Contenido de esta entrada:
El especial para la televisión
Entrada anterior de Jethro Tull: 1976: El sencillo Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!
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Enlaces de interés de Jethro Tull:
Introducción
Comenzamos a comentar en un anterior artículo de Jethro Tull su noveno álbum Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! publicado en 1976.
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| Portada del álbum |
En este artículo comentamos su noveno álbum de estudio, Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!, lanzado en 1976. Es su último álbum conceptual que trata sobre la vida de Ray Lomas, un roquero que se ve envejecer, y en el que muchos quisieron ver la respuesta de Ian Anderson a las críticas vertidas por la prensa especializada a sus anteriores trabajos.
Fue el segundo álbum de Jethro Tull grabado fuera del Reino Unido, siendo grabado principalmente en el exilio fiscal en Monte Carlo, Mónaco.
Fue el primer álbum de Jethro Tull en el que no participa el bajista Jeffrey Hammond, quien dejó la banda a finales de 1975 y fue reemplazado por el ex bajista de Carmen, John Glascock.
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| John Glascock |
En este artículo comentamos el especial para televisión que hicieron, las reediciones del álbum y las letras de las canciones.
El especial para la televisión
En 1976 el grupo preparó un especial Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! para la televisión británica, en el que interpretaban todos los temas del disco. La grabación en video se publicó en la edición del álbum del 40 aniversario en 2015.
Jethro Tull - 1976 - Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! - TV version 5.1 surround - YouTube
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| Primera página del comic en el interior de la carpeta del álbum |
En el mismo especial podemos observar la curiosa apariencia de grupo gay que ofrecen, que choca, irónicamente, con la imagen tradicional de la banda.
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| Segunda página del comic en el interior de la carpeta del álbum |
Como anécdota, cabe señalar que, sobre el escenario, en el especial aparece un antiguo carrito de bebé negro, que será el mismo carrito que, años después, muestren en la introducción del videoconcierto Slipstream (1980), donde veremos a Ian Anderson haciendo de pordiosero como en Aqualung y tirándolo por un precipicio.
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| Portada del video Slipstream |
Otros videos
En directo en el estadio de Tampa el 31 de julio de 1976:
En Malmö, Suecia, el 26 de noviembre de 2006:
Reediciones del álbum
Remasterización del álbum de 2002
Fue publicado en CD por primera vez en 1978.
La versión remasterizada en CD del 2002 incluyó dos temas descartados en el LP original: "A Small Cigar" y "Strip Cartoon".
"A Small Cigar" apareció originalmente en el álbum de 1993, Nightcap.
"Strip Cartoon" fue lanzado por primera vez como el lado B del sencillo de 1977, "The Whistler" (del álbum Songs From The Wood); hizo su debut en LP y CD en la caja recopilatoria de 1988, 20 Years of Jethro Tull.
The TV Special Edition de 2015
El álbum fue reeditado en una caja llamada Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! - The TV Special Edition en noviembre de 2015 para celebrar el cuarenta aniversario. La caja contiene pistas inéditas y tomas descartadas de canciones del álbum remezcladas por Steven Wilson, además de un folleto de 80 páginas que cuenta la historia de la grabación y el video del programa de televisión especial grabado en 1976 y disponible oficialmente por primera vez.
