# Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 15, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780 "2005-09-15T14:17:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/1 "2005-09-15T14:17:40Z")
Just heard this song recently and can’t get it out of my head. Great beat, funny lyrics, wicked guitar and flute work. “Aqualung” has been played to death on oldies radio, but what other Tull songs should I listen to? ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/2 "2005-09-15T14:27:35Z")
“Cross-eyed Mary” stands out. “Thick as a Brick.” “Living in the Past.” “Too Old To Rock ‘N’ Roll: Too Young To Die.” “The Whistler.” “Songs from the Wood.” It’s all good! Aqualung (the whole album) is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/3 "2005-09-15T14:28:32Z")
“Bungle in the Jungle” “Fly By Night” “Thick as a Brick” “Cross Eyed Mary” “Rainbow Blues” “Skating away on the Thin Ice of a New Day” “Living in the Past” Also, if you can find it, check out an album called _A Classic case_, which is Ian Anderson playing Jethro Tull songs (and a little Bach) with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It’s awesome. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/4 "2005-09-15T14:36:26Z")
“Bouree” from the _Stand Up_ album. _Songs from the Wood_ in its entirety. (Got this on CD a couple of years ago, and was delighted by how well it holds up.) twicks, whose soundtrack for the '70s would be extremely Jethro-Tull-heavy ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/5 "2005-09-15T14:37:59Z")
_Heavy Horses_ All of _Minstrel In The Gallery_ And I second _A Classic Case_. Really an eye-opener. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/6 "2005-09-15T14:48:52Z")
My favorite Tull song is **Inside** (on Benefit, I think). It starts with a beautiful hook, it’s upbeat, he tells you all about his favorite coffee and everything. I also like **One White Duck**. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/7 "2005-09-15T14:53:09Z")
For my money, “Teacher” is Tull’s best song. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/8 "2005-09-15T15:03:08Z")
Definitely start with the “Aqualung” album. “Thick as a Brick” is also excellent. “Bouree” is also a great one. ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/9 "2005-09-15T15:07:20Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > For my money, “Teacher” is Tull’s best song. I second that. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/10 "2005-09-15T15:14:13Z")
I second “heavy horses”! ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/11 "2005-09-15T15:28:54Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > My favorite Tull song is **Inside** (on Benefit, I think). It starts with a beautiful hook, it’s upbeat, he tells you all about his favorite coffee and everything. I’ve been a Tull fanatic since that album first came out in 1970, and that line about the coffee just kills me every time. So simple, but so effective. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/12 "2005-09-15T15:35:46Z")
“Life’s a Long Song” and “Witches Promise”, from _Living In the Past_ “One Brwon Mouse” and “No Lullaby”, from _Heavy Horses_ “Back to the Family” and “A New Day Yesterday”, from _Stand Up_ ---
**Author:** ![Cynical\_Optimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Cynical\_Optimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cynical_Optimist)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/13 "2005-09-15T15:40:51Z")
Not their most popular but I’ve always liked: Bungle in the Jungle Steel Monkey Kissing Willie Lap of Luxury But they don’t have any really _bad_ songs, even their album filler doesn’t make me reach for the fast forward button. And that includes _Crest of a Knave_. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/14 "2005-09-15T15:41:19Z")
Just pretend that _Storm Watch_ was their last album and you’ll do fine. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shibumi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Shibumi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shibumi)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/15 "2005-09-15T15:51:59Z")
Find the album entitled _Classic Masters_ it has some great stuff on it, including “I’ll Make Love to You” as well as “Budapest” an 8 minute masterpiece about a hore in Thailand. Also look and see if you can find A passion Play. This is overlooked alot and critics hated it, but it is basically a 40 minute song about a guy’s journey after death. Its awesome. Good Luck ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/16 "2005-09-15T16:08:49Z")
Wow, you guys rock. I can hardly add any favorites to the lists already. Honorable mention has to go to _Christmas Song_. It manages to be stinging, sanctimonious, and quite beautiful at the same time. If you like flute work, listen to Hymn 43, also on Aqualung. The riffs are intense. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/17 "2005-09-15T17:03:46Z")
Also “Sweet Dream”. Early, great Tull. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/18 "2005-09-15T17:26:01Z")
I used to love **Tull**. I think it was the first show I ever went to that my Dad didn’t bring me to. I had long hair and smoked dope back then and had a great time. It also inspired me to take up the flute when I was like 18, and I used to play Bouree (actually written by Bach, IINM, but without the swing), the intro to Bungle in the Jungle and other things. I had a book with the transcriptions. I also used to play Crazy Train on my flute. “Cross-eyed Mary” is good. I like Teacher, TAAB, Skating Away, but it mostly escapes me now. Tull never made it from cassette to CD for me. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/19 "2005-09-15T17:46:42Z")
Serenade to a Cuckoo, A Song for Jeffrey - This Was ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780/20 "2005-09-15T18:46:17Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Also, if you can find it, check out an album called _A Classic case_, which is Ian Anderson playing Jethro Tull songs (and a little Bach) with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It’s awesome. Interestingly, David Palmer who conducted/arranged the album is an ex-Tull member. He also did an orchestral album of Pink Floyd songs that is also well worth checking out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath/321780.md?page=2)