i"m from germany, but i often was in england and i have learn to love this beautiful country!!! this song expresses my feelings, your a wonderful artist to transport this, dear ralph, thank you!!!
Back in October 1991 I flew out to Croatia to serve as a European Community Monitor to try and supervise the various ceasefires between the warring parties. I was not there long, but I had this song on a tape (yes, that was the technology back then!) and I cannot describe the comfort it gave me, and how it encapsualted how I felt when I flew back into England.
Raymond, you're so right! This is such a poignant song for our current time in history. Sing it, play it, and celebrate our wonderful country. England!
I actually sung this song with Ralph my when he came to our school in 1981. It was turned into a music sheet with our picture on it with him and a 9” single record. Brings back so many memories. Think you can hear us the choir signing ‘England’ in the background. Shame I can’t show the pictures I have of this hanging up in my toilet.
What is it about you, makes me feel this way? When I'm leaving you, when I'm coming home I'm lost for words to say. And I know your faults and failures, And the troubles that you've been through. But it's more about what happens now And what were coming to. And the echo from the green hills Runs through the city streets, And the sun when it shines on England Well it lifts the heart in me. What is it about you that took men into war? Rows and rows of crosses, who remembers why what for? The corners of these foreign fields, The dust in them concealed. Out of sight but not out of mind, Don't you know that England feels? And the echo from the green hills Runs through the city streets. The rain that falls on England Well it washes care from me. England, oh England England, oh England England, oh England Don't make this out a battle hymn or a song for victory. It's just a way to try to say what England means to me. And our accents and our colours change From the city to the farmland From the moorland to the mountain, From the river to the sea. And the echo from the green hills Runs through the city streets The wind that blows through England Breathes its life in you and me. England, oh England England, oh England England, oh England From the rolling road to the winding lane, From the field to factory, From summer's haze to winter's glaze, And all the colours in between. It's a stillness in the evening. It's the heartbeat that I'm feeling. From Cornwall to Northumberland, From the Pennines to the sea. And the echo from the green hills Runs through the city streets. And the wind that blows through England Well it breathes its life in you and me. England, oh England England, oh England
What a beautiful song from the inspired composer of "Streets of London". I agree completely not only as a teacher of English but also because I too have come to love its green hills and towns and cities.
@@albertmccready478 Scotland had a Referendum but England never has. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own National Assembly and England has none. This song is beautiful and goes to the heart of all English men and women. No one is forced to live in any part of the U.K. We are not East Germany in 1970, or North Korea in 2022. Everyone who wishes to leave the U.K. has the freedom to do that. God Bless England 🏴 and her flag. God Bless Scotland 🏴 Wales 🏴 and NI (unable to find your flag sorry). God Bless all our United Kingdom 🇬🇧 .
@@leigh-mariehamilton3361 I don't think you understand what the U.K. is... the UK is not the like the EU where members can join and leave at will. Constitutionally speaking... the UK is three Realms in a personal and political union... its even a little more complex then that... as you see... one of the Realms is made up of two parts but is one entity, (Kingdom of England),... and that Realm is in a personal and political union with one of the other Realms, (Kingdom of Scotland),...which then makes them sub-Realms of a much bigger Realm or the put it another way... these two Kingdoms held in union are there for sub-Kingdoms of a bigger Kingdom, (Kingdom of Great Britain),... which is then in a personal and political union with the last of the tree Realms, (Kingdom of Ireland),... which there for makes these two Kingdoms, (Kingdom of Great Britain), (Kingdom of Ireland),... sub-Kingdoms of a bigger Kingdom, (United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland),... however... one of the sub-Kingdoms has had is territory reduced to only six Counties, (no guess's which one that is),... its now been that way for a little over 100 years now... and so the UK changed its name to... the United Kingdom of of Great Britain & Northern Ireland. If the union with what remans of the Kingdom of Ireland, (Northern Ireland),... is dissolved... then there will be NO UK... as the only way we still have the UK is because the Kingdom of Ireland is still in union with the Kingdom of Great Britain in the form of Northern Ireland... if the six counties has not remained then we would just be the Kingdom of Great Britain... and the flag would have to go back to the pre-1801 flag. If the union between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland is dissolved... (which is the only way you can get ether English or Scottish independence),... then there will be NO Kingdom of Great Britain... let alone sill have the UK. The UK dose not exist outside of legal documents... its not a physical thing nor is the Kingdom of Great Britain which is also a legal creation born from the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland being in a union together... if these two Kingdoms are no longer in union together... then both the Kingdom of Great Britain as well as the UK itself... will just disappear almost as if both had never existed at all. The Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland are real physical places and not of legal fiction like that of the Kingdom of Great Britain... which is why we don't speak of it outside that of history or when we say the full name of the UK... because we recognise that it is a legal fiction... but what we all do NOT recognise is that... The UK... is also a legal fiction.
