A little hard rock flute never hurt anyone especially CB. How long has this one been in my head? A long time and it still sounds good.
Songs like Locomotive Breath still make me sit up and take notice. A little piano intro and then it starts to boogie and THEN that irresistible riff. CB had no defense against this, he was on the train. Ian Anderson’s great vocals and lyrics and one of my favorite rock n roll riffs of all time. And THEN that fantastic flute.
I wonder if Tull knew they had a winner when they cut it? The song just builds and never lets up. Just like 10 tons of locomotive. Take a couple breaths Ian.
Great tune off of a pretty good record. Man did I get some cool music when I was trying to figure things out as a lad. I did’t have to figure this song out. It grabbed CB by the testies!
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Would be frightened on Ian Anderson grabbing me there. He has wild eyes.
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Maybe I should edit my take. He kinda fits the song, “wild eyes” and flute in hand. Great tune!
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Cool title. Strong guitar riff and the flute is unique.
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A few others rocked the flute, Focus and Johnny Almond come to mind.
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You hit the nail on the head with this one, CB. I’ve always loved that tune. The riff, the pan flute, Anderson’s vocals – ultra cool, or as we used to say in Germany as silly teens: Oberaffengeil!😆
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I’m still saying “Oberaffengeil” and I’m not a teen.
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Ha, that’s a complicated word, I wanna that!😀
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I enjoy a bit of Tull. I like how Locomotive Breath uses a train as a metaphor for life. Another favorite on Aqualung is the closer “Wind-Up” about a person who prefers to think for himself rather than be controlled.
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I’d like to think of myself as a “Wind-Up”.
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Always loved that tune and the way it builds up, you get the impression of someone trying to outrun their soul, out of breath and still running…Jethro Tull was a very talented band and their music, reflected in Aqualung and Thick as a Brick, for example, demonstrates how deep their knowledge of music was. An extraordinary rock band, even during the years when most bands carried forth the aesthetics of the time with excellence. Great choice CB and a great post!
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Thanks Francisco. Solid group with a consistent out put. Those early records are very good. Good comment.
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Thanks CB!
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So here’s a coincidence. I stop in at the book store every couple weeks to see what new rock mags are on the stands. And lo and behold there was a special tribute issue to Tull from their Prog-rock archives. (Is Tull a prog band? I never once thought of them as that.) This issue goes into their history with plenty of interviews, mostly with Anderson. Anyway, great song from a great album and the cover art with CB on it is classic.
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I don’t get the “Prog-rock”handle for them but that’s press/media talk.
That was CB on the cover after a week bender.
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Hey man, did you know? Nick Cave with his Grinderman project of late 2000’s did cover this song at soundchecks but they never recorded/released it which is a big pity! Anyway great song 🙂
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I did not know that. I love covers and would really like to hear that one. If it ever pops up let me know.
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Great tune… and that’s still the only Tull album I have. I’m in need of some more, I think.
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Go early stuff J.
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Will do! Think the first time I seen them was on the Rolling Stones Circus thing many moons ago and I thought “oh aye”.
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I had an older brother with a great record collection. That was my start with a lot of this good stuff.
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I sometimes think of myself as that big brother, but my little brother would tend to set me straight!
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