Songs from the Wood
| Songs from the Wood | ||||
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| Studio album by Jethro Tull | ||||
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Publication |
1977 |
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| Label (s) | Chrysalis | |||
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Format (s) |
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Title (number) |
9 + 2 |
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running time |
42:25 (LP), 52:56 (CD with bonus tracks) |
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Studio (s) |
Morgan Studio, La Maison Rouge Mobile Studio |
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Songs from the Wood is the tenth studio album by the progressive rock band Jethro Tull .
occupation
Jethro Tull recorded the album with Ian Anderson , Martin Barre , John Evan , Barriemore Barlow , John Glascock and David Palmer . The piece Jack-in-the-Green was recorded exclusively by Anderson. As usual with Jethro Tull, the lyrics and compositions come from Ian Anderson, who also produced the album . Martin Barre and David Palmer contributed “additional material”.
history
The band recorded the album in 1976. The recording location was, among others, London . The album was released in February 1977. In 2003 a remastered CD was released with the songs from the LP version and two bonus tracks .
album
Songs from the Wood is considered the first album of Jethro Tull's folk rock phase. However, it also contains elements of progressive rock typical of Jethro-Tull. The lyrics are about “songs from the forest” and praise life in harmony with nature. They are not sarcastic like many earlier Jethro Tull texts and often refer to motifs from old English folk songs , including the - little circumscribed - sexuality. Several songs refer to pre-Christian Celtic traditions.
Jack-in-the-Green was first on the album in a 3:30 minute version and was later replaced by a 2:27 minute version.
LP version
The title track begins like a madrigal with an a cappella chorus. It is increasingly rocking, but goes back to the opening theme several times. The final sentence is programmatic for the album: Songs from the wood make you feel much better (for example: “Songs from the forest make you feel much better ”). The piece Jack-in-the-Green is about a legendary figure who is responsible for the growth of plants, according to the Green Man of the Celtic tradition. He has to deal with modern systems such as high-voltage lines, which he succeeds. The piece is performed by Ian Anderson alone in acoustic instrumentation similar to a folk song.
Cup of Wonder celebrates the rhythm of nature, which is in harmony with the " pagan " festivals: the highlight is the Beltane Festival on the eve of May 1st, when traditionally many girls were deflowered. The Green Man is mentioned again. The cup from which it is named serves a rite and is filled with a red liquid - wine or blood? - filled. The song-like structure is contrasted by acoustic guitar riffs . The main character in Hunting Girl is an aristocratic woman who seduces a young farmer - the singer - in the field. The piece is fast and rocky; Flute, electric guitar, bass and organ set accents in quick succession. Ring Out, Solstice Bells celebrates the midwinter solstice , another pre-Christian festival. The song is calm; Unusually for Jethro Tull songs they include hand clapping.
With Velvet Green the green, velvety grass of Scotland is meant. The singer, a loving man who is in harmony with nature, speaks to a young woman in the open air at night whom he loves and with whom he would like to sleep; however, at the end of the night she has to return to her mother alone. The beginning of the piece is reminiscent of baroque music . Acoustic instruments dominate at the beginning, later the sound becomes rockier. The Whistler - the Piper - is a minstrel who makes many promises but will leave on the seventh day. He invites you to come along and says that he and those who come with him hold “the first grain of love” in their hands. Acoustic instruments dominate the piece, especially the tin whistle .
Pibroch (Cap in Hand) , with its dominance of the electric guitar, is the rockiest piece on the album. It has a long interlude. Pibroch is a traditional Scottish form of music in which long pieces with the Great Highland Bagpipe are performed in various emotional states, such as the lament. The singer sings about an unrequited love - he looks through the window of the beloved, but the table is already set for someone else. Fire at Midnight is a calm love song, characterized by acoustic instruments, in which the singer sits by a midnight fire after his work is done. His lover should go to bed while he is still sitting by the fire; he admits that he seldom sings love songs and is happy to be back home.
Bonus title
Beltane celebrates the Beltane Festival in detail. A live version of Velvet Green recorded by the BBC in 1977 concludes the CD version of the album.
Cover
The front does not show a painting, although the credit “front cover painting by Jay L. Lee” can be found on the back of the cover . In fact, it is a photo on which outlines, lines and contours were simply traced with a pen (see branches, dog's snout or boots). The photo was only occasionally painted with color (see fire). Several other similar photos from the same photo session, some of which can be seen in the tour program of the UK tour in 1977 and on the concert poster, prove that it is a photo and not a painting. The artist Jay L. Lee doesn't seem to exist either. The credit “painting by…” is probably based on a typical prank by Ian Anderson, who likes to poke his audience on the arm. “Painting by” could also just refer to post-processing the photo.
The LP cover depicts Ian Anderson crouching around a campfire after a successful hunt with a dog and its prey. His hat lies on a tree stump in the background. Under the band name is the line with kitchen prose, gutter rhymes and divers, underneath the album title (for example: “Jethro Tull // with kitchen prose, gutter rhymes and all sorts of // songs from the forest”). The picture on the back shows the tree stump on the front, shown as a record player, with the tonearm resting on the annual rings of the tree. In addition to the information about the titles and contributors - including a woodcutter - the band name and album title as well as a stanza from the title song, which is programmatic for the album, are printed in smaller font.
effect
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Chart positions Explanation of the data |
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The album peaked at number 13 in the UK and number 8 in the US. The single The Whistler hit number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 . At Allmusic the album received four out of five possible points.
Track list
page A
- Songs From the Wood (4:52)
- Jack-in-the-Green (3:30 or 2:27)
- Cup of Wonder (4:30)
- Hunting Girl (5:11)
- Ring Out, Solstice Bells (3:43)
Side B
- Velvet Green (6:03)
- The Whistler (3:30)
- Pibroch (Cap in Hand) (8:27)
- Fire at Midnight (2:26)
Extra title
The revised CD also contains these two tracks:
- Beltane (5:19)
- Velvet Green (Live) (5:56)
Others
The song Jack-in-the-Green was published in a German version by Michael Völkel .
Web links
- Reviews of Songs From the Wood on the Babyblauen Seiten
- Songs from the Wood on Allmusic (English)
- Detailed information about the individual versions of the sound carriers at musik-sammler.de
- Lyrics at cupofwonder.com (archive version )
- Information about the lyrics at cupofwonder.com (English; archive version )
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f Analysis of the lyrics at cupofwonder.com (English; archive version )
- ↑ Charts DE Charts AT Charts CH Charts UK Charts US
- ↑ Songs From the Wood in the UK charts , accessed June 2, 2012
- ↑ Songs From the Wood on Billboard 200 , accessed June 2, 2012
- ↑ a b Description of the album at allmusic.com (English), accessed on May 29, 2012