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Jethro Tull — Nothing to Say
Album: Benefit
Avg rating:
6.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1880









Released: 1970
Length: 5:10
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Everyday there's someone asking
"What is there to do?"
Should I love or should I fight,
is it all the same to you?
No I say I have the answer
proven to be true,
But if I were to share it with you,
You would stand to gain
and I to lose.
Oh I couldn't bear it
so I've got nothing to say.
Nothing to say.

Every morning pressure forming
all around my eyes.
Ceilings crash, the walls collapse,
broken by the lies
That your misfortune brought upon us
and I won't disguise them.

So don't ask me will I explain,
I won't even begin to tell you why.
No, just because I have a name well
I've got nothing to say.
Nothing to say.

Climb a tower of freedom,
paint your own deceiving sign.
It's not my power to criticize
or to ask you to be blind
To your own pressing problem
and the hate you must unwind.
So ask of me no answer
there is none that I could give you wouldn't find.

I went your way ten years ago
and I've got nothing to say.
Comments (125)add comment
 Queue wrote:

My brother and I were tuned in to AOR at an early age.  (Partly due to my uncle Fred, who exposed us to the Beatles, and further reinforced by living in the listening range of the great 93.3 WMMR in Philadelphia.) We had this album when I was in 3rd grade.  It still sounds wonderful.  The layering of the music is very artful.

Great station! I lived in a fringe area and I also listened to their sister station WNEW NYC.  In the 70s, when I was in high school, I had 2 huge directional (yagi) FM antennas on the roof, one aimed at NYC, the other aimed at Philly. I used to switch back & forth and take turns listening to BOTH stations, one at a time. ...The good old days!
Ian Anderson was just 22 when this was recorded. 
GREAT TUNE!!   My favorite Jethro Tull album!  Thanx RP   
ah... just another great band that made the eclectic 1870s, the best decade for rnr

sorry 1960s...but its true.
When I was young 17-18  yrs. I discovered Jethro Tull. They had a total different sound than other bands from England, Fairport, Fortheringgay, etc.  which I also liked, something with the bass player, the texts, they were unique.  Collected 4-5 albums at that time and told all my friends about it.  It was the Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin  time, so my enthousiasm ..... Through direct private import I got a maxi-single, ""Life is a long song"", not available in record shops in Holland.  Some  10 years  later I lost track of J.T. But found them much later again I listen nowadays to many of their albums. Of course Ian Anderson  is a very individualistic, egocentric man, his ego is almost beyond comparison, but he kept to his way of folk, blues, rock over 40 years  without any doubt a great accompliment in 2022.  So I still listen to his music and I like it. still. So great applause to  I.A.  With all his vanity a great, rare musician.  PK.
 kbs wrote:

... As Ian would say embedded in one of his flute solos!


the Hawkline monster, surely...
I still dig how a lot of their early stuff is such heavy blues rock, like Black Sabbath and Cream... Lyrics usually genius, too!
My favorite Tull album! I like all of the tunes!!
 mperry wrote:

Am struck by how unique the Tull sound was and is. That is probably the cause of the polarization aroused by consideration of the band's legitemcy to be "cool" enough to be played here. Well my vote is this works. I like it.



Agreed. All music is influenced by something that came before it (there are no original ideas, right?), and in my incomplete knowledge of the 60s and 70s music scene, I hear the continuum of:

Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd and their psychedelic sound -> Jethro Tull's mix of psychedelic / prog rock -> early Genesis prog rock 
I pulled this album out the other night and gave it a listen. Nicely produced with very good sound. Great songs of course.
 mperry wrote:

Am struck by how unique the Tull sound was and is. That is probably the cause of the polarization aroused by consideration of the band's legitemcy to be "cool" enough to be played here. Well my vote is this works. I like it.



