Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick Meaning
Thick as a Brick Lyrics
My words but a whisper -- your deafness a SHOUT.
I may make you feel but I can't make you think.
Your sperm's in the gutter -- your love's in the sink.
So you ride yourselves over the fields and
you...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:Thick as a brick... I agree partly with above interpetions. At that time in Tull's history as a band, Tull had 'progressed' from a blues group with Jazz influences to a band with several tours under it's belt and a growing catalog of different kinds of songs- in other words- they were very confident by this time in their abilites. I think the music by that time was coming to Ian almost at will, and he was able to channel it and decode, and then teach it to a band that was ready for the challenge. As far as the theme and meaning of the lyrics- Ian has slightly tipped his hand with his lengthy self interview for upcoming TAAB2 album. The imagery of TAAB has to do a lot with Ians memories of his own childhood growing up in Scotland and in Blackpool England. There is a lot of talk about beaches and waves and coming of age, etc. There is also a theme of choices- 'what' is the process of becoming what we ultimately become? I think that people from England (I'm from the USA) are a lot more sensitive to the 'ripples' of war. Of course England was bombed during WW2 and even though we in the USA as country did suffer in our own way- Englanders were confronted with air raids etc. Writers from Ian's era like Roger Waters and John Lennon etc. used similar imagery in their works. I think TAAB examines the fear of war, and the empty holes it leaves behind where once were people. It's about how art imitates life or is it the other way around? It's about how pop culture tries to fill those holes and how unsatisfying the fix of pop culture leaves us . Then 'we' try to find other ways to fill those gaps- ulitmately being faced with moral choices bringing us to the question of what religeon and God mean to us? The cynical Gerlad Bostock seems to lean more to the side of the atheist, but at the same time has an overwhelming 'feeling' that something is out there- Do you believe in the day? I think that he still hangs on to the fantasy of super heroes that always come to save the day- but lately they've been sorely missed- possibly in retirement- and the whole world is needing them to step in and save us from ourselves. Gerald wants to hold on to his childhood comforts and fantasies, but he sees that adulthood is coming at him and soon he will be forced to see the world through an adult's eys, which is what TAAB is- he's imagining his life in the future and what it will be like? And finally, 'Gerald' comes to the conclusion that no matter how smart you are- your'e (we're) not smart enough to know for sure what will happen- and those who 'think' they know- the high and the mighty and the rich and powerful- really don't have a clue either- but they take comfort in thinking that they have got it all figured out. That's why they don't know how it feels to be......
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2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:I just now found out that people think this album is a parody. I've listened to it unironically for 30 years. It isn't parody. Flight of the Conchords is parody. Weird Al is parody. TAAB's lyrics are exactly as obtuse as all the rest of Tull's work. There might be a few attempts at humor in the lyrics--as in all Tull's music--but that doesn't make it parody. Some of the comments here say that the lyrics pretend to be deep--and then those same comments go on to probe the meaning of these supposedly tongue in cheek lyrics. I don't care too much what the lyrics are or aren't "about"--I think it's basically a longer version of "Skating Away," but the lyrics are beside the point. The music is beautiful. Ian Anderson may have said it was parody, but I suspect he was just deflecting comments of critics who hate prog. It's as though he wanted to make a prog album but was secretly afraid people would make fun of it, so he premptively called it a joke. Just own it, Ian. Thick as a Brick is a great piece of prog rock; that's what it is.
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Trees conain aluminum and Penicillin, needed to sustain life. Though not complicated, trees contain an Acacia tree rat.
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Man specializes in the trivial. He is thick. He'd be wise to avoid the lightning bolts God casts around and clear out.
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Really thought Tull was bigger than Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Listening to the Allman Brothers down here and Iron Butterfly, of course, but a friend had Tull's Benefit and I liked it, then he also had Uriah Heap. All of those medieval themed things out of England then. I thought of it as a sarcastic look at western society. I don't like to think of bands hating one another. I like to think of writers reaching for poetry. England is full of great poets and deep thought. Sounds very Dickensian as I listen to it now. I like the power of the music, too, of course, reminiscent of Butterfly.
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We're all aware of Ian Anderson's statement that the album is a parody of the Prog Rock genre, but on closer inspection the lyrics do explore some interesting themes. Perhaps the real joke was on those who took Anderson's claim at face value, and so never bothered to pay any attention to the lyrics.
My interpretation has always been that it's a comment on individualism, society, conformity and idealism. The structure follows a sort of 'Seven Ages of Man' format, following an individual as he moves through life.
