Album: Aqualung

Released: 1971

Written by Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson, the locomotive in this song is running out of control, and is a metaphor for societal problems. Anderson used the analogy of a "boiler building up pressure" to describe the song. During an interview, Anderson says that "Old Charlie" who appears in the chorus to this song, represents God, and that when he "stole the handle" he left the train running out of control. This symbolized everyone facing injustice in life and feeling powerless to do anything about it.