"Crossfire"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

'A' (1980); 'A' Remastered (2004); All The Best (2012); 'A': The 40th Anniversary A La Mode Edition (2021)
Bootlegs: Caught In The Crossfire (1980); The Pine Ian's Jig (1980); A-OK 2/5/1981 (1981)

Spring light in a hazy May and a man with a gun at the door
Someone's crawling on the roof above, all the media here for the show
I've been waiting for our friends to come, like spiders down ropes to free-fall
A thirty round clip for a visiting card, admit one to the embassy ball
Caught in the crossfire on Princes Gate Avenue, in go the windows and out go the lights
Call me a doctor, fetch me a policeman, I'm down on the floor in one hell of a fight
I'm just a soul with an innocent face, a regular boy dressed in blue
Conducting myself in a proper way as befitting the job that I do
They came down on me like a ton of bricks, swept off my feet, knocked about
There's nothing for it but to sit and wait for the hard men to get me out
Caught in the crossfire on Princes Gate Avenue, in go the windows and out go the lights
Call me a doctor, fetch me a policeman, I'm down on the floor in one hell of a fight
Calm reason floats from the street below and the slow fuse burns through the night
Everyone's tried to talk it through, but they can't seem to get the deal right
Somewhere there are Brownings in a two-hand hold, Cocked and locked, one up the spout
There's nothing for it but to sit and wait for the hard men to get me out
Caught in the crossfire on Princes Gate Avenue, in go the windows and out go the lights
Call me a doctor, fetch me a policeman, I'm down on the floor in one hell of a fight



"Fylingdale Flyer"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

'A' (1980); 'A' Remastered (2004); 50 For 50 (2018); 'A': The 40th Anniversary A La Mode Edition (2021)
Bootlegs: A-OK 2/5/1981 (1981)

Through clear skies tracking lightly from far down the line, no fanfare, just a blip on the screen
No quick conclusions now, everything will be fine, short-circuit glitsch and not what it seems
Fylingdale Flyer, you're only half way there, green screen liar, for a second or so we were running scared
On late shift, feeling drowsy eyes glued to the display, dead cert alert, lit match to the straw
One last quick game of bowls, we can still win the day, fail-safe, forget the things that you saw
Fylingdale Flyer, you're only half way there, green screen liar, for a second or so we were running scared
They checked the systems through and they read A-O.K., some tiny fuse has probably blown
Sit back, relax and soon it will just go away, keep your hands off that red telephone
Fylingdale Flyer, you're only half way there, green screen liar, for a second or so we were running scared
Fylingdale Flyer, you're only half way there, green screen liar, for a second or so we were running scared



"Working John, Working Joe"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

'A' (1980); 'A' Remastered (2004); Songs From The Wood: The 40th Anniversary Country Set Edition (2017); 'A': The 40th Anniversary A La Mode Edition (2021)
Bootlegs: The Pine Ian's Jig (1980)

When I was a young man (as all good tales begin), I was taught to hold out my hand
And for my pay I worked an honest day and took what pittance I could win
Now I'm a working John and I'm a working Joe, and I'm doing what I know
For God and the Economy, big brother watches over me
And the state protects and feeds me and my conscience never leaves me
And I'm loyal to the unions who protect me at all levels
And as I grew, the winds of fortune blew and the bank smiled down upon me
And mortgaged to the hilt, I threw the breeze of caution behind me
Now I'm a working John and I'm a working Joe, and I'm good at what I know
And God and the Economy, have blessed me with equality
Now I'm equal to the best of you and better than the rest of you
Who would criticise my success in times of national unrest
Now I own my horseless carriage in its central-heated garage
And I commute eighty miles a day, up at seven to make it pay
I direct ten limited companies with seeming consummate expertise
Two ulcers and a heart disease, a trembling feeling in both knees
And I'm a working John and I'm a working Joe, and I'm doing what I know
For God and the Economy, big brother watches over me
And the state protects and feeds me and my conscience never leaves me
And I'm loyal to the unions who protect me at all levels
I'm a working John, yes, I'm a working Joe, I'm a working John, yes, I'm a working Joe



"Black Sunday"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

'A' (1980); 25 Years of Jethro Tull: Remixed Classic Songs (1993); 36 Greatest Hits (1998); 'A' Remastered (2004); 50 For 50 (2018); 'A': The 40th Anniversary A La Mode Edition (2021);
The Broadsword and The Beast: The 40th Anniversary Monster Edition (2023); Live In Berlin 1985 (2025)
Bootlegs: Philadelphia Live 1980 (1980); The Pine Ian's Jig (1980); A-OK 2/5/1981 (1981); Nostell Priory UK 08-24-1982 (1982); Capitol Theatre 10/28/84 (1984);
Jack In The Green: Live In Germany 1970-1993 (1993); London Fields (2023); Live In Berlin 1985 (2023)

Tomorrow is the one day I would change for a Monday, with freezing rains melting and no trains running
And sad eyes passing in windows flimsy and my seat rocking from legs not quite matching
Got passport, credit cards, a plane that I'm catching, Black Sunday falls one day too soon
The taxi that takes me will be moving too quickly, my suitcases simply too full for the closing
Of pants, shirts and kisses all packed in a hurry, two best-selling paper backs chosen at random
No sign of sales-persons to whom I might hand them, Black Sunday falls one day too soon
And down at the airport are probably waiting a few thousand passengers, overbooked seating
Time long suspended in transit-lounge traumas, connections broken and Special Branch waiting
Conspicuously standing in holiday clothing, Black Sunday falls one day too soon
Pick up my feet and kick off my lethargy, down to the gate with the old mood upon me
Get out and chase the small immortality, born in the minute of my next returning
Impatient feet tapping and cigarette burning, homecoming one day too soon
And back at the house there's a grey sky a-tumbling, milk bottles piling on door steps a-crumbling
Curtains all drawn and cold water plumbing, notepaper scribbles I read unbelieving
Saying how sorry, how sad was the leaving, one day too soon
Tomorrow is the one day I would change for a Monday, with freezing rains melting and no trains running
And sad eyes passing in windows flimsy and my seat rocking from legs not quite matching
Got passport, credit cards, a plane that I'm catching, Black Sunday fell one day too soon