"There is a forgotten, nay almost forbidden word, which means more to me than any other. That word is England.” Winston Churchill Happy St George’s Day 2021
I'd love to see this belted out by England Rugby players, nothing against God save the Queen but that's a British anthem, this is an all inclusive ENGLISH anthem. Great stuff.
What!!! how in the earth can this be "belted out" you can't get your lungs around a tune that just tinkles up and down a piano, it's rubbish, "There always be an England" "Hearts of oak" "Jerusalem" far far better classics than this very low key boring tinkle, an anthem should raise the hair on the back of the neck with pride, this will send you to sleep.
@@alanendacott9644 you're opinion, I can easily hear this sung by 90,000 at Twickenham. Best thing about this is there's no mention of mythical gods or their offspring. Heart of Oak is a naval song so u inclusive. Thanks for sharing your opinion Alan but I'll just dismiss it, no offence but I think you're missing the point.
@@deancutler You missed out that "Hearts of Oak" is a British navel song, you missed out the song that ends the last night at the proms, "There'll always be an England", the "God save the Queen/King" means nothing to me, look at the "Star spangled banner" now there's an anthem that goes right to the heart (if you know the story behind it)
You make the point I rant about everytime they play God save the Queen as the English anthem. We need Jerusalem as the English anthem but pity about the title - if the title was "Green and pleasant land" it would seem more appropriate
The second verse 'rows and rows of crosses' is usually dropped by anyone who sings these days. Sad!...….. (Even if they are Headstones not Crosses in our War Cemeteries.)
+Bjowolf2 Ralph McTell Live on BBC Radio 2 - and he even sings "England" as well ;-) www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b076zw4k ( ca. 1:36:30 - available for 27 days more )
It is, thank you. Some comments seem to think they hear it as a jingoist, anti-European song. I don't hear that at all. I hear it as a song about being proud to be English . . . "our accents and our colours change," and we can all make up our own minds about Europe.
@@SS-jt2yg I agree with you, and I very much doubt Ralph McTell meant it in that way, after all, he married a Norwegian woman, and is well travelled around Europe and the world. Sometimes people will hear what they want to hear. I'm just grateful that your upload brought this lovely song to my attention, and for the record, I echo McTell's love of England, and the wind which blows through England and 'Breathes its life in you and me' :)
That's the beauty of vinyl. Personally no idea why it's returned to our lives; oh, yes I do - MONEY! ("You bought it on vinyl; You bought it on cassette; You bought it on cd; You bought it from iTunes. Now REBUY it on vinyl" I must add, this isn't a criticism of Ralph McTell). I've just found this, which I THINK is a clear, decent, digital copy FULL version:- ua-cam.com/video/TIOrhxkPYKM/v-deo.html
You can't be English and European, the two are completely antithetical to one another... you can be Scottish and European as they are NOT antithetical to one another... but English and European are antithetical to one another... Englishness and the English way of doing things is just NOT compatible with being European and or doing things the European way.
@foundation of Britain 1603 I have never read such rubbish, English can't butthe Scott's can . Allso I never mentioned I was English, I'm half welsh. I am a European because I choose to be, it is not for you to decide the reasons why I should be English or European. Music is for all cultures, Nations and Nationalities. Or do you find it difficult to look beyond the channel. Or as the English call it the English channel.
