Jethro Tull - Radio Free Moscow Lyrics

Jethro Tull you kick ass

Try to find a new apartment they don't grow on trees

Lap of luxury good good song

Jethro Tull good band Kick-Ass

Debbie Harry without make up.

Who's Martin Barre?

For a second I thought I saw Terry the chef from Fawlty Towers in the car.

This video and song are both a humongous pile of shit. I remember Tull winning heavy metal artist of the year for this album. It was a joke.

80's cokeheads loved this thingy!

OK.This is a great song from a great album.Just this is NOT Jethro Tull!

The tull trying to get down with the kidz

Can you believe Ian was only 37 here? He looks like he's about 50.

I hope some day you'll find me
In the lap of luxury

Seems all my favorite rock bands put out a lot of CRAP in the first 6 years of the 1980's - MacCartney- Tull -Floyd - Clapton -Grateful Dead- All of them sucked it up in the 1980's why? who knows- they kinda pulled out of it by 1989

what a versatile multi-talented band!

Ian probably saw how much money his old contemporaries Genesis and Yes were making in the 80s after their conversion into MTV pop bands, so I guess he decided to try to go down that route...didn't work for him.

what a versatile facile band!! they are timeless and they sound good in any era!!

I've been guessing at who sang this somg forever, & today I found out! Thank you for posting this. ✴

He reminds me of Ben Fulford

i used to think this is trash. i was so wrong.sorry tull.

There must have been a helluva lot of massaging and weighting of all the music and sound effects to get them to fit in together so well. Under Wraps is a technical masterpiece.

Not a lot of dislikes and in the comments section, there is a lot of comments saying negative stuff.


Horrible song from an excellent band.

I remember when this record was released that I hated this album but gradually it grow on me and now I simply love it and I very much agree with Brad Bridges review (just view it on YouTube). One thing I learnt from being a Jethro Tull fan is that you have to come back to the albums without any previous references e.g. you cannot relate to Aqualung when you for the first time digest Thick as Brick because then you will be disappointed. You simply have to review all Ian Anderson’s productions without any older references or preconceptions! Furthermore, I did not like Songs from the Wood and Heavy Horses because my reference at that time was Minstrel in the Gallery but now I love those records. A true Tull fan has to be very open minded with Ian Anderson’s whims and I very often come back to Under Wraps and I surprise myself knowing all the lyrics :-).

Agree - all of Tull's albums are great in their own right in my opinion; they're all just very different. It's best to listen to the songs for what they are. Some Tull albums are easy first listens and some aren't. This album took me a long time to get used to like Aqualung and Broadsword and the Beast.

Anderson sold out on under wraps album

Is this what rich people listen too?

A great track in an otherwise bad era for Jethro Tull

GREAT ALBUM!.................and laughing in the lap of luxury!

Album of train-wreck bad proportions. Horrible.

This song could have been an awesome tune...sadly it was polluted with too much 80s synth. Broadsword is a great example of what Tull COULD have been if they continued to use 80s synth to complement the songs rather than dominate.

According to Martin Barre, Peter-John Vetesse was a large influence on this album and Broadsword and the Beast.

Absolutely

I believe I first found out about this song in Metal Gear Solid 5 (31 years later - talk about living under a rock), you could find a cassette playing it, just like many of the singles popular in 1984. Thinking I missed out on a hit single by one of my favorite new wave bands, imagine my expression when the truth was revealed.

Jonathan BarSela Wait, this song is in MGS 5?

yikes, just...yikes.

Synth-pop from someone who doesn't get and has nothing to do with synth-pop. That's the only explanation I can think of for how tuneless, obnoxious, and really painfully horrible this album is. I know it was 1984, but did Ian really have to do this? Not a single song can even sustain a hook for its entire runtime, I swear. If someone actually wants to sit through this and try to prove me wrong, be my guest. Whatever shitty melody there is disappears halfway through. 

ezioupyourass personally, I think Under Wraps is wonderfully inventive and streets ahead of most "synth pop" albums.

ezioupyourass of course your entitled to your opinion,...I really enjoyed this album,...it’s imagery,...lyrics are fantastic,..and yes I have about 16 Tull albums,..the fact Ian and all the different lineups,....kept it going during a rough time ,.,.for all the late 60s and early 70s bands,..how can you not like it?

This is a really polarising album. Some hate it while others have grown to like it. I reckon, for some, it's the discordant clash between standard JT rock sounds and instruments being blended with smooth New Wave synth-rock. The human mind doesn't know how to interpret the blend, so some reject it. People who like to get out of their comfort zone probably like it.

