England, Half-English


England, Half-English is a 2002 album by English political singer-songwriter Billy Bragg and the Blokes.
The title track 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, the hyphen in Anglo-Saxon and the nation's favourite dish 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.
The album peaked at number 51 on the UK Albums Chart in March 2002. Its first single, the double A-side "England, Half English" / "St. Monday", reached number 98 on the UK singles chart the same month. "Take Down the Union Jack", a song from the album that protests against the monarchy, Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee and argues for English and Scottish independence, reached number 22 in the UK Singles Chart in May 2002.

Track listing

Adapted from album liner notes.
All tracks composed by Billy Bragg; except where indicated
  1. "St. Monday" – 3:04
  2. "Jane Allen" – 3:58
  3. "Distant Shore" – 2:30
  4. "England, Half English" – 2:29
  5. "NPWA " – 5:31
  6. "Some Days I See the Point" – 4:59
  7. "Baby Faroukh" – 3:06
  8. "Take Down the Union Jack" – 3:20
  9. "Another Kind of Judy" – 3:44
  10. "He'll Go Down" – 3:21
  11. "Dreadbelly" – 3:33
  12. "Tears of My Tracks" – 3:53
;Australian CD bonus track
  2. "Yarra Song" – 3:33
;Japanese CD bonus tracks
  2. "You Pulled the Carpet Out" – 2:38
  3. "Mystery Shoes" - 3:09
;2006 CD reissue bonus disc
  1. "Billericay Dickie" – 4:46
  2. "Mansion on the Hill" – 4:20
  3. "Glad and Sorry" – 4:08
  4. "He'll Go Down" – 3:31
  5. "Yarra Song" – 3:33
  6. "You Pulled the Carpet Out" – 2:38
  7. "Mystery Shoes" – 3:09
  8. "Tears of my Tracks" – 3:20
  9. "Take Down the Union Jack" – 3:22
  10. "England, Half English" – 3:56
  11. "1 2 3 4" – 2:05
  12. "Dry Bed" – 3:19
  13. "Danny Rose" – 2:27
  14. "She Smiled Sweetly" – 2:50
;Bonus disc notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from album liner notes.
  • Billy Bragg – guitar, vocals
;The Blokes
;Additional musicians
  • Terry Edwards – tenor saxophone
  • Caroline Hall – trombone
  • Dave Woodhead – trumpet, flugelhorn, brass arrangements
  • Lorraine Bowen – backing vocals
  • Anthea Clarke – backing vocals
  • Love Ayikai Tagoe – backing vocals
  • Rebecca Naadu Laryea – backing vocals
;Technical