Speaking of Tull's "Benefit" album -- anyone know what the heck the meaning of this song is?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by john lennonist, Nov 26, 2013.

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  1. john lennonist

    john lennonist There ONCE was a NOTE, PURE and EASY... Thread Starter

    Originally on the UK LP... replaced on the U.S. copy by the song "Teacher":

    "Alive And Well And Living In"

    Nobody sees her here, her eyes are slowly closing.
    If she should want some peace, she sits there, without moving,
    and puts a pillow over the phone.
    And if she feels like dancing no one will know it.
    Giving herself a chance there's no need to show her how it should be.

    She can't remember now when she was all in pieces.
    She's quite content to sit there listening to what he says.
    How he didn't like to be alone.
    And if he feels like crying she's there to hear him.
    No reason to complain and nothing to fear, they always will be...

    :confused:
     
  2. tootull

    tootull Looking through a glass onion

    Location:
    Canada
    Alive And Well And Living In

    • This is one of the 4 great love songs from Benefit, written for Jenny (the others being "With You There To Help Me", "To Cry You A Song" and "Inside"). This one has Jenny at home alone, while Ian is away, presumably on tour, but desperate to get home - see the afore mentioned songs. It is one of the very few songs in which Anderson shows any vulnerability:"She's quite content to sit there listening to what he says,how he didn't like to be alone.And if he feels like crying, she's there to hear him."The title comes from a figure of speech that was quite common back then, e.g. "Che Guevara is alive and well and living in Havanna". Could also be a pun - alive and well and living in, as in inside as (opposed to outside - see the lyrics to "Inside").* Matthew Korn

    • This one could possibly be about Ian's mother. One thing for sure, it is a sensitive portrait of a woman who is trying to hold herself together while her life is falling apart: "Nobody sees her there, her eyes are slowly closing. If she should want some peace, she sits there, without moving, and puts a pillow over the phone."There is emphasis on the isolation that she lives in, as well as her need to sublimate her own feelings: "And if she feels like dancing, no one will know it."She is stifled by the control that her husband, who is emotionally needy, exerts over her: "She's quite content to sit there listening to what he says, how he doesn't like to be alone. And if he feels like crying, she'd better hear him."Also, there is an indication that the situation will not change: "No reason to complain and nothing to fear, they always will be."* Julie Hankinson
    http://www.cupofwonder.com/benefit1.html#alive
     
    Bob M likes this.
  3. tootull

    tootull Looking through a glass onion

    Location:
    Canada
    From Benefit 2013
    [​IMG]
     
  4. Lonson

    Lonson I'm in the kitchen with the Tombstone Blues

    A great tune, imo. And great lyrics too. I like the ambiguity and the mood.
     
  5. steve722

    steve722 Forum Resident

    Regardless of what the Tull guys say about it, it's always been one of my favorites.
     
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