It features a number of figures who represent certain ideas:
1. The Poet and the Painter - Idealists, dreamers and thinkers.
2. The Soldier - Pragmatic conformist, followers of orders.
3. The Wise Man - An individual who has attained respect through conformity to societal norms.
4. Thick as a Brick - Those who hold onto their individualism. They are sneered at by the Wise Men, who do not understand them and view them as inferior.
Part 1:
In the opening section, the narrator seems to suggest that he's wasting his breath, and that none of what he is about to say will be heeded.
A son is born, and from that moment he is moulded and shaped to grow into the man society expects him to be.
Once matured he is set free to follow his dreams, venturing out into the world full of confidence (the poet and the painter/building castles by the sea). Encountering resistance from the pressures of society, family and his own conflicting interests, he sets aside his personal ambitions to follow a pragmatic path of conformity (the soldier).
He finds success in this, gaining respect the respect of his peers, while looking down on those who don't conform (I'll judge you all and make damn sure that no-one judges me). In truth he has no moral superiority over anyone, with his only role models being fictional characters, celebrities and sportsmen (comic paper idols).
Part 2:
None the less, he is now firmly established as a respectable member of society (a wise man). Perhaps now in a position of power or influence, he is reborn with the ideals of society, and the means and desire to impose them on others, be they his children, employees, constituents or subjects (the poet and the wise man stand behind the gun). A new generation is brought into the world, and the cycle begins again, meaning mankind is unable to evolve beyond the horrors that plague human society (the tireless oppression, the wisdom instilled).
The narrator here addresses the listener directly. Pointing out that they, themselves are the subject of the lyrics, and that they have the power to break the cycle. He calls on the young to resist the temptation to follow the easy path by conforming (all ye young men who are building castles/join your voices in a hellish chorus).
But, as he said at the beginning the narrator knows his words fall on deaf ears and that the cycle will continue. That as long as people continue to throw away their individuality in the hope of being accepted as "wise men", they will never know true happiness and freedom (wise men don't know how it feels to be Thick as a Brick).
-
Pt. 1
The song opens with just a little bit about the poem. It says that he, (Gerald Bostock) doesn't mind if you don't read it (sit it out). His poem (words) may not say too too much (whisper),
but your inability to access it, to learn from it (deafness), hear it's message,
that says a ton (shout) about you.
He says that the poem may make you feel, but it can't make you think,
that's something you have to do for yourself.
As if to illustrate this, he gives an image of you going out and acting on impulse (sperm in gutter, love in sink).
Thus, you ride out into the fields to act like animals (as opposed to people), and the people who guide you (wise men) cannot empathise, because they don't know how it feels to be thick as a brick.
The sand castle virtues refers to entreprenurial morality (an interesting concept), but in the confusion caused to religion (and other factors), making up the moral melee, cause this morality to be washed away, in favor of immorality. As the moral melee makes it's "elastic" retreat, it leaves behind a "newfangled" conformism.
BUT!, adherents to this conformism wear out their shoes, and get sunburned, and the whole wise man deal from before.
Now we get to his lover, who is far away, and so he sees himself as being unreal (a bad dream that I just had today). Society's response is one of indifference (shake your head/said it's a shame).
He wishes (odd for an eight year old, albeit a mature one) to go back to his toddler days, where he had no worries and did not have to deal with TRUTH, and people would sing him songs, and everything was wonderful.
Now we move on to society's involvement. When he was born, they saw not a child, but a soldier, even though he is still young (as evidenced by such signs of immaturity as pimples and bed-wetting). They chew him up, teach him how to succeed in our fake world (make a man of him), and spit him out, and none the better for it.
Next, he grows up, and goes off to war. The next lyrical bit talks about how when he comes back, poets write about him, and painters paint him. He is the do-er, they are the think-ers, and society does not have room for both. As the last rays of hope (failing light) give light to (illuminate) the victory of the do-ers (mercenary's creed). The next bit is slightly unclear (sorry all).
However, the poet lifts his pen while the soldier sheaths his sword, meaning that society makes one last attempt to live by the pen rather than the sword (think: "the pen is mightier than the sword").
Referencing back to entreprenurial morality, the son (youngest of the family) takes control and attempts a moral life, daring society to make him conform (tardy tide... wash them all aside).
The next part (yes, I am getting tired here, and will be less specific here on out), gets us to the point where we see the poet sheath his pen, and the soldier lift his sword (violence over politics). However, the son then puts it to his old-fashioned, violence oriented (or something like that) father.
