RS Essentials: Celebrating Ian Anderson with 10 Underrated Jethro Tull Songs

From his fabulous flute-playing and distinct singing style to his amazing songwriting and flashy showmanship on stage, Ian Anderson has a special place in rock music history. As frontman of British group Jethro Tull, he has attracted a cult following over the years.

The legendary musician, who turned 75 last week, has spent a good chunk of the past two decades releasing solo albums. Longtime guitarist Martin Barre, who had been with the band since 1969, quit in 2011, and Anderson has been playing with younger musicians. In January this year, he used the Jethro Tull band name again for the new release The Zealot Gene.

To celebrate his birthday and more than half a century of the band, we chose 10 great Jethro Tull songs, but walked a different path. Instead of sticking to predictable songs like “Aqualung,” “Locomotive Breath,” “Thick As A Brick,” “Songs From The Wood,” “Living In The Past” and “Budapest,” which are part of many greatest hit compilations and streaming playlists, we picked 10 underrated gems.

Thousands of diehard fans would be more than familiar with these numbers, perhaps listened to each album inside out. But they are worth a revisit. For those still trying to find a way around the band’s typical sound, these are some appropriate alternatives. There are, of course, many other songs which would fit the underrated slot, and this is a random selection. To avoid confusion, we have stuck to Jethro Tull songs, not including his solo material.

“Reasons For Waiting” from Stand Up (1969)

Jethro Tull’s second album Stand Up is believed to have defined its future sound. It was also guitarist Martin Barre’s first record. The album had popular numbers like the flute-led instrumental “Bouree” and the blues-inspired “A New Day Yesterday.” The song “Reasons For Waiting” stands out for his lyrics, arrangement and typical Tull sound, though one also senses a Roy Harper influence. “What a sight for my eyes to see you in sleep, could it stop the sunrise hearing you weep?” sings Anderson, sounding more mature than his 21 years. The acoustic guitar, flute and David Palmer’s string arrangements give this a unique feel.

“Nothing To Say” from Benefit (1970)

One of the most underrated Tull tracks, this was an example of Barre’s controlled guitar lines, which acted as a perfect foil to Anderson’s vocals. The song uses subtle acoustic guitar and Glenn Cornick’s brilliant bass, providing an overall folk-rock feel. Anderson’s lyrics are thoughtful and blunt, using lines like, “Climb a tower of freedom, paint your own deceiving sign/It’s not my power to criticize or to ask you to be blind/To your own pressing problem and the hate you must unwind, so ask of me no answer, there is none I could give you wouldn’t find”. The interpretation is that he’s telling fans to believe in themselves, instead of blindly following him.

“Summerday Sands” (1975)

This acoustic guitar-driven beauty was first released as a B-side along with the “Minstrel In The Gallery” single. In 2002, it got better noticed when added as a bonus track on the remastered version of the Minstrel In The Gallery album. It’s considered one of the most under-heard Tull songs, and talks of an encounter with a girl. Anderson sings, “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, “Lady, be good”, and we made truth together, where no-one else would”. The song gradually builds up in tempo after the acoustic guitar start to include dazzling string parts.

“The Chequered Flag (Dead Or Alive)” from Too Old To Rock And Roll: Too Young To Die (1976)

This gem probably got overlooked because of the success of the title track of the album Too Old To Rock N’ Roll: Too Young To Die. However, diehard fans believe that in terms of lyrics, it’s up among the very best. The term ‘chequered flag’ refers to a black-and-white flag displayed to drivers at the end of a race. Anderson’s words talk of victory, though it also hints at the risks involved. The opening lines are, “The disc brakes drag, the chequered flag sweeps along the oil-slick track/The young man’s home, dry as a bone, his helmet’s off/He waves, the crowd’s waves back, one lap victory roll, gladiator soul/The taker of the day, in winning has to say, isn’t it grand to be playing to the stand, dead or alive?” The song later uses a dying man, a still-born child and a deaf composer as metaphors, and Anderson’s singing is at its soulful best.

