Hymn 43

"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.

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.'" 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."

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.

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".

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.
 * 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.