Jethro Tull- Flying Colours

Shout if you will, but that just won't do.
I, for one, would rather follow softer options.
I'll take the easy line; another sip of wine,
and if I ignore the face you wore it's just a way of
mine to keep from flying colours.

Don't lay your bait while the whole world waits
around to see me shoot you down --- It's all so second-rate.
When we can last for days on a loving night;
or for hours at least on a warm whisper given.
You always pick the best time to rise to the fight.
To break the hard bargain that we've driven.
Once again we're flying colours.

I thought we had it out the night before,
and settled old scores, but not the hard way.
Was it a glass too much? Or a smile too few?
Did our friends all catch the needle match --- did we
want them to?
In a fancy restaurant we were all aglow
keeping cool by mutual permission.
How did the conversation get to where we came to blows?
We were set up in a red condition
and again we're flying colours.

Shout --- but you see it still won't do.
With my colours on I can be just as bad as you.
Have I had a glass too much? Did I give a smile too few?
Did our friends all catch the needle match --- did we
want them to?
We act our parts so well, like we wrote the play.
All so predictable and we know it.

We'll settle old scores now, and settle the hard way.
You may not even live to outgrow it!
Once again we're flying colours.

Jethro Tull- Flying Colours, from the album Broadsword and the Beast

Category:

Music

Tags:

• flying
• colours
• jethro
• tull
• broadsword
• ian
• anderson

[ChristianPaul75]

Great song, should have been a hit! The whole Broadsword album is terribly underrated. It´s amazing how smoothly the "classical" 80´s synthesizers and keyboards fit in the Tull sound. No doubt that it´s due to Ian´s songwriting and composing skills.

[ray180597]

Excelent song from an excelent(and underrated)1982 Jethro Tull's album.

[edelweiss1001]

alas personally the irony is too much.................blessed be to all listeners

[vincit30]

@ray180597 According to Ian (1995 Interview on Aqualung 25th Aniv. Edition) this album was more successful in its first week of sales....in Germany (see the joke I hope)...so in Germany..it isn't underrated.

[LadyeRigel1]

Love this song.  Glad to have 'found' it again.

[richis404]

3:19-3:31 most epic part in music history , the broadswrod album is early 80s progressive rock at its best!-just fantastic ! among my 3 fav albums ever , probably the number 1

[repitata]

Was für ein Song! Jethro Tull, unerreicht..



[repitata]

Was für ein Song! Jethro Tull, unerreicht..

[PixiePieCan]

just awesome!!

[stardaddyo9]

this record came out when i was 16 and it was a pretty big departurte from previous tull music. i really didnt appreciate what a great record this is until i was older.

[ChikaraWolf]

Such an awesome song. This is what my mom and I listen to in the car on the sterio.

[jstarang1]

listen to the music without anderson's voice it sounds like a super intense sega genesis game...