Jethro Tull- Teacher (First Listen)

[@alvisedoria8667]

Martin Barre is probably the most underrated guitarist in the rock music history.

[@JustJP]

I could agree with that

[@michaelbeasley5783]

Kinda goes with the band: J.T. is, in my view, one of the most underappreciated bands in history. exe

[@earthboundmother205]

I agree!

[@xenophilet]

Along with Rory Gallagher...

[@flutechannel]

One of my personal Favs! But there is a lot to explore with Tull. Enjoy the journey!

[@JustJP]

Absolutely! Ty!

[@AlexRubbo]

I'm a teacher. I have also been an engineer, an English and Mathematics teacher, lecturer, and so on. My wife is also a semi-retired teacher. (multiple subjects). I grew up with Jethro Tull. Great song.

[@chrislegner4816]

Great track, and I always enjoy Anderson's vocals. Very conversational, the way they are delivered.

[@michaelbaucom4019]

The slow pace on the verses, the upbeat tempo on the chorus, the guitar riff leading to the flute/organ...subtle changes, yet powerful.... Jethro Tull in a nutshell...

[@hilocus]

This was released as a single in the UK. and wasn't on the original UK album release of Benefit. It worked well on the radio. Jethro Tull released a number of great singles which were not heard in the US until the release of the compilation album Living in the past....which is a brilliant album. So is Benefit of course.

[@richardfurness7556]

A double A side, c/w The Witch's Promise, which (ha!) got most of the airplay. So JP can review that as well and still do Benefit as a complete album. Everyone wins.

[@richardtodd6843]

Tull continued to record songs that only showed up on compilation albums, that were arguably better than the average song on the original album they were excluded from. There were a bunch of them on 20 Years of Jethro Tull.

[@davidbarker77]

Yet another great tune from Jethro Tull. I've always loved the way Ian plays the flute trills on this song. Great guitar riffs from Martin as well.

[@mikeloomis687]

GREAT drum intro JP! You are talented my friend! Anything Tull, as you know, is Solid Gold. One of a kind band you never get tired of. Thanks!

[@JustJP]

Ty Mike, I appreciate that!

[@gianfrancoludovisi9539]

Organ is played by John Evan that was not an effective member of the group. He was a guest on Benefit. He became the official organist on following album: Aqualung

[@jasonmartin51]

You're right. I did feel it. This was the first song I ever heard on vinyl. My parents had an old 1980s audio system with the radio , two 4 ft tall speakers and a record player. I asked my mom if the record player worked when I was maybe 9 or 10. When she said yes I asked her if she had records to play on it. She grabbed Aqualung and played this song for me. 25 years later I never forgot it. I felt it back then.

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

Yes Jethro Tull always had great "Hooks" & Riffs in their many radio hits !!! Prog musics most "Radio" play band for sure ! : )

[@kathleensmith3555]

This song was one of the ones that made me throw away my teenage angst and residual trauma from years of bullying I endured- Thank you Ian for telling me it was ok to leave all that baggage behind

[@paulhart3812]

BENEFIT has some great tunes on it. SOLID SOLID song writing. It's their pre-prog days, but I love this album.

[@tombillings101]

This is already prog….yes bluesy but prog.

[@michaelbeasley5783]

One of my fav all time songs, and Tull songs. And I like so many. This song was actually quite a radio hit for them, I believe.

[@realbser1956]

One of Tull’s best. Love this track. A real banger. 🔥

[@jfergs.3302]

Classic Tull, and a faultless song. Pretty much perfect, all elements spot on. I can't imagine anyone being able to criticise this. I shall read the other comments avidly.

[@williambaldridge1203]

Great song. "Rifftastic", I love it. That's a brilliant term. I'm going to use it from now on.

[@maraboo72]

Benefit is a chain of riffs including 2 of my favorite Tull songs "To Cry You A Song" and "Play In Time" among other reasons because of the great riffs. As an album I would rank it together with Aqualung and Thick As A Brick. It has an overall warmth even compared to other predigital productions. At least I sense it like that.

