01	Beastie						03:57
	02	Clasp						04:11
	03	Fallen On Hard Times						03:12
	04	Flying Colours						04:39
	05	Slow Marching Band						03:38
	06	Broadsword						04:50
	07	Pussy Willow						03:53
	08	Watching Me Watching You						03:40
	09	Seal Driver						05:10
	10	Cheerio						01:00

1982
I.Anderson - M.Barre - D.Pegg - P.-J.Vettese - G.Conway

Ian Anderson - Flute, vocals, acoustic guitar
Martin Barre - Electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Gary Conway - Percussion
David Pegg - Bass guitar, mandolins
Peter-John Vettese - Piano, keyboards, vocals



~ The Broadsword And The Beast ~

An introduction to "The Broadsword And The Beast"

The 'A' album, which was almost symbolic for Jethro Tull stepping out of the seventies, is generally considered as an innovative and musically spoken very interesting album. Many fans however find it lacking the heart, the subtle humour and the warmth that always featured the greater Tull albums. Ian must have been aware of this and also that he somehow alienated himself from the hardcore of fans, who grumbled over the rude dismissal of John Evans, David Palmer and Barrie Barlow. With a complete new line-up and conscious of the need of change, he looked for a way to compose innovative songs that however unmistakebly sounded as Jethro Tull songs, thus trying to catch the attention of a broad-based audience while catering "the regulars" as well.

In the fall of 1981 the recording sessions started for a new album. Martin Barre and Dave Pegg stayed on, while keyboard player Peter-John Vettese and drummer Gerry Conway joined. Over the four years to come Peter-John would become a very influential member of the band who would contribute so much to the new album, that he was credited for it on the cover. His arrival coincided with a for Ian very fruitful period of songwriting.
A few months later a series of twenty songs were recorded, from which ten were selected for the new album "The Broadsword And The Beast". Nine of the unreleased songs would later appear being included on the "20 Years Of Jethro Tull" box set: 'Jack-A-Lynn', 'Too Many Too', 'Overhang', 'Down At The End Of Your Road', 'I'm Your Gun', 'Mayhem, Maybe', 'Motoreyes', 'Rhythm In Gold', 'Jack Frost And The Hooded Crow').

It was the first time Ian used the assistance of a producer, Paul Samwell-Smith, who could give an independent view on the songs and the recording. With the objective in mind of intertwining innovation and tradition, one of Jethro Tull classic albums was born. Or, in the words of David Rees: "The new electronic keyboard sounds that featured so heavily on 'A' were used more effectively within the traditional Tull elements of heavy rock and Celtic influences, and the result was a musical success on two accounts. The media regarded 'Broadsword' as the album that dragged Tull kicking and screaming into the 80's, and yet the band had achieved their goal of making what could be regarded as a classic, traditional Jethro Tull album" (1).

When it comes to the lyrics, one can see Ian putting his poetical talents to effect once again. To me this really is an "eighties" album in the sense that it reflects the general atmosphere of crises that dominated the late seventies and early eighties: the feeling of being threatened by economic troubles, the fear and uncertainty about the future that comes from it, affecting (stable?) relations and not in the least the political climate of the era (remember Thatcher and Reagan) - it can all be traced in most of the songs. He 'reduces' social developments and phenomena to proportions we can understand, by showing how this all works out in human relations. As an artist, Ian applies his art to mirror what was going on in society in those days, both lyrically: in his imagery, his metaphorical language and musically: in chosing instruments, keys, different tempi, all in a combined setting of acoustic and rock music. I will try to work this point out in the annotations below.

The music press took a favourable attitude to the album - for a Tull-album, that is. 'Broadsword' sold very well in Europe, esp. in Germany and is still one of the most wanted Tull albums ordered via the internet. But in the USA the album sales didn't live up to expectations. However, the album itself and the two Broadsword tours that subsequently followed, showed a rejuvenated Jethro Tull, a band that got it's grip on things again, full of selfconfidence heading for the future.
* Jan Voorbij; 1) David Rees: "Minstrels In The Gallery", Wembley, UK (1998).