Now the father dies, and the son is on his own. He now has to decide what he wants to do with his life (does he want to be his father, or right his father's wrongs).
Later we learn that he is upper class, bringing his upbringing to the lower classes, trying to mend them to be like him. He has become his father. He is going to teach the criminals that they are wrong, like he did with his dad (back when he "put him to the run."). He feels, however, that he is above judgement himself ("judge you all... no one judges me").
Then we get a third person view of what he did, silently watching him be the very person he abhorred in his father. We then get some examples of his upper-class status, and watch and let him bend the rules.
The next paragraph is distinct, speaking of how society is looking for a hero, a superman, to come lead them out of their troubles. It is set apart, and I'm not sure quite how it relates to the story of the son.
Then we get back to the son, how he had all the advantages, and was always treated as superior. BUT, because of this, he can no longer call on anyone to save him, because he sees himself as better than everyone.
And now I understand, he is calling on superman and the like to save him, because they are the only figures he sees as being above him.
Biggles is a fictitious pilot. Biggles and the sportsmen, who were his childhood idols, are all too self-occupied to be his role model, and so he is alone in society."
______________________________
Pt 2. Sit it out for yourself.
But the basic concept for the whole musical piece can be said to be that we should seek knowledge and cultures (on personal level and on broader level) for and by ourselves rather than rely on the established ones professed by appointed 'wise men' and also not to become that kind of false 'wise man'.
In the end all pseudointellectuals knowledge, empathy, understanding and mind construct solutions always fall short and cannot resolve the deeper dilemmas of society or life. The 'wise men' are in conflict with themselves and are not in touch with reality, which is evident since they don't even understand what it's like and feels like to be the simple cannon fodder for society, the 'thick headed common man', the 'brick in the wall'.
Life is Tua Arcanum Algorismus Bīnārium,
an interaction between chaos (elements without coherence) and order (elements of harmony, clarity, enlightenment), within and outwardly. The song 'TAAB' is all of that. -
By Inpraiseoffolly
Pt. 1
"The song opens with just a little bit about the poem. It says that he, (Gerald Bostock) doesn't mind if you don't read it (sit it out). His poem (words) may not say too too much (whisper),
but your inability to access it, to learn from it (deafness), hear it's message,
that says a ton (shout) about you.
He says that the poem may make you feel, but it can't make you think,
that's something you have to do for yourself.
As if to illustrate this, he gives an image of you going out and acting on impulse (sperm in gutter, love in sink).
Thus, you ride out into the fields to act like animals (as opposed to people), and the people who guide you (wise men) cannot empathise, because they don't know how it feels to be thick as a brick.
The sand castle virtues refers to entreprenurial morality (an interesting concept), but in the confusion caused to religion (and other factors), making up the moral melee, cause this morality to be washed away, in favor of immorality. As the moral melee makes it's "elastic" retreat, it leaves behind a "newfangled" conformism.
BUT!, adherents to this conformism wear out their shoes, and get sunburned, and the whole wise man deal from before.
Now we get to his lover, who is far away, and so he sees himself as being unreal (a bad dream that I just had today). Society's response is one of indifference (shake your head/said it's a shame).
He wishes (odd for an eight year old, albeit a mature one) to go back to his toddler days, where he had no worries and did not have to deal with TRUTH, and people would sing him songs, and everything was wonderful.
Now we move on to society's involvement. When he was born, they saw not a child, but a soldier, even though he is still young (as evidenced by such signs of immaturity as pimples and bed-wetting). They chew him up, teach him how to succeed in our fake world (make a man of him), and spit him out, and none the better for it.
Next, he grows up, and goes off to war. The next lyrical bit talks about how when he comes back, poets write about him, and painters paint him. He is the do-er, they are the think-ers, and society does not have room for both. As the last rays of hope (failing light) give light to (illuminate) the victory of the do-ers (mercenary's creed). The next bit is slightly unclear (sorry all).
However, the poet lifts his pen while the soldier sheaths his sword, meaning that society makes one last attempt to live by the pen rather than the sword (think: "the pen is mightier than the sword").
Referencing back to entreprenurial morality, the son (youngest of the family) takes control and attempts a moral life, daring society to make him conform (tardy tide... wash them all aside).
The next part (yes, I am getting tired here, and will be less specific here on out), gets us to the point where we see the poet sheath his pen, and the soldier lift his sword (violence over politics). However, the son then puts it to his old-fashioned, violence oriented (or something like that) father.