[@jayburdification]

This was my first Tull tune and an all time fave. It’s underrated, kind of a deep cut.

[@davmtu]

Teacher is one of my favorite early Tull songs. Fun to play as well. Try Witches Promise. Another good early song.

[@robertjewell9727]

Witches Promise is an absolute essential.

[@markdrechsler5660]

Yes, “Witches Promise” is a top-tier early Tull song.

[@markdrechsler5660]

The whole “Benefit” album is fantastic. Anderson notoriously didn’t like this song. Despite it being a hit, I believe they retired it from their live set list early on. I remember reading an interview with Anderson in which he mentioned something about him writing the song in order to get the record company off his back about not writing “hit” songs. It is a great song, but I find it less interesting than anything else on the album.

[@samuelecallegari6117]

@@markdrechsler5660 and one of the only 2 Tull songs with the mellotron

[@markdrechsler5660]

@@samuelecallegari6117 ok, I’ll bite. What’s the other one?

[@janehill9764]

heard this late---summer 1973. loved tull ever since.

[@johnmavroudis2054]

One of two songs that got me into the world of Jethro Tull. (the other being "Living In The Past")... Excellent song!

[@andyo3689]

The first Tull song I ever heard...Heavy rotation on underground radio....With the breakup of the Beatles at the time this group became my favorite for years....this album is RIFF CITY and FIRE!!! At the time this came out it wasn't considered safe...it was their third album the second with Martin Barre! This was a FIRE ALARM back in the day....we hadn't heard AquaLung yet or Thick as a Brick or Passion Play so in the context it was an eye opener. Little did we know what was yet to come....Listen to the whole album and turn it way UP.

[@bjwnashe5589]

Yes indeed. I've always loved this song. The guitar and bass riffing, the tempo changes, the vocals... It all works well together. And this tune still sounds great. Has held up well over time. Good to see you get into it, JP.

[@DocRock71]

This was the 1st JT song I heard on the radio in high school...made me an instant lifelong fan!

[@michaelbochnia5686]

Benefit, for me the best, hardest edged album of Tull. Great drumming Dude. To Cry You a Song is my favorite Tull song.........................period.

[@cedricmilford5254]

This was an instant like when I heard it many years ago, and I still do! I’ve said it before: Ian’s voice is an instrument; he sings like no other. Great tune!

[@-davidolivares]

Heard many many times on the radio, but not really knowing what album or when it came out but, I dig it! Still a rocker at heart, sometimes prog is too intricate and drawn out for my mood. Don’t hate. Sometimes I just need to rock man! Great Tull today. Take care everyone, be safe, be masked, be kind, Peace and rocker Music

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

Man O man, This sure bring me back growing up !! Lol Such a Fantastic early Tull song, was a HUGH Radio hit in the Glory days of FM it was play all the time !! Kooool man JP Lol : D

[@cadanrichards2615]

To Cry You a song is one of the best early Jethro Tull songs ever. such a GOOD RIFF

[@alantattersall3190]

So looking forward to your review of the whole album. Genius work.

[@gelsol]

One of the first Tull songs I heard. Tull got a lot of radio play on classic rock radio in DC during the 80s.

[@jamesadkisson7510]

One of the very first JT songs I loved.

[@benoitdesmarais2948]

It WAS a single - not a deep cut, and it was played to death on the FM station i listened to religiously in the 70's, along with To Cry You a Song. (In fact, 80% of the songs got airplay.) I watched an hour long interview from 2010 with Anderson in which he said that for him, the first real Tull album was Stand Up, to which i'd add that Benefit was the first Tull album that, production and songwriting wise, was fully part of the continuum that led to Aqualung and everything that followed up to Broadsword & The Beast. I like A New Day Yesterday & Nothing is Easy, but these songs were looking backwards, towards This Was. He explained the title - This Was - was litterally meant as : this is what we were. Mick Abrahams was strictly interested by blues, and not technically capable of playing other styles. If you listen to This Was and Benefit back to back, other than the flute, you could say they're two different bands; whereas Benefit contains passages you could link to Thick as a Brick.