"Protect and Survive"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

'A' (1980); 25 Years of Jethro Tull: Beacons Bottom Tapes (1993); 'A' Remastered (2004); Living With The Past (2002); 'A': The 40th Anniversary A La Mode Edition (2021)
Bootlegs: Caught In The Crossfire (1980); Philadelphia Live 1980 (1980); A-OK 2/5/1981 (1981); Live In Switzerland 2005 (2023)

They said protect and you'll survive, (but our postman didn't call)
8 lbs. of over-pressure wave, seemed to glue him to the wall, they said protect and you'll survive
E.M.P. took out the radio (and our milk-man didn't call)
Flash blinded by the pretty lights, didn't see his bottles fall or feel the warm black rain arrive
Big friendly cloud builds in the West (and our dust-men haven't called)
They left the dual carriageway at a hundred miles an hour, a tail wind chasing them away
And in deep shelters lurk below, sub-regional control
Who sympathise but cannot help to mend your body or your soul
Self-appointed guadians of the race with egg upon their face
When steady sirens sing all-clear, they pop up, find nobody here
And so I watch two new suns spin, (our paper man doesn't call)
Burnt shadow printed on the road, now there's nothing there at all, they said protect and you'll survive



"Batteries Not Included"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

'A' (1980); 'A' Remastered (2004); 'A': The 40th Anniversary A La Mode Edition (2021)
Bootlegs: Caught In The Crossfire (1980); Philadelphia Live 1980 (1980); The Pine Ian's Jig (1980); A-OK 2/5/1981 (1981)

Six o'clock in the morning, wake up by the bed, there sits a new Japanese toy, and I like it
See the name wrapping, can't read yet, but I know it's made for me (lucky boy), and I want it
Lights that flash, wheels that go round, digital display, fresh silicon chips to enjoy and I need them (where's the batteries?)
Sitting silent and empty, wish I could breathe life in my new friend who's terribly still, and I like him
Just like me, p'rhaps he's hungry, six volts make him smile, and twelve volts would probably kill, how I like him
Daddy, where's the batteries, I can't find my batteries (there's no batteries)
Seven o'clock in the morning, they find me by the bed with my friend the Japanese toy, I am with him
Mummy, daddy, can't see you, hear you, batteries not included in this little boy (where's my batteries?)



"Uniform"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

'A' (1980); 'A' Remastered (2004); 'A': The 40th Anniversary A La Mode Edition (2021)
Bootlegs: Caught In The Crossfire (1980); A-OK 2/5/1981 (1981)

See black, see yellow, with little notebooks drawn, see grey stripes bowling down the street
Silver streaks and T-shirts so precisely torn, strange foreign chaps in white bed-sheets, uniforms
See golden halo'd men of high renown, prance to the politicians' beat
Well tailored in unswerving elegance with shoes by Gucci on their feet, uniforms
How do you know who the hell you are? Wake up each day under a different star
Dressed to the nines, meet yourself going home like a clone, smartly dressed in your pressed uniform
White battle dress on green pitch, proud eleven, beneath the swelling box so neat
The teeming millions of the future fly, the spinning cricket ball to cheat, they're all uniform



"4.W.D. (Low Ratio)"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

'A' (1980); 'A' Remastered (2004); 'A': The 40th Anniversary A La Mode Edition (2021); Live: Bursting Out: The Inflated Edition (2024)

Met a man just the other day, said his name was Jim, boy, won't you take a look!
Got a car for you, it's a real steal, cleaned it right down, new brakes, clutch and here's the hook, yes, it's a 4.W.D. (low ratio)
Cash to Jim, I took it home through the deep mud, plugged happy as a boy in sand
Fitted wide tyres, spotlight, a winch as well and some brush bars up front to complete the plan, now it's really a 4.W.D. (low ratio)
Take you down to the edge of town where the road stops, we start to hold the ground
Well, I'm blessed! Got traction in a special way, hold the roll bar, slide back, feel me pull it round, let me show you my 4.W.D. (low ratio)



"The Pine Marten's Jig" (Instrumental)
music by Ian Anderson

'A' (1980); 'A' Remastered (2004); 'A': The 40th Anniversary A La Mode Edition (2021)
Bootlegs: Philadelphia Live 1980 (1980); The Pine Ian's Jig (1980); A-OK 2/5/1981 (1981)



"And Further On"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

'A' (1980); 'A' Remastered (2004); 'A': The 40th Anniversary A La Mode Edition (2021)

We saw the heavens break and all the world go down to sleep
And rocks on mossy banks drip acid rain from craggy steeps
Saw fiery angels kiss the dawn, wish you goodbye till further on, will you still be there further on?
And troubled dynasties, like legions lost, have blown away
Hounds hard upon their heels, call to their quarry, wait and play
Before the last faint light has gone, wish you goodbye till further on, will you still be there further on?
The angry waves grow high, cut icy teeth on northern shores
Brave fires that flicker, cough, give way to winds through broken doors
And with the last line almost drawn, wish you goodbye till further on, will you still be there further on?