Locomotive Breath by Jethro Tull

From Wikipedia:
"Locomotive Breath" is a song by the English progressive rock band Jethro Tull from their 1971 album, Aqualung, notable for a

long bluesy piano introduction (particularly during live performances) and its flute solo by rock flute virtuoso Ian Anderson.

The lyrics use the imagery of an impending and unavoidable train wreck as an allegorical portrayal of a man's life falling

apart. The song receives frequent airplay on classic rock radio stations. It was covered by W.A.S.P. on the reissue of their

1989 album The Headless Children (as a bonus track), Styx on their 2005 album Big Bang Theory, and Helloween on their 1999 album

Metal Jukebox.

The term "locomotive breath" ostensibly refers to the steam ejected from a steam locomotive's pistons, which provided a

characteristic foggy atmosphere and metallic odor to 19th-century train station platforms.

Production

"Locomotive Breath" was recorded in a rather unusual manner: The entire track was pieced together from overdubs; most of the

parts of the song were recorded separately. Ian Anderson did his normal flute and vocal parts in addition to bass drum, hi-hat,

acoustic guitar and some electric guitar parts. Then John Evan's piano parts were recorded; Clive Bunker added the rest of the

drums and Martin Barre finished the electric guitar parts. All of these recordings were then overdubbed onto each other because

Anderson was finding it difficult to communicate his musical ideas about the song to the other band members.

Lyrics:
In the shuffling madness
Of the locomotive breath
Runs the all time loser
Headlong to his death

Oh, he feels the piston scraping
Steam breaking on his brow

Old Charlie stole the handle
And the train, it won't stop going
No way to slow down
Oh, oh

He sees his children jumping off
At stations one by one
His woman and his best friend
In bed an' having fun

Oh, he's crawling down the corridor
On his hands and knees

Old Charlie stole the handle
And the train, it won't stop going
No way to slow down
Yeah, yeah

He hears the silence howling
And catches angels as they fall
And the all time winner
Has got him by the balls

Oh, he picks up Gideon's Bible
Open at page one

I thank God, he stole the handle
And the train, it won't stop going
No way to slow down

No way to slow down
No way to slow down
No way to slow down
No way to slow down
No way to slow down

Category:

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[telsport]

Great art.

Tom Loughlin JR, Utica NY

[chuckbyf1]

As an American, I bow to the English. They do this best.

[delacroixp]

well done ... great video production

[25658keith]

maters ofb progressive,like the K.Crimson and few others....