Hymn 43
| "Hymn 43" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cover of the Japanese 7-inch single | ||||
| Single by Jethro Tull | ||||
| from the album Aqualung | ||||
| B-side | "Mother Goose" | |||
| Released | June 1971 [1] | |||
| Recorded | December 1970 – February 1971 | |||
| Genre | Hard rock, progressive rock | |||
| Length | 3:14 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Songwriter(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 by Reprise Records. The song reached No. 91 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2]
Background
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.'"[3] Sean Murphy of PopMatters wrote that, "For “Hymn 43” Anderson sets his sights on the US and in quick order sets about decimating the hypocrisy and myth-making of religion and the new religion, entertainment."[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]
Classic Rock History critic Skip Anderson ranked "Hymn 43" as Jethro Tull's 2nd best song, behind only "Thick as a Brick" and ahead of the more popular songs on Aqualung, "Aqualung" and "Locomotive Breath".[6]
Chart performance
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | RPM100 Singles (Canada)[7] | 86 |
| Billboard Hot 100 (USA)[2] | 91 |
Personnel
- Jethro Tull
- Ian Anderson – vocals, flute
- Clive Bunker – drums and percussion
- Martin Barre – electric guitar
- Jeffrey Hammond - bass guitar
- John Evan – piano, organ, mellotron
Covers
- Morse/Portnoy/George released this as their third single off their 2020 album Cov3r to Cov3r on July 10, 2020.[8]
- A version by Alabama Thunderpussy was included on the compilation album, Sucking the 70's.
In popular culture
- The song was released as downloadable content for the video game Rock Band 2.[9]
References
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "Jethro Tull - Hymn 43". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ "Digital Sheet Music – Jethro Tull – Hymn 43". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. 15 April 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
- ^ Anderson, Skip (4 March 2018). "Top 10 Jethro Tull Songs". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 16, No. 1, August 21, 1971". Library and Archives Canada. 21 August 1971. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ "MORSE / PORTNOY / GEORGE - Hymn 43 (OFFICIAL VIDEO)". YouTube. Inside Out Music. May 25, 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- ^ "Hymn 43 by Jethro Tull // Songs //Rock Band". Harmonix Music Systems. Archived from the original on 18 July 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