Sweet tune but that's all, not an English anthem lung bursting standard, this wouldn't rouse anybody, more like send them to sleep, to be fair it's crap.
i"m from germany, but i often was in england and i have learn to love this beautiful country!!! this song expresses my feelings, your a wonderful artist to transport this, dear ralph, thank you!!!
Great words
Back in October 1991 I flew out to Croatia to serve as a European Community Monitor to try and supervise the various ceasefires between the warring parties. I was not there long, but I had this song on a tape (yes, that was the technology back then!) and I cannot describe the comfort it gave me, and how it encapsualted how I felt when I flew back into England.
Raymond, you're so right! This is such a poignant song for our current time in history. Sing it, play it, and celebrate our wonderful country. England!
Love this, my dad used to listen to it. He has it on record. Dad music rules!
This should be our national anthem!!!
Heard Ralph sing this song recently on BBC Radio 2. Fantastic!!
It sure does put a bit of warmth into your heart and bones. Thanks Ralph, thanks for England.
Ralph has always been one of the most popular English guy in Ireland
It's a grand song about my home,I love both and I know while I love to travel and see the world,I always love to come home to England!
Very well said my friend.
I have been away a very long time, but England is my true home, one day i will return
I actually sung this song with Ralph my when he came to our school in 1981. It was turned into a music sheet with our picture on it with him and a 9” single record. Brings back so many memories. Think you can hear us the choir signing ‘England’ in the background. Shame I can’t show the pictures I have of this hanging up in my toilet.
Wow! That's fantastic, Simon. Maybe you could upload the photo "somewhere" on the 'net and post a link to that location on here?
Seeing the video it simply reduces me to tears and it does so to its very day
Such a beautiful song for a beautiful country.
Great song by one of our very underrated but brilliant song writers.
alydon2 and one of the most underrated guitarists, whom I have seen many times!
Beautiful voice and song. Perfect title for this song.
What is it about you, makes me feel this way?
When I'm leaving you, when I'm coming home
I'm lost for words to say.
And I know your faults and failures,
And the troubles that you've been through.
But it's more about what happens now
And what were coming to.
And the echo from the green hills
Runs through the city streets,
And the sun when it shines on England
Well it lifts the heart in me.
What is it about you that took men into war?
Rows and rows of crosses, who remembers why what for?
The corners of these foreign fields,
The dust in them concealed.
Out of sight but not out of mind,
Don't you know that England feels?
And the echo from the green hills
Runs through the city streets.
The rain that falls on England
Well it washes care from me.
England, oh England
England, oh England
England, oh England
Don't make this out a battle hymn or a song for victory.
It's just a way to try to say what England means to me.
And our accents and our colours change
From the city to the farmland
From the moorland to the mountain,
From the river to the sea.
And the echo from the green hills
Runs through the city streets
The wind that blows through England
Breathes its life in you and me.
England, oh England
England, oh England
England, oh England
From the rolling road to the winding lane,
From the field to factory,
From summer's haze to winter's glaze,
And all the colours in between.
It's a stillness in the evening.
It's the heartbeat that I'm feeling.
From Cornwall to Northumberland,
From the Pennines to the sea.
And the echo from the green hills
Runs through the city streets.
And the wind that blows through England
Well it breathes its life in you and me.
England, oh England
England, oh England
Thank you for giving all the words.
What a beautiful song from the inspired composer of "Streets of London". I agree completely not only as a teacher of English but also because I too have come to love its green hills and towns and cities.
First time hearing this song, it is just beautiful
Been searching for this song for ages, thanks for posting this amazingly beautiful song
I have never heard the full version - Absolutely love it!!!
An English man love s his country just as much as Scottish man or Welsh man or Irish man be proud that we live under the union jack
John, I wish I could give you more thumbs up.
I can respect your local pride, but some don't want to live under the Union Jack. It's been forced in to them.
@@albertmccready478 Scotland had a Referendum but England never has.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own National Assembly and England has none.
