viernes, 16 de septiembre de 2022

1974: El niño de la guerra - El álbum Warchild de Jethro Tull (y II)

Contenido de esta entrada:

Introducción

Enlaces, letras, videos y opinión personal

El sencillo Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day

Reediciones




Entrada anterior de Jethro Tull: 1974: El niño de la guerra - El álbum Warchild de Jethro Tull (I)

Entrada siguiente de Jethro Tull: 1975: Jethro Tull y el trovador en la galería

Sitio oficial de Jethro Tull: Jethro Tull - The Official Website of the Legendary Classic Rock Band

Facebook de Jethro Tull: Jethro Tull | Facebook

Twitter de Jethro Tull: Jethro Tull (@jethrotull) / Twitter

Canal de YouTube: Jethro Tull & Ian Anderson - YouTube

Instagram: Jethro Tull / Ian Anderson (@jethrotull_) • Fotos y videos de Instagram


Contraportada del álbum


Introducción

Comenzamos a comentar en el anterior artículo sobre Jethro Tull su séptimo álbum War Child.

Portada del álbum War Child

En este artículo continuamos comentando el álbum.

Recordamos como guía el listado de temas del álbum:

Lista de temas

Todas las canciones están compuestas por Ian Anderson.

Cara uno

1. "War Child" 4:35

2. "Queen and Country" 3:00

3. "Ladies" 3:17

4. "Back-Door Angels" 5:30

5. "Sealion" 3:37


Cara dos

6. "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day" 4:09

7. "Bungle in the Jungle" 3:35

8. "Only Solitaire" 1:38

9. "The Third Hoorah" 4:49

10. "Two Fingers" 5:11

Enlace al álbum completo: Je̲t̲h̲r̲o̲ Tu̲l̲l - War Chi̲l̲d̲ (Full Albums)

Enlace a la lista de reproducción del álbum completo: War Child



Enlaces, letras, videos y opinión personal


I'll take you down to that bright city mile ---
there to powder your sweet face and paint on a smile,
that will show all of the pleasures and none of the pain,
when you join my explosion
and play with my games.
WarChild dance the days, and dance the nights away.
No unconditional surrender; no armistice day ---
each night I'll die in my contentment and lie in your grave.
While you bring me water and I give you wine ---
let me dance in your tea-cup and you shall swim in mine.
WarChild dance the days, and dance the nights away.
Open your windows and I'll walk through your doors.
Let me live in your country --- let me sleep by your shores.
WarChild dance the days, and dance the nights away


2. Queen and Country

Enlaces






Letras

The wind is on the river and the tide has turned too late,
so we're sailing for another shore where some other ladies wait.
To throw us silken whispers: catch us by the anchor chains ---
But we all laugh so politely and we sail on just the same.
For Queen and Country in the long dying day,
And it's been this way for five long years,
since we signed our souls away.
We bring back gold and ivory; rings of diamonds; strings of pearls ---
make presents to the government
so they can have their social whirl
With Queen and Country in the long dying day.
And it's been this way for five long years
since we signed our souls away.
They build schools and they build factories
With the spoils of battles won.
And we remain their pretty sailor boys ---
hold our heads up to the gun
Of Queen and Country in the long dying day.
And it's been this way for five long years
since we signed our souls away.
To Queen and Country in the long dying day.
And it's been this way for five long years
since we signed our souls away.


3. Ladies

Enlaces






Letras

Ladies of leisure, with their eyes on the back roads ---
All looking for strangers, to whom they extend welcomes
With a smile and a glimpse of pink knees and elbows;
Of satin and velvet --- good ladies, good fortune.
Ladies.
They sing of their heroes: of solitary soldiers
Invested in good health and manner most charming.
Whose favors are numbered (none the less well intended)
By hours in a minute; by those ladies who bless them.
Ladies.

