Just to reiterate, the only reason we mentioned that this didn't get much radioplay is because the frontman himself was quoted as saying such. Thank you for all the Tull requests! We will get back to them in the future.
It didn't get much radio play on the mainstream rock stations because they still avoided songs longer than 3 minutes or so, and this goes well over six minutes... The "album rock" stations would play it on occasion though.
The guitar solo was one take. Martin Barre' on a Les Paul JR. He started playing it and noticed through the control room window,,, he saw Jimmy Page watching him, and thought,,, oh $hit,, not Jimmy Page, not now, but he killed it in one take.
Jethro Tull carved their own niche! They had such an amazing career! They are a cult with many generations of fans! Thank University and FM radio stations for introducing Tull to the world!
Listening to Tull is a great experience, but I have come to find out over the years that if you have access to video of a live performance 🎭 then you would be doing yourself a disservice by not watching. The performance is such an amazing addition to the music. ✌🏼😎🇺🇸
This era of JT was the best lineup. They were an amazingly tight band. They were all fantastic musicians. Even the silly song, Bungle in the Jungle, their instrumentation is unreal. It's no wonder they were an influence to so many killer rock bands!
This is so cool! I have been listening to thier song " Living in the Past". I can't get enough of this timeless song, I hope you guys can cover it as well! ❤
The more you listen the more you’ll appreciate the genius of this band. Key word is listen. Amazing live. Thanks for catching that it’s not music to play in the background at the party.
This song was huge, and got lots of air play on FM radio. The album launched Tull into super stardom. By the 3rd album after this, the War Child tour sold out the LA Forum 5 nights, something that had never been done to that point.
One of my first bass lessons, 1978 in one of those lesson rooms in the back of Buddy Roger's Music. My instructor made sure I didn't wind up thumping eighth notes my entire life. Thanks Keith! P.S. It took years to get it all down properly.
A classic of progressive rock with so many tempo changes, a real soundscape. Great guitar solo with some wonderful piano. Not the nicest subject matter lyrically with some very dicey words at the beginning but it makes its point in the context of social commentary. It was ahead of its time then and is still relevant because it describes the plight of the homeless or those with mental illness. Like you said, it begins 'broken and grimy' because that is an apt description of the character Aqualung - an individual broken in spirit and physically with a grimy appearance. My musical mind of a young teen appreciated this song even as a 13-year-old in the mid-1970s.
Ian touched social issues, religious issues and was a great writer, believe it or not he’s still touring today. The press stereotyped this album as “progressive” and it irritated him so the next album “Thick as a brick” was only one contentious song mocking the critics and he considered that “progressive” Ian always walked his own path😎
I agree with Nick in that I didn’t really like it when it first came out but it’s definitely grown on me over time. Nobody else will ever duplicate it.
Historic song and album. A shock for the average yokel! You probably did not have an older brother to show you the way to great music as I was lucky enough to have. My brother owned this album as well as Tull’s Living In The Past album leading me into some of the best music ever!
Who can cover a song like this? Well, Iron Maiden did a great version of their song 'Cross Eyed Mary', Dio did covers of 'Aqualung' and 'Cross Eyed Mary' in the mid-70s with his band Elf, etc. Jethro Tull is not for the faint of heart, one of the biggest, deepest catalogs in rock history. Their run of albums from 1968 to 1978 is one of the greatest 10 year periods of music ever made, and they kept going after that. Nick, you had a huge grin on for almost the whole video, glad you guys enjoyed it. Tull is very worth investigating. Thanks for the reaction.
OKAYYYYY GUYS, NOW YOU'RE HITTING ON MY TOP ( 3 ) BANDS OF ALLLLLLL TIME, I LUVVVVVV IT!!! 👍😊 ELTON JOHN, NEIL YOUNG, AND TULL GUYS, HUGE HIT SONG AND GUESS WHATTTT??? NO FLUTE 😮, YOU GET ZERO FLUTE FROM IAN, INSANE!
After the song finished you said My God! There's another excellent track from this album called...My God! I highly recommend you watch the live version from the Isle O' Wight Festival in 1970. Although the studio version came out a year later the audience had no clue what they were in for. Believe me when I tell you minds were blown! Ian is well known for his mastery o' the flute 'n this is a prime example.
