Anderson was born on 10th August 1947, the youngest of three children. He spent the first part of his childhood in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was influenced by his father's big band and jazz records and the emergence of rock music, though disenchanted with the "show biz" style of early American rock and roll stars like Elvis Presley. His family moved to Blackpool, Lancashire in 1959, where he gained a traditional education at Blackpool Grammar School. He went on to study fine art at Blackpool College of Art from 1964 to 1966.
In 1963, he formed The Blades with school friends Barriemore Barlow (drums), John Evan (keyboards), Jeffrey Hammond (bass), and Michael Stephens (guitar). This was a soul and blues band, with Anderson on vocals and harmonica. At this time Anderson abandoned his ambition to play electric guitar, allegedly because he felt he would never be "as good as Eric Clapton". He traded his electric guitar in for a flute which, after some weeks of practice, he found he could play fairly well in a rock and blues style. He continued to play acoustic guitar, using it as a melodic as well as rhythmic instrument. As his career progressed, he added soprano saxophone, mandolin, keyboards, and other instruments to his arsenal.
His famous tendency to stand on one leg while playing the flute came about by accident. As related in the "Isle of Wight" video, he had been inclined to stand on one leg while playing the harmonica, holding the microphone stand for balance. During the long stint at the Marquee Club, a journalist described him, wrongly, as standing on one leg to play the flute. He decided to live up to the reputation, albeit with some difficulty. His early attempts are visible in The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus film appearance of Jethro Tull. In later life he was surprised to learn of iconic portrayals of various flute playing divinities, particularly Krishna and Kokopelli, which show them standing on one leg.
While Anderson has recorded a small number of critically acclaimed projects under his own name, and frequently makes guest appearances in other artists' work, he has been identified in the public eye as the frontman of Jethro Tull for forty-four years. This is undoubtedly because a signature motif of Anderson's career has been a highly distinctive stage image, which has often been counter to the prevailing rock music culture. While he has habitually drawn inspiration from British folklore – at different times deploying stylistic elements of mediæval jester, Elizabethan minstrel, English country squire and Scottish laird – at other times he has appeared as astronaut, biker, pirate, and vagrant. His personae often involve a large degree of self-parody.
As a flautist, Anderson is self-taught; his style, which often includes a good deal of flutter tonguing and occasionally singing or humming (or even snorting) while playing, was influenced by Rahsaan Roland Kirk. In 2003 he recorded a composition called Griminelli's Lament in honour of his friend, the Italian flautist Andrea Griminelli. In the 1990s he began working with simple bamboo flutes. He uses techniques such as over-blowing and hole-shading to produce note-slurring and other expressive techniques on this otherwise simple instrument.
He has recorded several songs on which he plays all the instruments as well as carrying out all the engineering and production (such as 1988's "Another Christmas Song"). Anderson's music blends styles such as folk, jazz, blues, rock, and pop. His lyrics are frequently complex, (mostly) tongue-in-cheek criticism of the absurd rules of society and/or religion ("Sossity, You're a Woman"; "Hymn 43"; "Thick as a Brick"). He often combines lyrics with other leitmotifs such as folk, mythological, fantastic ("The Minstrel in the Gallery", "Jack-in-the-Green", "Broadsword and the Beast"). In the 1990s and 2000s, Anderson's songs often capture 'snapshots' of his daily life ("Old Black Cat", "Rocks on the Road").
Postcard Day
Ian Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
pale hand gripping my pen.
Rounding up to the zero, adding infinite fractions,
letting nine become ten.
Two pink doves strut the shingles
picking crumbs from the breakfast I saved
for you dear. And I wish you were here
on this postcard day.
Focus on the fine indeterminate line
where the sky meets the sea.
Desperate midweek words, banal and absurd
freely flow out of me.
Well, I may be a hostage to summer
but I'm a hostage, not a slave.
And I'm clear that I wish you were here
on this postcard day.
Precious cargo of flotsam: mixed memories on an ocean tide
swim madly with spice from the orient
on a mystery watery carpet ride.
But with the sun going down, the wind goes around;
blows them back out of mind.
My eyes are white circles staring down past the point
of my restless pen.
While the ghosts of my youth all sworn to the truth
call my name again.
Two brown legs don't make a summer.
But two brown arms couldn't keep me away.
Well, my dear, I wish you were here
on this postcard day.
