| Professional ratings |
|---|
| Review scores |
| Source |
Rating |
| Allmusic |
  [1] |
| The Rolling Stone Record Guide |
[2] |
| Sputnik Music |
[3] |
Living in the Past is a double album quasi-compilation collection by Jethro Tull, which contains album tracks, out-takes, the "Life Is a Long Song" EP, and all of their singles except for "Aeroplane", "Sunshine Day", "One for John Gee", "17" and the original United Kingdom version of "Teacher" (the United States single version was included instead). Many of the tracks only appeared as British releases before being compiled on Living in the Past for the first time in the American market.
Details
The album was named after the single released in May 1969 and was released in an elaborate gate-fold packaging that contained a large colour photo booklet with over 50 photos of the band.
Two songs, "By Kind Permission Of" and "Dharma for One", were recorded live at Carnegie Hall. "Love Story", "Christmas Song", "Living in the Past", "Driving Song", "Sweet Dream" and "Witches' Promise" were originally released as mono singles and remixed into stereo for inclusion on the album.
In the United States, Living in the Past was the first Jethro Tull album to appear on the Chrysalis Records label; while each of the band's previous albums were marked as "a Chrysalis Production", the albums were released by Warner Bros. Records' Reprise Records subsidiary. Interestingly, early U.S. editions of Living in the Past bore both a Chrysalis catalogue number (2CH 1035) and a Reprise catalogue number (2TS 2106). This suggests that the album was scheduled to appear on Reprise Records but Chrysalis gained control of the band's USA releases in late 1972.
All of the tracks that were not on the original This Was, Stand Up, Benefit, and Aqualung albums appear as bonus content on the CDs remastered since 2001.
Critical reception
The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 charts and went gold not long after its release. The title track from the album became Tull's first top-40 hit in the United States, reaching No. 11, a full three years after it performed well in Britain. In UK, the album reached No. 13. In Norwegian charts, the album hit No. 5.
AllMusic review the collection positively, stating that: "Not only was Ian Anderson writing solid songs every time out, but the group's rhythm section was about the best in progressive rock's pop division. Along with any of the group's first five albums, this collection is seminal and essential to any Tull collection, and the only compilation by the group that is a must-own disc."[4]
Differences in US version
The US vinyl version has "Hymn 43" in place of "Locomotive Breath" and omits "Inside" in favour of "Alive and Well and Living in", previously unreleased in the US.
Differences in the song selections between the US and the UK editions of the album resulted in different track listings for the various CD releases. A 1994 CD reissue omits several songs in order to reduce the running time to fit the album on one disc. While "Bourée" and "Teacher" are not present on either the US or UK CD editions, both countries' versions include "Inside", which originally was only on the UK vinyl. A 1997 two-disc Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab reissue contains every song selected for the UK and US vinyl editions.
A few discrepancies between the tracks listed on the back cover of the U.S. album version and the tracks listed on the label on the vinyl are:
• Side 2 -- spelled "Witch's Promise" on the label, the song is spelled "Witches Promise" on the back cover of the album.
• Side 2 -- song 3 on the label is listed as "Teacher", followed by song 4 "Witch's Promise", whereas the songs listed for Side 2 on the back of the album cover show song 3 as "Witches Promise" (sic), followed by song 4 "Teacher".
• Side 2 -- song 5 on the back of the album cover is listed as "Inside", whereas song 5 on the label is listed as "Alive And Well And Living In".
• Side 4 -- spelled "For Later" on the back cover of the album, the song is spelled "From Later" on the label.
Track listing
UK vinyl
All songs written and composed by Ian Anderson except when noticed.
