'Jerusalem' from the 1967 film 'Privilege'.

This song, sung by the George Bean Group, is taken from the 1967 Peter Watkins film 'Privilege' starring Paul Jones. In this film Jones plays Steven Shorter, Britain's most loved pop star, whose career is carefully managed and manipulated. Eventually his popularity is used to launch a new form of Nationalism dominated by the church who demand that the youth of Britain swear an allegiance to flag and country with the promise 'I will conform'. Anyone who has seen the famous Nazi propaganda film "Triumph of the will' by Leni Riefenstahl will probably notice some close similarities between some of the images in that film and this extract from 'Privilege'.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jerusalem
• Privilage
• Paul
• Jones

[marcusbewley1]

if some one released this same version, [ without the back ground noise ] then it may well be a hit,

it really should have been released as a single back then,

it is really a good version, Paul Jones, and the beutifull Jean Shrimpton

first time I seen it, it was playing as a first film in our old cinema, in 1974 they always used to show 2 films then,.

an oldie, followed by the main one, which was Phantom of the Paradise, with Paul Williams,Jennifer Harper

thanks for putting it up

[Hillyblueblue]

Gosh I'd completely forgotten about Privilege. My friend and I sat in the cinema one day and watched every showing, one after the other because we fancied the socks off Paul Jones. Regretably we also used to bunk off school and go up to Denmark Street to stalk him. We so envied Jean Shrimpton, purely because she finished up in bed with him in the film. Those were the days ...

[brianrdawson]

Yes a great movie well acted by Paul Jones ( rubbish acting by the gorgeous Jean Shrimpton )

I still find the story a bit haunting .

I wish that I could by a copy of this excellent film.

Brian sends this !

[jmen4ever]

@marcusbewley1 Oh yes, it's a great song that could have charted high, from a great movie!

[WimGrundy]

Hear John Lennon's "Working Class Hero". See Watkins' "Punishment Park"

[WimGrundy]

Hear John Lennon's "Working Class Hero"

[DarkestGirl1]

George Bean, died in the erly 70,s he also did covers of Rolling Stones songs,

as he was a friend of the Stones

there is very little about George anywhere, a shame really, as he died too early in life

[snichmalu]

From an excellent movie called Privilege in which a National Unity government uses a pop idol to distract youth anger in a future England. We forget that if and when Fascism returns it may be fashionably dressed and armed with the latest consumer surveys and spending patterns.

[drrude]

'Triumph of the will' meets the Swinging Sixties.

Virtuoso filmmaking!

[IrishClaudius]

The film told of an authoritarian future it was released in 1967.

The Festival of Light Rally was 1971

Eric Clapton announced his support for the right wing politician Enoch Powell was in 1975.

Peter Watkins himself has said that it was prophetic of the atmosphere in Britain during the Falklands war that was 1982. Will send more details to you.