Tull shows a complex mix of influences which have morphed over time… blues, hard rock, folk, classical, and jazz. As Geddy Lee mentioned, if you want your music to explore a range of styling that broad, progressive rock is the one of the few music genres that’ll allow it. I think it also takes a degree of brilliance to pull it off. It’s clear from some of the comments here some prefer the earlier blues and hard rock pieces and don’t care much for the other stuff. But I love the variety as long as it’s played with the great technical skill and supported with sharp lyrics that bands like Tull can deliver. Thanks for playing this RP!



 Alastair wrote:

This could be the first band that I like less having heard more of them on RP.  Usually the other way around.  



I tend to almost agree, although this band has been one I was aware of for quite. long time.  Much of their music has a plodding style. This works in many cases, but I borrowed a latter day Jethro Tull CD from a library some years back and was more than a bit disappointed at how pedestrian it sounded. This band has a number of very good albums, but at some point I feel their mojo ran out.  This does not detract from their really good records, though.
This could be the first band that I like less having heard more of them on RP.  Usually the other way around.  
sometimes people forget how much this was a 'guitar band'
My brother and I were tuned in to AOR at an early age.  (Partly due to my uncle Fred, who exposed us to the Beatles, and further reinforced by living in the listening range of the great 93.3 WMMR in Philadelphia.) We had this album when I was in 3rd grade.  It still sounds wonderful.  The layering of the music is very artful.
so much souvenirs of the 70's where so much bands were incredible, with Aqualung, Benefit is my favorite album of the Tull
I admire the consistency of my own ability to h8. Woopee for me!


 
TJOpootertoot wrote:
I have to say, I admire my own consistency - I just hate these guys!
I had no idea this was Tull (there isn't even any flute, is there?) but I hear terrible noise coming from my headphones and check the website and it's Tull. I have yet to hear a song that was surprisingly good and then find out it was Jethro Tull but bad songs? All the time!

I know some people like em - more power to you. I've yet to hear 5  consecutive seconds of the band I can stand, sorry to say.
 

 jamesshoemark wrote:
Huff guff, shuffle puff. Wiffel waffle, tuffle paff
 
... As Ian would say embedded in one of his flute solos!
Is he saying 'nothing to see'?
 Delawhere wrote:
If you are a Tull fan you need to get your hands on the 20 years of Jethro Tull boxset, the 4 cd/tape/vinyl version... not the condensed 12 track version. Saw that concert in '89, now they did a 40 years of Jethro Tull tour this year. Amazing band standing the test of time. On another note, saw Ian Anderson playing a duet with an astronaut while she was in space. Of course it was a Jethro Tull tune. How cool!? 
 

This is an amazing box set of 4 CDs.  CDs 1 and 2 especially.  I lost the box but i still have the book.  I got the 25 year box set and it is not as good.  Though the Radio City 1970 and Beacons Bottom tapes are pretty good.

I was lucky enough to see the second show of the Little Light music tour.  All Acoustic in Wembly conference center with a very very small house.  Maybe 500 people tops.  They were literally taking requests from friends and fans in the front rows and busted out some amazing performances.  Still in the top 5 of concerts i have ever seen, and Ive seen hundreds.

Years later I worked with one of the remote engineers on the Little Light Music tour and he complained about Ian Anderson having crazy recording concepts for the outdoor theaters in Greece and Israel. (Ancient Roman ones.)  I happen to have the CD with me, and played him some of the tracks from those locations, and he sat slack jawed and said, "Well I was dead wrong wasn't I.  This sounds AMAAAAZING!"
Ah....NJ...South Orange Ave., Wyoming Ave, South Mtn Reservation -- and the Orange Barrel.  Nothing to see....
 
Hey High,

That was the 1970s. The music diversity was overwhelming. It was quite typical to listen to Allmans, Dead, Steely Dan, Santana, Fairport Convention, Yes, Flying Burrito Brothers, Wishbone Ash, Zep, Stones etc. 

People under the age of 40 don't get it.  




Highlowsel wrote:
This is one of those tunes that, as a young buck, made me realize there was more going on with music than just the Monkeys and Beatles.  And so my musical exploration veered and careened off the commercial, beaten track that my feet had first started to tread.  