Saw JT once. Small venue, but cool nonetheless. Crowd was amesome, me on my rice rocket, the rest leaving oil stains wherever they parked. And then the music started. Nothing more to say. Best show I ever had the pleasure
Locomotive Breath and Cross Eyed Mary from that same album are masterpieces as well you get an idea of Andersons skill on the flute, then take a dive into watching Ian Anderson live he was a madman. But I'd listen to the album versions first truly epic.
Saw them Live, long ago... I remember saying it was one of the best shows I'd seen! But I must admit that, today, I remember little about the show itself. That kinda makes me sad. lol
This full song is played daily on every classic rock station everywhere. There is not one bad track on this album. This band has easily over 200 incredible songs in their catalog. Get to work, boys!
This is far from his most popular song, but I have been vibing HARD to Eric Clapton's - After Midnight lately. Please check it out and get infected, ha!
Very unusual in this song is the absence of flute playing, which is Ian Anderson's primary instrument in the group. Aqualung, it would seem, depends on how you look at him.
Guitar work is out of this world. Sorry if there's other suggestions for it, but my "2 cents" go for "Bungle in the Jungle" as a Jethro Tull recommendation.
This is a good introduction to Tull, but if you explore the albums of the 70s you will find several songs that are even better - but with other qualities. Unfortunately today there are two Jethro Tulls, one with Ian Anderson and one with Martin Barre... None can reach the quality of the 70s.
Comparing this song to recent music with it's pop tarts, lazy rappers, "Sampling" better music, Auto-tune....You feel so sad for people growing up today without great music to listen to.
Aqualung is iconic for this band, but their body of work is so huge, I have to say they have much better songs than this one. Most people start off with this album, but I graduated fairly early and I never really looked back.
Aqualung is about our view of the homeless (sitting on a park bench, watching little girls). Then it changes to a sympathetic view of an old man going up the road to the Salvation Army for a cup of tea. This song doesn't have the famous flute that the band is known for. You have GOT to see a live performance. I suggest .. Locomotive Breath
Wait till you see him dancing around with his flute singin lead then playin his flute. His stage presence was just magical!!!!1 Locomotive Breath! cheers
Untrue, Ian Anderson on flute and acoustic guitar and vocals. Martin Barre on lead guitar, Jefferey Hammond Hammond on bass, John Evan on Keys, and Clive Bunker on drums. Thats pretty much the original band Jethro Tull.
Some reactors misinterpreted this song…”eyeing little girls with bad intent”. This was meant to be OUR view of him, not what he actually was. It was, indeed, a sad song.
The song was not played on AM radio, which back then was just all about hit singles and the Billboard Hot 100. But this was a staple on the newly emerging FM radio that played album rock and where many people discovered the great artists of all time. FM drove album sales, which was the benchmark for great bands like Tull.
They actually DID play this song on the radio; not on AM radio, but on the far superior FM dial. It just wasn't a single. Look, "Stairway To Heaven" was also not a single. Most of the greatest rock songs were not singles!!!! You definitely need to play "Cross-Eyed Mary" next, as it is the sequel to "Aqualung." Then, from the same album, you need to play "Locomotive Breath" and "Hymn 43." Then, from other Jethro Tull albums, you need to play "Living In The Past," "Teacher," "Minstrel In The Gallery" (one of the longest songs they ever did, at 8+ minutes), "Bungle In The Jungle," "Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die," "Lap Of Luxury," "Farm On The Freeway" and "Kissin' Willy." Jethro Tull is a deep rabbit hole, guys: Go down and enjoy it!!
I could add another twenty or thirty songs to your fine list - but I'd take out the "hit single" Bungle in the Jungle. It's ok from a musical standpoint but it's kind of weak lyrically - especially given the high bar that Ian has set on other songs. Plenty of better choices from the Warchild album in my opinion.
This song offers both perspectives of the homeless. The regular voice is that of societies view of a homeless man, the distorted voice signifies the mans personal perspectives from his point of view. Aqualung refers to his labored breathing, like the sound of a scuba diver under water. A great song musically and a sociological masterpiece!!!
