53bpm TRACK26-27
Supremely well-known, JeruSalem has (ironically, given the title) become a prominent British patriotic song, to the point of it being a close substitute for the official national anthem (in fact, king George V is said to have preferred it over God Save the king/Queen). It has such a timeless quality that you may be surprised to learn that its musical composition only dates back to 1916, when the english composer Hubert parry (then in his late 60s) was asked to write an anthem to the words of william Blake’s poem and Did Those Feet In ancient Time (which is in fact the original - and official - title of the composition). Blake’s poem, written over a century earlier, asks the (presumably rhetorical) question of whether Jesus Christ ever visited england. It evokes emotive nostalgia, pride, resolve and rousing calls to fight, and so was chosen by the Fight For right campaign to help raise patriotic fighting spirits during the First World war. parry was hesitant to take on the task at first, but was eventually convinced to set the poem to music, and it was presented at the royal College of music and published in march 1916. parry remained uncomfortable about the use of the work, but was placated when in the following year the Suffragette movement took it as their anthem in their quest to bring votes to