I commenced to stomp, enjoyable I might add, around in the weeds enjoying myself to high heaven as I stoked myself on everything from A to Z, Allmans to Zepplin, and everything in between.  And yes allusions do apply in that statement.  Heh!

A lot of time gone by from then to now...it's all been good.  Well...mostly.  And I think I still have most of my brain-cells.  Again, mostly.  

And if not well....I'm still here fully recognizing that it all just keeps going....on and on and on.  So if music is the thing by which you define the soundtrack of your life all I can advise is to keep....


Highlow
American Net'Zen
 
This is one of those tunes that, as a young buck, made me realize there was more going on with music than just the Monkeys and Beatles.  And so my musical exploration veered and careened off the commercial, beaten track that my feet had first started to tread.  

I commenced to stomp, enjoyable I might add, around in the weeds enjoying myself to high heaven as I stoked myself on everything from A to Z, Allmans to Zepplin, and everything in between.  And yes allusions do apply in that statement.  Heh!

A lot of time gone by from then to now...it's all been good.  Well...mostly.  And I think I still have most of my brain-cells.  Again, mostly.  

And if not well....I'm still here fully recognizing that it all just keeps going....on and on and on.  So if music is the thing by which you define the soundtrack of your life all I can advise is to keep....


Highlow
American Net'Zen
 jamesshoemark wrote:
Huff guff, shuffle puff. Wiffel waffle, tuffle paff
 

LOL - I disagree with the sentiment, but it's funny nonetheless :-D 
If you are a Tull fan you need to get your hands on the 20 years of Jethro Tull boxset, the 4 cd/tape/vinyl version... not the condensed 12 track version. Saw that concert in '89, now they did a 40 years of Jethro Tull tour this year. Amazing band standing the test of time. On another note, saw Ian Anderson playing a duet with an astronaut while she was in space. Of course it was a Jethro Tull tune. How cool!? 
Huff guff, shuffle puff. Wiffel waffle, tuffle paff
7 -> 8
 TJOpootertoot wrote:
I have to say, I admire my own consistency - I just hate these guys!
I had no idea this was Tull (there isn't even any flute, is there?) but I hear terrible noise coming from my headphones and check the website and it's Tull. I have yet to hear a song that was surprisingly good and then find out it was Jethro Tull but bad songs? All the time!

I know some people like em - more power to you. I've yet to hear 5  consecutive seconds of the band I can stand, sorry to say.
 Would you like some cheese with that whine

I have to say, I admire my own consistency - I just hate these guys!
I had no idea this was Tull (there isn't even any flute, is there?) but I hear terrible noise coming from my headphones and check the website and it's Tull. I have yet to hear a song that was surprisingly good and then find out it was Jethro Tull but bad songs? All the time!

I know some people like em - more power to you. I've yet to hear 5  consecutive seconds of the band I can stand, sorry to say.
Hey zia,

Ya see, that's just it.  This wasn't an uncommon band because the 1970's had sooooo many bands experimenting with RnR.

Queen? Yes? Little Feat?  Rolling Stones? Bob Dylan?  Steely Dan? The Dead? Wishbone Ash? Deep Purple? Neil Young? Santana?  Lynrd Skynrd?  Elton John?   The list goes on and on. 




 ziakut wrote:
There never was or ever will be a unique band of this caliber.
 
Don't Talk followed by Nothing to Say....Theme? 
There never was or ever will be a unique band of this caliber.
Benefit, Stand Up - two classics. Smoke-filled Chicago Stadium . . . non-erasable memorial gems.
They were and still are truly "one of a kind".  A GREAT rock band with originality, always a unique sound and ass kickin' music.  Ian Anderson and crew always tremendously under-credited like the Kinks, Ten Years After and the Moody Blues.
Too many words and discordancy; just like Marrilion... PSD!
Really liking the early Tull I'm hearing lately. While in high school I went to a summer class at a local university and my mentor turned me on to this album. By the time "Aqualung" came out a year later I was a total fan and even got to see them on the tour for that album.

