Locomotive Breath

Last updated

"Locomotive Breath"
Locomotive Breath - Jethro Tull.jpg
Single by Jethro Tull
from the album Aqualung
B-side "Wind Up" (1971)
"Fat Man" (1976)
Released30 March 1971 (Europe)
  • December 1971 (US) [1]
RecordedDecember 1970 – February 1971
Studio Island, London
Genre
Length4:23
3:05 (single)
Label
Songwriter(s) Ian Anderson
Producer(s)
Jethro Tull singles chronology
"Hymn 43"
(1971)		"Locomotive Breath"
(1971)		"Life Is a Long Song"
(1971)
Jethro Tull singles chronology
"Minstrel in the Gallery"
(1975)		"Locomotive Breath"
(1976)		"Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die"
(1976)

"Locomotive Breath" is a song by British progressive rock band Jethro Tull from their 1971 album, Aqualung .

Contents

Written as a comment on population growth, "Locomotive Breath" was meant to replicate the chugging rhythm of a train. In addition to its release on Aqualung, "Locomotive Breath" saw two different single releases and has been a live favourite. It is one of Jethro Tull's best-known songs.

Background

Lyrically, "Locomotive Breath" was inspired by Anderson's concern regarding overpopulation. [6] He explained, "It was my first song that was perhaps on a topic that would be a little more appropriate to today's world. It was about the runaway train of population growth and capitalism, it was based on those sorts of unstoppable ideas. We're on this crazy train, we can't get off it. Where is it going? Bearing in mind, of course, when I was born in 1947, the population of planet earth was slightly less than a third of what it is today, so it should be a sobering thought that in one man's lifetime, our planetary population has more than tripled. You'd think population growth would have brought prosperity, happiness, food and a reasonable spread of wealth, but quite the opposite has happened. And is happening even more to this day. Without putting it into too much literal detail, that was what lay behind that song." [7]

The song additionally features a train motif that Anderson has employed on many songs. Anderson later said, "Train songs have been with us ever since the blues began, and I have written my fair share of these. I keep being drawn back to the subject, because public transport is part of my life. I don't drive, so rely on buses, trains and the like." [6]

Composition

"Locomotive Breath" was recorded in an unusual manner for the time: the track was pieced together from overdubs, as most of the parts of the song were recorded separately. Ian Anderson did his normal flute and vocal parts in addition to bass drum, hi-hat, acoustic guitar and some electric guitar parts. John Evan's piano parts were then recorded; Clive Bunker added the rest of the drums and Martin Barre finished the electric guitar parts. All of these recordings were then overdubbed onto each other because Anderson was finding it difficult to communicate his musical ideas about the song to the other band members. The song was designed to replicate the chugging of a train in its rhythm.

Anderson explained the recording process of the song in an interview, saying "'Locomotive Breath' was actually an utter failure when we tried to play it all together. It didn't gel. We didn't get the groove. I think John Evan recorded the piano intro, then I went out into the studio with two drum sticks and clicked them together because this was in the days before click tracks, and then I went out and played to [that] with a hi-hat and bass drum. Then Clive [Bunker] went out and added the tom-toms and the cymbals. And then I played the electric-guitar rhythm part all the way through. And then we had something that was beginning to sound a bit like a song and it had that kind of metronomic feel, which I wanted it to have, because it's about a railway train running on the tracks. So it should click-clack in time." [7]

The song has been Jethro Tull's live encore during concerts since 1972. During some live concerts, the song would segue into the finale of Pomp and Circumstance, usually to end the concert, or an encore.

Release

"Locomotive Breath" was released on Jethro Tull's 1971 album Aqualung in 1971. An edit of the song was released in the US as a single in 1971, backed with "Wind-Up", though it did not chart. A 1976 single release of the song, backed with "Fat Man", was more successful, reaching number 59 on the Billboard charts [8] and number 85 in Canada. [9] The song was also released as the B-side to "Hymn 43". Since its initial releases, the song has appeared on multiple compilation and live albums, including Living in the Past , M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull , and Bursting Out . The song receives frequent airplay on classic rock radio stations.

