next
and the hair raising stinging guitar from Martin Lancelot Barre
And when you get your McCartney Monday, it could be called Macday.
This side of the album is my favourite, but narrowing it down to individual songs is too hard. However, the song I find myself singing most often is _Wind_ _Up..._
Ian Anderson, best guitarist in Jethro Tull.
Oh, it's Tull Tuesday; Maybe they should rename it Tullday
Mozart detested the flute; ironic since he wrote the opera "The Magic Flute"
There is Ian Anderson and then
there is eveyone else
You sould review sundays child john martyn
would you take a bit of gregorian chant? dont' mind if i do!
Simple. Protesting organized religion’s perversions and excesses when God is within, and doesn’t require the direction of that bunch.
I think Ian has it right.If God is God, He's not the kind You only wind up on Sunday. God is inside you and me, and He is God always, not just on Sunday. Christianity is not a religion, though It is referred to as one most of the time. Christianity is a family , the family of God. God, Has nothing against religion, per se, but He says that true , religion is taking care of orphans, and widows.
This album alone should have put Tull in the RARHOF. What a sad joke.
I used to appreciate Tull but then it came to me all their songs sound the same
Any Steven Wilson remix is worth your time and a listen. He’s brilliant..