Thank god I was lucky enough to be a teenager in the 70's. Nothing more fun than getting a copy of a new album and having a listening party with all your buds. We actually listened to and were invested in the music, literally because we had to pay for it.😁
Ian Anderson's wife was a photographer and this song is based on her photos of homeless people. The first part is what people think homeless people are and the acoustic part is what they actually are. Wait until you have 45 minutes and do the song/album 'Thick As A Brick'. Especially live- they MUST be see live. brilliant band with an amazing catalogue.
Martin Barre was with Tull for all the most significant years. One of the most underrated guitarists in music. Amazingly, didn’t get a spot on Rick Beato’s top riffs, solos lists. Led Zeppelin were recording in the studio next door when Tull did Aqualung. Legend has it that Jimmy Page was in the control room when Martin did the solo for this track and applauded when he was done. A lot of Tull’s songs have no chorus. If you want a complete contrast to this one listen to Cheap Day Return off this album. Btw, see them live… around 1975 was a good time.
One of the few songs (and albums) that really defined my musical taste in my early twenties. Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd were my entry point into the world of progressive rock. I was lucky enough to see them live a few times, it was amazing!
Anderson wife Jennie wrote the lyrics to this song, this album was always claimed by the critics as a concept album, which Anderson flatly denied. So in retaliation Tulls next album Thick As A Brick became the most epic concept album, after DSOTM by Floyd. Although some of the songs do have a theme related to the downtrodden of society, in relation to the hypocrisy of the English church, and religion in general. I absolutely love all Tull, especially Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day, one of the lesser known, but brilliantly constructed songs.
Back when this came out (1970?) many of the FM stations played album cuts, not the top 40 pop stuff. So this was on the radio all the time. “Locomotive Breath” from this album is really good, and you should check out a live performance to get an idea of their madness.
The best Tull: Aqualung Cross Eyed Mary Mother Goose Hymn 43 Locomotive Breath Thick as a Brick Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day Bungle in the Jungle Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die Bouree
True fact! While Jethro Tull were recording the Aqualung album, Led Zeppelin shared the same studio to record their legendary Stairway to Heaven album!
same building.... different studios, and when Martin Barre was recording his solo, Jimmy Page popped in to watch and listen to him, Barre was determined to record it in one take - and apparently did so.
Ironically, for a band famous for having a flutist, one of their songs without any flute - still an epic song. My uncle, who got me into the band, was a teenager when Tull debuted and said Ian Anderson made him want to be a rock star.
This was the first song of theirs I heard in late 70's. Bour'ee was next and I was craving more. Next was Locomotive Breath and I have been hooked ever since. Never a bad song by them )
A brilliant album form start to finish. I've seen Tull 3 times. Amazing story telling and magical musicianship. A shout to Martin Barre, often overlooked but a one-of-a-kind guitarist.
Did it again. I thought I don't know this. But the intro I have heard and is iconic. Don't believe I ever heard this all the way through. I think I only know Bungle in the Jungle. Not a favorite. But it is a 60's/70's Heavy Rock classic. There are a lot of change ups. Your stank face to all smiles. Good to see you enjoy it.
It's really been ages since I've heard this, but it sounded even better than I remembered. Nick's comment about the guitar solo almost seeming Southern rock is a valid one. (Guess the guitarist was from the south of England, lol.) I've never heard their Christmas album, but Ian Anderson is an accomplished flautist, so I'm guessing that they perform some Old English folk carols featuring flute, though other commentors who are more familiar with their catalog could probably tell you.
Not played on AM radio but this was a staple of FM radio. AM in those days was all Billboard Hot 100, but FM, which was just emerging as a force, played albums and many people discovered so many great artists through it. It ain't all top 40, gentleman.
Ian Anderson is one of the most animated singers in rock. If you can’t see Jethro Tull live, their concert videos will show you how much of a showman he really is. This happens to be the first song that got me interested in rock music. After asking who this was, I thought Jethro Tull was a guy.., I was eight years old. 🤭 The Detroit market used to play this fairly frequently before it became "Classic Rock" but is now fighting for airtime with 90s rock.
This song did get some airplay back in the 70s. I graduated in 1978 and was very familiar with the song even though I have never owned a Jethro Tull album. The "album rock" stations played it fairly regularly. I also knew "Locomotive Breath" and "Crosseyed Mary", but not as well as "Aqualung".
