Stand Up

Tull's initial musical approach was torn between Mick Abrahams’ blues vision and Ian Anderson’s more unique approach. When Abrahams left, his replacement Martin Barre became the key player in Tull’s move towards a more progressive style.

Tull popup from Stand UpThe recording sessions for this album started in April ’69. One month later, the band scored their first U.K. hit with "Living In The Past," which charted at #3 (included in the remastered release).. Starting with "Stand Up," the band’s use of dynamics, Celtic Folk, and classically-oriented tonal structures, along with Ian Anderson’s flute playing and songwriting, became Jethro Tull’s signature. Simply put, "Stand Up" was the genesis of Tull's sound and, not surprisingly, is one of Anderson's favorite Tull records.

Reflecting back, "Stand Up" seems an obvious career turn but at its release, the reality was Tull risked a great deal. The turn from the blue-orientated approach displeased important Tull radio and promoter connections.

"A New Day Yesterday" is almost a holdover from "This Was" with its blues-stylings while "Nothing is Easy," common in concert sets, is a blues-jazz fusion. "Bouree," a "cocktail jazz" (Ian's words) rework of a J.S. Bach classical piece, would become a Tull classic and an almost must for any concert set.
Many Tull fans presume Far Eastern influences on the band's music begin with Anderson's solo album "Divinities." Yet, traces can be found in "Fat Man" (sometimes considered a jab at departed guitarist Mick Abrahams) and "Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square," one of three Tull songs devoted to Ian's boyhood friend Jeffrey Hammond who would later join the band.

While hardly a "concept" album, lyrically the album devotes a lot to Anderson's relationship with his parents (a subject continued on "Benefit") and coping with new found pop stardom.

This was the first album to be filled with songs written and arranged by Ian Anderson, the band’s first album to chart in the U.S. top 20, and their first album to hit #1 in the U.K. It hit #1 two days after its release and stayed there for eight weeks!


vitals
Released: 1969 Remastered 2001

Charts: 1 (U.K.), 20 (U.S.)

tracks
A New Day Yesterday
Jeffrey Goes To Leicester    Square
Bourree
Back To The Family
Look Into The Sun
Nothing Is Easy
Fat Man
We Used To Know
Reasons For Waiting
For A Thousand Mothers
Living in the Past*
Driving Song*
Sweet Dream*
17*

quick fact
The original gatefold album featured a "pop-up" insert of the band and is today one of the most sought after Tull collector pieces.

Ian found out that "Stand Up" had hit #1 in the U.K. from Joe Cocker while breakfasting on the U.S. tour.

Tull opened for Led Zeppelin, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, and Grand Funk Railroad during 1969
past members

 

The Eagles' "Hotel California" derived from Henley hearing the song while touring with Tull

this was front cover buy it now
album trivia

"We Used to Know" was the inspiration for what late '70's classic song?

more discography: studio | compilations | live | box sets | video | solo work

   Ian Anderson - flute, acoustic guitar, hammond organ, piano, mandolin,        balalaika, mouth organ, vocals
   Martin Barre - electric guitar, flute
   Clive Bunker - percussion
   Glenn Cornick - bass guitar