|
|
| 1. |
"A Song for Jeffrey" (from the album This Was) |
3:20 |
| 2. |
"Love Story" (1969 UK single) |
3:02 |
| 3. |
"Christmas Song" (1969 UK single) |
3:05 |
| 4. |
"Living in the Past" (1969 UK single) |
3:20 |
| 5. |
"Driving Song" (1969 UK single) |
2:39 |
| 6. |
"Bourée" (Bourrée in E minor by Bach arr. Jethro Tull) (from the album Stand Up) |
3:43 |
|
|
| 1. |
"Sweet Dream" (1969 UK single) |
4:02 |
| 2. |
"Singing All Day" (previously unrealised) |
3:03 |
| 3. |
"Witch's Promise" (1970 UK single) |
3:49 |
| 4. |
"Teacher" (1970 UK single) |
4:08 |
| 5. |
"Inside" (from the album Benefit) |
3:49 |
| 6. |
"Just Trying to Be" (previously unreleased) |
1:36 |
|
|
| 1. |
"By Kind Permission Of" (instrumental – John Evan, previously unreleased) |
10:11 |
| 2. |
"Dharma for One" (Anderson/Clive Bunker, previously unreleased) |
9:45 |
|
|
| 1. |
"Wond'ring Again" (previously unreleased, recorded in 1970 Aqualung sessions, part of the song is the same as "Wond'ring Aloud") |
4:12 |
| 2. |
"Locomotive Breath" (from the album Aqualung) |
4:24 |
| 3. |
"Life Is a Long Song" (from 1971 UK EP) |
3:18 |
| 4. |
"Up the 'Pool" (from 1971 UK EP) |
3:10 |
| 5. |
"Dr. Bogenbroom" (from 1971 UK EP) |
2:59 |
| 6. |
"For Later" (instrumental, from 1971 UK EP) |
2:06 |
| 7. |
"Nursie" (from 1971 UK EP) |
1:38 |
US vinyl
|
|
| 1. |
"A Song for Jeffrey" (from the album This Was) |
3:20 |
| 2. |
"Love Story" (1969 UK single) |
3:02 |
| 3. |
"Christmas Song" (1969 UK single) |
3:05 |
| 4. |
"Living in the Past" (1969 UK single) |
3:20 |
| 5. |
"Driving Song" (1969 UK single) |
2:39 |
| 6. |
"Bourée" (Bourrée in E minor by Bach arr. Jethro Tull) (from the album Stand Up) |
3:43 |
|
|
| 1. |
"Sweet Dream" (1969 UK single) |
4:02 |
| 2. |
"Singing All Day" (previously unrealised) |
3:03 |
| 3. |
"Witch's Promise" (1970 UK single) |
3:49 |
| 4. |
"Teacher" (1970 UK single) |
4:08 |
| 5. |
"Alive and Well and Living in" (from the UK version of Benefit) |
2:45 |
| 6. |
"Just Trying to Be" (previously unreleased) |
1:36 |
|
|
| 1. |
"By Kind Permission Of" (instrumental – John Evan, previously unreleased) |
10:11 |
| 2. |
"Dharma for One" (Anderson/Clive Bunker, previously unreleased) |
9:45 |
|
|
| 1. |
"Wond'ring Again" (previously unreleased, recorded in 1970 Aqualung sessions, part of the song is the same as "Wond'ring Aloud") |
4:12 |
| 2. |
"Hymn 43" (from the album Aqualung) |
4:24 |
| 3. |
"Life Is a Long Song" (from 1971 UK EP) |
3:18 |
| 4. |
"Up the 'Pool" (from 1971 UK EP) |
3:10 |
| 5. |
"Dr. Bogenbroom" (from 1971 UK EP) |
2:59 |
| 6. |
"For Later" (instrumental, from 1971 UK EP) |
2:06 |
| 7. |
"Nursie" (from 1971 UK EP) |
1:38 |
- On this U.S. version the track "Inside" is replaced by "Alive And Well And Living In"
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab edition
|
|
| 1. |
"A Song for Jeffrey" |
3:20 |
| 2. |
"Love Story" |
3:02 |
| 3. |
"Christmas Song" |
3:05 |
| 4. |
"Living in the Past" |
3:20 |
| 5. |
"Driving Song" |
2:39 |
| 6. |
"Bourée" |
3:43 |
| 7. |
"Sweet Dream" |
4:02 |
| 8. |
"Singing All Day" |
3:03 |
| 9. |
"Witch's Promise" |
3:49 |
| 10. |
"Teacher" |
4:08 |
| 11. |
"Inside" |
3:49 |
| 12. |
"Just Trying to Be" |
1:36 |
|
|
| 1. |
"By Kind Permission Of" (Live at the Carnegie Hall - John Evan) |
10:11 |
| 2. |
"Dharma for One" (Live at the Carnegie Hall - Anderson/Clive Bunker) |
9:45 |
| 3. |
"Wond'ring Again" |
4:12 |
| 4. |
"Hymn 43" |
3:17 |
| 5. |
"Locomotive Breath" |
4:24 |
| 6. |
"Life Is a Long Song" |
3:18 |
| 7. |
"Up the 'Pool" |
3:10 |
| 8. |
"Dr. Bogenbroom" |
2:59 |
| 9. |
"For Later" |
2:06 |
| 10. |
"Nursie" |
1:38 |
- This release contains all of the songs released on the UK or US versions of the album.
