"Life Is a Long Song" is a song composed by Ian Anderson and first recorded by Jethro Tull. It was released as the lead track on an EP of the same name on 3 September 1971,[1] which reached No. 11 in the UK charts.[2] The song later appeared on the 1972 compilation album Living in the Past.[3]
The song is centred around Anderson's acoustic guitar playing,[4] and the lyrics talking about everyday life, concluding that "the tune ends too soon for us all".[5] It is the first Jethro Tull recording to feature drummer Barriemore Barlow, who had joined the group shortly before.[2]