This song is beautiful and goes to the heart of all English men and women.
No one is forced to live in any part of the U.K. We are not East Germany in 1970, or North Korea in 2022. Everyone who wishes to leave the U.K. has the freedom to do that.
God Bless England 🏴 and her flag. God Bless Scotland 🏴 Wales 🏴 and NI (unable to find your flag sorry).
God Bless all our United Kingdom 🇬🇧 .
@@albertmccready478 It is forced on ALL of us
@@leigh-mariehamilton3361 I don't think you understand what the U.K. is... the UK is not the like the EU where members can join and leave at will.
Constitutionally speaking... the UK is three Realms in a personal and political union... its even a little more complex then that... as you see... one of the Realms is made up of two parts but is one entity, (Kingdom of England),... and that Realm is in a personal and political union with one of the other Realms, (Kingdom of Scotland),...which then makes them sub-Realms of a much bigger Realm or the put it another way... these two Kingdoms held in union are there for sub-Kingdoms of a bigger Kingdom, (Kingdom of Great Britain),... which is then in a personal and political union with the last of the tree Realms, (Kingdom of Ireland),... which there for makes these two Kingdoms, (Kingdom of Great Britain), (Kingdom of Ireland),... sub-Kingdoms of a bigger Kingdom, (United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland),... however... one of the sub-Kingdoms has had is territory reduced to only six Counties, (no guess's which one that is),... its now been that way for a little over 100 years now... and so the UK changed its name to... the United Kingdom of of Great Britain & Northern Ireland.
If the union with what remans of the Kingdom of Ireland, (Northern Ireland),... is dissolved... then there will be NO UK... as the only way we still have the UK is because the Kingdom of Ireland is still in union with the Kingdom of Great Britain in the form of Northern Ireland... if the six counties has not remained then we would just be the Kingdom of Great Britain... and the flag would have to go back to the pre-1801 flag.
If the union between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland is dissolved... (which is the only way you can get ether English or Scottish independence),... then there will be NO Kingdom of Great Britain... let alone sill have the UK.
The UK dose not exist outside of legal documents... its not a physical thing nor is the Kingdom of Great Britain which is also a legal creation born from the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland being in a union together... if these two Kingdoms are no longer in union together... then both the Kingdom of Great Britain as well as the UK itself... will just disappear almost as if both had never existed at all.
The Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland are real physical places and not of legal fiction like that of the Kingdom of Great Britain... which is why we don't speak of it outside that of history or when we say the full name of the UK... because we recognise that it is a legal fiction... but what we all do NOT recognise is that... The UK... is also a legal fiction.
This song has my heart. I love it so very much. It should be the anthem for England at all Football, Rugby and Commonwealth Games.
Sending all good wishes from the USA
Beautiful song about a beautiful and noble land 🇬🇧
Thank you, but I must point out, that is the flag of the UK, not the flag of England
"There is a forgotten, nay almost forbidden word, which means more to me than any other. That word is England.”
Winston Churchill
Happy St George’s Day 2021
I'd love to see this belted out by England Rugby players, nothing against God save the Queen but that's a British anthem, this is an all inclusive ENGLISH anthem. Great stuff.
What!!! how in the earth can this be "belted out" you can't get your lungs around a tune that just tinkles up and down a piano, it's rubbish, "There always be an England" "Hearts of oak" "Jerusalem" far far better classics than this very low key boring tinkle, an anthem should raise the hair on the back of the neck with pride, this will send you to sleep.
@@alanendacott9644 you're opinion, I can easily hear this sung by 90,000 at Twickenham. Best thing about this is there's no mention of mythical gods or their offspring. Heart of Oak is a naval song so u inclusive. Thanks for sharing your opinion Alan but I'll just dismiss it, no offence but I think you're missing the point.
@@deancutler You missed out that "Hearts of Oak" is a British navel song, you missed out the song that ends the last night at the proms, "There'll always be an England", the "God save the Queen/King" means nothing to me, look at the "Star spangled banner" now there's an anthem that goes right to the heart (if you know the story behind it)
I couldn't agree with you more.
