Can someone explain the meaning of Jethro Tulls "Aqualung" to me?

[spaceman]

is it a song about a vagrant pedder ass?

 

[Amused]

Aqualung

Sitting on a park bench --
eyeing little girls with bad intent.
Snot running down his nose --
greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes.
Drying in the cold sun --
Watching as the frilly panties run.
Feeling like a dead duck --
spitting out pieces of his broken luck.

Sun streaking cold --
an old man wandering lonely.
Taking time
the only way he knows.
Leg hurting bad,
as he bends to pick a dog-end --
he goes down to the bog
and warms his feet.

Feeling alone --
the army's up the rode
salvation à la mode and
a cup of tea.
Aqualung my friend --
don't start away uneasy
you poor old sod, you see, it's only me.
Do you still remember
December's foggy freeze --
when the ice that
clings on to your beard is
screaming agony.
And you snatch your rattling last breaths
with deep-sea-diver sounds,
and the flowers bloom like
madness in the spring.

 

[Wallydraigle]

He's sitting on a park bench, eyeing little girls with bad intent.

 

[spaceman]

Originally posted by: Wallydraigle
He's sitting on a park bench, eyeing little girls with bad intent.

we all know that much.
but why is he "Aqualung"

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: ncircle

Originally posted by: Wallydraigle
He's sitting on a park bench, eyeing little girls with bad intent.

we all know that much.
but why is he "Aqualung"

And you snatch your rattling last breaths
with deep-sea-diver sounds,

 

[shilala]

Ian Anderson kicks ass.
I've got the entire Tull Discography and I use it recklessly.

 

[spaceman]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: ncircle

Originally posted by: Wallydraigle
He's sitting on a park bench, eyeing little girls with bad intent.

we all know that much.
but why is he "Aqualung"

And you snatch your rattling last breaths
with deep-sea-diver sounds,

so is aqualung an ailment?
pneumonia?
i always thought an aqualung was like one of those iron helmets they used to breathe underwater back in the day....

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: ncircle

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: ncircle

Originally posted by: Wallydraigle
He's sitting on a park bench, eyeing little girls with bad intent.

we all know that much.
but why is he "Aqualung"

And you snatch your rattling last breaths
with deep-sea-diver sounds,

so is aqualung an ailment?
pneumonia?
i always thought an aqualung was like one of those iron helmets they used to breathe underwater back in the day....

Very good, now put two and two together...

 

[ThePresence]

I love that album. Ian Anderson is awesome.

 

[DaveSimmons]

I never bothered to google it, but have wondered idly a time or two whether the old guy is a used-up old navy man, like the homeless ex-paratrooper in Richard Thompson's later "Al Bowly's In Heaven," to give a double meaning to his nickname.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

I :heart: Jethro Tull.

The Aqualung album is one of my favorite Jethro Tull albums.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: ncircle
is it a song about a vagrant pedder ass?

Pederast?

 

[zugzoog]

Ian Anderson's poetry rocks. I remember listening to "Thick as a Brick" so many time when I was a teenager...

 

[Real meaning]

According to Ians wife, its about how society looks down on the homeless and aged and thinks the worst, The accusing voice thinks he is looking at little girls with bad intent, but in reality hes remembering when he was young and used to play just like the kids are playing, He has Tb and thus the name aqualung, notice the different temperament of voice, the accusing hateful as opposed to later in the song the calmer voice! Jenni Franks was his wifes name! I couldnt find the interview but remember it, because it shocked me that I was thinking it meant what everyone thinks it means, but I always had a feeling there was different not quite right when listening, as if there were 2 different viewpoints being revealed!

 

[brianmanahan]

According to Ians wife, its about how society looks down on the homeless and aged and thinks the worst, The accusing voice thinks he is looking at little girls with bad intent, but in reality hes remembering when he was young and used to play just like the kids are playing, He has Tb and thus the name aqualung, notice the different temperament of voice, the accusing hateful as opposed to later in the song the calmer voice! Jenni Franks was his wifes name! I couldnt find the interview but remember it, because it shocked me that I was thinking it meant what everyone thinks it means, but I always had a feeling there was different not quite right when listening, as if there were 2 different viewpoints being revealed!

tldr: spacing in a postman thread

 

[OccamsToothbrush]

According to Ians wife, its about how society looks down on the homeless and aged and thinks the worst, The accusing voice thinks he is looking at little girls with bad intent, but in reality hes remembering when he was young and used to play just like the kids are playing, He has Tb and thus the name aqualung, notice the different temperament of voice, the accusing hateful as opposed to later in the song the calmer voice! Jenni Franks was his wifes name! I couldnt find the interview but remember it, because it shocked me that I was thinking it meant what everyone thinks it means, but I always had a feeling there was different not quite right when listening, as if there were 2 different viewpoints being revealed!

wow! A 14+ year necro with an intelligent, non-spam reply. That's about as rare as a unicorn, I shall stop and marvel at this new experience.

 

[Starbuck1975]

According to Ian Anderson, it’s about a homeless guy named Aqualung.

Songs From the Wood is still my favorite Tull album.

 

[stargazr]

According to Ian Anderson, it’s about a homeless guy named Aqualung.

Songs From the Wood is still my favorite Tull album.

I love that album as well.

 

[squirrel dog]

AquaDung on the other hand , stunk .

 

[esquared]

According to Ians wife, its about how society looks down on the homeless and aged and thinks the worst, The accusing voice thinks he is looking at little girls with bad intent, but in reality hes remembering when he was young and used to play just like the kids are playing, He has Tb and thus the name aqualung, notice the different temperament of voice, the accusing hateful as opposed to later in the song the calmer voice! Jenni Franks was his wifes name! I couldnt find the interview but remember it, because it shocked me that I was thinking it meant what everyone thinks it means, but I always had a feeling there was different not quite right when listening, as if there were 2 different viewpoints being revealed!

From Wikipedia, it appears that she was the co-writer with Ian Anderson.

Jennie Franks - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Jeez, someone quickly explain why a woman is buying a stairway. And not any stairway, but the one to heaven. LOL

 

[Captante]

wow! A 14+ year necro with an intelligent, non-spam reply. That's about as rare as a unicorn, I shall stop and marvel at this new experience.

Don't get used to it!

Jeez, someone quickly explain why a woman is buying a stairway. And not any stairway, but the one to heaven. LOL

She wants to be sure cause you know sometimes words have two meanings....?

 

[Captante]

Whoops dbl.

 

[brianmanahan]

wow! A 14+ year necro with an intelligent, non-spam reply. That's about as rare as a unicorn, I shall stop and marvel at this new experience.

i just now realized that 2005 was 14 years ago

and this made me hyperventilate for a minute

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Don't get used to it!





She wants to be sure cause you know sometimes words have two meanings....?

I thought it was the stairway to the department store's upper level where all the good stuff was.