Hymn 43
| "Hymn 43" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Jethro Tull | ||||
| from the album Aqualung | ||||
| B-side | "Mother Goose" | |||
| Released | March 19, 1971 | |||
| Recorded | December 1970 - February 1971 | |||
| Genre | Hard rock, progressive rock | |||
| Length | 3:14 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Writer(s) | Ian Anderson | |||
| Producer(s) | Ian Anderson, Terry Ellis | |||
| Jethro Tull singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Hymn 43" is a song by British progressive rock group Jethro Tull. It is off their Aqualung album and was released as a single.
The song reached 91 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] Songwriter Ian Anderson described the song as "a blues for Jesus, about the gory, glory seekers who use his name as an excuse for a lot of unsavoury things. You know, 'Hey Dad, it's not my fault — the missionaries lied.'"[2] Sean Murphy of PopMatters wrote that, "For “Hymn 43” Anderson sets his sights on the U.S.A. and in quick order sets about decimating the hypocrisy and myth-making of religion and the new religion, entertainment."[3] George Starostin opined that, "'Hymn 43' may not be great, but, once again, the riff is an absolute classic."[4]
According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the song is set in the time signature of common time. It is composed in the key of D Major with Anderson's vocal range spanning from G4 to Eb6.[5]
The song was later included in the video game Rock Band 2 as downloadable content.[6]
Chart performance
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | RPM100 Singles (Canada)[7] | 86 |
| Billboard Hot 100 (USA)[1] | 91 |
Personnel
- Jethro Tull
- Ian Anderson – vocals, flute
- Clive Bunker – drums and percussion
- Martin Barre – electric guitar
- John Evan – piano, organ, mellotron
References
- 1 2 "Jethro Tull > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Good Heavens, Now Ian Anderson Wants Us to Think". Disc and Music Echo. Tullpress.com. March 20, 1971. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
- ↑ Murphy, Sean (December 9, 2011). "Jethro Tull: Aqualing (40th Anniversary Special Edition)". PopMatters. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
- ↑ Starostin, George. "Aqualung". Only Solitaire. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Digital Sheet Music – Jethro Tull – Hymn 43". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Hymn 43 by Jethro Tull // Songs //Rock Band". Harmonix Music Systems. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
- ↑ "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 16, No. 1, August 21, 1971". Library and Archives Canada. 21 August 1971. Retrieved 10 April 2016.