American Reacts to Jerusalem & God Save the Queen | Last Night of the Proms

This one threw me for a loop - wasn't expecting Jerusalem to be about a folktale of Jesus visiting England. I need all of you from the UK to help me understand the meaning behind for you, and why some of you think it should be the National Anthem of England. Oh, and Scarlett pays us a visit :) If you enjoyed this video, please like and subscribe!

00:00 - Intro
05:50 - Reaction
11:29 - Outro

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#Jerusalem #UK #LastNightoftheProms

[SoGal_YT]

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[michaelspainhoward]

I am an American and the first time I heard Jerusalem, I wept because it touches the soul on so many levels.

[AVMamfortas]

I am an old Englishman. My heart lifts to my throat, my eyes tear. I sing along with the tens of thousands. Jerusalem.

[streaky]

Jerusalem is a masterpiece, if we ever needed a new national anthem, just for England - and it already de facto is at the rugby - it would surely be Jerusalem.

[okpaflip]

I’m Australian and listening to Jerusalem brings a tear to my eye as well. It is such a moving hymn that good men can build heaven on earth. It is based on the Glastonbury legends of Joseph of Arimathea and young Jesus visiting Southern England on a trading mission for most probably tin. The legend is undoubtedly medieval to help encourage pilgrimage to the sites Christ was supposed to have visited.

[davidhughes]

I wouldn't class myself as excessively patriotic, I don't think the UK is the best at everything but Jerusalem is a really moving piece and it makes me reflect on all the sacrifices people before me have made in peace and war to make this kingdom what it is.

[karencrookshank]

Jerusalem was my school hymn. We sang it every morning during assembly. Still makes me cry. I had it played at my mums funeral earlier this year. She was, like me, English to the core.

[jeremypearson]

As a Brit and long time resident of the US the Last Night of the Proms is something not to be missed. I cannot imagine what it will be like now the Queen has passed.

[markwilliamson]

Personally as an Englishman I find ‘Jerusalem’ to be incredibly stirring musically, to me the words of William Blake are about striving to build a better country for future generations.

I was incredibly affected when Scarlett heard ‘God Save the Queen’ and stood up in front of you out of respect, what a moment to treasure!🐕❤️

[michaelspainhoward]

William Blake wrote his poem for the same reason Charles Dickens wrote about the class distinctions in British society. The Industrial Revolution was going hot and heavy. The rural atmosphere was giving way to the "dark satanic mills". Social injustice was rampant. Living conditions were appalling. The rich were getting richer while the poor were dying from all manner of illnesses and industrial accidents. Blake, as well as Dickens, did not "cease from mental fight" nor did they allow their swords (writing pens) to sleep in their hands, as they struggled to build Jerusalem, the City on a Hill, the Shining City, the City of the All Good, "on England's green and pleasant land." It is a call to arms, as it were, for social justice and reform.

[juneseghni]

I remember learning 'Jerusalem' at school in the 70s, back when we had hymn practice for assembly. Still touches me when I hear it.

[PerryCJamesUK]

I love this hymn so much. It's a song that starts based in long told myth and legend and actually plausible information. England had some of the largest and rarest tin mines in the ancient world and a provable trade of English tin throughout Europe and as far as Egypt and beyond, it being one of the main reasons the Romans wanted to take Britain into her empire, as bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. The lyrics go on to compare the legend of Jesus bringing heaven on earth to Britain (as England was yet to emerge) to the devilish visage of smoke and pollution and the poverty of those who were attracted to the black industrial landscape that was once so green and so welcoming and pure that the Son of God could lay his feet upon the land. The last part of the song goes on the warn the listener that for heaven to exist in England again, one must not be lazy and allow others to make it possible, we must not let our swords sleep in our hands, as peace will not return without vigilance and strength and purpose. I think it's one of the most spiritual songs ever written.

[Isleofskye]

Good Reaction, as always. As an Englishman, I feel incredibly proud of my country that has given me 67 wonderful years, thus far. I emphasize ENGLAND as opposed to The UK, much as I like the other Countries but, in the same way, that Scots, Irish and Welsh people love to extol the virtues of their individual countries and tell everyone, proudly, that is where they are from then I feel the same about "England's Green and Pleasant Land" and only today in my local 185 Acre Park right on the edge of London I was thinking that there is nowhere on earth that I would rather be.:)
I am not Anti-Royal Family but I find our Anthem a dirge and it should be Jerusalem or Land Of Hope And Glory and I like Rule Britannia with GSTQ a distant 4th choice :)

[richardbale]

As an American, I ball all the way through both Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem.

[gagatube]

That was a beautiful arrangement of 'God Save the Queen', much nicer than the standard anthem. As for 'Jerusalem', I am an atheist and strictly-speaking not English, but it nevertheless makes my heart swell when I hear it. "I will not cease from mental fight, nor shall my sword sleep in my hand", until I have helped make my country a better place - what could be a finer anthem?

[TheTraveller]

I was there! The one year that I managed to get to the Last Night was 2012, I was up in the gods having got in on the 'last hope queue' outside that afternoon :)

I've not seen England since 2017 - I was due a trip to see the family just when Covid arrived three years later and being in NZ, I've not been able to travel since. Hearing Jerusalem sung by a large and patriotic crowd really does bring a tear to the eye... :')

[debs]

I love Jerusalem. It gives me goose bumps. so moving. The daffodils represents Wales. But our national anthem is what unites us all .

[colinbryant]

Just love the respect that nation shows to nation. Respect to USA from UK.

[petersymonds]

The flowers are Daffodils. Wales not only has a spectacular flag, green and white and a red dragon it has national symbols of the Daffodil and the Leek. On St David’s day as children in school the girls wore traditional dress and a daffodil. The boys, being boys, would wear a leek. The classroom stank of leeks (leeks are a member of the onion family)!

[georgebarnes]

If England ever decides to have a national anthem Jerusalem has to be the number one choice.