Ian Anderson ranked "Locomotive Breath" as one of his top 10 Jethro Tull songs. Billboard regarded the song to be Jethro Tull's best purely rock song in some time, saying that it had a similar theme and feel to "Aqualung." [10] Cash Box praised the "incredible flute work from Ian Anderson." [11] Ultimate Classic Rock named the song Jethro Tull's third best, saying, "This tune covers the length and breadth of Anderson’s songwriting talents, beginning with a bluesy John Evan piano intro so discreet one can barely hear it at times, before crashing into some of the most bombastic hard rock display of the band’s career." [12] The song was ranked the fourth best Jethro Tull song by Rock – Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check. [13]

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jethro Tull (band)</span> British rock band

Jethro Tull are a British rock band formed in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1967. Initially playing blues rock and jazz fusion, the band soon incorporated elements of English folk music, hard rock and classical music, forging a signature progressive rock sound. The group's founder, bandleader, principal composer, lead vocalist, and only constant member is Ian Anderson, who also plays flute and acoustic guitar. The group has featured a succession of musicians throughout the decades, including significant contributors such as guitarists Mick Abrahams and Martin Barre ; bassists Glenn Cornick, Jeffrey Hammond, John Glascock, Dave Pegg, Jonathan Noyce, and David Goodier; drummers Clive Bunker, Barrie "Barriemore" Barlow and Doane Perry; and keyboardists John Evan, Dee Palmer, Peter-John Vettese, Andrew Giddings, and John O'Hara.

<i>Aqualung</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Jethro Tull

Aqualung, released in March 1971 by Chrysalis Records, is the fourth studio album by the rock band Jethro Tull. Though it is generally regarded as a concept album, featuring a central theme of "the distinction between religion and God", the band have said there was no intention to make a concept album, and that only a few songs have a unifying theme. Aqualung's success signalled a turning point in the career of the band, who went on to become a major radio and touring act.

<i>Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II</i> 1977 greatest hits album by Jethro Tull

Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II is a 1977 greatest hits album from Jethro Tull, featuring one track which, up to the time of this album's release, had not been issued. The album's first volume was M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull.

<i>Benefit</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Jethro Tull

Benefit is the third studio album by the British rock band Jethro Tull, released in April 1970. It was the first Tull album to include pianist and organist John Evan – though he was not yet considered a permanent member of the group – and the last to include bass guitarist Glenn Cornick, who was fired from the band upon completion of touring for the album. It was recorded at Morgan Studios, the same studio where the band recorded its previous album Stand Up; however, they experimented with more advanced recording techniques.

<i>Bursting Out</i> 1978 live album by Jethro Tull

Bursting Out is a 1978 live double album by the rock band Jethro Tull. The album was recorded during the band's European Heavy Horses Tour in May/June of that year.

"Aqualung" is a song by the British progressive rock band Jethro Tull, and the title track from their Aqualung (1971) album. The song was written by the band's frontman, Ian Anderson, and his then-wife Jennie Franks.

<i>M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull</i> 1976 compilation album by Jethro Tull

M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull, released in 1976, is the first proper greatest hits album by Jethro Tull. It spans the years 1969 to 1975. The earlier Living in the Past (1972) compilation mainly dealt with non-album material, but this album only features one previously unreleased song, "Rainbow Blues".

"Cross-Eyed Mary" is a song by the British progressive rock band Jethro Tull from their album Aqualung (1971).

<i>The Best of Jethro Tull – The Anniversary Collection</i> 1993 greatest hits album by Jethro Tull

The Best of Jethro Tull – The Anniversary Collection is a greatest hits album by Jethro Tull, released in 1993. It includes some of the band's biggest hits from 1968 to 1991.

<i>Essential</i> (Jethro Tull album) 2003 greatest hits album by Jethro Tull

The Essential (2003) is a greatest hits album by Jethro Tull, digitally remastered. The songs included and their order are the same as Tull's first greatest hits album, M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull. It is not to be confused with the similarly named Jethro Tull compilation "Essential", released in 2011.