Good music, good memories.
CLASSIC....what an outstanding album

Tull at their best (imho)
 bobcanna1 wrote:
"Something to Say" .....Love it, so many memories from my favorite Tull album!  10++++

 
Absolutely right. Outstanding rating and memories of starting the seventies. I'm getting old.
So when the original album came out on LP, Reprise had a contest. All you had to do was submit the total time of all the songs on the album. Easy, right? The catch was, unlike every other LP issued at that time, there were no playing times on the label. Yes, either to contest was a (bad) joke or you had to time each song. Uh, no. It was like the suits enjoyed you spending money on the product and then equally enjoyed having a polite jest at your expense. Intercourse them, we said.
My mum always said;

If you’ve got nothing to say then don’t say anything.

I think there is wisdom there for Jethro.
 
{#Naughty} 
"I went your way ten years ago and I've got nothing to say."

Ah yes....the perfect remark of someone a bit wiser to all the foibles of our human nature..  But in my case I'd add something to the effect of...."....nothing to say, but be sure to duck."   

Highlow
American Net'Zen
Coming to Red Rocks in May to perform with the Colorado Symphony.

 
"Something to Say" .....Love it, so many memories from my favorite Tull album!  10++++
 ploba wrote:
that voice is like nails on a chalkboard - MUTE!

 
His voice didn't bother me - he had a good singing voice. What's always bugged me was that silly, overly-theatrical enunciation that he often employed - as in this song.  I guess the codpiece sometimes made him really believe he was in some medieval-era fair.  Not a bad tune other than that - nothing else to say-ee-ay-ee-ay-ee-ay-ee-ay....
Throwing some love Tull's way -

Enjoying hearing this this morning. 
 jbuhl wrote:

I think he threw in the towel on that.

 
Yes, he still runs a rather large salmon farm. 'Boring', his words!!
His voice is so signature.
 
Freshman year of college 1970, oh man the memories of Northern Michigan, and introduction to life, sex drugs and rock and roll! Oh yea! {#Notworthy}
 number7 wrote:
Some of my favorite Tull, Benefit, This Was & Stand up.
Aqualung came next.
Then, not as great.

 
Sure, there were still some great ones to come - Thick As A Brick, Heavy Horses, Songs From The Wood, A Passion Play, Minstrel In The Gallery...

What's not to like?  (-:
 westslope wrote:
So is Ian Anderson still farming Atlantic salmon? 

 
I think he threw in the towel on that.
Tull is Hall of Fame worthy in my book.
It's been a few years since I danced in the kitchen to this tune~ thanks for the spin.{#Dancingbanana_2}
Any Tull brings me back 40 years, feels like yesterday...{#Music}
So is Ian Anderson still farming Atlantic salmon? 
Many levels to interpret 
Great 
Is it just me or has Bill been streaming lots more 60's-70's rock like it used to be for our ears and memories to enjoy?  Gotta love it!
 number7 wrote:
Some of my favorite Tull, Benefit, This Was & Stand up.
Aqualung came next.
Then, not as great.

 
{#Clap}
Feed is awful!  What's up?
 
Some of my favorite Tull, Benefit, This Was & Stand up.
Aqualung came next.
Then, not as great.
Awesome ..... made my day!
Two from Benefit in five hours.  Nice.
I often dispair at the choice of Tull on RP.    I love this band as a whole and wish the better songs were played.  
Listening to this as a Tull tune is like playing "Candy And A Current Bun" for Pink Floyd.


 ploba wrote:
that voice is like nails on a chalkboard - MUTE!

 
Good grief :^ / Get some better speakers.
I've got a fever....and the prescription is more flute!!!
 
