Jerusalem - the song

[Pervert]

But would you want an idealised Jerusalem to look like it?

[Pervert]

But isn't Milton Keynes just a glorified Cumbernauld?

[Pervert]

But it doesn't need much glorifying to be better than Cumbernauld.

[Arginald Valleywater]

It would make a great English National Anthem. The Welsh have the superb Land of our Fathers, Scotland has the patheitc fllooorr o Scotlan, as sung by my mates when drunk and Scotland have drawn with Santorini in a fitba match! However we English really need a rousing, patriotic song that extolls the great things about being English, like sportsmanship, invention, art and music. Problem is any mention of patriotism and the CRE would crush it as racist. If Springsteen was English he wouldn't have been allowed to publish Born for fear of offending a Latvian carpet fitter.

[Pervert]

Do you actually think Born In The USA is a patriotic anthem? Have you read the lyrics?

There's nothing in Jerusalem for the CRE, or anyone else, to object to, although I think many people may misunderstand its meaning. Blake was writing before jingoism existed, so it wasn't a hymn to his home country, more a stinging indictment of the society he lived in.

If you do want to claim England and Englishness back, then wrest it from the extremists who have hijacked your flag and aspects of your culture.

Flower Of Scotland is an utter dirge. But as someone recently asked, is there a place in the 21st century for national anthems? I hear FOS and want to slit my wrists. As for God Save The Queen, yet another dirge---but merely embarrassing rather than depressing.

[Pervert]

It's still a dirge.

What you want is something to get the adrenaline going---500 Miles: the campaign starts here.