A Tull Interlude

A note. The next paragraph is one I wrote a while back, but what goes around, comes around, and as I am presently sat recuperating from a heavy-lifting night shift, awaiting the next one (which should be 'light duties only', but could become very dull) I thought I would post it to add context to my journal in these early days.

I like it here. I like it here in my flat, with my girlfriend. On my street. I like it when I've had a few days to get it together, and put my thoughts in good order, and have fresh thoughts. I like not thinking about work so much, even if I am still thinking about work 15 to 20% of the time, its not the 75% of the time which occurs at work, just before or just after work. I also don't think about drinking, "the stupid choices I have made" or any of the other notions that muddy the water on my lesser days.

"And it was a new day yesterday, but its an old day now".

The words below are the words I found to a Jethro Tull song I've never heard.

Tearing down in double quick time to get the "A" truck shifted 'bout midnight.
The locker rooms are empty but the strobo tuners still spin with their pitching lights.
And Someone with a yellow pass gives out precise directions as to where and when.
And earmarked with a drumstick, young girls set to rendezvous, and be recognized again.
Tomorrow is an off-day, be in Baltimore by Thursday is the only law.
There's a suite down at the hotel reserved for making merry with connecting doors.
The lighting man's already improvised a bar and printed invitations to the ball.
Off-duty cops line corridors wearing tour T-shirts proudly and the band may even call.

Crew nights, no flashlights or folding knives,
Best boots and road suits and nine lives.

Feeling that it might be wrong to temporarily belong to the P.A. man.
Some angel from the midwest is regretting being undressed with no suntan.
His polaroid a-snapping, the head carpenter is rapping on the gates of dawn.
Sitting lonely with a warm beer the girl with dental braces wishes that she hadn't gone.

Crew nights, no bar fights or 'Reader's Wives',
Thin walls and late calls and nine lives.
Crew nights, no flashlights or folding knives,
Best boots and road suits and nine lives.

And that does it for me. These are great lyrics, and I've done enough Rock and Roll to smile at this, from the comfort of my drug free, pasta-eating corner sofa. I can hear Ian Anderson's laughter in his voice. I found these words by accident on a Tull website. I really must track the actual song down.