The song "Postcard Day" by Ian Anderson is a melancholy tune about missing someone on a beautiful day. Anderson sets the scene with imagery of his eyes as "white circles above cheekbones on fire," indicating both exhaustion and intense emotion. He describes himself rounding up to zero and adding infinite fractions, which could be a metaphor for trying to make sense of his feelings or attempting to fill the void of the person he's missing. The line "And I wish you were here on this postcard day" is repeated multiple times throughout the song, conveying the theme of longing and the inability to fully enjoy a special moment without that person.
Anderson goes on to highlight the beauty of the natural world, specifically the indeterminate line where the sky meets the sea. He notes that while he's trapped in the mundane reality of his everyday life, he can still "freely flow" words of love and longing through his writing. The line "Well, I may be a hostage to summer, but I'm a hostage, not a slave" is a powerful statement about feeling trapped in a situation but still having agency.
The final verse brings the listener back to the present moment, where Anderson reflects on the passing of time and how memories can be carried away by the tide. He recalls his youth and the ghosts of his past, swearing to the truth and calling out his name. The song ends with Anderson once again expressing his desire for the person he's missing to be with him and share in the beauty of the day.
Overall, "Postcard Day" is a poignant song that captures the feelings of longing and nostalgia that we all experience at some point in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
My eyes are white circles above cheekbones on fire:
I'm exhausted and emotional, with my eyes puffy and red from lack of sleep and too much crying.
pale hand gripping my pen.
I'm holding my pen tightly, trying to keep my hand steady even though I'm feeling shaky.
Rounding up to the zero, adding infinite fractions,
I'm obsessively trying to make sense of things by doing simple calculations, even though I know it won't really help.
letting nine become ten.
I'm rounding up to make everything seem more complete and tidy, even though it's just an illusion.
Two pink doves strut the shingles
I'm watching two birds walking on the roof of the building next door, enjoying their simple beauty.
picking crumbs from the breakfast I saved
They are eating leftovers from my meal, reminding me of how alone I am without someone to share it with.
for you dear.
I'm thinking of someone I care about deeply but who is not with me right now.
And I wish you were here
I long for their presence and want to share my experiences with them.
on this postcard day.
This beautiful moment would be even better if they were here to share it with me.
Focus on the fine indeterminate line
I'm trying to stay focused on something abstract and hard to define, hoping it will help me find clarity or peace.
where the sky meets the sea.
I'm admiring the beauty of the horizon, where the sky and the ocean meet and blend together.
Desperate midweek words, banal and absurd
I'm writing desperate words that feel meaningless and silly, hoping they will convey something important.
freely flow out of me.
My thoughts and feelings are pouring out of me, unfiltered and unfettered.
Well, I may be a hostage to summer
I feel trapped in my current situation or emotions, unable to escape them even though I want to.
but I'm a hostage, not a slave.
I still have some agency and control over my life, even if it's limited.
And I'm clear that I wish you were here
I know for certain that I want this person to be with me, and it's a strong desire.
Precious cargo of flotsam: mixed memories on an ocean tide
I'm remembering events from my past that seem random and disconnected, but still hold emotional weight for me.
swim madly with spice from the orient
These memories are vivid and sensory, with strong scents and flavors that transport me back to that time and place.
on a mystery watery carpet ride.
It feels like my mind is floating and drifting on a strange journey, with no clear destination or purpose.
But with the sun going down, the wind goes around;
As the day comes to a close, my mood and thoughts start to shift and fade.
blows them back out of mind.
I'm losing my grip on these memories and feelings, and they're slipping away from me again.
My eyes are white circles staring down past the point
I'm feeling numb and disengaged, with no energy or focus to spare.
of my restless pen.
I'm fidgeting and playing with my pen, but not really writing anything significant.
While the ghosts of my youth all sworn to the truth
I'm haunted by past experiences and traumas that still feel vivid and real, even though they're long gone.
call my name again.
These memories are so potent that they feel like they're calling me back to them, demanding my attention.
Two brown legs don't make a summer.
Just having someone physically present with me isn't enough to make me truly happy or fulfilled.
But two brown arms couldn't keep me away.
However, being embraced and held by someone I care about deeply is a powerful and meaningful experience.
Well, my dear, I wish you were here
I'm addressing the person I miss, hoping they can feel my longing and desire to be with them.
on this postcard day.
This day would be so much more special and memorable if they were here to share it with me.
Contributed by Jason T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.