Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! by Jethro Tull

Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!, a 1976 concept album by Jethro Tull

The album tells the story of Ray Lomas, an old rocker with an outdated appearance and lifestyle, who finds a return to fame after nearly dying in a horrific motorcycle accident.

It was originally written as a film soundtrack and conceived as a stage musical, but the film never saw the light of day.

The album, despite its initial nature, has an excellent structure. It's not a complex album; it's mostly rock songs, along with ballads and some Anderson-style acoustic numbers, but the songs are all beautiful, with excellent melodies, catchy, and easy to listen to.

"Quizz Kid," "Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll," "Too Young to Die!," "Salamander," "Pied Piper," and "The Checkered Flag" are my favorites; the others are also of good quality.

The saxophone solo emulated with the Vako Orchestron keyboards on From A Dead Beat To An Old Greaser is remarkable; it sounds like a real saxophone, at least to my ears.

And no, I confirm, it's not a prog album, but it's a record capable of stirring emotions and making listening a pleasure.

Of course, if we compare it to this band's masterpieces, there's no competition, but in my opinion it shouldn't be listened to in that light, using other albums as a point of comparison.

It's a beautifully played rock album with beautiful melodies.

It's an album that's penalized by its unusual cover art and peculiar title, which is often relegated to a lesser album, and it's certainly not one of their best works in the world of prog. But it certainly deserves to be part of a collection of the great Jethro Tulls. If you like good music, good old rock, masterfully played, listen to it!

Tracks
1. Quizz Kid (5:10)
2. Crazed Institution (4:48)
3. Salamander (2:52)
4. Taxi Grab (3:56)
5. From A Dead Beat To An Old Greaser (4:08)
6. Bad-Eyed and Loveless (2:12)
7. Big Dipper (3:38)
8. Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die (5:42)
9. Pied Piper (4:35)
10. The Checkered Flag (Dead or Alive) (5:24)
Running Time 42:25

The Lineup
- Ian Anderson - vocals, flute, electric and acoustic guitar, harmonica, percussion, producer
- Martin Barre - electric guitar
- John Evans - pianos, keyboards
- John Glascock - bass, backing vocals
- Barriemore Barlow - drums, percussion
With:
- David Palmer - arranger and conductor, saxophone solo emulated with the help of Vako Orchestron keyboards (5), piano (11)
- Angela Allen - backing vocals (2,7)
- Maddy Prior - backing vocals (8)