England, Half-English
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| England, Half-English | ||
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| CD Album by Billy Bragg | ||
| Released | March 5, 2002 | |
| Recorded | ??? | |
| Genre | rock | |
| Length | 42 min 58 sec | |
| Record label | Elektra Records | |
| Producer | Grant Showbiz | |
| Professional reviews | ||
| Q | 3 stars out of 5 | February 2002 (http://www.q4music.com/nav?page=q4music.review.redirect&fixture_review=139437&resource=139437&fixture_artist=147476) |
| Allmusic.com | 2 1/2 out of 5 | Link (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70404112128090409&sql=A83jyear54xk7) |
| Calgary Sun (Mike Bell) | Favourable | April 9, 2002 (http://www.canoe.ca/JamAlbumsB/bragg_billy_england-sun.html) |
| Billy Bragg Chronology | ||
| Mermaid Avenue Volume II (2000) | England, Half-English (2002) | Must I Paint You a Picture (2003) |
England, Half-English is a 2002 album by English political singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, and a song from that album. The song is about racism in Britain and the anti-immigration feelings and racist abuse of asylum seekers fueled 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 British 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 and Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee, reached number 22 in the UK singles chart in May 2002.
Track listing
- "St Monday" (single)
- "Jane Allen"
- "Distant Shore"
- "England, Half English"
- "NPWA (No Power Without Accountability)" (single)
- "Some Days I See The Point"
- "Baby Faroukh"
- "Take Down The Union Jack" (single)
- "Another Kind Of Judy"
- "He'll Go Down"
- "Dreadbelly"
- "Tears Of My Tracks"