[@kevtruth]

Such a groovy JT song, probably among my top 5. Its also really catchy. Great reaction too

[@JustJP]

Ty Kev!

[@jonathansmith3742]

Ian and the boys certainly can get it done. I remember this tune from when I was a kid. After I heard Aqualung. I was only 9 in 1970. Jethro was my first concert in 76-77 with Uriah Heep in New Haven. Saw the 50th anniversary show in 2018 and many times in between. Go JP!, Skating Away, on the thin ice of a new day.

[@norcoauctions]

No one else like Jethro Tull led by frontman Ian Anderson. THE GREATEST ROCK PERFORMER OF ALL TIME. Enjoy your new adventure. Jethro Tull greatest rock band ever

[@katyland1015]

One of my favorite Jethro Tull songs! Thank you!!

[@MrChelsidy]

why they aren't in the RR Hall of Fame is amazing. Also their music is pretty much forgotten today. This song got a lot of airplay back in the late 60's and 70's

[@wendyt7958]

One of my favorites...love tull!

[@mikell5087]

This is one of their greatest pop "hits" (they really didn't have hit songs, just songs more likely than others to attract radio airplay) along with Living in the Past and Bungle In the Jungle.

[@melissakhalar1842]

I'm so happy you've done another Jethro Tull song, and as you know Jethro Tull makes me happy. Thank You Justin. 🎶

[@JustJP]

Anytime Melissa! Ty😄

[@melissakhalar1842]

@@JustJP , if I remember correctly you prefer not to react to live songs and I appreciate that but I would love to watch you watch Jethro Tull, especially Ian perform or for you to watch some of one of their concerts from the 1977-1978 era and tell us what your impressions are. Just a passing thought.

[@60sbaby456]

Leave it to the British bands, always the best.

[@silvertube52]

Riff-tastic!

[@ithaliem]

If you liked Solstice Bells so much you really have to listen to Velvet Green and the title song Songs from the Wood. They are even better!

[@stevejepson9963]

good choice! I saw them live in 1970 when this was a new album. check out Horslips, The Book of Invasions . A great Irish band with a similar sound.

[@schuylersouthwell2554]

Ahh. I forgot Horslips !!! 'Trouble With a Capital T' was my intro to them ( a minor hit way back when ). And, of course, 'Furniture' live is so good!!!

[@thomasklempin542]

Horslips! Didn't think anyone ever heard of them. Yes, the flute.

[@mikeloomis687]

The Benefit album is absolutely fantastic from beginning to end.

[@daniellevin4174]

For another great riff heavy song from Benefit give To Cry You a Song a listen.

[@lukashislop5890]

Hm, big fan of the UK version, but never heard the US version. Neat.

[@earthboundmother205]

I seriously cannot imagine this song without the flute solo

[@kratino]

I love this one! SO clever and catchy.

[@markspooner1224]

I have the new Steven Wilson (vinyl) remix of Benefit, which is a great album. Teacher of course isn't on it though (I have the song on a CD). It contains 'Alive and Well and Living In' instead which for me is the better track. Anyway glad to hear it again, good on you for doing more JT JP!

[@-davidolivares]

I don’t know how to feel about different albums, sometimes great, sometimes not so great. It’s As The World Turns... as long as yer happy, I’m happy. Congrats on the upgrade.

[@markspooner1224]

@@-davidolivares Kind words are always uplifting, thanks mate!

[@sbsummit]

Thumbs up for the drumming! Now to watch the rest of the video...

[@jimschroeder1176]

❤ the Jesus Saves drum intro. Teacher is a great Jethro Tull tune. I didn't realize there was a version without flute.

[@terrysnyder8577]

One of my top favorites of Tull, for all the aspects you cited, and a nice departure from eclectic (which I love) tapping into solid rock structure.

