Aqualung

by Jethro Tull

Overview

Released at a time when a lot of bands were embracing pop-Christianity (a la Jesus Christ Superstar), Aqualung was a bold statement for a rock group, a pro-God anti-church tract that probably got lots of teenagers wrestling with these ideas for the first time in their lives. This was the album that made Jethro Tull a fixture on FM radio, with riff-heavy songs like "My God," "Hymn 43," "Locomotive Breath," "Cross-Eyed Mary," "Wind Up," and the title track. And from there, they became a major arena act, and a fixture at the top of the record charts for most of the 1970s. Mixing hard rock and folk melodies with Ian Anderson's dour musings on faith and religion (mostly how organized religion had restricted man's relationship with God), the record was extremely profound for a number seven chart hit, one of the most cerebral albums ever to reach millions of rock listeners. Indeed, from this point on, Anderson and company were compelled to stretch the lyrical envelope right to the breaking point. As a compact disc, Aqualung has gone through numerous editions, mostly owing to problems finding an original master tape when the CD boom began. When the album was issued by Chrysalis through Columbia Records in the mid-1980's, the source tape was an LP production master, and the first release was criticized for thin, tinny sound; Columbia remastered it sometime around 1987 or 1988, in a version with better sound. Chrysalis later switched distribution to Capitol-EMI, and they released a decent sounding CD that is currently available. Chrysalis also issued a 25th anniversary edition in 1996. ~ Bruce Eder

Product Details

Release Date:	02/09/1999
Label:	Chrysalis Records
UPC:	0724349540125

Tracks

1. Aqualung
2. Cross-Eyed Mary
3. Cheap Day Return
4. Mother Goose
5. Wond'ring Aloud
6. Up to Me
7. My God
8. Hymn 43
9. Slipstream
10. Locomotive Breath
11. Wind-Up
12. Lick Your Fingers Clean
13. Wind-Up
14. Excerpts from the Ian Anderson Interview
15. Songs for Jeffrey
16. Fat Man
17. Bouree

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jethro Tull   Primary Artist
John Bungey   Primary Artist
Ian Anderson   Primary Artist,Voices,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background),Vocals,Guitar,Flute
Jeffrey Hammond   Vocals (Background),Vocals,Alto Recorder,Voices,Guitar (Bass)
Clive Bunker   Drums,Percussion
Dee Palmer   Conductor,Keyboards,Saxophone,Synthesizer
John Evan   Organ,Piano,Keyboards,Mellotron,Multi Instruments
Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond   Guitar (Bass)
Martin Barre   Guitar,Descant,Recorder,Guitar (Electric)

Technical Credits

John Walters   Audio Production,Producer
Bernie Andrews   Audio Production,Producer
Terry Ellis   Audio Production,Producer,Producer
Ian Anderson   Audio Production,Arranger,Composer,Producer
Tony Wilson   Engineer
Dee Palmer   Arranger,Orchestration,Orchestral Arrangements
Allen Harris   Engineer
Steven Wilson   Mixing Engineer,Mastering Engineer
Jeffrey Hammond   Recording
John Burns   Engineer
Robin Black   Remix Engineer
David Palmer   Arranger
Jennie Anderson   Composer,Lyricist
John Bungey   Interviewer
Burton Silverman   Painting Concept
Johann Sebastian Bach   Composer
Bob Conduct   Engineer
Jennie Franks   Composer