Funda interior del álbum


4. Back-Door Angels

Enlaces






Letras

In and out of the front door, ran twelve back-door angels.
Their hair was a golden-brown ---
they didn't see me wink my eye.
`Tis said they put we men to sleep with just a whisper,
And touch the heads of dying dogs --- and make them linger.
They carry their candles high --- and they light the dark hours.
And sweep all the country clean with pressed and scented wild-flowers.
They grow all their roses red, and paint our skies blue ---
drop one penny in every second bowl ---
make half the beggars lose,
why do the faithful have such a will to believe in something?
And call it the name they choose,
having chosen nothing.
Think I'll sit down and invent some fool ---
some Grand Court Jester.
And next time the die is cast, he'll throw a six or two.
In and out of the back-door, ran one front-door angel,
Her hair was a golden-brown ---
she smiled and I think she winked her eye.


5. Sealion

Enlaces






Letras

Over the mountains, and under the sky ---
riding dirty gray horses, go you and I.
Mating with chance, copulating with mirth ---
the sad-glad paymasters (for what it's worth).
The ice-cream castles are refrigerated;
the super-marketeers are on parade.
There's a golden handshake hanging round your neck,
as you light your cigarette on the burning deck.
And you balance your world on the tip of your nose ---
like a SeaLion with a ball, at the carnival.
You wear a shiny skin and a funny hat ---
the Almighty Animal Trainer lets it go at that.
You bark ever-so-slightly at the Trainer's gun,
with you whiskers melting in the noon-day sun.
You flip and you flop under the Big White Top
where the long-legged ring-mistress starts and stops.
But you know, after all, the act is wearing thin ---
as the crowd grows uneasy and the boos begin.
But you balance your world on the tip of your nose ---
you're a SeaLion with a ball at the carnival.
Just a trace of pride upon our fixed grins ---
for there is no business like the show we're in.
There is no reason, no rhyme, no right
to leave the circus `til we've said good-night.
The same performance, in the same old way;
it's the same old story to this Passion Play.
So we'll shoot the moon, and hope to call the tune ---
and make no pin cushion of this big balloon.
Look how we balance the world on the tips of our noses,
like SeaLions with a ball at the carnival.



LADO DOS

6. Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day

Enlaces






En vivo

La canción fue habitual en los repertorios de los conciertos. Del álbum Bursting Out de 1978:



Letras

Meanwhile back in the year One --- when you belonged to no-one ---
you didn't stand a chance son, if your pants were undone.
`Cause you were bred for humanity and sold to society ---
one day you'll wake up in the Present Day ---
a million generations removed from expectations
of being who you really want to be.

Skating away ---
skating away ---
skating away on the thin ice of the New Day.

So as you push off from the shore,
won't you turn your head once more --- and make your peace with everyone?
For those who choose to stay,
will live just one more day ---
to do the things they should have done.
And as you cross the wilderness, spinning in your emptiness:
you feel you have to pray.
Looking for a sign
that the Universal Mind (!) has written you into the Passion Play.

Skating away on the thin ice of the New Day.

And as you cross the circle line, the ice-wall creaks behind ---
you're a rabbit on the run.
And the silver splinters fly in the corner of your eye ---
shining in the setting sun.
Well, do you ever get the feeling that the story's
too damn real and in the present tense?
Or that everybody's on the stage, and it seems like
you're the only person sitting in the audience?

Skating away on the thin ice of the New Day.

Videos





7. Bungle in the Jungle

Enlaces






Letras

Walking through forests of palm tree apartments ---
scoff at the monkeys who live in their dark tents
down by the waterhole --- drunk every Friday ---
eating their nuts --- saving their raisins for Sunday.
Lions and tigers who wait in the shadows ---
they're fast but they're lazy, and sleep in green meadows.

Let's bungle in the jungle --- well, that's all right by me.
I'm a tiger when I want love,
but I'm a snake if we disagree.

Just say a word and the boys will be right there:
with claws at your back to send a chill through the night air.
Is it so frightening to have me at your shoulder?
Thunder and lightning couldn't be bolder.
I'll write on your tombstone, ``I thank you for dinner.''
This game that we animals play is a winner.

Let's bungle in the jungle --- well, that's all right by me.
I'm a tiger when I want love,
but I'm a snake if we disagree.

The rivers are full of crocodile nasties
and He who made kittens put snakes in the grass.
He's a lover of life but a player of pawns ---
yes, the King on His sunset lies waiting for dawn
to light up His Jungle
as play is resumed.
The monkeys seem willing to strike up the tune.


