Artist: JETHRO TULL
Album: THIS WAS 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDIT. (CD)

Release date: 1968/ 2019
EAN/UPS: 0190295611460
Media type: CD

This Was (1968) is the first album by the rock band Jethro Tull. Recorded at a cost of only Ј1200 GBP, the album received generally favourable reviews and sold well upon its release. In the documentary film of the Woodstock Festival, portions of the song "Beggar's Farm" may be heard on the PA system, indicating the level of notice the album achieved in the United States. The album reached number 10 on the UK Album Chart.

Unlike their later albums, vocalist Ian Anderson shared songwriting duties with guitarist Mick Abrahams. Due to his influence, the album overall has more of a rhythm and blues feel than the progressive rock the band later became known for.

This album also contains the only Jethro Tull song not sung by Ian Anderson to be released on a studio album, "Move On Alone", where Mick Abrahams sings. David Palmer provided the horn arrangement. Sealion II, sung by bassist Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, appeared on 1993's Nightcap outtakes compilation.

Abrahams left the group following this album in a dispute over "musical differences."

The album includes a cover version of the jazz tune "Serenade to a Cuckoo" by Roland Kirk, whose flute technique was an influence on Anderson.

This Was was remastered in 2001 and released with three bonus tracks.

TRACKLIST:

"My Sunday Feeling" (Anderson) – 3:43
"Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You" (Anderson) – 2:49
"Beggar's Farm" (Abrahams/Anderson) – 4:19
"Move on Alone" (Abrahams) – 1:58
"Serenade to a Cuckoo" (Kirk) – 6:07

"Dharma for One" (Anderson/Bunker) – 4:15
"It's Breaking Me Up" (Anderson) – 5:04
"Cat's Squirrel" (Traditional, arranged by Abrahams) – 5:42
"A Song for Jeffrey" (Anderson) – 3:22
"Round" (Anderson/Abrahams/Bunker/Cornick/Ellis) – 1:03


LINE-UP:

Ian Anderson: Vocals, flute, mouth organ, "claghorn"[2], piano
Mick Abrahams: Vocals, guitar, nine-string guitar
Clive Bunker: drums
Glenn Cornick: Bass guitar
David Palmer: French horn and orchestral arrangements