Life Is a Long Song

"Life Is a Long Song"
Song by Jethro Tull
from the EP Life Is a Long Song / Up the Pool
Released3 September 1971 (1971-09-03)[1]
Recorded17 May 1971
StudioSound Techniques, London
GenreFolk rock
LabelChrysalis
Songwriter(s)Ian Anderson
Producer(s)Ian Anderson

"Life Is a Long Song" is a song composed by Ian Anderson and first recorded by Jethro Tull. It was released as the lead track on an EP of the same name on 3 September 1971,[1] which reached No. 11 in the UK charts.[2] The song later appeared on the 1972 compilation album Living in the Past.[3]

The song is centred around Anderson's acoustic guitar playing,[4] and the lyrics talking about everyday life, concluding that "the tune ends too soon for us all".[5] It is the first Jethro Tull recording to feature drummer Barriemore Barlow, who had joined the group shortly before.[2]

Fairport Convention covered the song on their 1997 album Who Knows Where the Time Goes.[6]

  1. ^ a b "DISC & MUSIC ECHO". Jethro Tull Press. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b Rees 1998, p. 44.
  3. ^ Rees 1998, p. 187.
  4. ^ "Jethro Tull's 10 Greatest Guitar Moments". Guitar World. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  5. ^ "Top 10 Jethro Tull songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  6. ^ "Who Knows Where The Time Goes". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 April 2019.