It is just perfect for our English Anthem.
You make the point I rant about everytime they play God save the Queen as the English anthem. We need Jerusalem as the English anthem but pity about the title - if the title was "Green and pleasant land" it would seem more appropriate
Love Ralph love England, watched 2 mins of the commonwealth games closing ceremony and so longed for rhis
Yes, this for the England team, not "God Save" as that's for the UK/GB as a whole
This Should be the National anthem of England
I think the line "don't make this out a battle hymn or a song for victory" rules that out
Drop that verse then or change the words?
Beautiful song should of been played for captain Tom rip wonderful man that he was
Love this!
Just a classic --no more to add
The second verse 'rows and rows of crosses' is usually dropped by anyone who sings these days. Sad!...….. (Even if they are Headstones not Crosses in our War Cemeteries.)
This has just made me cry. We cannot allow this country of ours to become invaded by extremism and hate.
Why can’t I find this on iTunes or Spotify?
Why is this not downloadable anywhere????
julie daniels buy it? cd? remember those days ;)...
+Bjowolf2 Ralph McTell Live on BBC Radio 2 - and he even sings "England" as well ;-)
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b076zw4k ( ca. 1:36:30 - available for 27 days more )
definitely should be the English national anthem
Agreed Mike. As mickchannonsghost
says below, GSTQ is a British anthem, we need a specific English one. Not to be decisive. To be fair.
Lovely song :)
It is, thank you. Some comments seem to think they hear it as a jingoist, anti-European song. I don't hear that at all. I hear it as a song about being proud to be English . . . "our accents and our colours change," and we can all make up our own minds about Europe.
@@SS-jt2yg I agree with you, and I very much doubt Ralph McTell meant it in that way, after all, he married a Norwegian woman, and is well travelled around Europe and the world. Sometimes people will hear what they want to hear. I'm just grateful that your upload brought this lovely song to my attention, and for the record, I echo McTell's love of England, and the wind which blows through England and 'Breathes its life in you and me' :)
This is a better national anthem than the other crap
Why can’t I find this on Apple Music??
It's unavailable. I looked a few years ago and it doesn't seem to be available anywhere (sad face required)
Now our great Queen Elizabeth is no longer with us, may I heartily recommend it as our National Anthem?
A great song for a great country!
Who the hell downvoated this. Oh let me guess. Sjw,. And foreigners
I’m Scottish but I’d happily sing this, much better than God Save the Queen and should rightly be the English national anthem.
Today, as we live in France, 44-8. Ha ha
shame about the quality but still so good
That's the beauty of vinyl. Personally no idea why it's returned to our lives; oh, yes I do - MONEY! ("You bought it on vinyl; You bought it on cassette; You bought it on cd; You bought it from iTunes. Now REBUY it on vinyl" I must add, this isn't a criticism of Ralph McTell).
I've just found this, which I THINK is a clear, decent, digital copy FULL version:- ua-cam.com/video/TIOrhxkPYKM/v-deo.html
vote leave 23/6/16
Please, much as I appreciate the attention, don't use this for political point - scoring.
I agree completely. As Ralph himself said, this is not a marching song or a flag-waving song, it's just a song about how nice it is to live here.
Im not a nationalist more european but great song and words
You can't be English and European, the two are completely antithetical to one another... you can be Scottish and European as they are NOT antithetical to one another... but English and European are antithetical to one another... Englishness and the English way of doing things is just NOT compatible with being European and or doing things the European way.
@foundation of Britain 1603 I have never read such rubbish, English can't butthe Scott's can . Allso I never mentioned I was English, I'm half welsh. I am a European because I choose to be, it is not for you to decide the reasons why I should be English or European. Music is for all cultures, Nations and Nationalities. Or do you find it difficult to look beyond the channel. Or as the English call it the English channel.
Vote OUT on Independence Day kids or lose England for good.
Sweet tune but that's all, not an English anthem lung bursting standard, this wouldn't rouse anybody, more like send them to sleep, to be fair it's crap.
Troll