<i>Living in the Past</i> (album) 1972 compilation album by Jethro Tull

Living in the Past is a double LP compilation album by Jethro Tull, released in 1972. It collects album tracks, outtakes and several standalone singles spanning the band's career up to that point. Also included are the 1971 "Life Is a Long Song" EP and two live recordings taken from a performance at New York City's Carnegie Hall in November 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living in the Past (song)</span> 1969 single by Jethro Tull

"Living in the Past" is a song by British progressive rock group Jethro Tull. It is one of the band's best-known songs, and it is notable for being written in the unusual 5
4 time signature. The use of quintuple meter is quickly noted from the beginning rhythmic bass pattern, though it can also be explained as a distinct 6
8 + 2
4 syncopated rhythm.

"Mother Goose" is a song by the British progressive rock band Jethro Tull. It is the fourth track from their album Aqualung which was released in 1971.

<i>Live at Madison Square Garden 1978</i> 2009 video by Jethro Tull

Live at Madison Square Garden 1978 is a concert video and an album by British rock band Jethro Tull, released in 2009. It was recorded on 9 October 1978 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hymn 43</span> 1971 single by Jethro Tull

"Hymn 43" is a song by British progressive rock group Jethro Tull. It is off their Aqualung album and was released as a single by Reprise Records. The song reached No. 91 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<i>Jack in the Green: Live in Germany 1970–1993</i> 2008 video by Jethro Tull

Jack in the Green: Live in Germany 1970–1993 is a video by English rock band Jethro Tull, released in 2008. It comprises in-concert footage recorded in Germany by the band from 1970 to 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Song for Jeffrey</span> 1968 single by Jethro Tull

"A Song for Jeffrey" is a song recorded by the English rock band Jethro Tull, released as their second single in the UK, and as the B-side to "Love Story" in the US. The "Jeffrey" of the title is Ian Anderson's friend and future Jethro Tull bassist Jeffrey Hammond, who was "a slightly wayward lad who wasn’t quite sure where he was headed in life".

<i>Around the World Live</i> (Jethro Tull album) 2013 video by Jethro Tull

Around the World Live is a video by English rock band Jethro Tull, released in 2013. It comprises in-concert footage recorded by the band from 1970 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Songs from the Wood (song)</span> 1977 single by Jethro Tull

"Songs from the Wood" is the title track off of English rock band Jethro Tull's album Songs from the Wood. Written by frontman Ian Anderson, it features a folk-rock style that characterizes the Songs from the Wood album.

"Heavy Horses" is a song written by Ian Anderson and performed by his band Jethro Tull. The song was released on the 1978 album of the same name. Written as a tribute to horses, the song features folk rock elements that rebelled against the musical trends of the period.

References

  1. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  2. ↑ Schick, Elizabeth A. (1998). Current Biography Yearbook, 1998 . H.W. Wilson. p.  26. ISBN   9780824209575. Two other songs on Aqualung, 'Cross-Eyed Mary' and 'Locomotive Breath,' have also become hard-rock classics.
  3. ↑ Blistein, Jon (27 March 2018). "Jethro Tull Detail Massive 50th Anniversary Compilation". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  4. ↑ Rivadavia, Eduardo (27 July 2013). "Top 10 Jethro Tull Songs" . Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  5. ↑ Will Romano (1 November 2014). Prog Rock FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Rock's Most Progressive Music. Backbeat Books. p. 84. ISBN   978-1-61713-620-7.
  6. 1 2 Dome, Malcolm (21 July 2015). "Ian Anderson's Top 10 Jethro Tull Songs". Loudersound.com. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  7. 1 2 Grow, Kory (27 June 2018). "Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson: My Life in 10 Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  8. ↑ "Jethro Tull: Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  9. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Singles – April 17, 1976" (PDF). Collectionscanada.gc.ca.
  10. ↑ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 24 January 1976. p. 78. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  11. ↑ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 17 January 1976. p. 28. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  12. ↑ Rivadavia, Eduardo (27 July 2013). "Top 10 Jethro Tull Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Townsquare Media. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  13. ↑ Rehe, Christoph (2013). Rock – Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check: alle Alben, alle Songs. Ein eclipsed-Buch[Rock – The complete works of the greatest rock acts in check] (in German). Sysyphus Sysyphus Verlags GmbH. ISBN   978-3868526462.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.