Since the 1960s, British progressive rock band Jethro Tull has pushed the technical and compositional boundaries of rock music by infusing its musical output with traditions drawn from classical, folk, jazz, and world music. The release of Thick as a Brick (1972) and A Passion Play (1973) won the group legions of new followers and topped the Billboard charts in the United States, among the most unusual albums ever to do so. Tim Smolko explores the large-scale form, expansive instrumentation, and complex arrangements that characterize these two albums, each composed of one continuous song. Featuring insights from Ian Anderson and in-depth musical analysis, Smolko discusses the band's influence on popular culture and why many consider Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play to be two of the greatest concept albums in rock history.

Preface
Acknowledgements
1: Providing a Context for Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play
2: Galliards and Lute Songs: The Influence of Early Music in Jethro Tull
3: Geared Toward the Exceptional Rather than the Average: The Album Cover and Lyrics of Thick as a Brick
4: The Music of Thick as a Brick: Form and Thematic Development
5: The Music of Thick as a Brick: Other Features
6: The Château d'Isaster Tapes and the Album Cover and Lyrics of A Passion Play
7: The Music of A Passion Play
8: Monty Python, Reception, and Live Versions
Conclusions
Epilogue: Whatever Happened to Gerald Bostock?
Appendix 1: The Complete Lyrics to Thick as a Brick
Appendix 2: The Complete Lyrics to A Passion Play
Appendix 3: Analysis of the Instrumental Passages
Notes
Bibliography
Index