"Jerusalem" -- Billy Bragg

And did those feet in ancient time.
Walk upon Englands mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On Englands pleasant pastures seen!

And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these 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 Englands green & pleasant Land

—William Blake

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[snookybeans]

Classic British hymn? I think you'll find the words are part of Blake's poem 'Milton' and Blake was all about revolution. I'[ve studied Blake in depth and Billy Bragg sings the song with meaning & great understanding.

[ancientraver19881989]

@bilboss1 what are you on? how can it be a humanist anthem - Blake believed in God just about all his poetry and painting are informed by the spiritual. Now toddle off and don't embarrass yourself in public again.

[skyboyq]

@ancientraver19881989 Ah, but he didn't believe in any ordinary Church God, that Old Forbidding Father he called "Nobodaddy." He believed in the redemption of humanity through the awakened imagination, a quite different thing, which was what he called God.

[edithsmum]

i love this song and i love billy. Listened to it as a small child often.

[The1200Dude]

I dunno wot this idiot is spouting below about Billy hating England. he fact that he sings this song should tell you otherwise!

I for one would like it as our national anthem.

TD

[oakvillebrian]

@bilboss1 I certainly agree that it is not a hymn in any conventional sense, and it doesn't serve or suit the purposes of organized religion. It doesn't belong at the Last Night of the Proms, and Billy Bragg, with his cockney accent -- probably not much different than Willian Blake's own accent -- is definitelly the right guy to sing it.

[Shivalan]

Well sang Billy Bragg.

[bilboss1]

This is not a hymn, it's a humanist song written by the anti-religious William Blake and set to music by the atheist composer Charles Hubert Parry. It was hi-jacked by religious idiots who didn't understand the words.

[dirkbogarde44]

@folwert I might not always agree with Bily in regards of his politics but I have no doubt his heart in the right place. That comment was ignorant and untrue.