Annotations

Ian Anderson's comments below are quoted from the 'Chrysalis Biography' (1982), a press release announcing this album. I'm very grateful to Andy Jackson who sent them to me. Apart from his illucidations, Ian talks about working with a producer for the first time, and how the release of the album was delayed because they couldn't find a suitable guy to work with. Then a couple of pages follow with information about Gerry Conway and Peter Vettese. The whole press release was written by Ian Anderson.
* Chrysalis Biography, Buckinghamshire, March 1982.



Beastie

"All of us have some kind of private fear that we don't like to talk about, and this song is about those fears. When I was a boy growing up in Scotland, we called anything that was particularly nasty that we didn't like a Beastie".
* Ian Anderson, Chrysalis Press release, 1982.



"There's a beast upon my shoulder and a fiend upon my back"
A very rare picture taken during the Broadsword tour (1982) from an unknown magazine, borrowed from Ina Hacker. Ian used two versions of this beastie while performing this song.

One of the things all human beings have in common is the emotion of fear. Whether they are innate and instinctive ("From the early days of infancy") or originating from our experiences in life ("through the trembling years of youth, long murky middle-age and final hours long in the tooth"), whether they are realistic or imagined ("he is the hundred names of terror"), they all play a part in our personal life. Though these fears may change over the years ("the everchanging nature of the beast") and appear in different ways, we will never really get rid of them ("He's the beast upon your shoulder"). Medication and psychotherapy may soften down this ominous feeling of threat for a while and "keep the foe at bay", but in the end one has to face his fears all by himself. Our narrator summons us to stand up and fight our fears instead of letting them rule our lifes: "Picture his name before you and exorcize the beast" and "So stand as one defiant, yes, and let your voices swell. Stare the beastie in the face and really give him hell!" I will point out below, that in many of this album's songs 'fears' of one kind or another play a role somehow.
* Jan Voorbij



The Clasp

"A song about people who shy away from physical contact. The word 'clasp' is used in the sense of a handshake, and the song is just exploring some of the ideas and attitudes behind the embrace of shaking hands, and saying wouldn't it be amusing and perhaps a little profitable to go up to a complete stranger and shake hands with him and say, "Hello, how are you, pleased to meet you." Ironically the handshake, when it is offered, is very often a forced gesture, far removed from its origin which was a way of demonstrating that you had no weapon in your hand and that you were offering your open hand to someone in peace".
* Ian Anderson, Chrysalis Press release, 1982.

I'm afraid Ian doesn't reveal everything about this song in this quote. I think the song is not only "about people who shy away from physical contact" ("afraid to chance a gentle touch, afraid to make the clasp"), but is also meant to be critical towards our society, were everybody seems to be preoccupied with his own affairs ("Meeting as the tall ships do, passing in the channel") and not really interested in somebody else. It's everyone for himself: everybody is rat-racing around ("On ring roads, nose to bumper crawl commuters in their cages"), thus isolating oneself ("Double-locked and belted in") and working too hard to attain one's end. Though most people partake in this game, they somehow realize that it's not fullfilling, hence "the discontent of ages". This individualism makes our society into a very impersonal one ("the endless wastes"). The loss of human bonds and communal sense was previously critisized on the 'Songs From The Wood' an the 'Thick As A Brick' albums. In situations where the clasp is made, it seems to be insincere and meant to manipulate people's opinions: "and meeting as good statesmen do before the T.V.-eyes of millions, hand to hand exchange the lie pretend to make the clasp".
A very interesting part of the song is the third stanza, in which our narrator advises us to "Let's break the journey now on some lonely road", make contact with our fellow-men ("Sit down as strangers will"). Once the stress is unloaded and confidential talk has become possible, we might feel save enough to talk about our secrets and exchange our feelings of anxiety and discover we are not the only ones suffering from them: "share a dark unspoken fear".
I assume there is an implicit historical and literary reference in this stanza. We have seen before that Ian is familiar with English literature and history and I feel that this stanza refers to Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales". In this book we see how pilgrims travelling to Canterbury in the Middle Ages group together in the evening, exchanging stories and experiences, passing the dark hours together, thus chasing their fears away. It gives them the reassuring feeling of comfort, of 'being home' while on the road.
I personally love these verse-lines very much, not only because they are some of the most beautiful ones Ian ever wrote, but also because they are so characterictic for his general 'message' as expressed in his earlier and later lyrics.
* Jan Voorbij



Fallen On Hard Times

"This song is not meant to be a political statement, but merely expresses the disillusionment that most people feel at some time or other with our political masters. The tune is a Scottish folk melody in essence, but it is given a slightly funky rock 'n' roll treatment which gives it a light-hearted feel".
* Ian Anderson, Chrysalis Press release, 1982.