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| Portada de la edición de 2015 del álbum |
Enlace a la lista de reproducción de la edición de 2015: Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! (The TV Special Edition)
Lista de temas
CD 1: Remix de Steven Wilson de las canciones regrabadas para el programa especial de televisión
4. "Salamander"
5. "Taxi Grab"
8. "Big Dipper"
10. "Pied Piper"
12. "From a Dead Beat to an Old Greaser" (Original album track)
13. "Bad-Eyed and Loveless" (Original album track)
14. "Big Dipper" (Original album track)
15. "Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!" (Original album track)
16. "The Chequered Flag (Dead Or Alive)" (Original album track)
17. "Quiz Kid (Version 1)" (Monte Carlo out-take)
CD 2: Remix de Steven Wilson de grabaciones asociadas y trasferencias planas del álbum original
DVD 1:
1. "Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die?" (TV film with DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Digital Stereo)
2. "TV audio (stereo)" (in 96/24 stereo PCM)
3. "Five original LP tracks (5.1 surround and stereo)" (with DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and 96/24 stereo PCM)
DVD 2: Associated recordings and others
1. "Salamander's Rag Time" (with DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and 96/24 stereo PCM)
2. "Commercial Traveller" (with DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and 96/24 stereo PCM)
3. "A Small Cigar (Acoustic Version)" (with DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and 96/24 stereo PCM)
4. "Strip Cartoon" (with DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and 96/24 stereo PCM)
5. "Quiz Kid (Version 1)" (in 96/24 stereo PCM)
6. "One Brown Mouse (early version) (Original Master Mix)" (in 96/24 stereo PCM)
7. "Salamander (Instrumental)" (in 96/24 stereo PCM)
8. "Strip Cartoon (Original Master Mix)" (in 96/24 stereo PCM)
9. "A Small Cigar (Orchestrated Version) (Original Rough Mix)" (in 96/24 stereo PCM)
10. "Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die! (Demo)" (in 96/24 stereo PCM)
11. "A flat transfer of the original 1976 Quad LP Production Master with DTS 4.0 and Dolby Digital AC3 4.0 surround sound."
12. "A flat transfer of the original 1976 LP master at 96/24 stereo PCM."
Letras de las canciones
Quizz Kid
Cut along the dotted line --- slip in and seal the flap.
Postal competition crazy, though you wear the dunce's cap.
Win a fortnight in Ibiza --- line up for the big hand out.
You'll never know unless you try --- what winning's all about ---
be a quizz kid.
Be a whizz kid.
Six days later there's a rush telegram
Drop everything and telephone this number if you can.
It's a free trip down to London for a weekend of high life.
They'll wine you; dine you; undermine you ---
better not bring the wife ---
be a quizz kid.
Be a whizz kid.
It's a try out for a quizz show that millions watch each week.
Following the fate and fortunes of contestants as they speak.
Answerable to everyone; responsible to all; publicity dissected ---
brain cells splattered on the walls of encyclopaedic knowledge.
May be barbaric but it's fun.
As the clock ticks away a lifetime,
hold your head up to the gun of a million cathode ray tubes
aimed at your tiny skull.
May you find sweet inspiration --- may your memory not be dull.
May you rise to dizzy success.
May your wit be quick and strong.
May you constantly amaze us.
May your answers not be wrong.
May your head be on your shoulders.
May your tongue be in your cheek.
And most of all we pray that you may come back next week!
Be a quizz kid.
Be a whizz kid.
Crazed Institution
Just a little touch of make-up; just a little touch of bull;
just a little 3-chord trick embedded in your platform soul;
you can wear a gold Piaget on your Semaphore wrist;
you can dance the old adage with a dapper new twist.
And you can ring a crown of roses round your cranium,
live and die upon your cross of platinum.
Join the crazed institution of the stars.
Be the man that you think (know) you really are.
Crawl inside your major triad, curl up and laugh
as your agent scores another front page photograph.
Is it them or is it you throwing dice inside the loo
awaiting someone else to pull the chain.
Well grab the old bog-handle, hold your breath and light a candle.
Clear your throat and pray for rain to irrigate the corridors that echo in
your brain filled with empty nothingness, empty hunger pains.
And you can ring a crown of roses round your cranium,
live and die upon your cross of platinum.
Join the crazed institution of the stars.
Be the man that you think (know) you really are.
Salamander
Salamander ---
born in the sun-kissed flame.
Who was it lit your candle ---
branded you with your name?
I see you walking by my window
in your Kensington haze.
Salamander, burn for me
and I'll burn for you.
Taxi Grab
Shake a leg, it's the big rush,
can't find a taxi can't find a bus.
Bodies jammed in the underground
evacuating London town.
