Song of the Day 11/17: Jethro Tull, “Hymn 43”

Jethro Tull might hold the unwelcome distinction of being the best band not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (a contested title, to be sure). I thought they’d be a no-brainer on the strength of 1971’s “Aqualung” alone, though perhaps voters aren’t all that fond of prog rock that rages against religious hypocrisy, no matter how much hard-rock ass it kicks. In Ian Anderson’s defense, he was all of 23 when he wrote the album. “Hymn 43,” he said at the time, “is a blues for Jesus, about the gory, glory seekers who use his name as an excuse for a lot of unsavoury things.”

This video pairs live footage with the LP audio. The sound is pretty crappy, but it’s a good approximation of how this went down in concert and demonstrates why Ian Anderson was considered one of the Wild Men of Rock.