[@patricknicolucci5073]

Justin Love the song one of my favorites also check out Rainbow Blues Rockin tune by Tull.

[@thishappybreed6505]

Some nice, crisp drumming here! (Clive Bunker was pretty good, too!)

[@hotblackdesiato3022]

GREAT intro to the video! Analysis top shelf as usual.

[@stevemd6488]

Nice review as always JP although I had a different take on the lyrics. In any event this is my favorite Tull album, I never tire of it, if you react to every song on this album you can't go wrong. Nice drumming stuff at the beginning!

[@thomasklempin542]

The 1st three albums are pure Prog majic beans. Thanks JP. Having a wonderful, beautiful day.

[@JustJP]

Ty Thomas! You as well!

[@RickTBL]

As someone who writes music, this one is particularly interesting, musically. That "nice transition" you mentioned, is brilliant. Thanks.

[@MyNameIsBucket]

Took me about 30 years to find this song and all I could remember was the riff.

[@debs4mysweetbaby]

Yes, it's rifftastic!! Martin Barre was a riffmaster!! As for being on the radio, in the 70s, it was on the radio often!! It was a hit for them!! I like your review and your respect for Glenn!!! That song and many others was great because of Glenn's melodic style of bass playing!! Also, kudos for listening all the way through before commenting!! Some other reaction videos really get on my nerves because they talk over the music on the first listen!! Clearly you respect the music!! Cheers!!

[@JustJP]

Ty so much! Really glad you enjoyed the song,I did as well lol

[@recyclerhopkins]

Justin, I always enjoy your reactions to Jethro Tull, especially the Stand Up album. Also glad you gave credit to Glen Cornick on bass. I know you have a lot of music to get to and you'll probably never get caught up but you should consider listening to the band that Cornick was in after he left Tull, Wild Turkey and their debut album Battle Hymn from 1971. Sounds similar to this period of Tull(minus flute) but the songs and musicianship are on a par with Tull, especially the singer. The entire album is great especially the song Butterfly, even if you don't react to it you need to hear some of this stuff. It's a shame his band didn't have more success in the early '70s.

[@lantzkeefer6]

Sounds nothing like Songs from the Woods,lol.Very good on the drum kit loved that intro 👍

[@bartstarr100]

I listen to this song as much as any Tull song.

[@VerMaarte]

Always love the way Glenn Cornick set the standard for bassists to come later .... quite the standard; and they tried to keep the quality

[@JJ8KK]

This was the first Jethro Tull song I heard on the radio that really caught my ear in a way that I _really_ liked. After a few listenings, it became very catchy in a pleasing way. I especially like the harmonic blend of instruments on top of the riff we hear when Ian's singing the main lyric. The overall mix is perfect, and when you focus on the individual instruments, it's even more impressive. The whole Benefit album is really good, IMO. *Teacher* just stands out to me cuz I heard it a lot more than the others until I got the album. It was a perfect song to expose radio listeners to Jethro Tull.

[@shimwooley]

One of my favorites !

[@spazimdam]

I remember this song from Living In the Past, which was a double album that was a compilation of previous Jethro Tull songs. I never bought Benefit, don't know why. I played Living In the Past a lot. Teacher is one of my favorites. It's a great song, good groove, interesting riffs, and of course rockin' flute and guitar. Love your reaction.

[@maruad7577]

I hadn't thought about Tull being a riff based band but it makes sense. A lot of bands made their living off riff based songs. Randy Bachman (pronounced back man) was a jazz guitarist who made his money with riffs from American Woman to Let It Ride though I think his best work with BTO was Taking Care Of Business where the great piano piece in the song was played by the pizza delivery guy. Oh, the song. It was alright. It would be interesting to know why they did a version with flute for the US. My guess it the song didn't have flute but it was added in to satisfy US marketers. As usual, great review. Thanks.