Conceived in the early eighties, this song perfectly describes what many people were feeling in those days when looking at the future. There was a worldwide economical crisis going on, which started in 1973 with the socalled 'oil-crisis'. Unemployment rose to astronomical heights in the early eighties affecting the economical situation of millions. Once again we see how uncertainty and fear are elements on this song: "Come clean, for once, and hit us with the truth" (and) "Looking for sunshine oh but it's black and it's cold". From the mid-seventies on political leaders stated over and over that severe cuts in public expenditures were a necessity: "handing us the same line again", in order to pave the way for better times: "... you say that milk and honey's just around the bend". In this way they imposed their political views on the people, hoping to convince them there was no alternative and everybody would concur with their policies: "Go right ahead and pull the rotten tooth". The here mentioned "Prime Minister" (and) "Mr. President" refer to Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, who being conservatives both got along very well and shared the same political ideas on internal and foreign issues.
* Jan Voorbij



Flying Colours

"This song came about after witnessing several couples who were going through a bad patch with their relationships, taking delight in showing each other up in public. I'm sure we've all come across them in some sort of social gathering; they revel in digging up the dirt in front of an audience".
* Ian Anderson, Chrysalis Press release, 1982.

The term "Flying Colours" originates from naval warfare. At least in the British Navy, 'colours' is the name given to a ship's battle flag; again in the case of the Royal Navy, it's a red flag with the a small national flag in the top left corner. In the days of sailing ships, it was possible for ships to approach close to one another without indicating their country of origin or intentions, but once the colours were raised, there could be no mistake. Thus, a ship with the colours flying at its masthead was being overtly aggressive, and probably about to attack. To lower, or 'strike' the colours was the signal of surrender, hence the expression 'nailing the colours to the mast' - the flag can't be lowered, so there'll be no surrender!

In this song, an argumentative couple have previously agreed to hide their differences and not fight in public. However, as the evening progresses, their irritation builds, and they begin to exchange snide remarks ("the needle match"), until a full-blown argument breaks out.
There is perhaps a double meaning in that the colours could also refer to red-faces, due to alcohol, anger, and the shame of fighting in front of their friends.
* Neil Thomason

The way these people are dealing with eachother is very painful and destructive. Every occasion is used to hurt one another. Eventually nothing good will come from it. It reminds me of the Pinter-esque atmosphere in the film "Who is afraid of Virginia Woolf?" (Mike Nichols, 1966), in which Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor play a middle-aged professor and his blowsy wife who invite a younger couple to one of their vicious all-night bickering sessions.
* Jan Voorbij




Ian Anderson's comments below are quoted from the 'Chrysalis Biography' (1982), a press release announcing this album. I'm very grateful to Andy Jackson who sent them to me. Apart from his ilucidations, Ian talks about working with a producer for the first time, and how the release of the album was delayed because they couldn't find a suitable guy to work with. Then a couple of pages follow with information about Gerry Conway and Peter Vettese. The whole press release was written by Ian Anderson.
* Chrysalis Biography, Buckinghamshire, March 1982.

Slow Marching Band

"I don't write many songs about human relationships in the boy/girl context, but this is one that deals with the sadness of parting. But I hope it contains a hint of optimism!"
* Ian Anderson, Chrysalis Press release, 1982.

"A slow marching band" refers to bands that preceed funeral processions, as still can be seen in e.g. southern Italy and Greece. They play sad and slow melodies, thus expressing (and supporting) the feelings of grief of the relatives. In this song this methaphore is used to portray the end of a relationship. However, in spite of 'the decease' of a relation that wasn't viable ("and join together in the passing of all we shared through yesterdays in sorrows neverlasting" (and) "You paid the piper and called the tune and you marched the band away"), life goes on and our narrator summons his (former) love to take life up again and go on: "just hum along and keep on going" and "Walk on slowly, don't look behind you".
* Jan Voorbij

