M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull
M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull | ||||
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Compilation album by Jethro Tull | ||||
Released | 9 January 1976 | |||
Recorded | 1969–1975 | |||
Genre | Progressive rock | |||
Length | 43:17 | |||
Label | Chrysalis | |||
Jethro Tull chronology | ||||
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Singles from M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull, released in 1976, is the first proper greatest hits album by Jethro Tull. It spans the years 1969 to 1975. The earlier Living in the Past (1972) compilation mainly dealt with non-album material, but this album only features one previously unreleased song, "Rainbow Blues".
"M.U." in the album title stood for "Musician's Union",[4] which is probably a reference to the various musicians from different line-ups of the band appearing throughout the album.
It was later re-released as The Essential in 2003, with exactly the same song order, but a different album cover.
Track listing
- Side one
- "Teacher" (A, C, E, G, M) – 4:07 (alternative mix)
- "Aqualung" (C, E, H, I, J) – 6:34 (alternative mix, including the song's opening guitar riff played twice - previous US edits of the song began three seconds later, with the second playing of the riff)
- "Thick as a Brick Edit #1" (B, E, H, M, R) – 3:01 (The first three minutes of "Thick as a Brick, Part One")
- "Bungle in the Jungle" (B, E, H, M, R) – 3:34
- "Locomotive Breath" (C, E, H, I, J) – 4:23 (alternate mix)
- Side two
- "Fat Man" (A, C, M) – 2:50
- "Living in the Past" (C, G, U) – 3:18
- "A Passion Play Edit #8" (B, E, H, M, R) – 3:28 ("Overseer Overture", which occurs about 8 minutes into "A Passion Play, Part Two")
- "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day" (B, E, H, M) – 4:02
- "Rainbow Blues" (B, E, H, M, R) – 3:37
- "Nothing is Easy" (A, C, G, M) – 4:23
Personnel
As mentioned and sorted on the back cover:
- Ian Anderson – flute, acoustic guitar, soprano saxophone, mandolin and voice
- Martin Barre – electric guitar and acoustic guitar
- (E) John Evan – piano, hammond organ, synthesizer and piano accordion
- (G) Glenn Cornick – bass guitar
- (H) Jeffrey Hammond – bass guitar
- (C) Clive Bunker – drums and percussion
- (B) Barriemore Barlow – drums and percussion
- (M) Recorded at Morgan Studios, London
- (I) Recorded at Island Studios, London
- (U) Recorded at Vantone Studio, West Orange, New Jersey
- (R) Engineered by Robin Black
- (J) Engineered by John Burns
- (A) Engineered by Andy Johns
- (P) 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975 Chrysalis Records
Production by Ian Anderson and Terry Ellis. Orchestrations arranged and conducted by Dee Palmer.
Art direction by OZ Studios. Designed by Eric Michelson.
Charts
Chart (1976) | Peak position |
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Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[5] | 31 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[6] | 25 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[7] | 24 |
UK Albums (OCC)[8] | 44 |
US Billboard 200[9] | 13 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[10] | Gold | 20,000^ |
Germany (BVMI)[11] | Gold | 250,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[12] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[13] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ "Jethro Tull singles".
- ^ M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull (1976) album review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, credits & releases at AllMusic.com
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
- ^ David Rees, Minstrels in the Gallery: A History of Jethro Tull, SAF Publishing. 1998.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4078a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Jethro Tull – M.U. - The Best Of Jethro Tull". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Jethro Tull Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Music Gold Record Award – Jethro Tull". 20 April 2023.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Jethro Tull; 'M.U. - The best of Jethro Tull')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- ^ "British album certifications – Jethro Tull – M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull". British Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "American album certifications – Jethro Tull – M.U. - The Best Of Jethro Tull". Recording Industry Association of America.
External links
- M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull (1976) album review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, credits & releases at AllMusic.com
- M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull (1976) album releases & credits at Discogs.com
- M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull (1976) album credits & user reviews at ProgArchives.com
- M.U. - The Best of Jethro Tull (1976) album to be listened as stream at Play.Spotify.com
- v
- t
- e
- Ian Anderson
- David Goodier
- John O'Hara
- Scott Hammond
- Jack Clark
- Mick Abrahams
- Clive Bunker
- Glenn Cornick
- Tony Iommi
- Martin Barre
- John Evan
- Jeffrey Hammond
- Barriemore Barlow
- John Glascock
- Dee Palmer
- Dave Pegg
- Mark Craney
- Eddie Jobson
- Gerry Conway
- Peter-John Vettese
- Paul Burgess
- Doane Perry
- Don Airey
- Maartin Allcock
- Andrew Giddings
- Dave Mattacks
- Jonathan Noyce
- Florian Opahle
- Joe Parrish
- This Was
- Stand Up
- Benefit
- Aqualung
- Thick as a Brick
- A Passion Play
- War Child
- Minstrel in the Gallery
- Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!
- Songs from the Wood
- Heavy Horses
- Stormwatch
- A
- The Broadsword and the Beast
- Under Wraps
- Crest of a Knave
- Rock Island
- Catfish Rising
- Roots to Branches
- J-Tull Dot Com
- The Jethro Tull Christmas Album
- The Zealot Gene
- RökFlöte
- Bursting Out
- Live at Hammersmith '84
- A Little Light Music
- Jethro Tull in Concert
- Living with the Past
- Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970
- Aqualung Live
- Live at Montreux 2003
- Live at Madison Square Garden 1978
- Live at Carnegie Hall 1970
- Living in the Past
- M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull
- Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II
- Original Masters
- 20 Years of Jethro Tull: Highlights
- Nightcap
- The Best of Jethro Tull – The Anniversary Collection
- Through the Years
- The Very Best Of
- The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull
- The Essential
- 50 for 50
- Slipstream
- 20 Years of Jethro Tull
- 25th Anniversary Video
- Living with the Past
- A New Day Yesterday
- Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970
- Live at Montreux 2003
- Jack in the Green
- Live at Madison Square Garden 1978
- Live at AVO Session Basel
- Around the World Live
- "Sunshine Day"
- "A Song for Jeffrey"
- "Love Story"
- "Living in the Past"
- "Bourée"
- "Sweet Dream"
- "The Witch's Promise"
- "Teacher"
- "Aqualung"
- "Cross-Eyed Mary"
- "Mother Goose"
- "Hymn 43"
- "Locomotive Breath"
- "Life Is a Long Song"
- "Bungle in the Jungle"
- "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day"
- "Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die"
- "The Whistler"
- "Songs from the Wood"
- "Heavy Horses"
- "Dun Ringill"
- Discography
- Members
- A Billion Hands Concert
- The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus
- A Classic Case
- Thick as a Brick 2
- Jethro Tull – The String Quartets
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