Post by mommybird on May 12, 2007 13:41:10 GMT -5
Aqualung was the 1st rock album that really called to me. That's pretty strange, as far as I'm concerned. I was 12 years old when I begged my mom to buy it for me !
I was listening to it in the car the other day. Somehow, the lyrics to this song struck me in a funny way.
Here they are:
Jethro Tull - Mother Goose Lyrics
As I did walk by Hampstead Fair
I came upon Mother Goose -- so I turned her loose --
she was screaming.
And a foreign student said to me --
was it really true there are elephants and lions too
in Piccadilly Circus?
Walked down by the bathing pond
to try and catch some sun.
Saw at least a hundred schoolgirls sobbing
into hankerchiefs as one.
I don't believe they knew
I was a schoolboy.
And a bearded lady said to me --
if you start your raving and your misbehaving --
you'll be sorry.
Then the chicken-fancier came to play --
with his long red beard (and his sister's weird:
she drives a lorry). SOMEHOW THIS REMINDS ME OF THE SONG " MEAN MR. MUSTARD".
Laughed down by the putting green --
I popped `em in their holes. 4000 HOLES IN BLACKBURN, LANCASHIRE ?
Four and twenty labourers were labouring --
digging up their gold.
I don't believe they knew
that I was Long John Silver. LONG JOHN SILVER AND THE SILVER BEATLES ?
Saw Johnny Scarecrow make his rounds
in his jet-black mac (which he won't give back) --
stole it from a snow man. AGAIN THE REFERENCE TO "JOHNNY".
I just wonder why they seem to be referring to things related to the Beatles.
AQUALUNG
" Aqualung," to many, is Tull's masterpiece. The title track and "Locomotive Breath," with their catchy riffs, would be joined by "My God," "Cross-Eyed Mary," and "Hymn 43" as classic rock staples. There's no arguing with its commercial success, having sold more than seven million copies and continuing to outsell anything in the back catalog.
Yet, "Aqualung" is arguably Tull's most misunderstood album. Critics dubbed it a concept album, particularly for Anderson's critical, skeptical views of organized religion, mostly on side B ("My God"). Anderson has disputed, almost resented, the assessment seeing the record as "just a bunch of songs." The labeling lead the band to really give the critics a concept album with the following studio release "Thick as a Brick."
"Aqualung" has a dominant theme but is certainly more, much more, than a concept album hindging on a solitary subject. Anderson explores the struggles of the less fortunate in our society (e.g., "Aqualung," "Cross-Eyed Mary," "Up to Me"), teenage angst and formal education difficulties ( e.g., "Wind Up," "Mother Goose"), and returns to his parental themes with "Cheap Day Return, a tune encompassing Anderson's feelings while traveling to visit his sick father.
"Aqualung" also cemented the exaggerated image, especially to those only casually acquainted with the band, that Tull was a "heavy rock" group. Years later, a Grammy for best heavy metal album (viz., "Crest of a Knave") would officially sanction the misconceived stereotype. Yet, "Aqualung" is where Anderson really begins to develop his personal style for acoustical guitar songs with "Cheap Day Return," "Mother Goose," and "Slipstream."
"Aqualung" did establish one of the most notable features of Tull's music: songs varying with intensity, mixing medium to heavy electrical sounds with lighter acoustical passages (e.g., "Aqualung," and "My God"). Indeed, every album up to "Under Wraps" (1984) would have at least one such styled number.
At the end of a brief U.S. tour, drummer Clive Bunker left to get married and form a band called "Jude" with Robin Trower. Anderson recruited Barriemore Barlow. Barlow remained drummer for the next eight years.
Released: 1971
Remastered special edition (extra tracks), 1996; DCC Gold Disc 1997
Charts: 4 (U.K.), 7 (U.S.)
Aqualung
Cross-Eyed Mary
Cheap Day Return
Mother Goose
Wond’ring Aloud
Up To Me
My God
Hymn 43
Slipstream
Locomotive Breath
Wind-Up
Lick Your Fingers Clean*
Wind-Up (quad version)*
Excerpts from Ian interview
Songs for Jeffrey*
Fat Man*
Bouree*
The first two verses of "Aqualung" were cowritten with Anderson's first wife.
"Hymn 43" became the first Tull single released in the U.S.
"Aqualung," the song, got its name from the gurgling sound of underwater diving gear which Anderson felt described the wheezing of the song's character. Anderson did not know that "Aqualung" was a trademark and not a generic phrase (the issue was settled quite amicably).
The cover, with "Aqualung" bearing an all too close likeness of Anderson, is one of Ian's least favorites. Yet, it set a precedent for future Tull characters being pictured as "Ian-like" including Ray Lomas from "Too Old to Rock and Roll" and the covers of "Songs from the Wood" and "Stormwatch."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have to further research this. It just struck me funny, is all...
