25 Comments
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Tom's avatar

Thanks for highlighting this. Martin Barrs wah wah solo is a gem. My intro the Tull was Benefit which is also a great album, and retained some of the folky vibe of Stand Up.

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Songgirl Kim's avatar

Hi Geoff. I’m Songgirl, and I just found your free newsletter!

My absolute favorite song from that album is Bourée.

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

Bourée is one of my favorites. I think I even wrote about it before. If you search you should find it

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Teri Lea's avatar

LOVE Jethro Tull❤️‍🔥!

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Patty's avatar

I was just listening to Jethro Tull today while doing yard work. He has some really great songs, that’s for sure. Thanks for sharing that gem, Geoff!

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Tim Prentiss's avatar

Key lyric (to me) "The race was won ... by going slowly." Ian Anderson in his philosophical mode. Question: how can we win (by going slowly)?

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Tim Prentiss's avatar

Jethro Tull's Martin Barre still plays live, with a kick-ass band. The difference is he's playing a Paul Reed Smith guitar and can really make that PRS sing.

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

That I need to check out

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Tim Prentiss's avatar

YouTube Martin Barre Band Sellersville PA 2022 for good audio and video. The singer, Dan Crisp, is quite good. But I love the bassist and drummer, too (Alan Thomson and Darby Todd)!

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William McF's avatar

Wow, I haven’t heard this tune for years!! Some of my fave tunes by Tull include Aqualung, Bungle in the Jungle, Locomotive Breath and Cross Eyed Mary.

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Susan Niemann's avatar

Nice. Just when I forget about some music, you bring it to my attention. I'm glad you don't charge for this Music Concierge service. 😂😂

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Jackie Ralston's avatar

Thank you for reminding me that I *really* need to explore my extensive Jethro Tull discography.

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

It is like a PSA.

So much of their early stuff is amazing

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Kay-El's avatar

I really find their earlier stuff is the best. However, it will never cease to amaze me that Tull won a Grammy for best metal album in 1989. That truly was a WTH moment.

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Jackie Ralston's avatar

I will never not delight at it too! In my first writeup of a Tull song, I mentioned it and tracked down a photo of the ad Jethro Tull took out in Billboard magazine afterward. It's here if anyone's interested: https://musicoftheday.substack.com/p/motd-16-aug-23-jethro-tull-songs-from-the-wood

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Mary Kay's avatar

That was actually the very first Grammy for Hard Rock/Metal performance. I had Crest of a Knave but didn't think it was the bands best.

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Kay-El's avatar

Yep and Metallica was up for that award and should have received it.

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

I think that shocked them even more than the rest of us

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Kay-El's avatar

😆

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Catherine Biondi's avatar

Thanks for that, Spice! It made me feel a bit better this morning.

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

This makes my day!

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ROBIN DEGROFF's avatar

Love Jethro Tull!

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Ann's avatar

I graduated from high school this year and we played this album all the time. Middle of the VN war, Nixon, draft numbers. I thought it was the worst time in history. Little did I know. Thanks for sharing this.

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Paul Fitzgerald's avatar

The Eagles stole that chord progression for “Hotel California.”

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

Yep, but that is sorta what the Eagles were all about.

It's why the Dude hated them so!

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