William Blake’s poem, set to music by Sir Hubert Parry, sung aloud, a stirring song of hope and renewal, reflecting England’s aspirations towards building a better land together.
‘Jerusalem’, based on William Blake’s visionary poem and set to music by Sir Hubert Parry in 1916, has become one of England’s most stirring and beloved songs.
Written during the First World War, a time of immense loss and uncertainty, Parry’s setting transformed Blake’s mystical verses into a national anthem of hope, renewal, and collective aspiration.
The song asks whether England can build a better, fairer, more compassionate society - a “green and pleasant land” worthy of its people. Its power lies not in nostalgia but in its call to action: to strive for justice, dignity, and shared purpose.
Sung at Women’s Institute meetings, sporting events, political gatherings, and national ceremonies, ‘Jerusalem’ transcends divisions of class, region, and politics.
Its Englishness is unmistakable: pastoral imagery, moral imagination, and a belief that ordinary people can shape a better future. Yet it is also universal, speaking to the human desire for fairness and belonging.
In the story of England, ‘Jerusalem’ stands for aspiration, a reminder for us all that national identity is not only inherited but continually built through collective effort.