I was listening to it in the car the other day. Somehow, the lyrics to this song struck me in a funny way.
Here they are:
Jethro Tull - Mother Goose Lyrics
As I did walk by Hampstead Fair
I came upon Mother Goose -- so I turned her loose --
she was screaming.
And a foreign student said to me --
was it really true there are elephants and lions too
in Piccadilly Circus?
Walked down by the bathing pond
to try and catch some sun.
Saw at least a hundred schoolgirls sobbing
into hankerchiefs as one.
I don't believe they knew
I was a schoolboy.
And a bearded lady said to me --
if you start your raving and your misbehaving --
you'll be sorry.
Then the chicken-fancier came to play --
with his long red beard (and his sister's weird:
she drives a lorry). SOMEHOW THIS REMINDS ME OF THE SONG " MEAN MR. MUSTARD".
Laughed down by the putting green --
I popped `em in their holes. 4000 HOLES IN BLACKBURN, LANCASHIRE ?
Four and twenty labourers were labouring --
digging up their gold.
I don't believe they knew
that I was Long John Silver. LONG JOHN SILVER AND THE SILVER BEATLES ?
Saw Johnny Scarecrow make his rounds
in his jet-black mac (which he won't give back) --
stole it from a snow man. AGAIN THE REFERENCE TO "JOHNNY".
I just wonder why they seem to be referring to things related to the Beatles.
AQUALUNG
" Aqualung," to many, is Tull's masterpiece. The title track and "Locomotive Breath," with their catchy riffs, would be joined by "My God," "Cross-Eyed Mary," and "Hymn 43" as classic rock staples. There's no arguing with its commercial success, having sold more than seven million copies and continuing to outsell anything in the back catalog.
Yet, "Aqualung" is arguably Tull's most misunderstood album. Critics dubbed it a concept album, particularly for Anderson's critical, skeptical views of organized religion, mostly on side B ("My God"). Anderson has disputed, almost resented, the assessment seeing the record as "just a bunch of songs." The labeling lead the band to really give the critics a concept album with the following studio release "Thick as a Brick."
"Aqualung" has a dominant theme but is certainly more, much more, than a concept album hindging on a solitary subject. Anderson explores the struggles of the less fortunate in our society (e.g., "Aqualung," "Cross-Eyed Mary," "Up to Me"), teenage angst and formal education difficulties ( e.g., "Wind Up," "Mother Goose"), and returns to his parental themes with "Cheap Day Return, a tune encompassing Anderson's feelings while traveling to visit his sick father.
"Aqualung" also cemented the exaggerated image, especially to those only casually acquainted with the band, that Tull was a "heavy rock" group. Years later, a Grammy for best heavy metal album (viz., "Crest of a Knave") would officially sanction the misconceived stereotype. Yet, "Aqualung" is where Anderson really begins to develop his personal style for acoustical guitar songs with "Cheap Day Return," "Mother Goose," and "Slipstream."
"Aqualung" did establish one of the most notable features of Tull's music: songs varying with intensity, mixing medium to heavy electrical sounds with lighter acoustical passages (e.g., "Aqualung," and "My God"). Indeed, every album up to "Under Wraps" (1984) would have at least one such styled number.
At the end of a brief U.S. tour, drummer Clive Bunker left to get married and form a band called "Jude" with Robin Trower. Anderson recruited Barriemore Barlow. Barlow remained drummer for the next eight years.
Released: 1971
Remastered special edition (extra tracks), 1996; DCC Gold Disc 1997
Charts: 4 (U.K.), 7 (U.S.)
Aqualung
Cross-Eyed Mary
Cheap Day Return
Mother Goose
Wond’ring Aloud
Up To Me
My God
Hymn 43
Slipstream
Locomotive Breath
Wind-Up
Lick Your Fingers Clean*
Wind-Up (quad version)*
Excerpts from Ian interview
Songs for Jeffrey*
Fat Man*
Bouree*
The first two verses of "Aqualung" were cowritten with Anderson's first wife.
"Hymn 43" became the first Tull single released in the U.S.
"Aqualung," the song, got its name from the gurgling sound of underwater diving gear which Anderson felt described the wheezing of the song's character. Anderson did not know that "Aqualung" was a trademark and not a generic phrase (the issue was settled quite amicably).
The cover, with "Aqualung" bearing an all too close likeness of Anderson, is one of Ian's least favorites. Yet, it set a precedent for future Tull characters being pictured as "Ian-like" including Ray Lomas from "Too Old to Rock and Roll" and the covers of "Songs from the Wood" and "Stormwatch."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have to further research this. It just struck me funny, is all...
I feel that by the time the fake Brian was "killed off", John & Cynthia's marriage was already in the toilet.