Τρία τραγούδια από ισάριθμους δίσκους της “επικής” περιόδου του γκρουπ. Ένα σούπερ μπλουζ από το Stand Up [1969], πρώτο τους εμπορικό breakthrough, ένα από το “βιβλικό” Aqualung [1971] και ένα τρίτο, από το σχετικά υποτιμημένο Benefit [1970].
Παρεμπιπτόντως, το ‘Inside’ μπορεί να μην είναι “το καλύτερο τραγούδι που έχει γράψει ο Ian Anderson”, για μένα ωστόσο αντιπροσωπεύει το απόγειο της ευψυχίας και της συναισθηματικής γενναιοδωρίας αυτού του ανθρώπου.
Ίσως γι’ αυτό είναι και το πιο αγαπημένο μου τραγούδι των JT.

Three songs from as many albums from the band’s “epic” period. A super blues from Stand Up [1969], their first commercial breakthrough, one from the “biblical” Aqualung [1971] and a third, from the relatively underrated Benefit [1970].
By the way, ‘Inside’ may not be “the best song Ian Anderson has ever written”, but to me it stands as a pinnacle of this man’s cheerfulness and emotional generosity.
Maybe for that reason it is my favorite JT song.

A NEW DAY YESTERDAY [00:00]
My first and last time with you
And we had some fun.
Went walking through the trees, yeah!
And then I kissed you once.
Oh I want to see you soon
But I wonder how.
It was a new day yesterday
But it’s an old day now.
Spent a long time looking
For a game to play.
My luck should be so bad now
To turn out this way.
Oh I had to leave today
Just when I thought I’d found you.
It was a new day yesterday
But it’s an old day now.

HYMN 43 [04:10]
Our Father high in heaven, smile down upon your son
Who is busy with his money games – his women and his gun
Oh Jesus save me
And the unsung western hero, he killed an Indian or three
And then he made his name in Hollywood to set the white man free
Oh Jesus save me
If Jesus saves, well he better save himself
From the gory glory seekers who use his name in death
Oh Jesus save me
If Jesus saves, well he better save himself
From the gory glory seekers who use his name in death
Oh Jesus save me
Well I saw him in the city, and on the mountains of the moon
His cross was rather bloody, and he could hardly roll his stone
Oh Jesus save me

INSIDE [07:27]
All the places I’ve been make it hard to begin
To enjoy life again on the inside, but I mean to.
Take a walk around the block
And be glad that I’ve got me some time
To be in from the outside,
And inside with you.
I’m sitting on the corner feeling glad.
Got no money coming in but I can’t be sad.
That was the best cup of coffee I ever had.
And I won’t worry about a thing
Because we’ve got it made,
Here on the inside, outside so far away.
And we’ll laugh and we’ll sing get someone to bring
Our friends here for tea in the evening
Old Jeffrey makes three.
Take a walk in the park, does the wind in the dark
Sound like music to you?
Well I’m thinking it does to me.
Can you cook, can you sew? Well, I don’t want to know.
That is not what you need on the inside, to make the time go.
Counting lambs, counting sheep
We will fall into sleep
And we awake to a new day of living
And loving you so.