Thick as a Brick
Jethro Tull Lyrics
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My words but a whisper your deafness a shout
I may make you feel but I can't make you think
Your sperm's in the gutter, your love's in the sink
So you ride yourselves over the fields and
You make all your animal deals and
Your wise men don't know how it feels
To be thick as a brick
And the sand-castle virtues are all swept away in
The tidal destruction, the moral melee
The elastic retreat rings the close of play
As the last wave uncovers the newfangled way
But your new shoes are worn at the heels and
Your suntan does rapidly peel and
Your wise men don't know how it feels
To be thick as a brick
And the love that I feel, is so far away
I'm a bad dream that I just had today and you
Shake your head and
Say it's a shame
Spin me back down the years
And the days of my youth
Draw the lace and black curtains
And shut out the whole truth
Spin me down the long ages, let them sing the song
The lyrics of Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick" tell a story of a narrator trying to communicate their ideas and thoughts with the people around them. However, they are met with resistance and apathy as the people prefer to indulge in frivolous pleasures and maintain their ignorance. The singer acknowledges that they may evoke emotions in people, but they cannot force them to think critically. The line "Your sperm's in the gutter, your love's in the sink" implies that people are preoccupied with physical pleasures and cannot see beyond them. The singer then contrasts the shallow behavior of the people to a wave of destruction that wipes away their sand-castle virtues, indicating that their indulgent lifestyle is unsustainable. Despite this, people do not change and continue to ignore the singer's message.
The song's final lines describe the singer's frustration and sense of detachment from society. They use the metaphor of being a bad dream to convey how disconnected they feel from the world around them. The people around them dismiss their message as a shame, while the singer experiences a sense of alienation, emphasizing the distance between them and the people they are trying to reach.
Line by Line Meaning
Really don't mind if you sit this one out
I don't care if you don't listen to me
My words but a whisper your deafness a shout
You only hear what you want to, even if I'm whispering
I may make you feel but I can't make you think
I can affect your emotions, but I can't control your thoughts
Your sperm's in the gutter, your love's in the sink
You're wasting your potential in meaningless activities
So you ride yourselves over the fields and
You live your life without direction
You make all your animal deals and
You engage in petty, instinctual actions
Your wise men don't know how it feels
Even your intellectuals are disconnected from reality
To be thick as a brick
To be ignorant and foolish
And the sand-castle virtues are all swept away in
Moral values are easily destroyed
The tidal destruction, the moral melee
The chaos of changing social norms
The elastic retreat rings the close of play
The end of one era and the start of another
As the last wave uncovers the newfangled way
New ideas emerge as old ones fade
But your new shoes are worn at the heels and
Your attempts to keep up with the times are already failing
Your suntan does rapidly peel and
Your superficial attempts to look good are failing as well
And the love that I feel, is so far away
The singer's love is unrequited and inaccessible
I'm a bad dream that I just had today and you
The artist thinks he's a burden and a nuisance
Shake your head and
You're dismissive of the artist's concerns
Say it's a shame
You express regret, but don't mean it
Spin me back down the years
Take me back to the past
And the days of my youth
When things were simpler and easier to understand
Draw the lace and black curtains
Cover up the harsh truths of reality
And shut out the whole truth
Ignore the realities of the world
Spin me down the long ages, let them sing the song
Take me through history and remind me of the folly of humanity
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Ian Anderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@samanthajones8377
I grew up on Jethro Tull as my late Dad was a great fan . I'm now 47 and my beloved Dad passed away in June 19 from pancreatic cancer. I'm listening to this with tears as the music brings so many memories of him in my head . R I P Ian Charles Jones. It is an honour to share the music of Tull with you .xxx
@at0micwerew0lf
Condolences 🍺⚡🍺
@glenngrout562
@@at0micwerew0lf ❤
@petakucas7389
I'm so sorry. I did the same when my Mum died. I went through her entire collection of music and screamed it all out with tears and love xxxxx
@Zandjil
I feel this! My dad passed of pancreatic cancer June 24th '19. We played Jethro Tull (among other music) at his funeral. Their music more than anything else, will always remind me of him! So glad we got to enjoy them together live!
@saw72dust
Sorry to hear about your pops but glad to hear that you keep him close with music. I have some similar things from my father. My heart goes out to you, just hang on to the the awesome things that were your dad.
@Bl00dyt00th2
Im 13 and i play flute for a middle school band, and my band teacher said i cant do rock on the flute i told my grandpa and he showed me Jethro tull's music :) I feel like i was born in the wrong generation
edit: Thanks for all the people replieing but I dropped out a while ago haha, Im now a freshmen who does chrous
@rubievale
You can play absolutely anything you want. Don't believe those who tell you it can't be done. Music only marches forward because of the people who refuse to be bound by the "rules". There are no rules, colour outside the lines and you'll be absolutely fine
@ryounyan
Nah lol these times sucked just be proud you're in a time where you can get information by a click with no problem :D
@cavemaninasuit
I played sax and guitar and played all that stuff on my own time, rock on brother!