[@ComeOnIsSuchAJoy]

Pronounced BOCK-mn, actually.

[@ComeOnIsSuchAJoy]

@@FURDOG1961 The proper German pronunciation would indeed be BOCK-mn.

[@steveconnor746]

Here in Britain Teacher never appeared on the original version of the album in 1970 although it did appear on the US version. (Just found that out. Thanks Wikipedia) The Witch's Promise / Teacher was released as a double A side single and was the first record I ever bought. Great song.

[@kevinrombouts3027]

This song got me into Jethro Tull. That and Living in the Past.

[@Tolemac7]

Hey Justin - Great reaction as always. Ian has fun with the lyrics in every song he's written. Some, like Teacher, are more fun than anything else. Others are very deep with layers of meaning. I look forward to you reacting to the Stormwatch album. You are going to love those songs!

[@JustJP]

Ty!

[@davidburton2381]

I don't know if you've done "Living in the Past" yet, but it was a hit for them that had the distinction of being in 5/4 time. (Not many hits are!) Very good song to checkout.

[@zwieseler]

The first JT song I ever heard. I still remember exactly where I was....

[@sanddab]

Glenn Douglas Barnard Cornick's bass playing was incredible!!!

[@bobholtzmann]

It's interesting to know that in the US, the songs on Jethro Tull's UK single were split up on different albums. "Teacher" was put on the U.S. Benefit album, and "The Witch's Promise", the single's A side, wasn't released in the US until 1972's Living In The Past, an early Jethro Tull best of album.

[@bobholtzmann]

Another bit of trivia about the U.S. Benefit album -- in order to include "Teacher", the U.S. album's label Reprise pulled " Alive And Well And Living In" off the U.K. Benefit album, but later put it on the U.S. version of the Living In The Past album, instead of the U.K. album's track "Inside", also on the Benefit album.

[@craigryan3069]

IMHO the best version of this song, which wasn't on the UK version of Benefit, but appeared on the Living In the Past compilation double LP. It will always be the wonderful bass lines of Glenn Cornick (RIP) which makes the song for me.

[@williamgeorgefraser]

"Teacher" first came out as the B-side of the single "Witch's Promise". It was not included on the UK edition of "Benefit", but in the US it replaced "Alive And Well And Living In" on the album. Apparently, the US album version is a few seconds longer than the original UK single version. Even if you don't want to attack "Benefit" straight away, take a listen to "Witch's Promise". "Benefit" is my favourite Tull album, a bit like their "Revolver", the almost perfect album which gets neglected because of the overhyped follow-up.

[@robertjewell9727]

Teacher was a pretty big radio hit back in the day. One thing that I think is so good about this song is that hook, verses and chorus though rocking in what some might call a somewhat standard format, but especially the hook has the feeling of a mysterious stranger, we're uncertain of his motives, his sudden appearance at the protagonist's door, in order to teach him some wisdom or take advantage of him or in Tull's ironic world both? The music in its head-bangerish way really propels the story's very bright cautionary celebrations.

[@avantprog6902]

Rifftastic! Justin, I'm old enough to be your dad, I've been a progster forom the 70's. I listen to modern prog, not a recreation of the 70's, the front guard, the trail blazers. You've got a keen ear. You're in the club. Did that sound pretentious? Sorry, what can I say, what moves me, moves me🤗! I try to give everything an honest listen an give credit to where it's due. The question becomes, what will you buy?

[@JustJP]

Happy to be in the club! Can I use the pool?😄

[@edwardthorne9875]

@@JustJP Sure, as long as you stay off the lawn

[@arielquarante]

Hey. Very very good ! Bravo.

[@spongo]

Great to see you working the kit, Justin.

[@JustJP]

Ty Jordan🙃

[@ZalMoxis]

Benefit is a superb album.... Teacher was intended as a single that's why it is more accessible sounding.

[@davidmckenzie420]

My favorite song on Benefit.

[@jasonshort1437]

Been listening to this tune most of my life and I thought I knew what it was about. Thanks for your thoughts which shed a whole new light.

