Blake's (and Parry's) Jerusalem

Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry

The performance of Blake's 'Jerusalem' at the memorial service for Gough Whitlam gave me a momentary pause, it being so strongly identified with England, and Whitlam being such a staunch 'Australianist.' After all, the Barmy Army of visiting cricket supporters sing it before the day's play during Ashes series. But then of course it was the campaign song for Clement Attlee's Labour Party in the famous 1945 landslide ousting Winston Churchill from No.10.  And, having had a not dissimilar educational upbringing from Gough - posh Protestant school - I too find the music invariably stirring; in fact, at the 30 year reunion a short service was held where this was the hymn sung heartily by a bunch of 'old boys' nearing 50.

But then I pondered the lyrics again ... lines such as

I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem ...

Parry, who composed the marvellous music, was asked to set the poem to provide a song for the ultra-patriotic Fight for Right movement. Parry had misgivings but did not want to disappoint those who had asked him, and he was pleased - musically - with his resulting work. Yet his misgivings about the political agenda of the Fight for Right grew, and he publicly withdrew all support for the movement.

In this time when seemingly incomprehensible brutality and violence is once again erupting in parts of the world and in our news feeds, it is perhaps worthwhile to ask ourselves what it is that is so moving or inspiring in this hymn, this Call to Arms. Is not the line "Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand" terrifyingly brutal in the way it gives agency to the inanimate weapon. And how would we hear the lines quoted above if instead of the word 'Jerusalem' we substitute 'the Caliphate'?