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"Life Is a Long Song" is a song composed by Ian Anderson and first recorded by Jethro Tull. It was released as the lead track on an EP of the same name on 3 September 1971, which reached No. 11 in the UK charts. The song later appeared on the 1972 compilation album Living in the Past.

The song is centred around Anderson's acoustic guitar playing, and the lyrics talking about everyday life, concluding that "the tune ends too soon for us all". It is the first Jethro Tull recording to feature drummer Barriemore Barlow, who had joined the group shortly before.

Fairport Convention covered the song on their 1997 album Who Knows Where the Time Goes.

References

Citations

1. ^ "DISC & MUSIC ECHO". Jethro Tull Press. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
2. ^ Rees 1998, p. 44.
3. Rees 1998, p. 187.
4. "Jethro Tull's 10 Greatest Guitar Moments". Guitar World. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
5. "Top 10 Jethro Tull songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
6. "Who Knows Where The Time Goes". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 April 2019.

Sources

• Rees, David (1998). Minstrels in the Gallery – A History of Jethro Tull. Firefly. p. 187. ISBN 978-0946-719228.

v t e Jethro Tull
Ian Anderson David Goodier John O'Hara Scott Hammond Jack Clark Mick Abrahams Clive Bunker Glenn Cornick Tony Iommi Martin Barre John Evan Jeffrey Hammond Barriemore Barlow John Glascock Dee Palmer Dave Pegg Mark Craney Eddie Jobson Gerry Conway Peter-John Vettese Paul Burgess Doane Perry Don Airey Maartin Allcock Andrew Giddings Dave Mattacks Jonathan Noyce Florian Opahle Joe Parrish
Studio albums	This Was Stand Up Benefit Aqualung Thick as a Brick A Passion Play War Child Minstrel in the Gallery Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! Songs from the Wood Heavy Horses Stormwatch A The Broadsword and the Beast Under Wraps Crest of a Knave Rock Island Catfish Rising Roots to Branches J-Tull Dot Com The Jethro Tull Christmas Album The Zealot Gene RökFlöte
Live albums	Bursting Out Live at Hammersmith '84 A Little Light Music Jethro Tull in Concert Living with the Past Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 Aqualung Live Live at Montreux 2003 Live at Madison Square Garden 1978 Live at Carnegie Hall 1970
Compilations	Living in the Past M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II Original Masters 20 Years of Jethro Tull: Highlights Nightcap The Best of Jethro Tull – The Anniversary Collection Through the Years The Very Best Of The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull The Essential 50 for 50
Boxed sets	20 Years of Jethro Tull 25th Anniversary Box Set
Videos	Slipstream 20 Years of Jethro Tull 25th Anniversary Video Living with the Past A New Day Yesterday Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 Live at Montreux 2003 Jack in the Green Live at Madison Square Garden 1978 Live at AVO Session Basel Around the World Live
Songs	"Sunshine Day" "A Song for Jeffrey" "Love Story" "Living in the Past" "Bourée" "Sweet Dream" "The Witch's Promise" "Teacher" "Aqualung" "Cross-Eyed Mary" "Mother Goose" "Hymn 43" "Locomotive Breath" "Life Is a Long Song" "Bungle in the Jungle" "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day" "Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die" "The Whistler" "Songs from the Wood" "Heavy Horses" "Dun Ringill"
Related	Discography Members A Billion Hands Concert The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus A Classic Case Thick as a Brick 2 Jethro Tull – The String Quartets
Category

• Jethro Tull (band) songs
• 1971 songs
• Songs written by Ian Anderson
• Song recordings produced by Ian Anderson