Love me some vintage Tull - Ian Anderson is featured on a new tune by JEFF The Brotherhood called "Black Cherry Pie".
Tried so hard to dislike them but I can't manage it.  This is great stuff.
that voice is like nails on a chalkboard - MUTE!
 ccjemmett wrote:
More JT. Not to worry, it will sink in. I have faith in in these listeners. 

Hear, hear!
 misterbearbaby wrote:
'Scuse me- just came back from a brief but DELIGHTFUL acid flashback. Thanks man. 10 = demonstrably GOD-LIKE.

 
{#Roflol}
 misterbearbaby wrote:
'Scuse me- just came back from a brief but DELIGHTFUL acid flashback. Thanks man. 10 = demonstrably GOD-LIKE.

 
This song transported me back four decades to my high school days listening to this album.  No acid required :-).
 
'Scuse me- just came back from a brief but DELIGHTFUL acid flashback. Thanks man. 10 = demonstrably GOD-LIKE.
This was the second LP i ever owned :-)
 Queue wrote:
The remaster brought the bass a little more up front.  nice (IMO)

 
I don't usually +1 but in this case I must.  Nice remix, indeed! {#Guitarist}
 calypsus_1 wrote:

The end my friend by ~RedZeppelin6
©2008-2010 ~RedZeppelin6

All good things have to come to an end.




  what an amazing group of talent...........all 10s


had never been, never will be again, a band this completely dominated by a genius like ian, thank you R.P for keeping this magic alive.
 jukes1 wrote:
Feels like an awful lot of this recently.

 
was thinking the same thing. ugh.
Wonderful!  {#Meditate}
Feels like an awful lot of this recently.
More JT. Not to worry, it will sink in. I have faith in in these listeners. 
"Hey, Deb - what should I play after Pearl Jam, Black(Live)?"

"Hmmm... Pearl Jam... Gee hmmm. That's a tough one Bill."

"OH! I know! Jethro Tull!"

"I'll have what you're having, Bill."
To the detractors out there:  JT is a bit of an acquired taste that certainly does not appeal to everyone. It took time to grow on me, but over time, I have gained an appreciation for their unique sound.  It is really worth the effort to seek out the underplayed tracks and listen closely to the unusual melodies and lyrics that JT is famous for.
Can't believe I never rated this. Xlnt.

Epitimomy of Tull before the Aqualung version which followed after the first three efforts.
 calypsus_1 wrote:

The end my friend by ~RedZeppelin6
©2008-2010 ~RedZeppelin6

All good things have to come to an end.

Close Your eyes- everything comes back!
 


 Lakeview wrote:
Not nearly the best Tull.
 



..my giving it an 8 really says something then, eh?.. :P
The remaster brought the bass a little more up front.  nice (IMO)
Ugh, nothing to say, but too much to hear.
Not nearly the best Tull.

The end my friend by ~RedZeppelin6
©2008-2010 ~RedZeppelin6

All good things have to come to an end.



Crockodile Rock?

 horstman wrote:

What's the worst?

 


 

Everyday there's someone asking
what is there to do?
Should I love or should I fight
is it all the same to you?
No I say I have the answer
proven to be true,
But if I were to share it with you,
you would stand to gain
and I to lose.
Oh I couldn't bear it
so I've got nothing to say.
Nothing to say.

Every morning pressure forming
all around my eyes.
Ceilings crash, the walls collapse,
broken by the lies
that your misfortune brought upon us
and I won't disguise them.
So don't ask me will I explain
I won't even begin to tell you why.
No, just because I have a name
well I've got nothing to say.
Nothing to say.

Climb a tower of freedom,
paint your own deceiving sign.
It's not my power
to criticize or to ask you to be blind
To your own pressing problem
and the hate you must unwind.
So ask of me no answer
there is none that I could give
you wouldn't find.
I went your way ten years ago
and I've got nothing to say.
Nothing to say.

** 8  / 9 **

in album  Benefit (1970)



Always hated the mix on this album... The songs are great though {#Meditate}
 Papernapkin wrote:
This is terrible. The second worst song in the universe.
 
