Jethro Tull - Part Of The Machine Lyrics






Everybody's jumping on the circus train.
Some jump high, some jump off again.
And the razzmatazz is rolling, women folk unveiled.
All truths to light, all crosses nailed.
Aiming high where the eagle circles,
where he keeps his tail feathers clean.
And wonders "Am I still a free bird?
Or just a part of the machine".

They hitch their covered wagons and they roll out west.
Politics in the pockets of their Sunday best.
Shaking hands, kissing babies, for all that they're worth.
they promise you gold, promise heaven on earth.
Still, that old bald eagle circles,
it's not the first time that he's seen
his reflection in the eyes of innocence.
He's become just another part of the machine,
part of the machine.

I wish I had an eagle like you
to look up to.
He could be my wings to fly in a big bird sky
up above the whole machine.
Part of the machine.
Part of the machine.

Smart guys aren't running they're home and dry.
Up in the mountains where the eagle flies.
They wouldn't take that job offered on a plate.
They got to fly with the eagle, and he won't wait.
Looking down on the smoke and the factories
till the truth creeps up unseen.
They see themselves in the faces of their children
and realize they too are part of the machine.
Part of the machine.

I wish I had an eagle like you
to wake up to.
He could be my wings to fly
in a big bird sky, hey
let's be part of the machine.
Part of the machine. Part of the machine.
Part of the machine. Part of the machine.
Part of your machine. Part of your machine.
Part of your machine. Part of your machine.





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Jethro Tull Part Of The Machine Comments
  1. D.... T....

    32 years on from first hearing it still love it

  2. D.... T....

    Remember hearing this for the first time in 88 on the 20th box set. Still love listening to it.

  3. l.... ....

    Ian Anderson is the master! As an orchestra composer himself, he turned rock into another direction.....that of excellence! In the top 4 of all my favorite songs from Tull! Thanks for everyone here that told a friend to listen to this wonderful song!

  4. L.... B....

    Very appapros. I so love Jethro Tull!

  5. J.... L....

    Great song amongst their best!👍🏻

  6. D.... V....

    Mark Knopfler at the background ,) ? I dont think so : )

  7. d.... ....

    Such a timeless and yet perfectly timely song. One of my favorite Tull songs.

  8. R.... G....

    I believe Martin Alcock was in the band at this time. Miss him since his death. He's the most underrated of the previous band members.

  9. L.... ....

    The 16 thumbs down folks are part of the machine.

  10. y.... ....

    I will attest, this my first time hearing this song, but it won't be my last!

    y.... ....

    You'll be listening to this classical piece of music for years and years.......!

  11. O.... ....

    After hearing this track I expected something better than Rock Island as the next thing....

    O.... ....

    Orlando51 - Yeah, this track is just fantastic. It has a real spark, unlike Rock Island. RI is a bore from start to finish. I suspect the “heavy metal” thing persuaded them just to make a boring, middle-of-the-road 80s rock album.

  12. G.... N....

    Rimarrà sempre ,il migliore flautista magico al mondo . Ciao ♥PINO PINOSAXMUSIX.

  13. J.... B....

    Only Ian Anderson could blend an acoustic guitar,flute and a bouzouki with heavy riff - oriented electric guitar and make it sound this amazing. I had never heard this song before and they played it live at Pine Knob Music Theater north of Detroit. I was 6 rows from the stage and I was completely blown away by it. It sent chills up my spine. The girl I was with didn't really like Tull but after this song she turned to me and said " That was incredible ". ( BTW, a bouzouki is an 8 stringed instrument same as a mandolin tuned 1 octave lower than a mandolin).

    J.... B....

    it depends my friend! There is the "τριχορδο" bouzouki (it has 3 double strings) and the "τετραχορδο" bouzouki (the one with 4 double strings). Its speaker and shape is bigger than mandolin and its origin comes from the Turkish saz and midle eastern traditional organs. When Greeks where under the Ottoman rule they took a saz and changed its tuning, turks hearing the changed tone they called it buzuk (=broken) and greeks named it after that bouzouki! a small history trip thankyouverymuchseeyasendingmylove! :P

    J.... B....

    James Bowen Wow! Thanks for that! Amazing!

    J.... B....

    Earth Rocker never knew that .

  14. 2.... ....

    They made a huge mistake by leaving this off Crest of A Knave. There are 3 below-par songs on it (Midwinter, Waking Edge, and Raising Steam), so this could have replaced some of those. The instrumental section of this is killer!

    2.... ....

    I’ve since learned that this track was recorded in 1988- specifically for the 20 years box set. Still better than a good chunk of COAK!

  15. J.... A....

    Love it!

  16. M.... W....

    This could very well be my very favorite Tull track. Never gets old!

  17. L.... R....

    Enormes, enormes!!!...Tull en sus buenos tiempos.

