The song is the title track from Jethro Tull's first U.S. Top 10 album, which reached #7 in June of 1971.
In an interview with Ian Anderson in the September 1999 Guitar World he said:
Aqualung wasn't a concept album, although a lot of people thought so. The idea came about from a photograph my wife at the time took of a tramp in London. I had feelings of guilt about the homeless, as well as fear and insecurity with people like that who seem a little scary. And I suppose all of that was combined with a slightly romanticized picture of the person who is homeless but yet a free spirit, who either won't or can't join in society's prescribed formats.
So from that photograph and those sentiments, I began writing the words to 'Aqualung.' I can remember sitting in a hotel room in L.A., working out the chord structure for the verses. It's quite a tortured tangle of chords, but it was meant to really drag you here and there and then set you down into the more gentle acoustic section of the song.
Reportedly, Jimmy Page entered the studio, while Martin Barre was recording the guitar solo. It was during the first take, Martin didn't know Jimmy much, and was a little ashamed. Jimmy waved to Martin from the control room while he was playing, and Martin stopped playing for a short second, and waved with his right hand, while still sustaining the sound with the left hand. The solo on the record is actually this first take. Indeed, there is a short sustain with feedback during the solo. Anderson once joked that if you turn up the volume you can even hear Martin waving.
The Aqualung character is later mentioned in "Cross-Eyed Mary", which follows this song on the album.
Aqualung
Jethro Tull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eying little girls with bad intent
Snots running down his nose
Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes, hey, Aqualung
Drying in the cold sun
Watching as the frilly panties run, hey, Aqualung
Feeling like a dead duck
Sun streaking cold, an old man wandering lonely
Taking time, the only way he knows
Leg hurting bad as he bends to pick a dog end
He goes down to a bog and warms his feet
Feeling alone, the army's up the road
Salvation a la mode and a cup of tea
Aqualung, my friend, don't you start away uneasy
You poor old sod, you see it's only me
Do you still remember
December's foggy freeze
When the ice that clings on to your beard
It was screaming agony
Hey and you snatch your rattling last breaths
With deep-sea diver sounds
And the flowers bloom like
Madness in the spring
Sun streaking cold, an old man wandering lonely
Taking time, the only way he knows
Leg hurting bad as he bends to pick a dog end
He goes down to a bog and warms his feet
Feeling alone, the army's up the road
Salvation a la mode and a cup of tea
Aqualung my friend don't you start away uneasy
You poor old sod, you see it's only me
Aqualung my friend don't you start away uneasy
You poor old sod, you see it's only me
Sitting on a park bench
Eying up little girls with bad intent
Snots running down his nose
Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes, hey Aqualung
Drying in the cold sun
Watching as the frilly panties run, hey Aqualung
Feeling like a dead duck
Spitting out pieces of his broken luck, hey Aqualung
Oh Aqualung
The song "Aqualung" by Jethro Tull is a haunting ballad that tells the story of "Aqualung," a homeless man who spends his days sitting on a park bench, watching little girls with "bad intent" and feeling like a "dead duck." The lyrics paint a picture of a destitute man, with "snots running down his nose" and "greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes." The refrain of "hey, Aqualung" is a pointed commentary on how society views and dismisses the homeless.
The second verse describes Aqualung's loneliness and physical pain, as he wanders through the city, picking up cigarette butts and warming his feet in a bog. The line "Salvation a la mode and a cup of tea" is a sarcastic reference to the idea that a cup of tea and some charity are all that's necessary to solve the problem of homelessness. The final verse brings the song full circle, with the chorus repeating the opening lines, as if to reinforce the idea that for Aqualung, there is no escape from his circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting on a park bench
Observing life from a bench in the park
Eying little girls with bad intent
Looking at young girls with inappropriate thoughts
Snots running down his nose
Mucus dripping from his nostrils
Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes, hey, Aqualung
Dirty hands leaving marks on his tattered clothes, addressed to Aqualung
Drying in the cold sun
Standing in the sun, but finding no warmth
Watching as the frilly panties run, hey, Aqualung
Observing women's undergarments blowing in the wind, directed at Aqualung
Feeling like a dead duck
Feeling hopeless like a bird out of its element
Spitting out pieces of his broken luck, oh, Aqualung
Lamenting his misfortune, with a call to Aqualung
Sun streaking cold, an old man wandering lonely
A lonely old man walking under a cold sun
Taking time, the only way he knows
Moving at a leisurely pace, his only way of coping
Leg hurting bad as he bends to pick a dog end
Experiencing intense leg pain as he picks up a cigarette butt
He goes down to a bog and warms his feet
Heating his feet in a swamp
Feeling alone, the army's up the road
Feeling isolated, while the army is nearby
Salvation a la mode and a cup of tea
Finding comfort in a simple cup of tea
Aqualung, my friend, don't you start away uneasy
Addressing Aqualung and reassuring him from leaving with uneasiness
You poor old sod, you see it's only me
Comforting Aqualung that it's only him, and there is no danger
Do you still remember
Recalling a past event
December's foggy freeze
Remembering a winter with a heavy fog and freezing temperatures
When the ice that clings on to your beard
Describing ice forming on his facial hair
It was screaming agony
Expressing that the cold was painfully unbearable
Hey and you snatch your rattling last breaths
The final breaths as a result of illness or old age
With deep-sea diver sounds
Breathing loudly and laboriously like a diver underwater
And the flowers bloom like madness in the spring
Describing how flowers bloom in a frenzy during spring
Aqualung my friend don't you start away uneasy
Addressing Aqualung to comfort him from feeling uneasy
You poor old sod, you see it's only me
Reassuring Aqualung that he has nothing to fear
Sitting on a park bench
Observing life from a bench in the park
Eying up little girls with bad intent
Looking at young girls with inappropriate thoughts
Snots running down his nose
Mucus dripping from his nostrils
Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes, hey Aqualung
Dirty hands leaving marks on his tattered clothes, addressed to Aqualung
Drying in the cold sun
Standing in the sun, but finding no warmth
Watching as the frilly panties run, hey Aqualung
Observing women's undergarments blowing in the wind, directed at Aqualung
Feeling like a dead duck
Feeling hopeless like a bird out of its element
Spitting out pieces of his broken luck, hey Aqualung
Lamenting his misfortune, with a call to Aqualung
Oh Aqualung
An addressing sigh towards Aqualung
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: IAN ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gabmichael8546
When things were at their very worst:
2 Suns, Cross in the sky, 2 comets will collide = don`t be afraid – repent, accept Lord`s Hand of Mercy.
The first sign - the Earth will spin faster.
The second sign concerns the sun, which will loom larger, brighter and begin to spin.
Scientists will say it was a global illusion.
Beaware – Jesus will never walk in flesh again.
After WW3 – rise of the “ man of peace“ from the East = Antichrist – the most powerful, popular, charismatic and influential leader of all time. Many miracles will be attributed to him. He will imitate Jesus in every conceivable way.
Don`t trust „pope“ Francis = the False Prophet
- will seem to rise from the dead
- will unite all Christian Churches and all Religions as one.
One World Religion = the seat of the Antichrist.
Benedict XVI is the last true pope – will be accused of a crime of which he is totally innocent.
- banking collapse was deliberately masterminded by the Antichrist
- Antichrist will step in and create a false peace in the state of Israel by joining them with palestine in an unlikely alliance.
- „He will recite extracts from My Teachings, which he will passionately proclaim from every secular stage in the world, until people sit up and take notice of him.“
The Book of Truth
http://mdmlastprophet.com/they-will-say-that-i-was-married-they-will-say-that-i-was-simply-a-prophet/
http://mdmlastprophet.com/arab-uprising-will-spark-global-unrest-italy-will-trigger-fall-out/
http://mdmlastprophet.com/the-schism-in-my-church-will-be-broken-into-different-stages/
@MindStateMediaInc
Jethro Tull was one my dad's favorite bands. When I was a kid, he would CRANK their songs to 11. It was the most passionate I ever saw him be. May he rest knowing that he bore a son who loves these guys.
@lisadc4681
I love your comment! I've loved this band since I was 12 in 1970 when my older sister bought Aqualung. Lifelong superfan ever since and still listen to Tull on a daily basis on YouTube, walking or whenever. Aqualung & Thick as🚫a Brick might still be my favorite albums, but so many it's hard to say..Your dad had great taste in music! Nice way to honor him by listening to his favorite band.😌
@mrsullyrox
I was a high school football manager. I was 12 in 1972. In the locker room we had a single 8 track player with colored lights that blinked on and off. This album was on the machine every day all the time. I fell in love with this band and followed them throughout the ages. Im glad you have this memory of your dad, memories can special like that.
@rhondarhodes7601
That's precious man
@MarkSkanes
My Dad is still alive, but I have the same memories. Bless your old man.
@juliachildress2943
I saw them in concert in 1973 when I was 20. One of the best concerts ever. Here I am in my 70s and this album sounds as good as ever.
@agatamazzone4894
61years old woman..50 years with Aqualung..thank you IAN..scottish GENIUS..
@leh976
I'm 67 years old now. This brings back so many awesome memories from my childhood. I bought the album "Stand Up" when it first came out in July '69. I was mesmerized. A week later I went to the store and purchased "This Was". I was 12 years old. Tull was my favorite band. "Benefit", "Aqualung" and "Thick as a Brick" were all incredible albums. In April 1972, my best friend and I rode our bikes to the Forum in Inglewood, CA to buy tickets for the "Thick as a Brick" concert. On 23 June, 1972, we again rode our bikes to The Forum to watch the concert. It was the greatest day of my life to that point. It was the concert of a lifetime. Great music, unbelievable musicianship...even a lot of humor! Ian Anderson is a genius. And I felt like the luckiest guy in the world!
@johnhankins3819
A somewhat under appreciated guitar solo….impeccable.
“And the flowers bloom like madness in the spring “
@rhmayer1
Martin Barre's masterpiece is only the greatest rock guitar solo in the history of rock and roll. And if you don't think so, it's because you didn't crank it up loud enough.