A Song for Jeffrey

"A Song for Jeffrey"
Single by Jethro Tull
from the album This Was
B-side "One for John Gee"
Released 1968
Recorded 1968
Genre Folk rock, progressive rock
Length 3:22
Label Island, Reprise
Songwriter(s) Ian Anderson
Producer(s) Ian Anderson
Jethro Tull singles chronology
"Sunshine Day"
(1968)
"A Song for Jeffrey"
(1968)
"Love Story"
(1969)

"Sunshine Day"
(1968)
"A Song for Jeffrey"
(1968)
"Love Story"
(1969)

"A Song for Jeffrey" is a song recorded by the English progressive rock band Jethro Tull. Despite being released as a single in the U.K., "A Song for Jeffrey" was the B-side to "Love Story" in the U.S.[1] It is written in honor of Ian Anderson's friend and future Jethro Tull bassist Jeffrey Hammond. Another version of the song was recorded for play on BBC radio.[2]

The song starts off with a bass riff by Glenn Cornick before Ian Anderson's flute comes in. It then becomes a psychedelic blues tune, with original guitarist Mick Abrahams playing slide guitar. The lyrics are largely indecipherable.[3] Despite being similar in style to "My Sunday Feeling" and "Beggar's Farm", the instrumental section shows a greater influence of jazz rather than blues.[2]

The song was largely praised by music critics. Allmusic's Bruce Eder called it "a superb example of commercial psychedelic blues" but did not consider it one of the album highlights.[4] George Starostin called it one of the "catchiest ditties the band ever did: the interplay between the bloozy guitar and the poppy harmonica is amazing and promptly digs itself into your memory."[5] Despite the single not reaching the charts, New Musical Express wrote that it was "good enough to have made the Chart".[6]

"A Song for Jeffrey" was ranked the 25th best Jethro Tull song by Rock - Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check.[7]

References

  1. Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 504–506. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  2. 1 2 Nollen, Scott A. (2001). Jethro Tull: A History of the Band, 1968-2001. McFarland. p. 37. ISBN 0786411015.
  3. Furgess, Dave. "Jethro Tull - A Song For Jeffrey/One For John Gee". Head Heritage. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  4. Eder, Bruce. "This Was - Jethro Tull review". Allmusic. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  5. Starostin, George. "This Was". Only Solitaire. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  6. "Tull Wrote Own Hit". New Musical Express. TullPress.com. January 11, 1969. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  7. Rehe, Christoph (2013). Rock - Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check: alle Alben, alle Songs. Ein eclipsed-Buch (in German). Sysyphus Sysyphus Verlags GmbH. ISBN 3868526463.
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