American single-disc reissue
|
|
| 1. |
"A Song for Jeffrey" |
3:20 |
| 2. |
"Love Story" |
3:02 |
| 3. |
"Christmas Song" |
3:05 |
| 4. |
"Living in the Past" |
3:20 |
| 5. |
"Driving Song" |
2:39 |
| 6. |
"Sweet Dream" |
4:02 |
| 7. |
"Singing All Day" |
3:03 |
| 8. |
"Witch's Promise" |
3:49 |
| 9. |
"Inside" |
3:49 |
| 10. |
"Alive And Well And Living In" |
2:48 |
| 11. |
"Just Trying To Be" |
1:36 |
| 12. |
"By Kind Permission Of" (Live at the Carnegie Hall - John Evan) |
10:11 |
| 13. |
"Dharma for One" (Live at the Carnegie Hall - Anderson/Clive Bunker) |
9:45 |
| 14. |
"Wond'ring Again" |
4:12 |
| 15. |
"Hymn 43" |
3:17 |
| 16. |
"Life Is a Long Song" |
3:18 |
| 17. |
"Up the 'Pool" |
3:10 |
| 18. |
"Dr. Bogenbroom" |
2:59 |
| 19. |
"For Later" |
2:06 |
| 20. |
"Nursie" |
1:38 |
- It omits "Bourée" and "Teacher" from the US vinyl version but adds "Inside".
UK single-disc reissue
|
|
| 1. |
"A Song for Jeffrey" |
3:20 |
| 2. |
"Love Story" |
3:02 |
| 3. |
"Christmas Song" |
3:05 |
| 4. |
"Living in the Past" |
3:20 |
| 5. |
"Driving Song" |
2:39 |
| 6. |
"Sweet Dream" |
4:02 |
| 7. |
"Singing All Day" |
3:03 |
| 8. |
"Witch's Promise" |
3:49 |
| 9. |
"Inside" |
3:49 |
| 10. |
"Just Trying to Be" |
1:36 |
| 11. |
"By Kind Permission Of" (Live at the Carnegie Hall - John Evan) |
10:11 |
| 12. |
"Dharma for One" (Live at the Carnegie Hall - Anderson/Clive Bunker) |
9:45 |
| 13. |
"Wond'ring Again" |
4:12 |
| 14. |
"Locomotive Breath" |
4:24 |
| 15. |
"Life Is a Long Song" |
3:18 |
| 16. |
"Up the 'Pool" |
3:10 |
| 17. |
"Dr. Bogenbroom" |
2:59 |
| 18. |
"For Later" |
2:06 |
| 19. |
"Nursie" |
1:38 |
- It omits "Bourée" and "Teacher" from the UK vinyl version.
Personnel
- Jethro Tull
- Ian Anderson – flute, voice, mandolin, tin whistle, guitar (12 string on "Sweet Dream" and acoustic on "Just Trying to Be", "Wond'ring Aloud", "Life Is a Long Song", "Up the 'Pool" and "Dr. Bogenbroom"), balalaika, Hammond organ on "Singing All Day", and violin.
- Glenn Cornick – bass guitar and Hammond organ on "Singing All Day"
- Mick Abrahams – electric guitar on "A Song for Jeffrey" and "Love Story"
- Martin Barre – electric guitar, acoustic guitar on "Witch's Promise" and "Life Is a Long Song", percussion on "Dharma for One" and backing vocals on "Dharma for One"
- John Evan – piano, Hammond organ, mellotron, harpsichord, celeste, percussion on "Dharma for One", backing vocals on "Dharma for One"
- Jeffrey Hammond (as Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond) – bass guitar on "Hymn 43", "Life Is a Long Song", "Up the 'Pool", "Dr. Bogenbroom" and "For Later"
- Clive Bunker – drums, percussion and backing vocals on "Dharma for One"
- Barriemore Barlow – drums on "Life Is a Long Song", "Up the 'Pool", "Dr. Bogenbroom" and "For Later"
- Additional personnel
- David Palmer – string and orchestra conductor arrangement and conductor on "Christmas Song" and "Sweet Dream"
- Lou Toby – string arrangement and conductor on "Living in the Past"
- Andy Johns - Sound engineering
See also
References
- ↑ Bruce Eder. "Living in the Past - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
- ↑ Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John (Editors). The Rolling Stone Record Guide, 1st edition, Random House/Rolling Stone Press, 1979, p. 193.
- ↑ "Jethro Tull - Living in the Past User Opinions". Sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
- ↑ Bruce Eder. "Living in the Past - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
External links
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