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In 1988, Jethro Tull celebrated their twentieth anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, they released a special box set titled “20 Years Of Jethro Tull”, consisting of 3 CDs (or 5 LPs depending on the desired format) containing a significant amount of unreleased material, a good number of live tracks, and here and there, a few songs from their studio albums. Additionally, a reduced version consisting of just one CD was released (which is still available on the market today). This is precisely the one I would like to review...
The single CD is divided into four sections.
It starts with The Radio Archives & Rare Tracks. The first three tracks are recordings kindly provided by BBC Radio (1968/69). Stormy Monday Blues is, as the title suggests, a blues track. Given the excellent level, it would not have looked out of place in “This Was” or “Stand Up”: the rhythm is very composed and the flute always at the forefront. Love Story is a very short, fast song with very lively sounds... quite atypical for the group, but nevertheless, decidedly enjoyable. The best of the three, however, remains A New Day Yesterday (the studio version is present on the album “Stand Up”, 1969): it is still excellent blues, but this time the flute is less prominent to highlight Martin Barre's gritty guitar which adds pleasant hard rock nuances. After the BBC recordings, it moves on to Summerday Sands, a B-Side of “Minstrel In The Galley” (1975) which is truly pleasant and relaxing. The atmosphere is sunny but at the same time sad: it starts with acoustic guitar and voice (later a light touch of orchestra is added) while the drums are beaten very gently so as not to ruin the overall balance. Another little gem is the short (less than two minutes) and acoustic March The Mad Scientist, an outtake from “WarChild” (there is a certain similarity with Only Solitaire).
The second section Flawed Gems (Dusted Down) is definitely my favorite. Here, very interesting songs stand out: the first of these is Lick Your Fingers Clean, a fun and delightful piece that was mysteriously excluded from “Aqualung” (a small curiosity: the last track of “WarChild”, Two Fingers, is nothing more than Lick Your Fingers Clean with slightly modified lyrics and the melody rearranged for the orchestra). The subsequent Overhang is a wonderful and powerful song made in 1981: Peter John Vettese is not yet in the group, so Ian Anderson, besides singing and playing the flute, also improvises as a keyboardist... with excellent results! It continues with Crossword, an excellent piece intended for “Stormwatch” (1979): you can indeed hear the bucolic yet somewhat dark atmospheres typical of that album. Jack-A-Lynn is simply the most beautiful love song written by Jethro Tull: a sweet keyboard introduction that culminates in a gritty ending (Jack-A-Lynn and Overhang both come from the same demo session... evidently very inspired!).
Now we come to the richest part, The Other Sides Of Tull, with its 8 songs. The first of these, Part Of The Machine, is dated 1988. Most likely, the song was recorded specifically for the “20 Years...” box set and being immediately after the release of the LP “Crest Of A Knave”, you can hear folk and hard rock atmospheres. Certainly one of the most beautiful compositions among the 21 present on this CD: a masterful flute solo (reminiscent of Jump Start), powerful guitars, and an intense rhythm... absolutely worth listening to! Mayhem, Maybe is a typically folk track dating back to 1981. Nice but nothing more. We remain with folk with Kelpie, but here it's a whole different story: besides being a delight to listen to, there is undoubtedly much more energy compared to the previous song. This is followed by a tasty mini-medley composed of Wond'ring Aloud and Dun Ringill, taken from the “Crest Of A Knave” tour: noteworthy is the presence of the excellent keyboardist Don Airey (now with Deep Purple). It continues at excellent levels with Life's A Long Song, an acoustically well-orchestrated song (the ending where you can hear one of the most beautiful combinations between orchestra and flute is truly beautiful). The very short Nursie and Grace are already released studio versions, taken respectively from the albums “Living In The Past” and “Minstrel In The Gallery”.
The remaining four tracks are part of the Essential Tull section. For Witch's Promise, the same goes for what was said earlier about Life's A Long Song, namely a great track characterized by a perfect harmony between flute and orchestra. Another quality peak of the disc is the totally revamped version of Living In The Past (also taken from the “Crest Of A Knave” tour)... magnificent and an absolute must-listen. The CD closes with Aqualung and Locomotive Breath taken from a 1982 concert: the sound of the two historic tracks is rendered much more modern by Vettese's keyboards. In particular, although not mentioned on the cover, Locomotive Breath is attached to the ending of Black Sunday: it's a small medley that closes in the best way an excellent album like this one.
In conclusion... a disc that until recently could be considered essential. Its slight loss of importance lies in the fact that many songs from this compilation of rarities have been appended as bonus tracks to the remastered CDs. Despite everything, I highly recommend it (especially the 3 CD version), as much of the material can still only be found here today!
