War Child is their seventh studio album, released in October 1974, almost a year and a half after the release of A Passion Play. The turmoil over criticism of A Passion Play surrounded the production of War Child, which obliged the band to do press conferences and explain their plans for the future. War Child was a return to a standard-length song format, after the previous two side-length song format albums (Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play.)
Originally meant to accompany a film project (the album was planned as a double-album set), War Child was reinstated as a ten-song, single-length rock album after failed attempts to find a major movie studio to finance the film. The “War Child” movie was written as a metaphysical black comedy concerning a teenage girl in the afterlife, meeting characters based on God, St. Peter and Lucifer portrayed as shrewd businessmen. Notable British actor Leonard Rossiter was to have been featured, Margot Fonteyn was to have choreographed, while Monty Python veteran John Cleese was pencilled in as a “humour consultant”.
“Glory Row” was not on the original release but is one of seven bonus tracks on the 2002 remaster.
Ric Albano at Classic Album Review described “Glory Row” as being, “built on an acoustic core with a tremendous array of musical flourishes and textures.” He also noted about the whole album, including bonus tracks:
Prominently featured … are string arrangements by David Palmer, adding another dimension to the already rich arrangements. Palmer used a string quartet of all female players to complement the five men in the group, who composed their final album as a cohesive unit.
Source: wikipedia
Rise up all you fine young ladies and take arms for the show.
Oh, we’ll put your name up in lights,
put you down on Glory Row.
Would you be the star of ages
to light your own way at night?
Might be a former beauty queen with your high smile stuck on so tightly.
They come and they go down on Glory Row.
It’s the same old story — yes, it the same old show.
Well, hello all you gentlemen, I fear I’m a lot like you.
We’re wearing the same school tie but a different pair of shoes.
How did you get to be who you are?
Will your children share the blame?
Is it really worth the time it takes
to carve your name on Glory Row?
Down on Glory Row.
It’s the same old story — yes, it the same old show.
Songwriter: Ian Anderson
I like this one, new to me!
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YAY! 🙂
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Very interesting. There’s some nice things going on in there.
Was this unreleased prior to appearing as a bonus track or was it a b-side or anything? I always find it incredible how many really good songs are found lying around in archives and eventually tacked on as bonus tracks (though I guess if it was a planned double, it’s understandable that the material would be strong).
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It’s been fun putting the playlist together as well as educational. Not sure if it was ever released prior to being a bonus track.
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Great album, I overlooked it for a long while but I’ve been listening to it a lot recently
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It’s a good album. The title track is so haunting.
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That tune sounds pretty folky. I like it!
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🙂 Glad you do, Christian!
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This one is new to me as well.
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Yay!
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This was too good not to be released… I wish the movie would have been made…that sound interesting and anything with Cleese has to be pretty good.
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I know what you mean about the movie! Come on, someone should have bankrolled it. Where was George???? 🙂
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LOL I know! He morgaged his house for that one movie!
All joking aside I’m going to explore Jethro Tull more.
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love the idea of a humour consultant!
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I would like to have Ricky Gervais as mine 🙂
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Lisa,
Thanks for sharing “Glory Row” with me, my friend. If you haven’t already, whenever it’s convenient I hope stop by at my place for a look at my Looney Tunes’ Granny art sketch. Happy A2Zing!!
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