Believe it or not, this is Martin Barre's favorite Tull album. I know that because he told me so when I interviewed him back in 1988 on their 20th anniversary tour. He has confirmed it in numerous interviews since then. He thought it was a very easy, problem-free album to record and it was the most enjoyable experience he had doing a Jethro Tull album. I was as surprised as anybody to hear it but he didn't even hesitate when I asked him the question. In any event, Ian himself is aware of the mechanical feel the drum machine lends to this whole album and he has mused (semi-seriously) in the past about having Doane Perry re-record the drum parts. Not going to happen. :-) For what it's worth, the musicians among you who've worked with drum machines (as I have) know how difficult it is to program them to produce anything even approaching realism, and imagine how much more so when they were brand new in the early 1980s. Doane Perry has said in interviews that he thinks Ian Anderson is the finest drum machine programmer he has encountered.

Re: "Under Wraps" - your mileage may vary. It's certainly not the strongest songwriting of the band's career but "Lap Of Luxury" was a perfectly serviceable 1980s rock single. If they hadn't dipped at least one toe into the pool of 1980s electronics that was dominating pop music at the time then Jethro Tull would have become completely irrelevant instead of mostly irrelevant. Pop music is all about changing fashion trends no less than clothing is. It's a rare band indeed that can stay above the changing sonic fads from year to year and keep cranking out the same style of songs without connecting in any way with the prevailing sounds and technologies. Plus Jethro Tull sounds so different from album to album anyway that it's hardly surprising, looking back, that their production when in the direction that "A," "Under Wraps," and much of "The Broadsword and The Beast" did.

I still listen to "European Legacy" and "Under Wraps #2." And maybe someday good old Doane Perry WILL re-record those drum parts.  ;-)

+David Gaines I think it's a good concept album especially when reduced to the original LP track listing. The extra tracks leave it too long and unfocused.

+bryede My thoughts exactly.

David Gaines , I know I am in the minority here, but I love this album. I,think the songwriting is strong, and the songs melodious. The music sounds of its time, but gives variety to Tull' sound. I like the extra tracks on cassette and CD versions. Read the lyrics in order, they tell a very definite story very well indeed, if you wish to read the lyrics that is.
casttgaegoaktd

The 80s (sigh....)  Prog's fire had been doused by punk, and the great, sharp experimenters of the 70s could only play wannabe pop stars.  Genesis, Yes, Tull, all these great innovators and imaginative, spiritual creators sank into smarmy pap.  It makes one wonder what their real motives were, especially as the avant-prog wing largely managed to stay alive and vibrant, if underground, during this drought of creativity.  

@kumiko117 Pink Floyd did as well when A Momentary Lapse of Reason hit (there was a drum machine on some songs which sounded like a real drummer).

This song was the album opener trying to be radio friendly - quite a common thing on Tull albums. Most stuff on Under Wraps is as progressive as it can be, exploring the new instruments at the time, and with probably the most energetic singing in Anderson's career.

kumiko117 "Drought of creativity." Drama queen. Lmfao

That should have been the first half of the 80s. Starting from 1987, Tull reverted back to a more rock-based prog with Crest of a Knave and Rock island in 1989. The New Wave movement was very strong in the early 80s. It just eclipsed everything around it; a lot of bands probably thought they had to adopt some synth or perish. Maybe Ian's, like Genesis's, motivation was to stay in business by continuing to sell records.

Well in the case of Genesis they were not "wannabe" pop stars, they were actual pop stars. Genesis were much bigger in the 80s than they ever were in the 70s (even though their 70s material is light years better). Yes also did manage to have a brief moment of genuine pop stardom with Owner of a Lonely Heart. But no one was having Tull's attempt at 80s pop stardom.

It's like Jethro Tull as everyone loves and knows it was dropped into a New Wave blender and set to "MOR - Extra strong"

Was there a single band that the 80s didn't ruin??????

Maybe Neil Young, but even he got weird, albeit on his own terms.

ballaballapo lol..I was just going to say that. Although it didn't ruin Yes either.

I love JT but this must be their worst track ever! Sorry.

Tull has always done things on their own terms. It's a shame they're gone now.

Ian Anderson only dropped the old band name and carries on.

@NuntiusLegis Yeah, but he seriously needs to stop trying to sing in the vocal range of the old songs. He needs to transpose everything to a lower key and try singing in a lower register. He's kind of embarrassing himself and tarnishing his legacy with his horrible vocals.

Great song.

Love it!!!! Nice Vid!!!!!!!!

Embarrassing. I'm sure they hate it themselves :/

Ahhh, the old controversial electronic/synth-pop sound. But after all, it was the 80s and MTV. Why not?

Reminds me of a great time at 13 that lasted for a bit and faded.

I could actually like this song, if there was no drum machine and no synth. Seriously, I hate drum machines. I don't hate synths, but some parts are really horrible to me (like when it goes from intro to verse). Sounds like something you make in Guitar Pro. Ugh. I never thought the same band could release both Aqualung and Under Wraps.

When Ray Thomas retired from The Moody Blues, Ian actually wanted the job because The Moodies were one of his long time favorite bands. He got there just a little too late and they had filled the spot. But I've always wondered how he would have impacted MB material and new songs. Might have been really cool to have Ian Anderson doing flute for them...

