Epics #1 - Thick as a Brick - Jethro Tull

So this is it, my number one epic of all time. Did you see it coming? The album may be unfamiliar to the general audience, but it holds a special place in nearly every prog rock lover's heart.
Released in 1972, Thick as a Brick was an early achievement both for Jethro Tull and for the genre. The song is a mighty 43 minutes long, making it an exceptionally lengthy song.
The song is a parody of other works of the time, such as Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Yes. As epics began to emerge in the world of rock, they were often filled with very ornate language and deep meanings. Jethro Tull sought to poke fun at those songs with this album. The story is about a young child who is disqualified from a poetry contest in a great controversy. His poem is extremely long and elaborate, and is viewed by the judges as an attempt to impress them rather than as legitimate poetry.
The folk environment the album starts off with carries through all of its seamless transitions, keeping your interest. To me the best thing about this song is the way it sticks with you. Most people that have heard this song 3 or 4 times would be able to predict every single transition and probably even know most of the words. For a 43 minute song, that's pretty impressive. It just has a way of seeding into you in the most unforgettable way. Between the balance, the orchestration, the lyrics, and nearly everything else, I don't even know where to begin or end dissecting this piece. I'll leave it with what I have here, and recommend that if you want to hear an epic that will never disappoint, this is my very highest suggestion.

Free link to the album on Napster:
http://free.napster.com/view/album/index.html?id=12437387

Honorable Mentions:
"All of the Above" - Transatlantic
"Milliontown" - Frost*
"A Change of Seasons" - Dream Theater
"The Odyssesy" - Symphony X
"The Water" - Spock's Beard
"Supper's Ready" - Genesis
"Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon" - Chicago (not prog, but an epic nonetheless)
"Karn Evil 9" - Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Did I miss your favorite epic? Let me know with a comment!