Enjoy listening...
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Love Story (02:50)
Going back in the morning time
To see if my love has changed her mind, yeah.
Going back in the morning time
To see if my love has changed her mind, yeah.
I know what I will find
That she is wasting time,
She could be picking roses.
Going back in the morning time
To see if my love has seen the light, yeah.
Going back in the morning time
To see if my love has seen the light, yeah.
Oh, I told her last night
She should improve her sight,
She could be painting the roof.
Going back in the morning time
To see if my love has come around, yeah.
Going back in the morning time
To see if my love has come around, yeah.
She offered me no sound,
Her head is in the ground,
She could be calling for winter.
03 Fat Man (02:57)
Don't want to be a fat man
People would think that I was just good fun, man
Would rather be a thin man
I am so glad to go on being one, man
Too much to carry around with you
No chance of finding a woman, who
Will love you in the morning and all the nighttime too
Don't want to be a fat man
Have not the patience to ignore all that
Hate to admit to myself
I thought my problems came from being fat
Won't waste my time feeling sorry for him
I've seen the other side to being thin
Roll us both down a mountain and I'm sure the fat man would win
05 Stormy Monday Blues (04:06)
I said they call it Stormy Monday
But I said [...]
I said they call it Stormy Monday
[...]
Wednesday's full of sorrow,
I said that Thursday's oh-so, it's oh-so-sad. It's oh-so-sad.
I said lord, lord, why don't you have mercy,
You gotta have mercy on me.
I been trying to find my woman,
Won't you bring her home to me?
I said they call it stormy Monday.
06 A New Day Yesterday (04:18)
My first and last time with you
And we had some fun.
Went walking through the trees, yeah!
And then I kissed you once.
Oh I want to see you soon
But I wonder how.
It was a new day yesterday
But it's an old day now.
Spent a long time looking
For a game to play.
My luck should be so bad now
To turn out this way.
Oh I had to leave today
Just when I thought I'd found you.
It was a new day yesterday
But it's an old day now.
08 Minstrel in the Gallery (02:10)
The minstrel in the gallery
Looked down upon the smiling faces.
He met the gazes observed the spaces
Between the old men's cackle.
He brewed a song of love and hatred,
Oblique suggestions and he waited.
He polarized the pumpkin-eaters,
Static-humming panel-beaters,
Freshly day-glow'd factory cheaters
(salaried and collar-scrubbing.)
He titillated men-of-action
Belly warming, hands still rubbing
On the parts they never mention.
He pacified the nappy-suffering, infant-bleating,
One-line jokers, TV documentary makers
(overfed and undertakers.)
Sunday paper backgammon players
Family-scarred and women-haters.
Then he called the band down to the stage
And he looked at all the friends he'd made.
The minstrel in the gallery
Looked down upon the smiling faces.
He met the gazes observed the spaces
In between the old men's cackle.
He brewed a song of love and hatred,
Oblique suggestions and he waited.
He polarized the pumpkin-eaters,
Static-humming panel-beaters,
The minstrel in the gallery
Looked down on the rabbit-run.
And threw away his looking-glass -
Saw his face in everyone.
He titillated men-of-action
Belly warming, hands still rubbing
On the parts they never mention.
(salaried and collar-scrubbing.)
He pacified the nappy-suffering, infant-bleating,
One-line jokers, TV documentary makers
(overfed and undertakers.)
Sunday paper backgammon players
Family-scarred and women-haters.
Then he called the band down to the stage
And he looked at all the friends he'd made.
The minstrel in the gallery
Looked down on the rabbit-run.
And threw away his looking-glass -
And saw his face in everyone.
The minstrel in the gallery
Looked down upon the smiling faces.
He met the gazes...
The minstrel in the gallery
09 Velvet Green (05:54)
Walking on Velvet Green
Scotch pine growing
Isn't it rare to be taking the air?
Sitting
Walking on Velvet Green
Walking on Velvet Green
Distant cows lowing
Never a care
With your legs in the air
Loving
Walking on Velvet Green
Won't you have my company
Yes, take it in your hands
Go down on Velvet Green with a country man
Who's a young girl's fancy and an old maid's dream
Tell your mother that you walked all night on Velvet Green
One dusky half-hour's ride up to the north
There lies your reputation and all that you're worth
Where the scent of wild roses turns the milk to cream
Tell your mother that you walked all night on Velvet Green
And the long grass blows in the evening cool
And August's rare delights may be April's fool
But think not of that my love
I'm tight against the seam
And I'm growing up to meet you down on Velvet Green
Now let me tell you that it's love and not just lust
And if we live the lie let's lie in trust
On golden daffodils to catch the silver stream
That washes out the wild oat seed on Velvet Green
We'll dream as lovers under the stars
But civilization's raging afar
And the ragged dawn breaks on your battle scars
As you walk home cold and alone upon Velvet Green
(Repeat first two verses)
10 Grace (00:41)
Hello sun.
