Jerusalem - the 'National Anthem of England'?

[Titanic]

being played at Commonwealth Games for Triathalon Gold Medalist Jodie Stimpson

What happened to 'Land of Hope and Glory'?

 

[Puppet Master]

I love Jerusalem. Wish the England national footy team would adopt it.

 

[London Irish]

It has the potential to unite both left and right. It's basically a socialist anthem written by William Blake, who was a far left protester of his day. Then it got stolen by the ruling clases for their schools and became much loved by conservative types in one of those delightful little historical ironies.

 

[Quinney]

Either would be preferable to God Save The Queen. All the other home nations have their own anthems, about time we got ours sorted.

 

[Hamilton]

What about this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZedhoqYdfTM

That would be much better!

or this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRaiiT3ZnJw

 

[strings]

This was open for a public vote before the last Commonwealth games. Few people voted, Jerusalem won.

I would have gone for 'Land of Hope and Glory' myself, but I do like Jerusalem.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I quite liked it when they played it for that triathlon winner.

Obviously she didn't know the words, but as a tune I thought it worked quite well.

 

[Deano's Invisible Pants]

being played at Commonwealth Games for Triathalon Gold Medalist Jodie Stimpson

What happened to 'Land of Hope and Glory'?

Isn't Land of Hope & Glory a British anthem, so arguably no more appropriate than God Save the Queen? Jerusalem is probably the best choice, if for no other reason than it being a self-evidently English anthem.

 

[Bladders]

Crap tedious song imo.

 

[Hillian1]

I quite liked it when they played it for that triathlon winner.

Obviously she didn't know the words, but as a tune I thought it worked quite well.

Can you imagine Rooney trying to sing Jerusalem?

And did those erm feet in erm ancient erm times
erm walk upon erm da da da da da.
dum dum dum dum
Do do do dody do.

 

[The Rivet]

Isn't Land of Hope & Glory a British anthem, so arguably no more appropriate than God Save the Queen? Jerusalem is probably the best choice, if for no other reason than it being a self-evidently English anthem.

With Lyrics like these I thought it was about England not a British song at all. Played in Glasgow, glorious!

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountain green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land

 

[Titanic]

a song about a mythical story telling of the feet of the 'Holy Lamb' walking on our 'pastures green', and the 'Countenance Divine' shining on 'our clouded hills', all happening in 'ancient time', and then some stuff about building Jerusalem as our national anthem...

it's a good tune and these lines are rousing...

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand

but the rest of it? really??

 

[Deano's Invisible Pants]

With Lyrics like these I thought it was about England not a British song at all. Played in Glasgow, glorious!

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountain green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land

Agreed. Jerusalem is a hymn about England. Land of Hope and Glory, I believe, is about Britain (or perhaps even the UK/British Empire).

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

'Jerusalem' seems to get the juices flowing whereas 'Land of Hope and Glory' doesn't quite do it for me.

I recall the young lady opera singer who belted out 'Jerusalem' (and GOSBTS) at the Amex - it was stirring stuff, even the away fans (Blackpool?) joined in the singing and the rousing ovation after. Great stuff.

 

[RexCathedra]

LOHAG is the Conservative Party's official anthem, isn't it?

OTOH, everyone sings Jerusalem -- even the BNP, if the BBC is to be believed...

 

[knocky1]

With Lyrics like these I thought it was about England not a British song at all. Played in Glasgow, glorious!

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountain green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land

Jeremy Paxman asked in University Challenge "Which famous song begins with a number of questions,to which the answers are no, no, no, no followed by go and get them yourself."

 

[Titanic]

Jeremy Paxman asked in University Challenge "Which famous song begins with a number of questions,to which the answers are no, no, no, no followed by go and get them yourself."

Exactly... how is that a 'national anthem' ??

 

[Lethargic]

Based on the poem Milton written by Blake in Feltham, West Sussex and some argue that the Sussex countryside had an influence on his poem and hence the anthem Jerusalem.

 

[RexCathedra]

Based on the poem Milton written by Blake in Feltham, West Sussex and some argue that the Sussex countryside had an influence on his poem and hence the anthem Jerusalem.

"Green and pleasant land" is what they called an Area of Outstanding National Beauty two hundred years ago, then?

 

[Buzzer]

Blake was a fascinating and complex character, deeply religious and non-conformist. He was light years ahead of his time in terms of his views on race, democracy and the rights of men and women. He actually did see angels and demons, once running from his house when he encountered the devil in his hallway. He was arrested in Felpham for sedition. If I recall correctly, he was arguing with a drunken soldier who was being a tad too patriotic for the likes of Blake and in or near Blake's garden.

His religion was deeply mystical and he did believe truly that England was God's new Jerusalem and home to the Holy Grail, brought to this fair land by Joseph of Arimathea, hence the words in the poem. The lines about 'dark satanic mills' is widely believed to refer to Blake's disgust at the de-humanising Industrial Revolution and in particular to a certain Albion Flour Mills in Southwark.

I like Blake a lot. Mad as a march hare, a multi-talented artist, a pioneer in copper-plate art and a true Englishman. Peter Ackroyd's biography of him is superb.