Nowhere to put your feet
as the big store shoppers and the pavements meet.
Red lights --- pin stripes --- short step shuffle into the night.
Tea time calls --- the Bingo Halls open at seven in the old front stalls.
How about a Taxi Grab.
There's an empty cab by the taxi stand
driver's in the cafe washing his hands.
Big diesel idles --- the keys inside ---
c'mon Sally let's take a ride.
Flag down --- uptown --- no sweat.
For rush hour travel, it's the best bet yet.
Taxi Grab.
From A Dead Beat To An Old Greaser
From a dead beat to an old greaser, here's thinking of you.
You won't remember the long nights;
coffee bars; black tights and white thighs
in shop windows where blonde assistants fully-fashioned a world made
of dummies (with no mummies or daddies to reject them).
When bombs were banned every Sunday and the Shadows played F.B.I.
And tired young sax-players sold their instruments of torture ---
sat in the station sharing wet dreams of Charlie Parker,
Jack Kerouac, Ren\'e Magritte, to name a few of the heroes
who were too wise for their own good --- left the young brood to
go on living without them.
Old queers with young faces --- who remember your name,
though you're a dead beat with tired feet;
two ends that don't meet.
To a dead beat from an old greaser.
Think you must have me all wrong.
I didn't care, friend. I wasn't there, friend,
If it's the price of pint that you need, ask me again.
Bad-Eyed And Loveless
Yes'n she's bad-eyed and she's loveless.
A young man's fancy and an old man's dream.
I'm self raising and I flower in her company.
Give me no sugar without her cream.
She's a warm fart at Christmas.
She's a breath of champagne on sparkling night.
Yes'n she's bad-eyed and she's loveless.
Turns other women to envious green.
Yes'n she's bad-eyed and she's loveless.
She's a young man's vision --- in my old man's dream.
Big Dipper
The mist rolls off the beaches:
the train rolls into the station.
Weekend happiness seekers --- pent-up saturation.
Well, we don't mean anyone any harm,
we weren't on the Glasgow train.
See you at the Pleasure Beach:
roller-coasting heroes.
Big Dipper riding ---
we'll give the local lads a hiding
if they keep us from the ladies
hanging out in the penny arcades.
Shaking up the Tower Ballroom
throwing up in the bathroom.
Landlady's in the backroom ---
I'm the Big Dipper ---
it's the weekend rage.
Rich widowed landlady give me your spare front door key.
If you're 39 or over, I'll make love to you next Thursday ---
I may stay over for a week or two
drop a postcard to my mum.
I'll see you at the waltzer ---
we'll go big-dipping daily.
Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die
The old Rocker wore his hair too long,
wore his trouser cuffs too tight.
Unfashionable to the end --- drank his ale too light.
Death's head belt buckle --- yesterday's dreams ---
the transport caf' prophet of doom.
Ringing no change in his double-sewn seams
in his post-war-babe gloom.
Now he's too old to Rock'n'Roll but he's too young to die.
He once owned a Harley Davidson and a Triumph Bonneville.
Counted his friends in burned-out spark plugs
and prays that he always will.
But he's the last of the blue blood greaser boys
all of his mates are doing time:
married with three kids up by the ring road
sold their souls straight down the line.
And some of them own little sports cars
and meet at the tennis club do's.
For drinks on a Sunday --- work on Monday.
They've thrown away their blue suede shoes.
Now they're too old to Rock'n'Roll and they're too young to die.
So the old Rocker gets out his bike
to make a ton before he takes his leave.
Up on the A1 by Scotch Corner
just like it used to be.
And as he flies --- tears in his eyes ---
his wind-whipped words echo the final take
and he hits the trunk road doing around 120
with no room left to brake.
And he was too old to Rock'n'Roll but he was too young to die.
No, you're never too old to Rock'n'Roll if you're too young to die.
Pied Piper
Now if you think Ray blew it,
there was nothing to it.
They patched him up as good as new.
You can see him every day ---
riding down the queen's highway,
handing out his small cigars to the kids from school.