Now the father dies, and the son is on his own. He now has to decide what he wants to do with his life (does he want to be his father, or right his father's wrongs).
Later we learn that he is upper class, bringing his upbringing to the lower classes, trying to mend them to be like him. He has become his father. He is going to teach the criminals that they are wrong, like he did with his dad (back when he "put him to the run."). He feels, however, that he is above judgement himself ("judge you all... no one judges me").
Then we get a third person view of what he did, silently watching him be the very person he abhorred in his father. We then get some examples of his upper-class status, and watch and let him bend the rules.
The next paragraph is distinct, speaking of how society is looking for a hero, a superman, to come lead them out of their troubles. It is set apart, and I'm not sure quite how it relates to the story of the son.
Then we get back to the son, how he had all the advantages, and was always treated as superior. BUT, because of this, he can no longer call on anyone to save him, because he sees himself as better than everyone.
And now I understand, he is calling on superman and the like to save him, because they are the only figures he sees as being above him.
Biggles is a fictitious pilot. Biggles and the sportsmen, who were his childhood idols, are all too self-occupied to be his role model, and so he is alone in society."
______________________________
by anonymous:
Pt 2. Sit it out for yourself.
But the basic concept for the whole musical piece can be said to be that we should seek knowledge and cultures (on personal level and on broader level) for and by ourselves rather than rely on the established ones professed by appointed 'wise men' and also not to become that kind of false 'wise man'.
In the end all pseudointellectuals knowledge, empathy, understanding and mind construct solutions always fall short and cannot resolve the deeper dilemmas of society or life. The 'wise men' are in conflict with themselves and are not in touch with reality, which is evident since they don't even understand what it's like and feels like to be the simple cannon fodder for society, the 'thick headed common man', the 'brick in the wall'.
Life is Tua Arcanum Algorismus Bīnārium,
an interaction between chaos (elements without coherence) and order (elements of harmony, clarity, enlightenment), within and outwardly. The song 'TAAB' is all of that. -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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The Main Thing is So Simple I Can't understand why Nobody Knows This.
In Olden Days Cities Build Walls around Them for Protection.
A Visiting Dignitary Asked 'Where are Your Walls?
The Host Waived his Hand Over the Army and said "There are Our Walls, Each Man Thick as a Brick". -
A good old song with the old and new testament parts to it that in my opinion is one of JETHRO TULL'S greatest works and gifts of poetry in ancient history and philosophy to help us be aware and slow down to ''think'' about preserving our spirit and soul within ''the thick natural law of God and nature'' to be ''thick as a brick'' in it who were created out of mud and clay, given His knowledge to be honored and preserved. With the hope to still think with Him and not only ''feel'' god in the new progressive life style that began faster with the industrial age sounds that were beginning with more of a rapid speed, along with the so called wise men that stretched and thinned out our common sense further away from the Original Source by getting to progressively ahead of OURselves. All by meaning well to make us feel good that it was all in god's plan, but obviously without thinking it only took us back to the original sin by being temPted further by the new garden of the westward expansion to only run out of room and go back East to progressively destroy our FATHER'S PAST WHERE IT ALL STARTED FOR SOME OF US WHEN ''WE USED TO KNOW'' HOW TO GET BACK AND BE ''THICK AS A BRICK'' WISE MEN OF OLD.
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Thick as a brick. Most of us have to work to survive. Some are lucky enough to not do so. Even as survivors we have choices to make. Do we follow the warrior/brawn aspect of our natures or the poet/painter side. Most of us do both because we have to. What about our leaders? Seems like they all suck and by association so do we for letting them continue on in the same historic fashion.
Wise men don't know how it feels to be thick as a brick, Noah Chomsky on the way hand/ political pundits on the other ilk ie Mr. Riley make money spouting their views but neither has been so impoverished they didn't have time to think... -
could it be that Sir Ian has the last laugh. Don't look too deep into this. The true irony of Thick As A Brick is that, yes, it is a spoof of Prog Rock. But what a beautiful spoof. Anderson is making fun of how pretentious rock bands were getting. But at the same time he makes a great prog rock "concept" album. It's still my favorite Tull album.
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A work of art is most of the time has a different meaning for each that see or in this case hear it I say Tull hit the bulls eye.
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The songs are a basil interpretation of the old and the new. But these meanings listed here now they are deep!
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It is not an attack on Progressive Rock, but rather on the critics at the time who were praising Progressive Rock for being more than it was.
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It's a trick, quit looking at it like a stick and it'll come to you quick
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