  18. I.... A....

    You can clearly hear how Dire Straits were heavily influenced by Jethro Tull.

  19. J.... ....

    If only the 50th anniversary Tull boxset was as good as the one from which this song came ...

  20. P.... C....

    Awesome.

  21. C.... T....

    The Librarians love this

  22. F.... l....

    a very good and underapriciated piece kuk peace out

  23. T.... Y....

    Jethro Straits, Dire Tull

    T.... Y....

    Well you are in my mind

    T.... Y....

    It is fairly well known that Mark Knopfler is a fan of Martin Barre. Both are great in their own right. With both now on their own, it would be great to catch both of them together.

    T.... Y....

    Yeah you got dat sh! right!

  24. E.... D....

    Ian Anderson genial lindo magnífico. ...

  25. V.... C....

    Is Mark Knopfler singing and playing his guitar?

    V.... C....

    Er....NO

  26. E.... D....

    O Bruxo que toca Flauta é magnífico é genial é o grande menestrel.viva Jethro Tull expressão máxima da música.

  27. t.... ....

    this is formal rehersal for budapest

  28. r.... w....

    Oooowwwww......
    Magic

  29. L.... A....

    Jethro Tull is best band ever

    L.... A....

    Of course, the best band, ever, ever and ever.

    L.... A....

    Best in what,table tennis ?

  30. J.... F....

    my favorite Tull song !

  31. R.... r....

    Great Song !!!!

  32. E.... A....

    Magnifico Jethro Tull!!!..excelente su música

  33. S.... R....

    👍🎶⚙️

  34. C.... A....

    love this song!

  35. D.... A....

    me lembra um pouco mark knopfler

  36. P.... M....

    One of my favourite songs. Great talent

  37. R.... F....

    the most underrated one of all...what a master piece Ian ;) only for open hears and shining eyes....i don't want to be part of the machine!!!

  38. d.... v....

    Very good track,not many bands can play like this!

  39. t.... t....

    Another one of those songs that seem to leak through the cracks. Thanks for the post.

  40. A.... E....

    Uma banda que figura entre as melhores do mundo,inconfundível,insubstituível,inesquecível. GRANDE JETHRO TULL,eternamente.

    A.... E....

    Antonio Edilmar Do Carmo quando iam começa tocar o pranto chega aí se inicia a viagem

    A.... E....

    Falar oq Jethro Tull

    A.... E....

    Fui começar a ouvir essa banda com meus 30 e poucos anos. Simplesmente fantástico. Antes tarde do que nunca.

  41. P.... N....

    I have an underrated peice too haha well rated actually ?

  42. P.... N....

    the attic back then x me room now x with headphones fuck me great

  43. P.... N....

    from the shed haha

  44. B.... A....

    Unbeatable lyric and composition. No words do justice.

  45. O.... K....

    légendaire Ian Anderson.

  46. N.... ....

    I used the instrumental section on tape to test car audio systems in a big electronics store at the time. No doubt the best music ever played in that store.

  47. J.... W....

    It's a terrific song, timeless! Thanks for sharing this classic song.

    J.... W....

    ur dumb

    J.... W....

    F Larson, ur an idiot!

  48. D.... J....

    Cause WE are all just another part of the machine called Earth.

    D.... J....

    Which is Flat and Motionless......Peace !

  49. N.... T....

    A very good and underrated piece.

  50. W.... M....

    Nos anos 80 escutei uma canção do Jethro Tull e foi o bastante para nunca mais deixar de ouvir!

  51. D.... M....

    First proper gig I went to: Tull Birmingham NEC Crest of a Knave. Sent Ian a tape once, lovely bloke sent a reply, wasn't expecting that.

    D.... M....

    Me too, I think it was back in '97, maybe earlier. Excellent gig

    D.... M....

    Me too .. 1987

  52. J.... D....

    when this first came out on FM (rock 106 Spokane), the edited version was several minutes shorter... middle instrumental chopped, Great to hear the way it IS meant !
    - Jim

  53. m.... ....

    nope only rock band i know that ever used a flute or could make these folksy elfin wood sounding songs rock like tull

  54. T.... W....

    Scottland at it`s best.

    T.... W....

    Tomas William Tomerlin tull at its best

    T.... W....

    go kroatia

    T.... W....

    Brought up in Blackpool.....

  55. E.... B....

    Fluid.

  56. G.... d....

    Nice song, really!

  57. T.... W....

    Tull is the best.

    T.... W....

    i like drake more

    T.... W....

    Frankrike larsen
    Your kidding...Right ?

    T.... W....

    @bogen broom I sure hope so.

  58. T.... W....

    Sounds like the USA.

  59. D.... E....

    One of the best Tull songs ever. The whistle is superb. No one does this kind of thing anymore.... as if they ever did.

  60. A.... ....

    Excellence!

    A.... ....

    Am I dreaming?