Track Listing

1. War Child
2. Queen And Country
3. Ladies
4. Back Door Angels
5. Sea Lion
6. Skating Away (On The Thin Ice Of The New Day)
7. Bungle In The Jungle
8. Only Solitaire
9. Third Hoorah
10. Two Fingers
11. War Child Waltz
12. Quartet
13. Paradise Steakhouse
14. Sealion 11
15. Rainbow Blues
16. Glory Row
17. Saturation

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7499 in Music
• Released on: 2002-10-14
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Customer Reviews

The Return Of The Grand Court Jester
When first released in 1974, I recall many being disappointed with Warchild, in comparison to its illustrious predecessor, A Passion Play, but over the years this view has changed considerably and the album is rightly considered one of Tulls best offerings.

Warchild is essentially a collection of outtakes from the Passion Play sessions and from the soundtrack to the ill fated Warchild movie. Similarities with APP abound, especially in the use of saxophones and lyrical themes. There are Piano accordians in the mix, too and the album has a humorous, surreal English Music Hall / circus feel.

Standout tracks from the album proper, include the magnificent Backdoor Angels which features some savage guitar from Martin Barre; the classic Skating Away ( on the thin ice of a new day ); hit single Bungle in the Jungle and the sardonic Only Solitaire - an acoustic jingle, part self parody part searing attack on the rock press.

This remastered version features some outstanding bonus tracks ( 7 in all ) culled from various collections, all of which are regarded as cult classics by the Jethro Tull cognescenti and the album would be worth buying for these alone. Add all the original tracks and the pristine, crystal clear remastering job and you have what can only be described as an essential album.

A great introduction to the golden age of Tull
Strangely this was the album that got me into Tull after I borrowed it from a friend rather than Aqualung or Songs from the Wood which seem to be the usual roads in. Listening to the remastered version I remembered really how good this album is, the lyrics are just great, full of puns and yet never fail to hit their intended target and the music is full of great hooks and yet opens up layer by layer on each listen. The remaster has worked really well on the seperation so theres a real dynamism when instruments come in. Its good to have the extra tracks in context (even if they were on 20 years of Tull and Night Cap). My one niggle is the sleeve notes which give no info on the writing of the tracks or why some were left off originally. Most annoyingly is Warchild Waltz which I know nothing about and the sleevenotes enlighten me no further. All in all though its the music you just cant fault.

An album that grows on you
On listening to this album, it doesn't strike you as typical Tull until perhaps 'Sealion' and 'Skating Away' make an appearance. It is the sort of album that eventually grows on you. I recommend the remastered expanded version as it has some great bonus tracks.