I really like the chorus with the flute, but the rest of the song is really really... blargh

i dont know speak in english... ha

I saw them about a year ago-Ian's voice wasn't as strong as it once was, but it was still a brilliant concert. Songs such as Aqualung were really strained, but he was fine with gentler acoustic songs, and he can still play the flute whilst hopping around on one leg, and reduced the entire venue to tears of laughter with his sense of humour.

if you all want to stop Ian from singing because his voice is shot.....you better stop Ozzy first.....he has absolutely sucked for many many years...... Last time I saw Tull was 2003......Ian's vioice was getting weaker then...but the show was still amazing...don't know about after Giddings and Noyce left

What an awful moment in tull history.

I was 15 and had been into Tull since about 1976 (thank you big bro) - In 84, I was dating my first gf, and this still takes me back to that time where life was pretty cool
I now have a fantastic son of my own now, but I always love to flashback to this time

@Vampirebear13 I've seen Jethro Tull live loads of times from 1982 onwards and each time they've got progressively worse. Wake up and smell the coffee...Jethro Tull due mainly to Ian's voice problems now sound absolutely dreadful. Mind you though if people like you still enjoy listening to such awfulness then long may they continue!

@johnwolcot If you're gonna complain about JT's live performances you've OBVIOUSLY NEVER seen them live. I've seen @ least 1 show every tour since 94+they've all been amazing,Especially Ian's solo tour,which I saw @ the Toledo Art Museum.He performs like he's 25.

@MrsKevinsmith It's so nice to hear someone telling it as it really is. This Ian Anderson's voice business is like the Emperor's New Clothes. Everyone thinks he sounds absolutely dreadful but no one wants to admit it. I certainly don't think that Jethro Tull any longer offer value for money as a live touring band because of the fact that Ian sounds so bad. Yes they were fabulous in their day but now they have become a total embarrassment.

@9Salvio4 i love the 80s :D but its true that this here sounds a littlebit like ZZtop lol (except the voice), but listen to'' Broadsword and the Beast'' and u will see that JT made fantastic music in the 80s ,too

Well it was the eighties everyone over 20 was high on something so you couldnt go wrong.

Did you ever think why Martin Barre said this was his favorite album? Its because its widely considered to be their weakest. He wanted to show it some mercy. I could be wrong but i doubt it.

I hate 80s ..... I feel sorry for the Jethro Tull but in my opinion this song sucks.

any tull album is better than most of the crap being put out today, outrside of the blues musicians like myself who keep them alive and continue to honor the true masters, such as elmore james, willie dixon, howling wolf, etc

How did early Howard Stern get in there at 0:20?

Hey strawhouse65, it couldn't have been that line-up you met, the keyboard player you are talking about was Eddie Jobson, ex Roxy, Zappa, the keyboard player in this video is Peter-John Vettesse.

Under Wraps has some futile lyrics

such a guilty pleasure, haha!

No,it didn't. The album that followed, which was of course Crest Of A Knave, did that. And, like Ian said, Crest was not even the true reason, but the fact that Tull had been around for some time and had not won a Grammy yet.

I love JT and I think Under Wraps is a cracking album. JT are a progressive band, they need to do something a bit different now and then for them to evolve. This set them on the path to make Crest Of A Knave...and thats a really good album! Infact I think they're overdue for something slightly left of field again.

Well they kept a core ingredient intact - Ian's flute...

Shows he has a fine taste in oriental motoring...

Can we blame Ian for writing this honourable pop crap, just because before he brought us Passion Play, Thick as a brick and so many other terrific albums ?

Under Wraps is a great Tull album, with some great songs on it. The production was a bit weak though. I agree with Dave Pegg when hesaid they should have used a real drummer

"buy me a Datsun or Toyota"
probably the worst lyric Ian ever wrote
even worse than Kissing Willie

cuz he was fat back then =P
but props to him for losing all that weight!

Fylingdale Flyer is a really chilling song...

How true... I love Tull dearly, but even by their standards, this album had literally two decent songs, this and Under Wraps #2. I first heard UW#2 on a best-of and I thought the whole UW album was like that (acoustic stuff), holy crap was I wrong. I wouldn't slight even a Tull diehard for not owning this miserable thing.

An absolutely dreadful album. However, this song somehow gets away with it. Also Under Wraps 2 was just about ok.

Why is Martin Barre eating in every close up?

when was howard stern in the band?

Well this is a GREAT record but was recorded in a time that it seems everyone was more or less experimenting with this type of music be it right or wrong for them. Worked for the Tull

Ugh, Under Wraps is such a shitty album. Just computer generated noise. Anybody who enjoys it needs to STOP with the cocaine... Seriously.

I'm a major Jethro Tull fan, and this is probably one of the best songs they put out at that time...and the whole album! It's still a hard one to find...good job!!

I hadn't seen this one in about 20 years. "Under Wraps" is a hugely underrated Tull album and is one of my personal favorites. "Lap of Luxury" is a great song too. Thanks for sharing.