1711-14 Jethro Tull - Lifebeats/Prelude/The Silver Cord/Re-Assuring Tune

From: A Passion Play; Year: 1973; Genre: Progressive Rock

Ever since Ian Anderson released a part 2 of his epic prog concept album: Thick as a Brick, even though he has stated that he has no intention of doing it, I've been hoping he relents and re-visits A Passion Play as well. I would absolutely love to hear/see Ian Anderson send Mr. Ronnie Pilgrim back through Heaven and Hell in his second incarnation after forty years.
This album has and will always hold a special place for me musically; it was really the album that made me a full-on prog/rock fan. I didn't really even know what the genre was called at the time; I just knew I liked it. My first copy of A Passion Play that I owned was on an 8-Track cassette I bought for, I believe, 5¢. I must've played that tape hundreds of times while I played video games; I'd just keep letting it loop around whilst I played for hours on end.
Anyway, the song(s) I'm picking today make up the first act of A Passion Play: Ronnie Pilgrim's funeral: a winter's morning in the cemetery. They consist of three instrumental pieces and one with vocals: "The Silver Cord;" however, in total they only clock in at just over 9 minutes.
In the opening piece it starts off with heartbeats played on a bass that finish with a crash marking the death of the protagonist in the story; (it's about a man going through the afterlife, so we have to begin with his death). It then kicks into the rather raucous Prelude piece, which really showcases John Evan's amazing keyboard work. The Silver Cord starts off as an acoustic/vocal piece that keeps swelling and ebbing as the other instruments come in and fade out. During that song it features Ronnie Pilgrim at his own funeral, but for obvious reasons he is unable to interact with anyone. After a harder rock interlude in the song an angel comes and takes Mr. Pilgrim across the "icy wastes" to a "viewing room," which takes place in the Second Act of the album. The first act then ends with the short instrumental piece "Re-Assuring Tune."

Here is the entire first act: Ronnie Pilgrim's Funeral: a Winter's Morning in the Cemetery on YouTube.



My song pick a year ago today: The Doors - When the Music's Over

My song pick two years ago today: Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Tank

My song pick three years ago today: Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Karn Evil 9

My song pick four years ago today: Kenny Rogers & the First Edition - Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)

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