And all the little girls with their bleached blond curls
clump up on their platform soles.
And they say ``Hey Ray --- let's ride away
downtown where we can roll some alley bowls.''
And Ray grins from ear to here, and whispers...
So follow me. Trail along.
my leather jacket's buttoned up.
And my four-stroke song
will pick you up when your last class ends;
and you can tell all your friends:
The Pied Piper pulled you,
The mad biker fooled you,
I'll do what you want to:
If you ride with me on a Friday
anything goes.
So follow me, hold on tight.
My school girl fancy's flowing in free flight.
I've a tenner in my skin tight jeans.
You can touch it if your hands are clean.
The Pied Piper pulled you,
the mad biker folled you,
I'll do what you want to:
If you ride with me on a Friday
anything goes.
The Chequered Flag (Dead Or Alive)
The disc brakes drag,
the chequered flag sweeps across the oil-slick track.
The young man's home; dry as a bone.
His helmet off, he waves: the crowd 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 sunlight streaks through the curtain cracks,
touches the old man where he sleeps.
The nurse brings up a cup of tea ---
two biscuits and the morning paper mystery.
The hard road's end, the white god's-send
is nearer everyday, in dying the old man says,
Isn't it grand to be playing to the stand,
dead or alive.
The still-born child can't feel the rain
as the chequered flag falls once again.
The deaf composer completes his final score.
He'll never hear the sweet encore.
The chequered flag, the bull's red rag,
the lemming-hearted hordes
running ever faster to the shore singing,
Isn't it grand to be playing to the stand,
dead or alive.
A Small Cigar
A small cigar can change the world
I know, I've done it frequently at parties
Where I've won all the guests' attention
With my generosity and suave gentlemanly bearing
A little flat tin case is all you need
Breast-pocket conversation opener
And one of those ciggie lighters that look rather good
You can throw away when empty
Must be declared a great success
My small cigars all vanish within minutes
Excuse me, mine host, that I may visit
A nearby tobacconist
To replenish my supply of small cigars
And make the party swing again
I know my clothes seem shabby
And don't fit this Hampstead soiree
Where unread copies of Rolling Stone
Well-thumbed Playboys
Decorate the hi-fi stereo record shelves
If you ask me they're on their way
To upper-middle-class oblivion
The stupid twits, they roll their only
One cigarette between them
My small cigar's redundant now
In the haze of smoking pleasure
Call it a day
Get the hell away
Go down the cafe
For a cup of real tea
By the tube station, there's a drunk old fool
Who sells papers in the rush hour
I hand to him ten small cigars
He smiles, says, ``Son, God bless you''
A small cigar
Has changed his world, my friend
A small cigar
Has changed the world again
A small cigar . . .
Strip Cartoon
Fish and chips, sandpaper lips and a rainy pavement.
Soho lights, another night thinking of you.
Black cat, sat on a wall, winks at me darkly.
Suggesting ways and means that I might win a smile,
as you leave the place where you work until 12.30
and the policemen nods as you pass along his beat.
Sweaty feet, troubled brow we're all in the same game, lady.
Life's no bowl of cherries it's a black and white strip cartoon.
I've been warned that you and your friends are crazy
as from your hearts you bare your parts to the gentlemen,
who, while they drool, trying to keep cool,
spill their Scotch and water.
But I'm not that way, I must say I'd much prefer to see
you in your texturised rubber rainwear around 12.30.
Come and play shades of grey in my black and white strip cartoon.
Strip cartoon is all I'm after.
Strip cartoon is all I crave,
so come to my place around 12.30
'cause I'm a leading politician
at a dangerous age.
Strip cartoon is all I'm after.
Strip cartoon is all I crave,
so come to my place around 12.30
'cause I'm a leading politician
at a dangerous age.
Strip cartoon, strip cartoon is all I'm after.
Strip cartoon is all I crave,
so come to my place around 12.30
'cause I'm a leading politician
at a dangerous age.
VOLVER ARRIBA
