Another Christmas Song (Jethro Tull from the album Rock Island)

Hope everybody's ringing on their own bell, this fine morning.
Hope everyone's connected to that long distance phone.
Old man, he's a mountain.
Old man, he's an island.
Old man he's a walking says
"I'm going to call, call all my children home."

Hope everybody's dancing to their own drum, this fine morning --
the beat of distant Africa or a Polish factory town.
Old man, he's calling for his supper.
Calling for his whiskey.
Calling for his sons and daughters, yeah --
calling all his children round.

Sharp ears are tuned to the drones and chanter's warning.
Mist blowing round some headland, somewhere in your memory.
Everyone is from somewhere --
even if you've never been there.
So take a minute to remember the part of you
that might be the old man calling me.

How many wars you fighting out there, this fine winter's morning?
Maybe there's always time for another Christmas song.
Old man is asleep now.
Got appointments to keep now.
Dreaming of his sons and daughters, and proving --
proving that the blood is strong.


The song begins with three wishes that are normally associated with Christmas.

  • Ringing of (church) bells
  • Talking to relatives
  • The beating of a drum
In western society, Christmas has become the singular most important holiday for the celebration of family and community. It is a time when all the family gathers at one place.

The winter solstice holidays are a time through all cultures and religions when people look back at their history and culture. "Everyone is from somewhere - even if you've never been there. So take a minute to remember the part of you that might be the old man calling me."

Christmas is often a time when cease fires are called in disputes all across the world. Throughout the song, a request for peace and harmony echos. "Maybe it's always time for another Christmas song." Maybe it should always be a time when cease fires are called?

In several other songs by Ian Anderson, the phrase "Old Man" is often used to denote God. Rereading the lyrics with that view of who the "Old Man" is brings a different meaning to the core of the song.

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