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"Hymn 43"
Cover of the Japanese 7-inch single
Single by Jethro Tull
from the album Aqualung
B-side	"Mother Goose"
Released	June 1971
Recorded	December 1970 – February 1971
Genre	Hard rock, progressive rock
Length	3:14
Label	Reprise
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.

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".

Chart performance

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.

References

1. Hung, Steffen. "Jethro Tull - Hymn 43". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
2. ^ "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)

v t e Jethro Tull
Ian Anderson David Goodier John O'Hara Scott Hammond Jack Clark Mick Abrahams Clive Bunker Glenn Cornick Tony Iommi Martin Barre John Evan Jeffrey Hammond Barriemore Barlow John Glascock Dee Palmer Dave Pegg Mark Craney Eddie Jobson Gerry Conway Peter-John Vettese Paul Burgess Doane Perry Don Airey Maartin Allcock Andrew Giddings Dave Mattacks Jonathan Noyce Florian Opahle Joe Parrish
Studio albums	This Was Stand Up Benefit Aqualung Thick as a Brick A Passion Play War Child Minstrel in the Gallery Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! Songs from the Wood Heavy Horses Stormwatch A The Broadsword and the Beast Under Wraps Crest of a Knave Rock Island Catfish Rising Roots to Branches J-Tull Dot Com The Jethro Tull Christmas Album The Zealot Gene RökFlöte Curious Ruminant
Live albums	Bursting Out Live at Hammersmith '84 A Little Light Music Jethro Tull in Concert Living with the Past Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 Aqualung Live Live at Montreux 2003 Live at Madison Square Garden 1978 Live at Carnegie Hall 1970
Compilations	Living in the Past M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II Original Masters 20 Years of Jethro Tull: Highlights Nightcap The Best of Jethro Tull – The Anniversary Collection Through the Years The Very Best Of The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull The Essential 50 for 50
Boxed sets	20 Years of Jethro Tull 25th Anniversary Box Set
Videos	Slipstream 20 Years of Jethro Tull 25th Anniversary Video Living with the Past A New Day Yesterday Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 Live at Montreux 2003 Jack in the Green Live at Madison Square Garden 1978 Live at AVO Session Basel Around the World Live
Songs	"Sunshine Day" "A Song for Jeffrey" "Love Story" "Living in the Past" "Bourée" "Sweet Dream" "The Witch's Promise" "Teacher" "Aqualung" "Cross-Eyed Mary" "Mother Goose" "Hymn 43" "Locomotive Breath" "Life Is a Long Song" "Bungle in the Jungle" "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day" "Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die" "The Whistler" "Songs from the Wood" "Heavy Horses" "Dun Ringill"
Related	Discography Members A Billion Hands Concert The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus A Classic Case Thick as a Brick 2 Jethro Tull – The String Quartets
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