Ballys

Heard the Barmy Army do a rendition of this.

Bearing in mind that Blake was tried for High Treason for having 'uttered seditious and treasonable expressions' but was acquitted.

I think that there is more to this Poem than meets the eye.

Amazulu

It's about Jesus visiting England and the destructive nature of the early industrial revolution

It was played at my son's christening so has some meaning to me

carolinephillips

The Dark Satanic Mills are actually the Churches trying to stifle the common man, hence the furious suppression of the works.
(Studied Blake at Uni as part of C18th literature -an early Romantic poet, he was very much against organised religion and the loss of the "innocence" of people as they were straightjacketed into the prevailing religious dogma of what to think.)
It is not about the factories as most people think, but about how Christ, the Innocent Lamb was hijacked by religion which had its own agenda. See Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, and look at the drawings too. There is always a hidden meaning in Blake's work, but it isn't always the one that people think it is.

Mike at Taree

Pleased to hear that it's played as England's anthem at the Commonwealth Games. If Scotland becomes independant next year and adopt it's own anthem (no doubt "Flower of Scotland") and Wales of course has Hen Wlad fy Nhadau then I expect England will need to officially adopt an anthem. Land of Hope and Glory seems to be a bit out of kilter with Land of recession and surveillance methinks, so something a bit mysterious like Jerusalem could be ideal. What's a good Northern Ireland song?

haggis supper

As my wife is from Glastonbury this was played at our wedding (fabulous tune) - Jesus was said to have travelled to Glastonbury as a small child with his uncle Joseph of Arimathea.

(I believe he was disappointed that the Glastonbury Festival was delayed by 2,000 odd years)

Mike at Taree

Wasn't he supposed to be in Utah at that time?

TheCreature

England's National Anthem.

Pollyana

Is she really? I was born there too

haggis supper

Well a small world indeed ! She's born & bred there (well strictly speaking she was born in Baltonsborough or was it Butleigh ?!). Parents still there, on a farm out at Wick. Brother living in Wells. Her mother has been Mayor a couple of times.


Fabulous part of the world.

Mrs Haggis is 47, think she went to St Dunstans.

And you Polly ?!

TheCreature

Polly's a 100 and went to St Trinians

haggis supper

Nice one !

Pollyana

Butleigh Cottage Hospital maybe?!!! My Dad was the vicar at West Pennard. We had friends who owned the dairy farm at the base of the Tor and grew up climbing the hill for fun Moved away when I was 6 but I still love going back there, beautiful area and I adore Glastonbury, very mystical feel to the place.

Not quite half that, and I went to Hogwarts

Jon77

Great tune but bastardized / hijacked by the militant WI

Can't take any song seriously that a group of old age Tory women fussing about Victoria sponge and jam use as an anthem.

TheCreature

Are you talking about Jerusalem on my Ten Pole Tudor?