Funda interior del disco


8. Only Solitaire

Enlaces


JETHRO TULL War Child 08 Only Solitaire



Brain-storming habit-forming battle-warning weary
winsome actor spewing spineless chilling lines ---
the critics falling over to tell themselves he's boring
and really not an awful lot of fun.
Well who the hell can he be when he's never had V.D.,
and he doesn't even sit on toilet seats?
Court-jesting, never-resting --- he must be very cunning
to assume an air of dignity
and bless us all with his oratory prowess,
his lame-brained antics and his jumping in the air.
And every night his act's the same
and so it must be all a game of chess he's playing ---
``But you're wrong, Steve: you see, it's only solitaire.''


9. The Third Hoorah

Enlaces






Letras

Hoorah!

WarChild, dance the days and nights away ---
sweet child, how do you do today?
When your back's to the wall,
and your luck is your all,
then side with whoever you may.
Seek that which within lies waiting to begin
the fight of your life that is everyday.
Dance with the WarChild --- Hoorah.

WarChild, dance the days and nights away ---
sweet child, how do you do today?
In the heart of your heart, there's the tiniest part
of an urge to live to the death ---
with a sword on your hip and a cry on your lips
to strike life in the inner child's breast.
Dance with the WarChild --- Hoorah.

WarChild, dance the days and nights away ---
sweet child, how do you do today?


Videos



10. Two Fingers

Enlaces






Letras

I'll see you at the Weighing-In,
when your life's sum-total's made
and you set your wealth in Godly deeds
against the sins you've laid.
And you place your final burden
on your hard-pressed next of kin:
Send the chamber-pot back down the line
to be filled up again.

And the hard-headed miracle worker
who bathes his hands in blood,
Will welcome you to the final nod ---
and cover you with mud.
And he'll say, ``You really should make the deal,''
as he offers round the hat.
``You'd better lick two fingers clean ---
He'll thank you all for that.''
As you slip on the greasy platform,
and you land upon your back,
You make a wish and you wipe your nose upon the railway track.
While the high-strung locomotive,
with furnace burning bright,
Lumbers on --- you wave goodbye ---
and the sparks fade into night.

And as you join the Good Ship Earth,
and you mingle with the dust ---
you'd better leave your underpants
with someone you can trust.
And when the Old Man with the telescope
cuts the final strand ---
you'd better lick two fingers clean,
before you shake his hand.

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Opinión personal sobre el álbum

He encontrado opiniones muy negativas sobre el álbum y a mí en cambio me gusta bastante. El álbum comienza con la canción que da título al álbum que fue una de las primeras que escuché de Jethro Tull y le tengo cierto cariño. Buenos arreglos de cuerdas y buen trabajo del saxo. Ladies me gusta por su toque folk medieval. Sealion es muy rockero y buen solo de flauta. Skating Away, bonita balada progresiva con guitarra acústica me gusta más que Bungle. De Bungle destacar los arreglos orquestales. De Only Solitarie destacar las letras en contra los críticos musicales. De Two Fingers me esperaba más por ser el cierre del álbum.

Créditos

Jethro Tull
  • Ian Anderson – voz, flauta, guitarra acústica, saxofón
  • Martin Barre – guitarra eléctrica, guitarra española
  • John Evan – piano, órgano, sintetizadores, acordeón
  • Jeffrey Hammond – voz principal y palabra hablada (en "Sealion II"), bajo, bajo de cuerdas
  • Barriemore Barlow – batería, percusión
Personal adicional
  • Dee Palmer – arreglos orquestales
  • Robin Black – ingeniero de sonido
  • Terry Ellis – productor ejecutivo
Contraportada de la edición del 40 aniversario


El sencillo Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day

Antecedentes

Ian Anderson calificó "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day" como su "primera canción sobre el cambio climático" debido a su letra sobre la preocupación entonces actual por el enfriamiento global. El enfriamiento global fue una conjetura, especialmente durante la década de 1970, de que habría un enfriamiento inminente de la Tierra que culminaría en un período de glaciación extensa. Esta conjetura se propagó gracias a algunos artículos de prensa, pero que no reflejaban con precisión la literatura científica de la época, que generalmente estaba más preocupada por el calentamiento de un efecto invernadero como se ha demostrado ahora.

