England, Half-English
Encyclopedia
England, Half-English is a 2002 album
by English
political singer-songwriter
Billy Bragg
and The Blokes, and a song from that album. The song is about racism
in England
and the anti-immigration feelings and racist abuse of asylum seekers fuelled by the tabloid
press, particularly the Daily Mail
. The song uses examples such as the lions on the English football team's shirts, Britannia
and the English patron saint
, St. George (from Lebanon
), the hyphen in Anglo-Saxon
and the nation's favourite dish (curry
) to convey his message that everything about English culture is shaped and influenced by the waves of immigration that have taken place in the past.
The title is taken from England, Half English, a 1961 collection of essays and articles by Colin MacInnes
, which includes a 1957 article called "Young England, Half English" about the influence of American
pop music
on English teenagers.
"Take Down The Union Jack", a song from the album that protests against the monarchy
, Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee and argues for English and Scottish independence. It reached number 22 in the UK singles chart
in May 2002.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
political singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg
Stephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...
and The Blokes, and a song from that album. The song is about racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and the anti-immigration feelings and racist abuse of asylum seekers fuelled by the tabloid
Tabloid journalism
Tabloid journalism tends to emphasize topics such as sensational crime stories, astrology, gossip columns about the personal lives of celebrities and sports stars, and junk food news...
press, particularly the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
. The song uses examples such as the lions on the English football team's shirts, Britannia
Britannia
Britannia is an ancient term for Great Britain, and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain. However, by the...
and the English patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
, St. George (from Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
), the hyphen in Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
and the nation's favourite dish (curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
) to convey his message that everything about English culture is shaped and influenced by the waves of immigration that have taken place in the past.
The title is taken from England, Half English, a 1961 collection of essays and articles by Colin MacInnes
Colin MacInnes
Colin MacInnes was an English novelist and journalist.-Early life:MacInnes was born in London, the son of singer James Campbell McInnes and novelist Angela Thirkell, who was also related to Rudyard Kipling and Stanley Baldwin. His family moved to Australia in 1920, MacInness returning in 1930...
, which includes a 1957 article called "Young England, Half English" about the influence of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
on English teenagers.
"Take Down The Union Jack", a song from the album that protests against the monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
, Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee and argues for English and Scottish independence. It reached number 22 in the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in May 2002.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Billy Bragg; except where indicated- "St. Monday" (single)
- "Jane Allen" (Ian McLaganIan McLaganIan McLagan is an English keyboard instrumentalist, best known as a member of the English rock bands Small Faces and Faces.-Small Faces and Faces:...
, Martyn Barker, Lu Edmonds, Ben MandelsonBen MandelsonBen Mandelson is an English world musician, and also manager and producer.-Punk and New Wave years:...
, Billy Bragg & the Blokes) - "Distant Shore" (Ian McLagan, Martyn Barker, Lu Edmonds, Ben Mandelson, Billy Bragg & the Blokes)
- "England, Half English" (Ian McLagan, Martyn Barker, Lu Edmonds, Ben Mandelson, Billy Bragg & the Blokes)
- "NPWA (No Power Without Accountability)" (Billy Bragg & the Blokes) (single)
- "Some Days I See The Point"
- "Baby Faroukh" (Billy Bragg, Ian McLagan, Martyn Barker, Lu Edmonds, Ben Mandelson)
- "Take Down The Union Jack" (single)
- "Another Kind Of Judy"
- "He'll Go Down"
- "Dreadbelly" (Ian McLagan, Martyn Barker, Lu Edmonds, Ben Mandelson, Billy Bragg & the Blokes)
- "Tears of My Tracks"