Ironcladd's Full Review: Benefit [Remaster] by Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull’s Benefit: Classic Tull Formation.
Jethro Tull is one of my favorite musical groups of all time. I have set about to write a review on each and every Tull record that has been released, in chronological order. Jethro Tull’s third recording, “Benefit”, came out in 1970, and the CD was remastered in 2001. “Benefit” saw the continuance of musical explorations by Ian Anderson and crew, with lyrical improvement and musical compositional improvement as well. “Benefit” was the first Jethro Tull recording to achieve some degree of commercial success in the British and American charts, particularly with the song “Teacher”. The group also began their first American tour ever in support of this recording. “Benefit” is the first Jethro Tull album that I ever heard, when I was a wee lad of 5. What follows is a table of information on the “Benefit” CD, followed by a review of what I consider to be its highlights.
Information on Jethro Tull “Benefit”.
Record Label: Chrysalis
Original Release Date: 1970
Date of the Remaster: 2001
Personnel:
Ian Anderson—vocals, flute, acoustic guitar
Martin Barre—electric and acoustic guitars
Glenn Cornick—bass guitar
Clive Bunker—drums and percussion
John Evans—piano and organ
Produced by: Ian Anderson
Executive Producer: Terry Ellis
All songs composed by Ian Anderson
Track List:
1. With You There To Help Me
2. Nothing To Say
3. Inside
4. Son
5. For Michael Collins, Jeffrey, and me
6. To Cry You A Song
7. A Time For Everything
8. Teacher
9. Play in Time
10. Sossity: You’re a Woman
Running time: 40 minutes
Review/Highlights.
“With You There To Help Me”. Running time: 6 minutes and 15 seconds.
“With You There to Help Me” is one of my favorite songs on this CD. It begins with a very nice flute introduction, blending right into a blues-like rock tempo, with acoustic guitar and electric bass, with a subtle piano background, with the leading lyrics (which are very cool, and well sung):
“In days of peace,
Sweet smelling summer nights,
Of wine and song,
Dusty pavement, burning feet,
Why am I crying, I want to know?
How can I smile, and make it right?
For Sixty Days, and Eighty Nights…
Chorus:
I’m going back to the ones that I know,
And Go back and be what I want to be,
Just one week for the feeling to go,
And with you there to help me,
And it probably will.”
There are intermittent solos by Martin Barre on his electric guitar, in between the vocal choruses. He really shines out in this CD, especially on this track. The improvement in Martin Barre’s playing is very evident in just the one year since the “Stand Up” record. Ian sings his heart out, and his voice is of particular quality on this CD, especially the remaster. He sings in a less blues style, less muffled singing style, evolving into his preferred or “usual” singing style of later recordings.
This song reminds me strongly of my childhood, and the lyrics will always remind me of my mother. You see, I am the youngest of eight siblings, and my brothers would play this recording, in LP format, mind you, every day before going to school. When Ian Anderson would sing the lyrics, “ …want to be!”And emphasize them, my mother would imitate him, and respond, “Want to be!” It is one of my favorite tracks on the CD, for both musical and memorable reasons.
“Nothing to Say”. Running time: 5 minutes and 10 seconds.
“Nothing to Say” is a more offbeat, slightly tragically themed song. It has some cool lyrics and a nice blues-rock tempo to it, some nicely sung lyrics by Ian, good guitar work by Martin, some subtle piano work by John Evans, who later fully joins Jethro Tull in 1971. Clive Bunker and Glenn Cornick do a nice job in their respective rhythm section. “Nothing to Say” is not my favorite track on the CD, but it will do in a pinch. It kind of drags on, with Ian Anderson pronouncing “nothing to say”, as “nothing to see”.
“Inside”. Running time: 3 minutes and 46 seconds.
“Inside” is a really cool song, and it has a faster tempo than the last one. To this song, you can imagine free spirited, long haired, early 1970 hippies doing their thing on a bright spring day, complete with the bandana headbands and ciggies. It has a nice feel to it, and has Anderson singing and also playing his flute more. The lyrics are cool:
“I’m sittin’ in the corner,
Feelin’ glad,
Got no money comin’ in,
But I can’t be sad,
That was the best cup of coffee I ever had,
And I won’t worry about a thing,
‘Cause we’ve got it made,
Here on the inside,
Outside so far and away….”
Glenn Cornick plays a nice counter to Anderson’s vocals and flute playing with his bass guitar. The electric guitar of Martin Barre is almost absent in this one. There is a much jazzier feel to this track, and it is another of my favorites on this CD.
The remaster really does this one justice!
“Son”. Running time: 2 minutes and 48 seconds.
“Son” is a very wrenching, sarcastic and caustic song that appears to air the grievances that Anderson must have had with his father. It is written from the father’s point of view, with a blistering admonition of his son. It is a short tune, with an acoustic break in the middle. The rest of the song is in hard rock format of the early Tull years, and it works very well. The lyrics are cool too.
“…you’re only,
Turned thirty,
So son, you’d better apologize.
And when you grow up,
If you’re good,
We’ll buy you a bike”.
“For Michael Collins, Jeffrey, and Me”. Running time: 3 minutes and 47 seconds.
This song seems to flow in direct contrast to the last one. It is a song of melancholic remembrance and perhaps, regret. I like the acoustic oriented musical arrangements in the beginning and middle in this one, which portends some of the cool “short” Tull songs to come on upcoming releases like “Living in the Past” and “Aqualung”. It has nice lyrics, the vocals sung nicely by Anderson. I love the feeling this song emanates as well. It’s probably one of the most obscure Jethro Tull songs, but it is one I have always liked. “Walking away…….you”.
“To Cry You a Song”. Running time: 6 minutes and 9 seconds.
This is a kind of early Jethro Tull “anthem” song, it is heavy in structure, is really cool, and really should have been the hit single for the recording. Heavy electric guitar introduction, with some cool vocals by Anderson, start off the song:
“Flying so high,
Trying to remember,
How many cigarettes did I bring along?
When I get down,
I jump in a taxi cab,
Riding through London town,
To cry you a song!”
Sure, the lyrics lack that certain “wordsmith” quality that marks Jethro Tull’s later albums, but it doesn’t matter here. I love this song, especially for the way Ian Anderson sings it, as well as the counterpoint provided by Martin Barre’s guitar work. Martin solos pretty well in this, even with the overdubbed duets. Again, this is another favorite of mine from this CD. The remastered CD version really cooks!
“Teacher”. Running time: 3 minutes and 57 seconds.
“Teacher” proved to be the first Jethro Tull single that had commercial recognition, being on the British charts in 1970 amongst some heavy duty competition. It still gets air play on “classic rock” stations in the USA. It has great lyrics:
“Well, the dawn was coming,
Heard him ringing on my bell,
He said ‘my name’s the teacher,
Or that is what I call myself.
And I have a lesson,
That I must impart to you,
It’s an old expression,
But I must insist its true…”
Martin has some nice guitar work, with some memorable leads, as well as Ian Anderson’s singing, and especially his flute solo in the middle of the song. This is really one of his first extended flute solos in a song of his own composing. He leaves you with that breathless feel, with his hollow voice over flute playing. “Teacher” is a classic rock song of Jethro Tull, and remains so to this day.
All in all, “Benefit”, Jethro Tull’s third recording, is really very good. It has some great songs, some good songs, and a couple of so-so songs. It is a must for the Jethro Tull fan, especially for fans of “Aqualung”, to see where the group was coming from, and as a little piece of “classic rock”, or “progressive rock” history.
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