“Fire At Midnight” from Songs From The Wood (1977)

A short two-and-a-half-minute number, “Fire At Midnight” concludes the album Songs From The Wood, where Tull blended British folk sounds with progressive rock. It’s one of the simplest songs Anderson has written, as it talks of a man returning after a hard day at work, wanting to spend good time with his wife. He sings, “Kindled by the dying embers of another working day, go upstairs, take off your make-up, fold your clothes neatly away/Me, I’ll sit and write this love song, as I all too seldom do, build a little fire this midnight, it’s good to be back home with you”. The song has short but beautiful portions on flute and acoustic guitar, and it’s probably the closest Anderson has come to writing a simple love song.

“Acres Wild” from Heavy Horses (1978)

One of the catchiest tunes presented by Tull, it was known for its Scottish folk melody, led by mandolin, portative pipe organ, violin and flute. It also has charged-up lines like, “I’ll make love to you, in all good places, under black mountains, in open spaces, by deep brown rivers that slither darkly, through far marches, where the blue hare races”. There are also quirky lines like, “Northern father’s western child”. John Glasscock’s bassline, Barriemore Barlow’s steady percussion and regular choruses make it special, and some people have even suggested one can dance with this at clubs. The song, like most of the others on the Heavy Horses album, is inspired by country life.

“Working John, Working Joe” from A (1980)

The album A was intended to be Anderson’s debut solo record, but was released under the band’s name. It received a mixed response because of its heavy use of synthesizers. The track “Working John, Working Joe,” however, is more in keeping with the trademark Tull sound. Here, Anderson explains the life of a conscientious workaholic through various stages. He begins, “When I was a young man (as all good tales begin), I was taught to hold out my hand, and for my pay, I worked an honest day, and took what pittance I could win”. He then talks of a phase where “the winds of fortune blew and the bank smiled down upon me” to the time of “two ulcers and a heart disease, a trembling feeling in both knees”. Older people can relate to the words, though Anderson was only 32 when he wrote this. The composition blends an acoustic guitar start with hard rock guitars and bursts of drumming, using a blues hangover.

“Fallen On Hard Times” from Broadsword And The Beast (1982)

This was Anderson’s way of protesting against the existing style of governance, and false promises made by rulers. The song begins with a melodic flute part after which he sings in sarcasm, “Fallen on hard times, but it feels good to know, that milk and honey is just around the bend”. The song addresses the prime minister and president, and goes on to say, “Looking for sunshine, oh but it’s black and it’s cold, yet you say that milk and honey’s just round the bend/Giving us a hard time, my friend, handing us the same line again”. Barre’s guitar fill-ins add to the song’s charm. Lyrically, this is one of the simpler songs Anderson wrote.

“Stuck In The August Rain” from Roots To Branches (1995)

In the Eighties, Anderson experimented with electronic sounds and blues-rock, but with Roots To Branches in 1995, he returned to the classic early sound, adding a few Middle Eastern and Indian influences inspired by his visits to these regions. “Stuck In The August Rain” is a brilliant example of how he alternates marvelous flute passages with the vocal parts. On the surface, the song seems to be about being stuck in an odd situation with someone trying to help, as Anderson sings, “Brings jasmine tea on a painted tray, bends down to kiss my frown away/I’m still in the August rain, stuck out in the cloudburst once again”. The melody is as close to vintage Tull as can be.

“Barren Beth, Wild Desert John” from The Zealot Gene (2022)

After a string of solo albums, Anderson released The Zealot Gene under the Jethro Tull name. Videos of the title track, “Shoshana Sleeping,” “Sad City Sisters” and “Mine Is The Mountain” have been released, and the opening track “Mrs Tibbets” has received a good response. The song “Barren Beth, Wild Desert John” is somewhat underrated and deserves more airplay. Beginning with a beautiful, dreamy flute line, it slowly builds up to include Florian Opahle’s heavy electric guitars. The rhythm is tight and the track is filled with tempo changes, and a great flute climax. There are mentions of “winged Gabriel” and “cousin Mary”, and musically, this is one of the album’s heavier songs.

The tracks have been chosen keeping the trademark Tull style in mind, and represent different phases of the band’s evolution. Needless to say, this isn’t a definitive list, and may keep changing every few days. But the effort is to bring out Anderson’s musicality, creative genius and lyrical skills. His style has been unmatchable, and entirely his own. Here’s wishing him a Happy 75th.