Jethro Tull – The Witch’s Promise b/w Teacher Chrysalis WIP6077 1969
Holding this 7” single, 40 years old now, still gives me a thrill. It was Jethro Tull’s sixth single release and was to be their biggest-ever hit. This was the Tull transforming from a blues band into a new folk-rock-blues-prog creature. With flute to the fore and codpieces aloft, it remains instantly recognisable and wonderfully unique music
The photos on the front and back are taken by Tony Loew at the Fillmore West, San Francisco, which just adds to the period excitement for me. And what a great cover photo it is, capturing the dynamism of Ian Anderson in a blizzard of hair.
Witch’s Promise is an evocative number based around a skipping flute riff. It peaked at four in the UK charts but made no impression in USA. The reverse side is every bit as good, carved out of a granite blues riff.
It’s only a total of 8 minutes and 45 seconds of music but even 40 years on, it’s 8 minutes 45 seconds that still satisfies and, as was the fashion at the time, neither track was on an album, so if you missed buying the single you had to wait for these tracks to crop up on 1972’s Living In The Past compilation.
If you’ve got a mint copy, it’ll be worth at least £12.
JN
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