“Reasons for Waiting” is the 9th cut on Jethro Tull’s album, “Stand Up.” Released in 1969, it is the second studio album by the British rock band. It was the first Jethro Tull album to feature guitarist Martin Barre, who would go on to become the band’s longtime guitarist until its initial dissolution in 2011. Rounding out the quartet are Glenn Cornick on bass and Clive Barker on drums and percussion. Dee Palmer is credited for string arrangements and conductor for this song. Besides writing, singing, and flute on this cut, Ian also did Hammond organ, piano, mandolin, balalaika, harmonica, and also helped produce. Martin also did the additional flute on it.
I don’t usually include a section on musician favorites for albums but this is worth sharing. Per wiki:
A variety of rock artists have cited Stand Up as an all-time favorite album, including Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton, Joe Bonamassa, and Joe Satriani. Black Francis of Pixies also spoke glowingly of the album, commenting, “Stand Up is the [Jethro Tull] record that moves me the most. It’s only their second album and they’re still kind of scruffy. There’s a heavy rock influence but they had that English thing going on, you know, university dudes who were really into folk music. It didn’t seem like an affectation to me – it still seems real.“During an interview with BraveWords in 2015, Anderson selected Stand Up as his favorite Tull album: “I suppose if you were to really twist my arm, I would probably go back to 1969, with the Stand Up album, because that was my first album of first really original music. It has a special place in my heart.” Barre and Bunker have also ranked it as being among their favorite Tull albums.
The Cover
I also thought the album cover origin story was worth sharing:
The design of the album cover started with a visit to New Haven, Connecticut during a concert tour in late February 1969. Under the direction of producer Terry Ellis, the band met a woodcarver named James Grashow who followed them for a week in order to properly represent them in wood. The resulting gatefold album cover, in a woodcut style designed by Grashow, originally opened up like a children’s pop-up book so that a cut-out of the band’s personnel stood up, evoking the album’s title. Stand Up won New Musical Express’s award for best album artwork in 1969. The pop-up was not carried over to the 1973 album reissue, but is now available on the 180 g vinyl issue of the Steven Wilson remixed version of the album, released in 2017.
You may be familiar with some of the hits from the album, including, “Nothing is Easy,” and “Living in the Past.” “Reasons for Waiting” was never released as a single from it, but as you know often some of the best tunes on an album aren’t released as singles. Actually the only single released from this album was a spin on Bach, “Bouree.”
When I read the prompt for this week I scanned albums until one hit right. That said, the song chosen may not at first seem to fit the prompt. Let me explain and maybe you’ll see where I’m coming from by choosing it.
To me, the song is all about commitment and hope. The singer expresses their love for the object of their affections in oblique, yet clear ways. The intensity of watching them sleep. Wondering if sun would fail to rise if he did anything to cause them to cry. He must content himself to worship her from afar, and at one point travels a great distance to perhaps see her smile. Them, spending time together. He, returning to his home and writing her a song. Sending her the song he’s written that captures his memory of it. A key lyric:
If I can but make
The words awake the feeling.
This is where hope takes center stage. He hopes she too is a dreamer of the same impossible dream he has, that they will each love the other.
The last line doesn’t go into details of what happened during his visit with her, but it says enough. The title is something he banks on – and that he prays she does also.
The music that swirls around the lyrics is lush and sweet, like a midsummer garden. Ian’s flute is a colorful bird sitting in an apple tree. Martin’s answering notes suggest courtship. The acoustic guitar and orchestral notes are fragrant foxglove, daisy, carnation, and snapdragon blossoms. I envision two lovers walking down a garden path, hand in hand until the sun lowers in the sky. They stop for a kiss, then turn back to the small cottage. Lighting a few candles, they let the darkness of desire carry them away.
Reasons for Waiting
What a sight for my eyes
To see you in sleep.
Could it stop the sun rise
Hearing you weep?
You're not seen, you're not heard
But I stand by my word.
Came a thousand miles
Just to catch you while you're smiling.
What a day for laughter
And walking at night.
Me following after, your hand holding tight.
And the memory stays clear with the song that you hear.
If I can but make
The words awake the feeling.
What a reason for waiting
And dreaming of dreams.
So here's hoping you've faith in impossible schemes,
That are born in the sigh of the wind blowing by
While the dimming light brings the end to a night of loving.
Songwriter: Ian Anderson
Jim Adams is the host of Song Lyric Sunday. This week, Jim wants us to find a song that includes the act of depending, leaning, relying, or trusting another.
Tao-Talk 