Jethro Tull’s ‘Locomotive Breath’ Explained [Video]

I love to make up my own interpretations of song lyrics, you know, to mold them around my own life experiences. But sometimes a song title perks you up and makes you say "what the heck?" Such is the case with Jethro Tull's 'Locomotive Breath'.

Come to find out, the song and title is a metaphor for a society seemingly out of control. According to the song's writer, Ian Anderson on SongFacts.com, the lyrics confront issues of commercialism, globalization, and over population.

Lyrics like 'The train it won't stop going. No way to slow down' suggests that we are a society hell bent on our own destruction. 'God he stole the handle and the train won't stop going. No way to slow down.' That powerful lyric was written back in 1971. Check out the great performance video of 'Locomotive Breath' below.

A song way ahead of it's time, about a problem that a breath mint isn't going to fix.