What's the worst?

Anderson does Dylan. In it's time This was It ! Tull in ascendence. Benefit stands the test of time.
This is terrible. The second worst song in the universe.

I'm not sure if I like it yet. Nonetheless, its nice to hear something by JT other than Aqualung.
The breakthrough mindblowing revelation of Tull making me a lifelong fan. My bedroom, age 16, 1971.
Yay! Nice to hear an underplayed Tull song
Always a wonderful sound.
Jethro Tull is on tour: (click here)
I was working on something when the first notes grabbed my attention. Took me immediately back to my youth in White Sands, New Mexico listening to an AM Radio station in Dallas, Texas - KRLD that did progressive rock in the evenings. Anyone here remember "Montage & Dylan?" Thanks for playing this one.
ChardRemains wrote:
this isn't working for me right now.
ditto
this isn't working for me right now.
I had the great good fortune to see JT live in Sydney on two occasions in the 70's. They were the first foreign rock act to play at the Sydney Opera House, about the time of the release of the Warchild album. Previously they had played the Hordern Pavillion just prior to Thick as a Brick being released. Formidable band live, both concerts were superb! Stupendous track, album and band!
ahhh. bad timing for European listeners like me. Jethro doesn't meet my mood this monday morning...too much different sounds.
I don't think I've seen another song on RP with such an even distribution of ratings! I don't particularly enjoy this one, myself. 4.
Can't believe that I have missed every single song RP has played from this ultimate classic album BUT you have to be a TULL fan, These guys are great...this album is one of my all time fav's cover to cover...and thats what I have to say!
This is the third song that i have listened to in the last month and the picture that i had in my mind about this band has changed dramatically, they do! are a good band. Now i have to erase all the comments that i used to hear from some friends and watch in some "music" TV channels that said "there's a guy with a flute and it doesn't rock!" i think i'll get an album just to redem myself :|
Rob_S wrote:
This is a nice feature that I enjoy looking at.
Yes, I greatly enjoy it, too.
twothingsatonce wrote:
The appeal of this band completely escapes me.
Amen. As the song admits: Nothing to say. For some reason, their fans seem to think this is a virtue. Empty-headed?
kdoumani wrote:
If I wanted to listen to crap like this, there are any number of classic rock stations in every city in the United States to tune in to.
Really don't know much about Tull do you? The first three albums get almost no air play. The Clear Channel/AOR approach is to play "Bungle in the Jungle", "Skating Away (on the thin ice of a new day)", "Aqualung", "Locomotobreath", and "Thick as a Brick". Notice that this song is NOT on the list. That's what makes RP great, deep cuts from bands AOR has played to death.
As Bill just said, interesting vote distribution: trimodal one could call it. I wonder, if it will stay like this when more votes than ~60 accumulate. I myself don't know where to put my vote, yet.
Bill, interesting observation on the flat spectrum of responses to this song ... whatever it means. This is a nice feature that I enjoy looking at.
twothingsatonce wrote:
The appeal of this band completely escapes me.
I love Ian Anderson, so I guess we null each other out... lol
The appeal of this band completely escapes me.
Damn, the comments on this one are just bucketing in! Reminds me of when I was a bug-eyed, adventure-seeking teen who wondered what the hell this life was all about... !
I do not understand this station's affection for Jethro Tull. If I wanted to listen to crap like this, there are any number of classic rock stations in every city in the United States to tune in to.
1970 Freshman at coll in N Mich-- thanks for the memory rush!
are they gonna play stonehenge after this?
mperry wrote:
Am struck by how unique the Tull sound was and is. That is probably the cause of the polarization aroused by consideration of the band's legitemcy to be "cool" enough to be played here. Well my vote is this works. I like it.
Well said. I also love Tull.
Am struck by how unique the Tull sound was and is. That is probably the cause of the polarization aroused by consideration of the band\'s legitemcy to be \"cool\" enough to be played here. Well my vote is this works. I like it.