Jethro Tull Debut ‘The Zealot Gene’ From First Album in 19 Years

Jethro Tull's first album in 18 years, The Zealot Gene, will be released on Jan. 28 and now the group has released the title track as the third preview of the forthcoming record.

The track follows "Shoshana Sleeping" and "Sad City Sister" and while it lacks the alliteration of the two previous singles, it is not lacking one bit in quality. "The Zealot Gene" opens up with some dark guitar chugging, but a triumphant folk melody and stomping beat quickly overtake it before the instrumentation slinks back down and engages in a battle of whimsy and woe.

“The title track offers many allusions to the radical, politically-charged world of populism in leadership," began visionary Ian Anderson.

"As a song lyric, it sums up, for me, the divisive nature of societal relationships and the extreme views which fuel the fires of hate and prejudice, more so today perhaps, than at any time in history. Perhaps you think you know who I might have been thinking about here but, in reality, there are probably right now at least five prominent, dictatorial national figures who could fit the bill," he continued.

Watch the animated music video for "The Zealot Gene" at the bottom of the page and pre-order Jethro Tull's new record, which will be out on InsideOut Music, here.

Jethro Tull, "The Zealot Gene" Lyrics (via A-Z Lyrics)

Half of us are in the apple
Half of us are in the pie
All of us are in the pudding
When the last bus has gone by
Someone has to take the high road
Someone has to make the bed
No-one has the right to tell you
To lie down when all is said

The black and white, the stereotype
The polarising pitch at play
While some of us sit in between
Interminable shades of grey
No need to walk the tightrope
Set out on that great divide
The balance scales may tremble
But the featherweights are on our side

Carrying the Zealot gene
Right or left, no in between
Beware, beware the Zealot gene
Naked flame near gasoline

The populist with dark appeal
The pandering to hate
Which xenophobic scaremongers
Deliver on a plate
To tame the pangs of hunger
And satisfy the lust
Slave to ideology
Moderation bites the dust

Bee buzzing in your bonnet
And a wasp right up the bum
A V-8 under hood
A cocked hammer under thumb
Ear-splitting twitter thunder
And a screaming banshee wail
You got too many opinions
And a tom cat by the tail

Carrying the Zealot gene
Right or left, no in between
Beware, beware the Zealot gene
Naked flame near gasoline

Carrying the Zealot gene
Right or left, no in between
Beware, beware the Zealot gene
Naked flame near gasoline

Half of us are in the apple
Half of us are in the pie
All of us are in the pudding
When the last bus has gone by
Someone has to take the high road
Someone has to make the bed
No-one has the right to tell you
To lie down when all is said

The black and white, the stereotype
The polarising pitch at play
While some of us sit in between
Interminable shades of grey
No need to walk the tightrope
Set out on that great divide
The balance scales may tremble
But the featherweights are on our side

Carrying the Zealot gene
Right or left, no in between
Beware, beware the Zealot gene
Naked flame near gasoline

Jethro Tull, "The Zealot Gene" Music Video