[@JustJP]

Ty Jason!

[@steevenfrost]

Yes , rifftastic is a word ,of sorts. it was immortalised by the wonderful spoof D.J's "Smashie and Nicey"

[@lancecornell9978]

Sun tan, drink in hand. Certainly a goal from an epic tune

[@leesnider4363]

Great song, good analysis. John Evan played keyboard on Benefit. Glenn Cornick played only bass.

[@brittanygarrison8030]

To me this is their best tune

[@stevebinning977]

I seem to remember "Teacher" was the B side of "The Witches Promise" 7 inch single. Benefit is a very good album.

[@markmaxwell1013]

Nice that you got a taste of Songs From The Wood and Benefit recently. BTW we used to have a drum set just like that. Before electronic drum sets a drum set would wake up the whole neighborhood😃

[@JustJP]

Yup! I'm sure my neighbors appreciate me having an electronic kit😅

[@RoverT65536]

Great idea starting with you playing.. Nice job. I hope you get to Heavy Horses.

[@gregdavis4978]

This is, indeed, a staple of Classic Rock radio. And Benefit is a superb album, start to finish. I think you should just go ahead and take the plunge. It gets played in our household about once a month, it's that good.

[@robbiem9293]

I really was introduced to Jethro Tull in high school when FM radio was first beginning to come to the main stream. They played a lot of rock and also played full versions. AN seemed to lean towards more bubble gum and short bits of rock songs. I loved listening to my FM station the KATT in Oklahoma City. I was a very straight laced girl, I told someone once that was my favorite station, they looked at me oddly and said “you smoke pot?!?!?” No, I just liked the music.

[@mlinderict]

Now, you need to find the video from the BBC (Top of the Pops?) The almost couldn't keep Ian in frame. Loved the drum intro, as well! Added thought: in one of yhe anniversary videos, they reunited this troupe for a "recreated" bar gig. Also some on Living With the Past.

[@GeoffCB]

I always assumed John Evan played keyboards for all this album (for our "Benefit") but if Glenn Cornick was playing on this track, wow! He was a superb bass player.

[@johnjennings5474]

Yes you are correct. It was John Evan who played keyboards on this album. If I can remember correctly back to 1970 when I bought this album Ian said something like keyboards played by John Evan for our benefit. Perhaps not an exact quote from the album cover but then again,I'm old and that was 50 years ago. I'm lucky to even remember this much!

[@GrilloTheFlightless]

I always thought this was the U.K. mix. It’s certainly billed as such on all the CD copies I have, and sounds the same as the original 45 released in the U.K. The US version, which was released in the U.K. on the compilation MU, had one of the guitar parts brought more to the fore and the bass was toned back. Both, to my knowledge, have flute on them, unless there’s a third version I have t heard, which is possible. I love this song. It wasn’t on the original Benefit album, but was released on a single with The Witches Promise. It also got a re-release not long after, along with a lot of other singles, on the Living In The Past album, which was designed for fans who had discovered the band after Aqualung and had missed a lot of earlier singles that were no longer available to buy, with some live tracks to tempt the earlier fans as well. However, it dates from around the same time as Benefit so it has wound up as a bonus track on a lot of CD re-releases in recent years. I get the impression that Ian was under pressure from Chrysalis to produce accessible singles. He always felt they were an ‘album’ band, but record companies tended to judge success by singles, and the revenue and publicity they generated. But I love the fact that even when Ian’s wrote something more commercial and single-friendly, it was still more innovative and engaging than most songs in the pop chart. Great reaction too. Thanks for posting this video.

[@SebGeddy]

Oh btw, great drum take on "Hymn 43", Justin 👏🤘

[@davidmccullough7402]

This is such a great, feel good album from beginning to end.

[@mikeloomis687]

OK....why Oh why....is Jethro Tull NOT in the Rock and Roll HOF? The sheer quality and breadth of music styles!!!