Jethro Tull - Dark Ages Lyrics

The very heavy production adds to the menace of the album. The drums, bass and guitar literally attack you through the speakers.

When the best song of your favourite band should be the best song of all times Dark Ages as a fair Chance to be it.

Darlings are you ready for the long winter's fall?
Said the lady in her parlor
Said the butler in the hall

Is there time for another?
Cried the drunkard in his sleep
Not likely
Said the little child. What's done
The Lord can keep

And the vicar stands a-praying
And the television dies
As the white dot flickers and is gone
And no-one stops to cry

Chorus:
Dark Ages
Shaking the dead
Closed pages
Better not read
Cold rages
Burn in your head

The big jet rumbles over runway miles
That scar the patchwork green
Where slick tycoons and rich buffoons
Have opened up the seam
Of golden nights and champagne flights
Ad-man overkill
And in the haze
Consumer crazed
We take the sugar pill


Jagged fires mark the picket lines
The politicians weep
And mealy-mouthed
Through corridors of power on tip-toe creep
Come and see bureaucracy
Make its final heave
And let the new disorder through
While senses take their leave

Families screaming line the streets
And put the windows through
In corner shops
Where keepers kept
The country's life-blood blue
Take their pick
And try the trick
With loaves and fishes shared
And the vicar shouts
As the lights go out
And no-one really cares

As spine chillingly great in 2019 as it was in 1979. Thanks Ian, Martin, Dave and all the great band mates of that Tull of a decade!

There are so many great JT alumni. Clive Bunker, Barriemore Barlow, Dave Pegg, John Glascock, of course John Evan, Glenn Cornick.... it reads like a fantasy rock band list.

Margaret Thatcher,Margaret Thatcher look at the way she is looking at ya

5:25 DAMN

The best one minute in progressive rock history 5:25

UHFCH23 Absolutely agree!!!

For sure...didn't John Glascock play bass on 3 tracks ?...Ian took over for the rest because Glascock was sick .

i know! what a riff!

@stephen brown Yes, Glascock recorded only three tracks (but rehearsed all) plus many of the bonus, except King Henry (Dave Pegg). He was seriously ill and sadly died shortly after.

wish i knew what the song is saying

Darlings are you ready for the long winter's fall?
Said the lady in her parlor
Said the butler in the hall.
Is there time for another?
Cried the drunkard in his sleep.
Not likely
Said the little child. What's done
The Lord can keep.
And the vicar stands a-praying.
And the television dies
As the white dot flickers and is gone
And no-one stops to cry.
The big jet rumbles over runway miles
That scar the patchwork green
Where slick tycoons and rich buffoons
Have opened up the seam
Of golden nights and champagne flights
Ad-man overkill
And in the haze
Consumer crazed
We take the sugar pill.
Jagged fires mark the picket lines
The politicians weep
And mealy-mouthed
Through corridors of power on tip-toe creep.
Come and see bureaucracy
Make its final heave
And let the new disorder through
While senses take their leave.
Families screaming line the streets
And put the windows through
In corner shops
Where keepers kept
The country's life-blood blue.
Take their pick
And try the trick
With loaves and fishes shared
And the vicar shouts
As the lights go out,
And no-one really cares.

Dark Ages
Shaking the dead
Closed pages
Better not read
Cold rages
Burn in your head.

@Juliana Brown Very funny JB

Every song on this album is masterful, oh but wait, that's the case with all Tull albums!

correct!

Not bad, considering the massive strain the band was under with Glascock's failing health. What a send off by Barriemore Barlow. They steadily declined after this album, only glimpses of magic against sustained magic from 68 - 79.

Steffan Pila

Jethro Tull should released the unrelease 1979 live concert on CD entitled "Watchers Of The Storm" highlighting the impressive 1979 "Stormwatch" Tour. Who's with me on this unofficial live release?

Thank you, Pascual Sandvoal. They will probably release it towards the end of their career. Cheers!!!

Pretty sure they did. But they called it "Watcher of the Skies".

Wait...that was Genesis.

Wait for the 40th Anniversary Steven Wilson 5.1 remix later this year, they might have it on there, along with whatever outtakes and non-album tracks that were recorded during this period.

@Mr Grey i know this comment it is from 4 mouths ago lol but Jethro Tull said on their Instagram about the tracks of the Stormwatch Box Set and there will be one live cd and the same live cd but with a dvd live in  Live at Congreßgebouw,  Den Haag(i dont know what country is, but i think is Germany) recorded in 1980, maybe it can be the Watchers Of The Storm

One of the Greatest albums in the history of Music.