Jethro Tull: Stand Up

I’m not sure when I bought this LP, but I do remember that it was my first Jethro Tull album and it was a good introduction to this band that has been around since the late 60s. I have three personal favorites on the LP “Bourée,” “A New Day Yesterday,” and “Nothing is Easy.” For today’s introduction, I’ve opted to go with the less heavy “Bourée,” which is a reworking of Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Bourée in Em” from his “Suite in Em for Lute.”

“Stand Up” included a unique cover design that features a pen and ink drawing of the band that imitates the look of a wood cut. When you opened the gatefold of the original US Reprise release, a pop-up of the band emerged. The artwork garnered the New Musical Express best album art award for 1969.

Stylistically, the album defines categorization. There are blues influenced tunes, the classically inspired “Bourée,” a Middle Eastern flare with “Fatman,” and other straight ahead rock selections. Next to “Bourée,” the best produced song on the entire LP is “Reasons for Waiting” with its flute duet in the intro. For your listening entertainment, I am supplying a YouTube playlist of the original album in order.