Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! is the ninth studio album released by British band Jethro Tull, recorded between November 1975 and January 1976 and released in April 1976. It is the first album to include bassist John Glascock who also contributed backing vocals. Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! is the last Jethro Tull concept album, which follows the story of Ray Lomas, an aging rocker who finds fame with the changes of musical trends. It was Jethro Tull's only album of the 1970s not to achieve Gold certification.

Overview

Recording

Like their previous album, Minstrel in the Gallery, the band recorded the album in the Maison Rouge Mobile Studio. They recorded "Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die" and "The Chequered Flag (Dead or Alive)" along with the outtakes "Salamander's Rag Time", "Commercial Traveller" and "Advertising Man (Unfinished backing track)" on 19 and 20 November 1975, "Big Dipper" on 3 January 1976, "Pied Piper" and "Quizz Kid" on 4 and 5 January, "Taxi Grab", "Pied Piper", "Crazed Institution" and "Old Rocker (Quizz Kid intro)" on 8 January, "From a Dead Beat to an Old Greaser", "Salamander" and "Pied Piper" along with the outtake "A Small Cigar (acoustic version)" on 12 January, and finally "Bad-Eyed and Loveless" along with the outtake "A Small Cigar (orchestral version)" on 27 January 1976.

Background

Anderson explained the concept came from the turmoil of the rise of the punk movement, and was not meant to be autobiographical of him as an aging songwriter,

Concept

Originally intended to be a rock musical, the story would follow an aging and retired rock star named Ray Lomas - winning money in a 'Quizz' show, trying to commit suicide and waking up years later to find out that the grease fashion has returned. Although much of the album concept is only explained in the cartoons printed in the sleeves, there are changes in the plot or in details between the cartoons and the music.

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Rolling Stone complained about the "muddled story" of the album, saying that "Ian Anderson should stick to music, because he most definitely is not a storyteller." Nevertheless, the same review praised Anderson's skill at musical composition, and the guitar solos of Martin Barre.

Track listing

1976 original release

  • "A Small Cigar" originally appeared on the 1993 album Nightcap.
  • "Strip Cartoon" was first released as the b-side of the 1977 single "The Whistler" (from the Songs from the Wood album); it made its LP & CD debut on the 1988 box set 20 Years of Jethro Tull.

2015 40th Anniversary TV special edition

Personnel

;Jethro Tull

  • Ian Anderson – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, flute, harmonica, additional electric guitar and percussion
  • Martin Barre – electric guitar
  • John Evan – piano, keyboards
  • John Glascock – backing vocals, bass guitar
  • Barriemore Barlow – drums, percussion

;Additional musicians

  • Dee Palmer – saxophone (on track 5), Vako Orchestron, piano (on track 11)
  • Maddy Prior – backing vocals (on track 8)
  • Angela Allen – backing vocals (on tracks 2 & 7)

Orchestrations by Dee Palmer.

Orchestra conducted by Dee Palmer.

;Additional personnel

  • Robin Black – sound engineer
  • Michael Farrell – cover design, illustrations
  • David Gibbons – design, illustrations

Charts

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! Chart (1976)

! Peak<br/>position

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! scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)

| align="center"| 25

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! scope="row"| Danish Albums (Tracklisten

| style="text-align:center;"|10

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! scope="row"| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)

| align="center"| 26

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{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! Chart (2015)

! Peak<br/>position

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References

  • Jethro Tull - Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! (1976) album review by William Ruhlmann, credits & releases at AllMusic.com
  • Jethro Tull - Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! (1976) album releases & credits at Discogs.com
  • Jethro Tull - Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! (1976) album credits & user reviews at ProgArchives.com
  • Jethro Tull - Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! (1976) album review by vanderb0b at SputnikMusic.com
  • Jethro Tull - Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! (1976/2002 Remaster) album to be listened as stream at Play.Spotify.com
  • Jethro Tull - Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! (1976/2015 The TV Special Edition remixed by Steven Wilson) album to be listened as stream at Play.Spotify.com