Since "Broadsword and the Beast" was recorded just after "A",
which saw the rough dismissal of Barry Barlow, John Evans and Dave Palmer, and the creation of a new Jethro Tull formation, I have thought that the song could be interpreted as a kind of apologise and farewell to these ex-members of the band, who were not quite happy with what Ian had just done... Consider the followings lines in this light:
"And join together in the passing of all we shared through yesterdays/in
sorrows neverlasting./Take a hand and take a bow/
You played for me; that's all for now,oh, and never mind the words:
just hum along and keep on going."
I see this as an encouragement not to think to harshly on the past, but
instead of thinking on the good times they had together, even when things
were quite difficult for the band, and then a last farewell before telling
them that each of them has to go his own way in life...?
* Fred Sowa



Broadsword

It seems that Ian - when writing this song - was inspired by an important theme in Britain's history: the invasion of the British isles by all kinds of tribes and peoples, especially from Northern Europe. In the opening verse this theme is seen from the perspective of the coastal inhabitants, somewhere in Scotland. They see enemy ships approach from the sea "I see a dark sail on the horizon", the defense is organized and women and children are hidden in a safe place, possibly in the roundhouse. Then in the second verse the perspective changes: we see the invaders approaching the coast, preparing themselves mentally for the battle to come. Their first intention is to establish a beachhead "Hold fast by the river." The verseline "Put our backs to the northwind." indicates they are sailing south, coming from a Scandinavian country. The necessity of their operation is emphasized by their thinking of the people they left behind: "Bless the women and children who firm our hand" and "Sweet memories to drive us on for the motherland". In the last verse these two perspectives come together, as for both the defendants and the invaders as well only one thing really matters in the end: surviving and finding c.q. maintaining a steady place to live for their families. I assume that the invaders in this song are Vikings ("Danes"), since a "cross of gold" is used as a talisman. As the spread of Christianity reached England in the fourth century and Northern Europe in the sixth, I'm quite sure that the invasion in this song cannot have taken place earlier.
* Jan Voorbij


The Mousa Broch, one of Scotland best preserved brochs.
Courtesy of the Shetland Museum, Lerwick, UK

"Get up to the roundhouse on the cliff-top standing". The here mentioned roundhouses are by archaeologists known as 'brochs', towerlike buildings made of stone. The word 'broch' derives from the Old Norse word 'borg', meaning 'fortification'. (Compare the Dutch ' borg' or ' burcht' , the German ' burg' and ' burcht' , the French ' bourg' ). More than 700 brochs are known to have existed along the north coast of Scotland, the Hebrides, the Shetlands and the Orkney Islands, from where they probably originate. They are without exception to be found near fields and arable land, built on a cliff or hill, overlooking the sea. In most cases little settlements were established near these brochs. Excavation has revealed, that these towers are in fact defensive structures and most of them were built during the late Iron Age (600 BC - 100 AD). Their structure and position in the landscape leads one to think they were erected for defense against dangers coming from the sea, probably the Roman fleet. There is evidence that Romans raided the islands and Scottish coast frequently between 100 BC - 100 AD, hunting for people they could take away as slaves. It is assumed that people would take refuge in a broch when a raiding party was sighted, possibly taking some of their valuable live stock with them. In later centuries these stongholds played a modest role in the defense against invaders: the Vikings from Scandinavia for instance. In 1974 Maureen Mollie Hunter McIlwraith published 'The Stronghold", an interesting historical novel about the genius who 'invented' the concept of the broch. She was awarded for it with the Carnegie Medal.
* Jan Voorbij

"Set in historical times, lyrically as well as musically, this song is about a man's responsibility to protect the family unit".
* Ian Anderson, Chrysalis Press release, 1982.



Pussy Willow

"A song about a girl in an unrewarding job who fantasises about a more romantic, ideal sort of existence, but she still has to face the reality of catching the train to work in the morning".
* Ian Anderson, Chrysalis Press release, 1982.

"The Spey" is a river in Scotland; "Mayfair" is a part of London once only inhabited by nobility.



Watching Me Watching You

"The dilemma of people in the public eye! A song about the claustrophobic feeling of being watched all the time".
* Ian Anderson, Chrysalis Press release, 1982.



Seal Driver

"This song is deliberately ambiguous. It could be about a boat, or it could be about a girl, but since ships and boats are always female, it seems quite a nice fitting sort of analogy".
* Ian Anderson, Chrysalis Press release, 1982.



Cheerio

"A closing song - perhaps 'au revoir' or 'auf wiedersehen' would be appropriate!"
* Ian Anderson, Chrysalis Press release, 1982.

