Cheap Aqualung (Music) (Jethro Tull) Price

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Customer Reviews of Aqualung

Good album. I'd give it a 5 if "Mother Goose" was shorter.
No lengthly introduction for "Aqualung" is necessary. Come
on, either you've already heard most of the good songs to
death or you're not a rock music fan. "Aqualung" is one
of those FM radio darling albums of the '70s, along with
Supertramp's "Breakfast in America", Eagles' "Hotel
California", any release by Led Zeppelin, etc, etc. Some
albums deserve to be overplayed, though. Eagles can
rot in the deepest pits of Hell for all I care but
the Tull rocks.
The title track, "Locomotive Breath", and "Cross-Eyed
Mary" are the best known cuts because they are the best.
"Aqualung" has just the right amount of complexity for
for what it is (if that makes sense.) It's not quite
prog nor is it quite your average hard rock number;
angry riff-driven parts and pretty accoustic
parts with a fantastic guitar solo. Lyrically it
is a hoot. How many songs are there about old
perverts who eye little girls "with bad intent?" I
love it!
"Cross-Eyed Mary" is apparently about a lower
class little girl who is sexually exploited by
older men. The allusions in the song to Aqua Lung
are clever. Gotta love the descending flute intro.
"Locomotive Breath" is played _so_much_ on radio.
Does it even need description? For the ten poor
souls who have never this song, it opens with a
brief piano bit and then tells the story of the
"all time loser" and his fateful day spent on
a train, accompanied by train-imitating guitar
riffs and flute playing. Maybe the best song
on the album yet I prefer "Aqualung" and "Wind-Up"
a wee bit more.
"Hymn 43" and "Wind-Up" are both obvious attacks
on organized religion. "Hymn" combines a radio-
friendly hook with "blasphemous" lyrics. If you
are a fundamentalist Christian then listen to Amy
Grant instead. "Wind-Up" is beautiful, musically and
lyrically. How can anyone not like this song? Lyrics
like "So I asked this God a question and by way of firm reply,
He said I'm not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays."
are straight from the heart, whether you agree with them
or not. Recommended for those who are not very religious
and/or easily offended.
The other tracks, besides "My God", don't do so much
for me. "Mother Goose" is just way too silly and way too
long. All things said, it is not progressive rock
quite yet, but you can't deny the melodies, riffs,
lyrical brilliance, and _talent_ on here. If you
insist on only listening to progressive rock and
hate anything that's popular (wait, wasn't TAAB a
best selling album?) then avoid... Your loss.

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One of the best albums ever by any Group so far
In my opinion this album will go down as one of the greatest piece of music ever played by any any rock band so far.Anderson's vocals is at its best along with his fantastic but quirky flute play.This album typically showcases the acoustic side of tull.Almost every number is a masterpiece Martin barre's acoustic piece in the song Aqualung is tremendous and deserves credit.Only Ian is capable of that vocals in Cross Eyed mary. This album has a judicious mix of fast and slow numbers and even fillers like Slip Stream has a life of its own. The second side features Andersons critical views on organised religion and thus the lyrics are strongly punctuated.Even the LP cover(both front and back) with Anderson being depicted as an old tramp has a strange appeal. The only other albums that are comparable to this are "In The Court Of King Crimson" by King Crimson(Listen to that flute piece in "I talk to the Wind") and "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd.

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Ian Anderson's diatribe against not God but the Church
"Aqualung" is certainly the rawest of Jethro Tull's albums, as far from the artistic pretensions of "Thick as a Brick" and "Passion Play" as you can get in terms of their albums. This might have something to do with the album's mission statement, which is printed in old fashioned type on the linear notes: "In the beginning Man created God; and in the image of Man created he him....But as all these things did come to pass, the Spirit that did cause man to create his God lived on with all men: even within Aqualung. And man saw it not. But for Christ's sake he'd better start looking." Ironically, this is one of the few Jethro Tull albums where the lyrics are not printed despite the fact this is arguably the album where the lyrics mattereth the most.

The first "side" of the album, entitled "Aqualung" after the first/title track, offers nothing overt other than the idea of dismissing organized religion as "salvation à la mode and a cup of tea." However, the second side, "My God," makes its argument in earnest from the opening verse: "People - what have you done/locked Him in His golden cage/Made Him bend to your religion/Him resurrected from the grave." The Church of England is explicitly condemned for having supplanted the authenticity of the Christian religion with plastic crucifixes. "Hymn 43" continues this line of argument by suggesting that: "If Jesus saves - well, He'd better save Himself from the gory glory seekers who use His name in death." "Slipstream" offers a metaphorical look at sinners trying to save themselves at the last moment: "And you press on God's waiter your last dime/as he hands you the bill." That "Slipstream" comes right before "Locomotive Breath" makes sense when you look at the latter's lyrics in light of the former.

But Ian Anderson's diatribe against the organized religion of his country does not extend to God, as is amply proven by the concluding song, "Wind Up." To underscore the importance of what is being sung at this point, the music tends to get out of the way of the lyrics, especially the final lines: "I don't believe you/you had the whole damn thing all wrong/He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays." When the teachings of the church consist of nothing more than "half-assed smiles and the book of rules," this necessitates a more personal dialogue with God. In Anderson's world God replies with a firm answer. When Anderson declares "I'd rather look around me - compose a better song/`cos that's the honest measure of my worth," he is staking a claim to more piety and sanctity than the edifices he is indicting.

The second side of "Aqualung" aspires to being much more than mere rock 'n' roll. The message is simplistic, but still compelling. "Aqualung" represents Ian Anderson speaking in relatively clear words; from here on the will cloak his lyrics in metaphors and his own brand of mysticism. But for me it is ultimately the clarity of the lyrics and the intended message that makes this the strongest of Jethro Tull's albums. There are certainly more pleasing melodies down the road, but that does nothing to diminish the raw power of this effort.