England needs its own Anthem, and it's got to be Jerusalem

Wales has one of the best anthems, Scotland has one, even divided North(ern) (of) Ireland can sing Danny Boy with one voice.

Now, is it right that, when England play anyone at soccer, it's the UK National Anthem?   Surely that is NOT England, and no doubt it will annoy other nations within the UK.   Can't you get one of your own, they might well ask?  

With Scottish independence sorted at least for a while, and the SNP over the border at Westminster (no more or less credible than UKIP at the European Parliament), there are rumblings about English identity, even laws affecting only England voted on by English MPs on their own, and a rash of regional-level quasi-devolutions on the books in England, now surely we can at last revisit that anthem issue.

If you're an RU fan, then it's Swing Low but that is not English, it's USA, a slave spiritual, so no go there, imperial past etc to haunt us.   Land of Hope and Glory?  Well, Elgar meant it originally as an orchestral march but when he approved the use of the words, it was clearly meant to be British, and there was even a development/version of it used at the Coronation of George V so no doubt that it's UK-wide.  As George V might have said "Bugger that".

Someone compose one now?  For goodness sake, not Lloyd Webber or Carl Jenkins or more pseudo-classical pulp.

The answer stares us in the face, especially in our suburb of Felpham with Blake's Cottage where indeed he wrote the poem on which the hymn is based.   What marks it out is that it is about England, and, also, it is so very aspirational with its 'dark satanic mills' to be overcome with 'chariots of fire' and the pen as sword.  Jerusalem, symbol of spiritual fulfillment and justice, and of righteousness, is not yet built, but it will be.

Then, to cap it, we have Hubert Parry's marvellous tune, and we can add more 'localism' because he lived also in what is now Arun, in Rustington.

It also is an anthem recognised across barriers - sung at Labour branches and conferences, Tories also, and, of course, that most effective political body, the Women's Institute, additionally with that irresistible Jam (food variety).

One of the most beautiful renditions is by Paul Robson:

And if you really want to hear it sung, with every flag of any nation, it has to be the Last Night of the Proms.

Now, if Bognor had an anthem, what should it be?   Sussex by the Sea I hear some cry, but we have a very local and famous melody, which needs no words to tell people about us.   Yes, Eric Coates' 'By The Sleepy Lagoon'  (he of Dambusters March, Workers Playtime and In Town Tonight fame for those of that generation)  which marks Pagham lagoon not some remote south seas castaway venue.   

The connection, of course, is sunshine.  No need for words, just RELAX and think 'Bognor'.