| "Hymn 43" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cover of theJapanese 7-inch single | ||||
| Single byJethro Tull | ||||
| from the albumAqualung | ||||
| B-side | "Mother Goose" | |||
| Released | June 1971[1] | |||
| Recorded | December 1970 – February 1971 | |||
| Genre | Hard rock,progressive rock | |||
| Length | 3:14 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Songwriter | Ian Anderson | |||
| Producers | Ian Anderson,Terry Ellis | |||
| Jethro Tull singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Hymn 43" is a song by Britishprogressive rock groupJethro Tull. It is off theirAqualung album and was released as a single byReprise Records. The song reachedNo. 91 on theBillboard Hot 100.[2]
SongwriterIan 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 ofPopMatters 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 bySony/ATV Music Publishing, the song is set in thetime signature ofcommon time. It is composed in the key ofD 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 onAqualung, "Aqualung" and "Locomotive Breath".[6]
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | RPM100 Singles (Canada)[7] | 86 |
| Billboard Hot 100 (USA)[2] | 91 |
