Initially I got hold of a vinyl of this album and during the upgrade period it was the third album to be added to my CD collections and I’m very proud to own it.

Named after 18th century agriculturist, Jethro Tull came into existence in 1967 led by Ian Anderson. Basically from Blackpool & Luton, Great Britain. With typical flute work of Ian Anderson, they made the cross lead of guitar and flute their forte. Guitarist Martin Barre became a part of Jethro Tull in 1969. Other members are David Goodier, John Ohara and Doane Parry. Drummer Bunker left the group after “Aqualung” was released. However their first foray “Sunshine Day” into the international scene was massive fiasco. But in 1971 Jethro Tull’s best ever work “Aqualung” was released but Ian Andersson’s lyrics became quite controversial because of his unadulterated statement on religion and society. But they undoubtedly cut out their niché with the magical flute of Ian Anderson and nervous but free flowing guitar of Martin Barre. The album is packed with eleven of their most memorable and immortal tracks including the title track “Aqualung” and “Locomotive Breath”.

If you give me the choice my vote is for “Locomotive Breath” for the best song in this album. In fact I strongly believe that it’s of their best ever, although “Aqualung” is most talked about of their ventures.

Aqualung: (4:06) It’s about “eyeing little girl with bad intent” ….. “Drying in the cold sun/Watching as the frilly panties run./Feeling like a dead duck/spilling out pieces of his broken luck.

My God: (7:08) A head-on collusion with ecclesiastic excesses. “People what you have done/locked Him in His golden cage/Made him bend to your religion/Him resurrected from the grave…”……and then “He is the god of nothing /if that's all that you can see./You are the god of everything

Crossed Eyed Mary (4:06) This song is about a young prostitute doing ugly thing from around the school …… “She signs no contract/but she always plays the game./Dines in Hampstead village /on expense accounted gruel/and the jack-knife barber drops her off at school./Laughing in the playground/gets no kicks from little boys/would rather make it with a letching grey./Or maybe her attention is drawn by Aqualung/who watches through the railings as they play/Cross-eyed Mary finds it hard to get along.”….. This is really daring.

Cheap day Return: (1:21) …“Brush away the cigarette ash that’s/falling down your pants/and you sadly wonder/does the nurse treat your old man/the way she should.”..

Wond’ring Aloud: (1:53) A beautiful love song with great accoutic guitar “Wond’ring aloud/will the years treat us well/As she floats in the kitchen/I’m tasting the smell/of toast as the butter runs.

Mother Goose: (3:51) “Walked down by the bathing pond/to try and catch some sun/Saw at least a hundred schoolgirls sobbing/into hankerchiefs as one/I don’t believe they knew/I was a schoolboy.

Upto me: (3:15) “Make the scene at Cousin Jack’s/leave him put the bottles back/mends his glasses that I cracked /well that one's up to me./Buy a silver cloud to ride/pack the tennis club inside/trouser cuffs hung far too wide/well it was up to me.”

Hymn 43: (3:14) “Oh father high in heaven/smile down upon your son/whose busy with his money games/his women and his gun/Oh Jesus save me!”

Slipstream: (1:13) “And you press on God's waiter your last dime/as he hands you the bill/And you spin in the slipstream/timeless unreasoning/paddle right out of the mess.

Locomotive Breath: (4:23) “In the shuffling madness/Of the locomotive breath/Runs the all-time loser/Headlong to his death/He feels the piston scraping/Steam breaking on his brow/Old Charlie stole the handle and/The train won't stop going/No way to slow down.”..

Wind up: (6:01) “When I was young and they packed me off to school/and taught me how not to play the game/I didn't mind if they groomed me for success/or if they said that I was a fool.

Jethro Tull has experimented a lot with Blues, jazz and rock and eventually “Aqualung” was a fusion of them and along with its bold lyrics used with tremendous impact has made it a memorable album.

And mind you the bonuses coming along with this album are equally good!!!!