| Hymn 43 | |
| Cover: | Hymn 43 Single.jpeg |
| Caption: | Cover of the Japanese 7-inch single |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Jethro Tull |
| Album: | Aqualung |
| B-Side: | Mother Goose |
| Released: | June 1971 [1] |
| Genre: | Hard rock, progressive rock |
| Length: | 3:14 |
| Label: | Reprise |
| Producer: | Ian Anderson, Terry Ellis |
| Prev Title: | Inside |
| Prev Year: | 1970 |
| Next Title: | Locomotive Breath |
| Next Year: | 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 91 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2]
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.'"[3] 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."[4]
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.[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 on Aqualung, "Aqualung" and "Locomotive Breath".[6]
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | RPM100 Singles (Canada)[7] | 86 |
| Billboard Hot 100 (USA) | 91 |