Locomotive Breath Guitar Tab

		
		Ver 1 Ver 2 Ver 3 Ver 4 
	

Aqualung Tabs:

b - bending
. - palm muting
e--------------------------------|
b--------------------------------|
g--------------------------------|
D-9-9----12--7--9----------------|
A-7-7----10--5--7----------------|
E------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
. . . . . . .
5x, then
e--------------------------------------------------------------|
b--------------------------------------------------------------|
g--------------------------------------------------------------|
D-9-9----12--7--4----------------4-4----4--7--9----------------|
A-7-7----10--5--2----------------2-2----2--5--7----------------|
E------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
. . . . . . .                 . . . . . . .
e--------------------------------|
b--------------------------------|
g--------------------------------|
D-9-9----12--7--9----------------|
A-7-7----10--5--7----------------|
E------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
. . . . . . .
e---------------------------------------------------------------------|
b---------------------------------------------------------------------|
g---------------------------------------------------------------------|
D-9-9----12--7--12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-4-----|
A-7-7----10--5--10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-2-----|
E------------------------------------------------------0-0-0-0-0------|
. . . . . . .
Second Guitar
e---------------14b-14--14b-14--14b-14--16b-16--16b-16--16b-16-----|
b------------------------------------------------------------------|
g------------------------------------------------------------------|
D------------------------------------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------------------|
e----------------|
b----------------|
g----------------|
D-4-4----4--7--9-|
A-2-2----2--5--7-|
E----------------|

Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/j/jethro_tull/352793.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture Sic TransiT Wanna Be	#1 by Sic TransiT at Sep 28, 2007 at 7:00 AM EST
	i always thought this song was about a vietnam war vet who returns and its causes the downward spiral that everyone has been talking about.... but thats just me, i thougth that especially after hearing bungle in the jungle

No Picture DIPSY Lead Player	#2 by DIPSY (NOT THE TELETUBBIE) at Sep 28, 2007 at 6:22 PM EST
	18 here, and I have banned anything but rock from my truck, so if I am driving my friends somewhere they are forced to get an education about what good music really is. Anyways, I always got the impression that the train was about to crash with the all-time loser on it. His life is headed toward disaster, as he has just lost his wide and kids and death is coming for him. He has suffered in life, hence 'God has go him by the balls'. After that line he picks up the bible and reads from page one(Genesis), maybe to figure out why God wants him to suffer. What does 'locomotive breath' really mean? I think it is about how the breath that god breathed into everyone created us and the locomotive-like state that we live in.

No Picture brock Average	#3 by brock someone at Sep 28, 2007 at 6:32 PM EST
	I first heard of Jethro Tull on the bus on the way home from school, I was into The Allman brothers, and Richard Kelly was into..Tull. the year, 1972. The 'train' (Casey jones you better...watch your speed) is cocaine. Lococmotive breath=hyperventilation from too much blow, i.e. "Am I stil breathing?" It wasn't cool then to say "I like drugs" just like now. When Nixon found out the meaning behind "with a little help fom my friends" he denounced the Beatles. The details of this song aren't important, really..but draw your own conclusions.. feeling the piston scraping=an engine with no oil WILL blow up steam on the brow=perspiration from too much blow, too many times. The reference to 'train'=cocaine was very popular at the time..in the convenience stores they actually sold little canisters of 'fake' lemon and orange flavored white snuff..I remember it well, cokeheads used it for 'cut' The Grateful Dead had a hit at that time, Ridin that train. the best reference in this song is the part about NO way to slow down... a clear reference to addiction=no way to slow down anybody ever try to cut back on an addcition..it doenst work you have to quit. Ian Anderson liked drug and vagabond songs. very few pedophile references, but Ian didnt care..

No Picture skater-boy Rhythm Player	#4 by skater-boy at Sep 29, 2007 at 5:18 AM EST
	I think it's about death in a sense, but more specifically the character here is so demoralized and burned by life that he turns to religion for a way out (the "Gideon's Bible) reference. Just another way to try to stop the train we're all on.

No Picture richard Wanna Be	#5 by richard jones at Sep 30, 2007 at 2:01 AM EST
	I love this song. I too find that today's music falls far short of satisfactory. "Todays's music ain't got the same soul, I like that old time rock and roll.

No Picture *Lee Average	#6 by Lee at Sep 30, 2007 at 10:35 AM EST
	This is a great song. The song is telling about a man who is a loser in a death spiral. He loses his wife and kids. As he rides this 'train' to his inevitable death, there is no way to slow down.

No Picture Luke Rhythm Player	#7 by Luke Williams at Oct 1, 2007 at 3:01 AM EST
	classicrockteen, you are awesome. Don't let anyone discourage you from good music. I'm merely 19 and I understand what it's like to be the only kid listening to Jethro Tull while driving to school.

No Picture Jordan Average	#8 by Jordan Alley at Oct 3, 2007 at 1:28 AM EST
	You guys are right. It beats the hell out of today's "Power Chord formula" as I call it, which is playing a couple loud power chords over some repetitive, dumb lyrics. No guitar solos or interesting bass parts. How about you sing about something deep or remotely meaningful? Don't even get me started on rap... Anyway, 17 here, and me and my friends love the Zep, Rush (obviously), Floyd, etc. And Tull. It's nice to see more people my age that feel the same.

No Picture RTBM Professional	#9 by RTBM at Oct 3, 2007 at 11:19 PM EST
	thats not even funny so why say lol?

No Picture Andreas Average	#10 by Andreas Naesstrom at Oct 6, 2007 at 3:49 AM EST
	Hmm I'm not good at at figuring out meanings so listen to ^ them on that department, but just thought I'd say...younger music listeners are missing out these days, I'm 16 and can proudly say Jethro Tull is on my top 5 list of best bands ever...

No Picture AnToNiA Wanna Be	#11 by AnToNiA at Oct 6, 2007 at 1:38 PM EST
	haha, not me. im 17, but i've converted most of my friends too! but the lyrics appear a bit screw up here: here we have "God He stole the handle and", but on my Aqualung cd i can hear either "i thank god, he stole the handle and" or possibly in light of some of these comments it could be "i think god, he stole the handle and". just piqued my interest there.