Jethro Tull-For Michael Collins, Jeffrey, And Me with lyrics

[bradshawvincent]

the lyrics about the apes reminds me of 2001 a space oddysey ( or planet of the apes?) wonder if they were influences.

[xpaddy01]

Very nice! And thanks for the info behind the song! This is the first time I've heard it, and while I've no problem with the song as it stands (Anderson's been brilliant at this kind of writing!), it helps with knowing the inspiration for the tune. Thanks for posting it!

[nootaramus]

its the "lamb faced hungry lovers" love that line..I have known a lamb faced girl before..

[spoildn8410]

As far as I can tell, he's saying "acumen" instead of "extra care". As many times as I've heard this song, I'm pretty sure. Unless he is saying acumen on the alternate stanza. Those of us who had very good audio systems back at the time could extricate a lot of rock lyrics that less expensive stereos could not reproduce.

.

[themore09]

1st heard this album 40 yrs ago & it's still so powerful. The 1st album I bought as a teenager (just!) and I played it to death for weeks. Sandwiched between 2 bona fide classics (Stand Up & Aqualung) I think Benefit is often overlooked, as it's an absolute gem in its own right. As for this song does anybody else think that Ian Anderson actually 'welded' two song ideas into 1, as the verse and chorus are so totally different?. Anyway, the opening melody is one of the most beautiful things

ever

[bradshawvincent]

@themore09 completely agree and i had all 3 too!

[kpsars]

at first I thought this Michael Collins was that Irish leader... but the LEM didn't fit in any way, and Ian is often cryptic in hi lyrics; now it all makes sense...

thank you ChrisPCr3am!

(please note that I'm not english mother language)

[Pulvertoastman250]

Great Song.

[telebob59]

Being fairly ignorant when I savored Benefit as a young adolescent, it didn't flash on me at the time that Michael Collins was THAT Michael Collins; I did make out 'LEM" in the lyrics, however. Revisiting the song here, I now appreciate the lyrics for all their poetic allusions to that epochal event of 40 years past. Brilliant concept, fully realized in words and music. I love that album beginning to end!

[fleetwd1]

The first time I heard this song a lifelong friend, Michael Collins, gave me the LP Benefit to play. It was late 1970 or early 1971. Little did Michael Collins know that I had a child in the early summer of 1970 who was taken from me by his mother. She named him Jeffrey, I think, to spite me. When you hear the lyrics in this light you can imagine where this took me. Needless to say. it spoke to me powerfully!

.

[tubite2]

Sure would like to see and hear it during the acoustic tour this fall.

[modelleg]

Okay, I think I get it. Aldrin and Armstrong are the lusty lovers and Collins dies as he is sacrificed to remain above.

[ChrisPCr3am]

The blind and lusty lovers? I think hes referring to the media

[ChrisPCr3am]

The blind and lusty lovers of the great eternal light. the great eternal light referring to the medias neverending coverage, and them being "blind". go on believing nothing because something has to die. the media is supposed to be athiest, they believe in nothing, and the media loves nothing more then death, because it brings on good ratings

[jobefrosh]

I fucking love this song, I've listened to it for years and years, over and over and the opening melody still gives me chills.

Regardless of if the lunar landing was real or a farce, this songs message of being left behind and the heartache one feels based on that stands true.

[ChrisPCr3am]

hey man think what u want but keep ur conspiracy theories outa my videos

[nootaramus]

I don't think they actually walked on the moon. the van allen radiation belts would have killed them, and if they did , why did they not leave a beacon so that we could see they had been there or why has the Hubble telescope not made a pic of the LEM that was left behind..

and finally, it would be much easier today to go to the moon..and yet it has not even been attempted.

???

[tubite2]

A work to ponder on the anniversary of the event that made us see ourselves differently.

[tubite2]

Mr. Anderson - artist, poet, musician, our co-traveller.

[ViperaBrezik]

špica:):)