While singer Ian Anderson's creative vision largely shaped Jethro Tull's afterward albums, on This Was Anderson shared songwriting duties amongst Tull's guitarist Mick Abrahams. In part due to Abrahams' influence, the album incorporates to a greater extent than musical rhythm as well as blues as well as jazz influences than the progressive stone the band afterward became known for. In particular:
The music to "My Lord's Day Feeling", "Some Day the sun Won't Shine for You", "Beggar's Farm" as well as "It's Breaking Me Up" are based on blues progressions, amongst "Some Day the sun Won't Shine for You" arranged similarly to Big Bill Broonzy's blues touchstone "Key to the Highway".
"Cat's Squirrel" (included inwards the album "because people similar it", according to the liner notes) was written past times Doctor Ross as well as covered equally an instrumental past times numerous 1960s British blues bands, including the supergroup Cream. Abrahams would afterward perform the vocal inwards his post-Jethro Tull blues band Blodwyn Pig.
The album includes a encompass version of Roland Kirk's jazz touchstone "Serenade to a Cuckoo". According to the liner notes, "Cuckoo" was ane of the commencement tunes Ian Anderson learned to play on the flute.
The coda of "My Lord's Day Feeling" incorporates quotes from 2 well-known jazz tunes, Henry Mancini's "Pink Panther Theme" (specifically the song's bass line, played equally a brusque solo past times Glenn Cornick) as well as Nat Adderley's as well as Oscar Brown, Jr.'s "Work Song".
This Was equally good contains the exclusively Jethro Tull Pb vocal non performed past times Ian Anderson on a studio album, inwards "Move on Alone". Mick Abrahams, the song's author, provided vocals on the track; David Palmer provided the horn arrangement.
Abrahams left Jethro Tull next the album's completion inwards a dispute over "musical differences". Thus, the album's championship in all likelihood refers to Abraham's' blues influence on the album as well as how blues weren't the direction Anderson wanted the band to go. As said inwards the liner notes of the original record, "This was how nosotros were playing as well as thence – but things alter – don't they?"
The vocal "Dharma for One", a staple of Tull's early on concerts (usually incorporating an extended drum solo past times Clive Bunker), was afterward covered past times Ekseption, Pesky Gee! as well as The Ides of March. This vocal featured the "claghorn", an musical instrument invented past times Jeffrey Hammond. Anderson equally good claims to receive got invented the instrument.
Jethro Tull was real much a blues band on their debut album, vaguely reminiscent of the Graham Bond Organization exclusively to a greater extent than cohesive, as well as amongst greater commercial sense. The revelations well-nigh the group's roots on This Was -- which was recorded during the summertime of 1968 -- tin dismiss hold upwardly astonishing, fifty-fifty thirty years after the fact. Original Pb guitarist Mick Abrahams contributed to the songwriting as well as the singing, as well as his presence equally a serious bluesman is felt throughout, oftentimes for the better: "Some Day the sun Won't Shine for You," an Ian Anderson original that could merely equally easily hold upwardly credited to Big Bill Broonzy or Robert Johnson; "Cat's Squirrel," Abrahams' large showcase, where he ventures into Eric Clapton territory; as well as "It's Breaking Me Up," which equally good features or thence pretty hot guitar from Abrahams. Roland Kirk's "Serenade to a Cuckoo" (the commencement vocal Anderson learned to play on flute), their jazziest rail ever, is ane of the best parts of the album. The drum solo on "Dharma for One" at nowadays seems similar a mistake, but is understandable inwards the context of the fourth dimension inwards which it was done. The ane number hither that everybody knows, "A Song for Jeffrey," almost pales amidst these surroundings, but at the fourth dimension it was a superb illustration of commercial psychedelic blues. This would hold upwardly the final album of its variety past times the group, equally Abrahams' departure as well as the lure of to a greater extent than fertile inspiration tugged them toward English linguistic communication folk music. Curiously, the good mix hither is amend than that on their minute album, amongst a much stronger, harder grouping good overall. In belatedly 2001, This Was was reissued inwards a remastered edition amongst much crisper good as well as iii bonus tracks. The jazzy improvisation "One for John Gee" (a reference to the director of the Marquee Club), the folky "Love Story" (which marked the terminate of Mick Abrahams' tenure amongst the group), as well as the novelty slice "Christmas Song" receive got all been heard earlier but, to a greater extent than to the point, they're worth hearing again, peculiarly inwards the fidelity they receive got here.
In June 1968, merely earlier this album was recorded, Jethro Tull began a residency at London’s famed Marquee Club (where the ‘Stones as well as The Who equally good launched their careers). Band advisers failed to acquire Ian to surrender the flute as well as permit Mick practice all the singing. The album was recorded without whatever tape companionship contract presuming, correctly, that a bargain could hold upwardly made afterwards.
Tull began their commencement U.S.A. tour inwards Jan 1969, at ane time after securing the services of guitarist Martin Barre.
The album had lilliputian commercial touching on inwards the U.S.A. charts (#62) but the U.S. of A. tour did earn the band a potent cult following.
Track listing:
01 My Lord's Day Feeling 3:38
02 Some Day The sun Won't Shine For You 2:42
03 Beggar's Farm 4:19
04 Move On Alone 2:00
05 Serenade To Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Cuckoo 6:01
06 Dharma For One 4:11
07 It's Breaking Me Up 4:56
08 Cat's Squirrel 5:36
09 Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Song For Jeffrey 3:18
10 Round 0:50
Personnel:
Ian Anderson – Pb vocals (1–3, 7, 9), flute, oral fissure organ, "claghorn", piano
Mick Abrahams – guitar, backing as well as Pb (4) vocals, nine-string guitar
Glenn Cornick – bass guitar
Clive Bunker – drums, hooter, charm bracelet
EmoticonEmoticon