“War Child” by Jethro Tull is the band’s seventh studio album, released on October 14, 1974. The album marked a return to a more accessible rock format after the ambitious and concept-heavy releases of Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play. Written entirely by frontman Ian Anderson, War Child blends rock, folk, and orchestral elements, creating a distinctive and eclectic sound.
Tracks
Side 1
- “War Child” 4:35
- “Queen and Country” 3:00
- “Ladies” 3:17
- “Back-Door Angels” 5:30
- “Sealion” 3:37
Side 2
- “Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day” 4:09
- “Bungle in the Jungle” 3:35
- “Only Solitaire” 1:38
- “The Third Hoorah” 4:49
- “Two Fingers” 5:11
The album was originally conceived as part of a multimedia project including a feature film, but the film component was never completed. The album’s central theme is a satire on war and society’s obsession with violence, reflecting the post-Vietnam War sentiment. Tracks like “War Child” and “Two Fingers”
tackle the absurdity of conflict, while “Bungle in the Jungle” uses animal metaphors to comment on human behavior. The song “Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day” is a reflection on societal change and the uncertainty of modern life, encapsulating the album’s overarching cynicism and wit.
The Band
- Ian Anderson – vocals, flute, acoustic guitar, alto, soprano and sopranino saxophones
- Martin Barre – electric guitar, Spanish guitar
- John Evan – piano, organ, synthesizers, accordion
- Jeffrey Hammond – lead vocals and spoken word (on “Sealion II”), bass guitar, string bass
- Barriemore Barlow – drums, percussion, glockenspiel, marimba
Personnel
- Dee Palmer – orchestral arrangements
- Robin Black – sound engineer
- Terry Ellis – executive producer
The original release features ten tracks, including “Bungle in the Jungle,” which became a commercial success in the U.S., reaching #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album itself peaked at #2 on the UK Albums Chart and #14 on the U.S. Billboard 200. A 2002 remastered edition included bonus tracks like “Rainbow Blues” and “Glory Row.” In 2014, the 40th Anniversary Theatre Edition was released, featuring a wealth of additional material, including unreleased tracks, orchestral versions, and Steven Wilson’s stereo and surround mixes.
Much of the music was written during the latter half of the “Passion Play” tour. Yet, “War Child” is arguably pre-Passion Play. “Skating Away,” “Bungle in the Jungle,” and “Only Solitaire” came from the aborted “Chateau D’isaster” tapes preceding “A Passion Play” and “Two Fingers” was a rewrite of a song left off “Aqualung.”
The cover art for War Child by Jethro Tull is a striking composite photograph. It features a positive color print of Melbourne at night superimposed with a negative print of a studio photo of lead singer Ian Anderson. The resulting image gives Anderson an ethereal, ghostly quality, blending urban and theatrical elements in line with the album’s satirical and whimsical tone.
The back cover of the album showcases a collage of people connected to the band, including the five members of Jethro Tull, friends, wives, girlfriends, Chrysalis Records staff, and manager Terry Ellis. Each person is depicted in a manner that aligns with the album’s themes or song titles. Notably, Anderson’s personal touring assistant and future wife, Shona Learoyd,
appears as a ringmaster, while Terry Ellis portrays a leopard-skin-clad, umbrella-waving aggressive businessman—an embodiment of the corporate power satirized in the album. The 40th Anniversary Theatre Edition includes an 80-page booklet featuring an extensive article on the preparation and recording of the album, a film script synopsis, track-by-track annotations by Ian Anderson, plus rare and unseen photographs.
Further Reading
Sources
- Jethro Tull “WAR CHILD” https://jethrotull.com/war-child/
- Wikipedia “War Child (album)” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Child_(album)
- Photo 123 https://www.photo123.ch/en/original-photograph/51874/jethro-tull-montreux/
- Discogs “Jethro Tull – War Child” https://www.discogs.com/master/38334-Jethro-Tull-War-Child
- 45 Cat https://www.45cat.com/
- AllMusic “War Child Jethro Tull” https://www.allmusic.com/album/war-child-mw0000602827
- Prog Archives “WAR CHILD Jethro Tull • Prog Folk” https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=2021
- SongMeanings “Jethro Tull Skating Away (On the Thin Ice of a New Day)” https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/45578/