Más tarde explicó:

Esta fue mi primera canción hablando sobre el tema de la ecología y, en este caso específico, el cambio climático. En aquellos días, los científicos creían que nos dirigíamos hacia un período de enfriamiento global, que podríamos estar dirigiéndonos hacia una nueva edad de hielo. Y, de hecho, se dieron cuenta de que, de hecho, no, nos dirigimos hacia un período de calentamiento global. Así que mi canción se volvió un poco redundante. Pero la idea era sólida. Y todavía hoy le tengo cariño, porque está hablando con optimismo de enfrentar el mundo cambiante y un clima cambiante al que tenemos que adaptarnos, con valentía y optimismo. Y se siente muy adecuado y apropiado para hoy. 
Anderson

 Como hemos comentado, la canción fue grabada en el Château d'Hérouville en septiembre de 1972.


El lanzamiento del sencillo

Dado el éxito del sencillo "Bungle in the Jungle" en los Estados Unidos, "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day" fue lanzado como sencillo de seguimiento en febrero de 1975 en los Estados Unidos y Alemania. El lado B del sencillo fue "Sealion". No entró en las listas en Alemania o en el Billboard en Estados Unidos, aunque sí alcanzó el número 75 en las listas de Cashbox en los Estados Unidos.
Portada del sencillo en Alemania


Recepción

"Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day" ha recibido elogios de los críticos, que generalmente señalan la canción como uno de los temas más destacados de War Child. En una revisión de 1975, Cash Box dijo que "abriendo con la guitarra acústica y la voz distintiva de Ian Anderson, la canción crece lentamente en un arreglo lindo y pegadizo y termina optimista y edificante" y elogió la "gran forma y un perfecto sentido del equilibrio" de la canción. Las críticas retrospectivas han sido igualmente positivas: Bruce Eder de Allmusic llamó a la canción "un número hermoso, en gran parte acústico", mientras que Daniel de Visé del mismo sitio la llamó "la brillante destacada" de War Child y "una hermosa canción acústica vestida de éxito pop". Ryan Reed de Ultimate Classic Rock escribió que la canción "se encuentra entre las piezas más esenciales de Tull". Eric Senich de WRKI clasificó la canción como la séptima mejor canción de Jethro Tull, elogiando el "increíble trabajo de guitarra acústica" en la pista. Chuck Darrow de Bettors Insider llamó a la canción "clásica".



Reediciones

La reedición de 2002

En 2002 se publicó una edición remasterizada en CD con algunos bonus tracks. Como comentamos en el anterior artículo, el álbum originalmente estaba concebido como un álbum doble por lo que se descartaron algunos temas para reducirlo a un solo disco. Y algunos de estos temas descartados son los que aparecen como bonus tracks en esta edición:

11. "Warchild Waltz (called Waltz of the Angels on the 40th Anniversary Edition)" 4:21

12. "Quartet" 2:44

13. "Paradise Steakhouse" 4:03

14. "Sealion II" (Anderson, Jeffrey Hammond) 3:20

15. "Rainbow Blues" 3:40

16. "Glory Row" 3:35

17. "Saturation" 4:21

Contraportada de la edición de 2002

11. Warchild Waltz

Enlaces




Letras

Instrumental


12. Quartet

Enlaces




Letras

Instrumental


13. Paradise Steakhouse

Enlaces




Letras

I'd like to take you to the edge of every morning
on a magic eiderdown to a window chair.
In the Paradise Steakhouse where there's a cup of silver coffee,
steaming chrome reflections from the mist in your hair.

Try not to watch me (Try not to watch me)
Just call me after darkfall (Call me after darkfall)
I'll bring a whip to sow, my seed on your land.
In the Paradise Steakhouse there's a cup of silver coffee

A sheath of steel so you may hold my sword in your hand
I'll cut you, divide you into tender pieces
No wings to fly away upon my dear.

In the Paradise Steakhouse on a plate upon a table
I will carve your name with care to last the years.

I'd like to eat you (I'd like to eat you)
All fire will consume you (Fire will consume you)
Roast on the spit of love on this arrow true.
In the Paradise Steakhouse I'll taste every finger
Baking in the ashes 'til the flames rise anew

I'd like to take you to the edge of every morning
On a magic eiderdown to a window chair.
In the Paradise Steakhouse where there's a cup of silver coffee,
steaming chrome reflections from the mist in your hair.