Hello bird.
Hello my lady.
Hello breakfast. May I
buy you again tomorrow?
12 I'm Your Gun (03:19)
Blew my smoke on a sunny day
when the first black powder came my way.
Hot lead ball from a muzzle cold ---
to win fair lady and take your gold.
I know it hardly seems the time ---
(I am your gun)
to talk of blue steel so sublime.
I can understand your point of view.
To tell the truth I'd scare me too.
Match, wheel and flintlock, they all caught your eye.
Pearl-handled ladies' models, scaled down to size.
I am the peacemaker, so the theory goes.
But I don't choose the company I keep ---
and it shows.
I am your gun.
Love me, I'm your gun.
Maxim and Browning, they helped me along.
Stoner, Kalashnikov --- thrilled to my song.
Now one of me exists, for each one of you,
So how can you blame me for the things that I do?
Now I take second place to the motor car
in the score of killing kept thus far.
And just remember, if you don't mind ---
it's not the gun that kills
but the man behind.
I am your gun.
15 Summerday Sands (03:44)
I once met a girl with the life in her hands
and we lay together on the summerday sands.
I gave her my raincoat and told her, ``Lady, be good!''
And we made truth together, where no one else would.
I smiled through her fingers and ran the dust through her hands ---
the hour-glass of reason on the summerday sands.
We sat as the sea caught fire.
Waited as the flames grew higher
in her eyes.
We watched the eagle born ---
wings clipped, tail feathers shorn
but we saw him rise ---
over summerday sands.
Came the ten o'clock curfew.
She said, ``I must start my car.
I'm staying with someone I met last night in a bar.''
I called from my wave top ---
``At least tell me your name!''
She smiled from her wheelspin
and said, ``It's all the same.''
I thought for a minute, jumped back on dry land ---
left one set of footprints on the summerday sands.
I once met a girl with the life in her hands
and we lied together on the summerday sands.
19 Strip Cartoon (03:17)
Fish and chips, sandpaper lips and a rainy pavement.
Soho lights, another night --- thinking of you.
Black cat, sat on a wall, winks at me darkly.
Suggesting ways and means that I might win a smile ---
as you leave the place where you work until 12.30
and the policemen nods as you pass along his beat.
Sweaty feet, troubled brow -- we're all in the same game, lady.
Life's no bowl of cherries --- it's a black and white strip cartoon.
I've been warned that you and your friends are crazy
as from your hearts you bare your parts to the gentlemen,
who, while they drool, trying to keep cool,
spill their Scotch and water.
But I'm not that way, I must say --- I'd much prefer to see
you in your texturised rubber rainwear around 12.30.
Come and play shades of grey in my black and white strip cartoon.
Strip cartoon is all I'm after.
Strip cartoon is all I crave ---
so come to my place around 12.30
`cos I'm a leading politician
at a dangerous age.
22 17 (03:06)
I remember when we had a lot of things to do ---
impressed by all the words we read
and the heroes that we knew.
Climb on your your dream --- a dream of our own making
to find a place that we could later lose
to whatever time would bring.
We were seventeen and the cakeman was affecting you ---
moving you to greater things (in a lesser way)
you had to prove.
The clock struck summertime. You were going round in circles now.
Wishing you were seventeen. At twenty-one, it was a long time gone.
And now here you are. You're locked in your own excuse.
The circle's getting smaller every day.
You're busy planning the next fifty years.
So stay the way you are and keep your head down to the same old ground.
Just paint your picture boy until you find
a closed circle's better than an open line.
Yes stay the way you are. I got a circle that's the same as yours.
It may be bigger, but I've more to lose.
Who is the luckier man --- me or you?
24 Aeroplane (02:17)
Flying --- made of sticks and paper --- aeroplane. Dying --- is the wind but climbing --- my aeroplane. Blowing, and going somewhere high --- in the evening tumbling down --- but it's surely been up there. Crying --- want to live my life as my aeroplane Sighing in the sun's eye, but softly --- my aeroplane. Lonely, but only till it comes down where there's people running round. But it's surely been up there. Flying --- my aeroplane.
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