Hymn 43

"Hymn 43"
Cover of the Japanese 7-inch single
Single by Jethro Tull
from the album Aqualung
B-side"Mother Goose"
ReleasedJune 1971 [1]
RecordedDecember 1970 – February 1971
GenreHard rock, progressive rock
Length3:14
LabelReprise
Songwriter(s)Ian Anderson
Producer(s)Ian Anderson, Terry Ellis
Jethro Tull singles chronology
"Inside"
(1970) 		"Hymn 43"
(1971) 		"Locomotive Breath"
(1971)

"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

Covers

  • The song was released as downloadable content for the video game Rock Band 2.[9]

References

  1. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Jethro Tull - Hymn 43". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Jethro Tull > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  3. ^ "Good Heavens, Now Ian Anderson Wants Us to Think". Disc and Music Echo. Tullpress.com. March 20, 1971. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  4. ^ Murphy, Sean (December 9, 2011). "Jethro Tull: Aqualing (40th Anniversary Special Edition)". PopMatters. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  5. ^ "Digital Sheet Music – Jethro Tull – Hymn 43". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. 15 April 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  6. ^ Anderson, Skip (4 March 2018). "Top 10 Jethro Tull Songs". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  7. ^ "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 16, No. 1, August 21, 1971". Library and Archives Canada. 21 August 1971. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "Hymn 43 by Jethro Tull // Songs //Rock Band". Harmonix Music Systems. Archived from the original on 18 July 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2011. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
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