Another Christmas Song (Jethro Tull
from the album Rock Island
Hope everybody's ringing on their own bell
, this fine morning.
Hope everyone's connected to that long distance phone
Old man, he's a mountain
Old man, he's an island
Old man he's a walking says
"I'm going to call, call all my children home."
Hope everybody's dancing to their own drum
, this fine morning --
the beat of distant Africa
or a Polish factory town
Old man, he's calling for his supper
Calling for his whiskey
Calling for his sons and daughters
, yeah --
calling all his children
are tuned to the drones and chanter
Mist blowing round some headland, somewhere in your memory.
Everyone is from somewhere
even if you've never been there.
So take a minute
the part of you
that might be the old man calling me.
How many wars
you fighting out there, this fine winter's morning?
Maybe there's always time for another Christmas song
Old man is asleep now.
s to keep now.
of his sons and daughters, and proving --
proving that the blood is strong
The song begins with three wishes that are normally associated with Christmas.
- Ringing of (church) bells
- Talking to relatives
- The beating of a drum
In western society
, Christmas has become the singular most important holiday for the celebration
. It is a time when all the family gathers at one place.
The winter solstice holidays are a time through all cultures and religions when people look back at their history and culture. "Everyone is from somewhere - even if you've never been there. So take a minute to remember the part of you that might be the old man calling me."
Christmas is often a time when cease fires are called in disputes all across the world. Throughout the song, a request for peace and harmony echos. "Maybe it's always time for another Christmas song." Maybe it should always be a time when
cease fires are called?
In several other songs by Ian Anderson, the phrase "Old Man" is often used to denote God. Rereading the lyrics with that view of who the "Old Man" is brings a different meaning to the core of the song.