For over 15 years this song was/is the last one played at every Tull-gig, ending the 'encore' and saying goodbye to the audience.
* Jan Voorbij







My favorites on this album: Clasp, Flying Colours, Broadsword, Sealdriver

An excellent album that comes highly recommended. It is one of my favorites, although it took me many hours of listening to really get into it . Many of the tunes on this album have dark, "haunting" overtones -- definitely a favorite style of mine. Not as much solo flute action as other albums, but this album contains great guitar from Martin. This album has interesting placement, in that it sits between three primaritly 'electronic' sounding albums (A, Walk into Light, and Under Wraps) -- all three of which were considered to sound less like 'Tull' albums. Stylistically, 'Broadsword and the Beast' seems to be a musical hiatus from the others (for the noteable exception of 'Watching Me Watching You'...)
This album gets my vote for best Tull album cover.









The Broadsword and the Beast
Date of Release Apr 1982

AMG EXPERT REVIEW: The cover of this first actual Jethro Tull album since 1979's Stormwatch depicts Ian Anderson as an elf-warrior, with wings and a sword, and a ship with a stylized Norse dragon's head. Anyone expecting a fantasy or heavy metal album was due for a disappointment, however, for most of the song that have any identifiable references are about topical politics, more than anything else. Martin Barre's electric guitars share the spotlight for the first time with Peter-John Vettesse's synthesizers, and Anderson is still playing lilting tunes on his flute and acoustic guitar. The band's electric sound, this time in the hands of ex-Yardbird Paul Samwell-Smith, is smoother, less heavy, and thinner textured than their past work, and there are times-most especially on "Flying Colours"-where Tull could almost pass for the latter day Moody Blues, something they never would have permitted in earlier days (though if the Moodies could rock this hard and fast, it would be an achievement-for them!). "Broadsword" and "Pussywillow" are easily the two best songs here, and, not coincidentally, the two that owe the most to traditional folk music in their structure. Most of the rest is little better than tuneless drivel. - Bruce Eder

CD Chrysalis F2-21380
Mobile Fidelity Mfsl-1-092
CD Chrysalis CHR-21380
1982 LP Chrysalis 1380
1990 CS Capitol 21380
1990 CD Capitol 21380
CS Chrysalis F4-21380
1996 CD Alliance 21380
1991 CS Alliance 21380
CD Capitol 21380



Jethro Tull - The Broadsword and the Beast

Member: KidAmadeus - 06/05/03

OK, so this isn't Thick As A Brick. It's not as progressive as Tull's 70's albums, and sorta sounds a little new wave-ish. So what if it has a synth drum or two here and there...it's got great cover art!

There are many negative things that can be said about the early-80s period Tull. In fact many people seem to intensely dislike the era's albums like Broadsword, A, Under Wraps, etc. And while I won't say that it is my favorite Tull recording, I don't think that it is totally unworthwhile either. It suffers from some dating since its release in April of 1982, primarily because of the overall thinness of the sound captured in the studio. Hopefully this will be one issue that will be resolved when this is eventually remastered. Still, there must have been something to this recording which enabled it to hit number 19 in the pop albums charts that year.

Perhaps sensing the downward turn in prog, and the upward swing of synth based new wave, Ian and the boys decided to try something new. That's not to say that the essential Tull sound is not to be found, its just the it has been condensed into more concise structures. Martin Barre's guitars always have pleasant tone and interesting harmonic qualities. Ian Anderson's flute work and vocals are still on par, Dave Pegg's bass and mandolin work is excellent, if subdued. Keyboardist Peter John Vettesse's explores a wide variety of colors and (to these ears) compliments well within the Tull sound...I believe that he is a very underrated keyboardist in prog circles.

Only the drumming of Gerry Conway seems to fail on this recording...he seems very uninspired here, and lacks any kind of swing...it's too mechanical. His very presence on this album may be what drags it down. A more inspired (and creative) performance may have drastically altered the historical importance of this record among progsters.

Thin production, and the exploration of newly emerging musical styles have relegated this recording to the lower half of most Tull fan's wishlists. I disagree with AMGs criticism that most of this album is "little more than tuneless drivel". This is tuneful (if not prime) Jethro Tull, a nice rainy day listen, and worth investigating...especially when the remasters do finally arrive.