14. Sealion II

Enlaces




Letras

Would you like to see my lion, my friend Cecil is damp and smooth
A damp smooth sea lion, yes, Cecil is a sea lion.
(Cecil is a sea lion)
(Cecil is a sea lion)
(Cecil is a sea lion)

Cecil is a clever sea lion, Cecil sometimes swims
And often sits (And balances multicolored striped balls?)
Yes, balances multicolored striped balls, Clever Cecil
(Cecil is a sea lion) (Cecil is a sea lion)
(Cecil is a sea lion) (Cecil is a sea lion)
(Cecil is a sea lion) (Cecil is a sea lion)

Cecil the sea lion is serene, he doesn't wear spectacles or a scarf
(No central heating or cement) Well, the whole ocean is Cecil's home
(Cecil is a sea lion) (Cecil is a sea lion)
(Cecil is a sea lion) (Cecil is a sea lion)


15. Rainbow Blues

Enlaces





Letras

Through northern lights on back streets
I told the coachman, "Just drive me on,
It's the same old destination
but a different world to sing upon."
So he threw back his head and he counted.
I jumped out about five to nine.

And I waved at the stage door-keeper
said, "Mister, get me to the stage on time."
Oh, but the rain wasn't made of water
and the snow didn't have a place in the sun
so I slipped behind a rainbow
and waited till the show had done.

I packed my ammunition.
Inside the crowd was shouting, "Encore",

But I had a most funny feeling
it wasn't me they were shouting for.
So when the tall dark lady smiled at me
I said, "Oh, baby let us go for a ride."
And we came upon two drinks or four
and popped them oh so neatly inside.

Oh, but the rain wasn't made of water
and the snow didn't have a place in the sun
so we slipped behind a rainbow
and lay there until we had done.

Let me pack you deep in my suitcase.
Oh, there's sure to be room for two
or you can drive me to the airplane
but don't let me catch those rainbow blues.

Versiones

Blackmore's Night,la banda del ex guitarrista de Deep Purple, Ritchie Blackmore, hizo una versión de la canción. La canción fue lanzada en su álbum de 2003 Ghost of a Rose. Blackmore's Night también interpretó la canción en vivo.



16. Glory Row

Enlaces




Letras

Rise up all you fine young ladies and take arms for the show.
Oh, we'll put your name up in lights,
put you down on Glory Row.
Would you be the star of ages
to light your own way at night?
Might be a former beauty queen with your high smile stuck on so tightly.
They come and they go down on Glory Row.
It's the same old story --- yes, it the same old show.

Well, hello all you gentlemen, I fear I'm a lot like you.
We're wearing the same school tie but a different pair of shoes.
How did you get to be who you are?
Will your children share the blame?
Is it really worth the time it takes
to carve your name on Glory Row?

Down on Glory Row.
It's the same old story --- yes, it the same old show.


17. Saturation

Enlaces




Letras

They left me, leaving my house on fire, me running round - got out through the window.
While clinging to the skirts of fate was not my idea of fun; I'll jump to it gladly.
The town was filled with smoke and hate.
Came to my senses just too late
to realize that all I ever owned
was borrowed. I thanked them for having shown
me that nothing ever really belongs to anyone.

They burned my books and they broke my car,
and gave the dog to a man who used him for breeding.
They felled my trees and they tramped flowers
and threw the kitten into my new pool.
The same things done to other men had made them run away from the city.
This being the case, I joined them there and breathing air
spent the night with these new friends.

The town was filled with smoke and hate.
Came to my senses just too late
to realize that all I ever owned
was borrowed. I thanked them for having shown
me that nothing ever really belongs to anyone.


La 40th Anniversary Theatre Edition de 2014

El 24 de noviembre de 2014 se publicó la edición del 40 aniversario con remezcla de Steven Wilson.

Incluye dos CD y dos DVD. En el primer DVD se incluye remezcla 5.1 de Steven Wilson, mezclas envolventes y estéreo y transferencias planas del álbum original cuadrofónico y estéreo y videoclips de una sesión de fotos y conferencia de prensa de Montreux el 11 de enero de 1974 y una promo de the Third Hoorah con audio estéreo remezclado

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