And did those feet in ancient time
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And did those feet in ancient time is a poem by William Blake from the preface to his work Milton: a Poem (1804). Today it is best known as the hymn Jerusalem, with music written by C. Hubert H. Parry in 1916.
The poem was published in a patriotic anthology of verse in 1916 because morale had begun to decline due to the high number of casualties in the First World War and the perception that there was no end in sight. It was little known before then. To many the poem seemed to define what Britain was fighting for and so Parry was asked to put it to music at a Fight for Right campaign meeting in London's Royal Albert Hall. The most famous version was orchestrated by Sir Edward Elgar in 1922 for the Leeds Festival.
This is considered to be one of England's most popular patriotic songs, often being used as an alternative national anthem. It is variously associated with English nationalism, anti-modernism, post-modernism, socialist ideals, and Christianity, thereby holding a rather odd position. Jerusalem is the official anthem of the British National Party and the British Women's Institute, and historically was used by the National Union of Suffrage Societies.
The text of the poem was inspired by the legend that Jesus, while still a young man, accompanied Joseph of Arimathea to Glastonbury. Blake's biographers tell us that he believed in this legend. However, the poem's theme or subtext is subject to much sharper debate, probably accounting for its popularity across the philosophical spectrum. As a paean to a mythical Englishness the poem has come under criticism: after all, the first verse is a series of questions to which the 'truthful' answer is no, while the second frames a series of demands to which the reply might well be "get them yourself!". Consequently many see it as unsuitable as an alternative National Anthem, and its reference to a foreign capital city as puzzling to other nations. It is unlikely that Blake intended such a literal interpretation.
One particular line from the poem, "Bring me my chariot of fire", which inspired the title of the film Chariots of Fire, most probably draws on the story of 2 Kings 2:11, where the Old Testament prophet Elijah is taken directly to heaven. A church congregation sings "Jerusalem" at close of the film.
Contents |
Text
- And did those feet in ancient time
- Walk upon England’s mountains 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 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 England’s green & pleasant Land.
Some versions (including Blake's original) have "strife" rather than "fight".
Notable performances
- Since 2004 it has been sung at the beginning of England cricket matches and is regularly sung by Rugby Union crowds.
- It is sung frequently in the 2003 film Calendar Girls at meetings of the British Women's Institute.
- The song was performed by the band Emerson, Lake and Palmer on their album Brain Salad Surgery, where it appeared under the title Jerusalem.
- The Fall and Billy Bragg have also recorded versions of the song, and the KLF (as the JAMs) used it to end "It's Grim Up North".
- Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson recorded a much transformed version on his solo concept album about Blake, The Chemical Wedding.
- Composer Robert Steadman incorporated a version in his remembrance-themed choral work In Memoriam (premiered in 1995).
- In 2000, British novelty-pop group Fat Les recorded another version, entitled Jerusalem or alternatively Jerusalem 2000. This time it was a rousing electronic dance track, and was used as the England football team's theme at Euro 2000.
- The tune has been set to several texts in the United States, where the traditional lyrics would have little relevance, including O Love of God, how strong and true, which was performed in an arrangement by Michael McCarthy at Ronald Reagan's funeral at Washington National Cathedral in 2004.
- In the episode "Full Frontal Nudity" (episode 8, season 1) of Monty Python's Flying Circus, it is "Jerusalem" that must be sung to get a salesman to remove a bag over his head. 1969
- In the 1994 film Four Weddings and a Funeral, a character sings Jerusalem in a terribly off-key fashion.
- O'Brien and Bashir of Star Trek: DS9 sing it while drunk in the episode "Explorers" (season 3, disc 6 of DVDs)
Trivia
- The song is referred to in Michael Flanders monologue which precedes Flanders and Swann's performance of "A Song of Patriotic Prejudice": their song is jokingly intended as a better national song for England than "Jerusalem," especially in comparison to the patriotic songs of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.
- The established Church of Scotland debated altering the lyrics of the hymn to read 'Albion' instead of England to make it more locally relevant.
See also
External links
eo:And did those feet in ancient time pl:Jerusalem sv:Jerusalem (hymn)