King James Version
Billy Bragg · Vol. 2-Box Set [2010]
She said, "I'm a teacher here, I teach the children"
And he wondered to himself there and then
All the things he could learn from her
A great mighty wonder
Think of the names you once called me in anger
Remember the sadness in Florence Ballard's eyes
Imagine all the melancholy you could find
In the arms of a stranger
Bread, bread of Heaven
Seems like nothing goes right
In the world that we were born in
But the horizon is bright
Yonder comes the morning
Upstairs they're buying a stairway to Heaven
Down in the garden, they're changing sticks into snakes
And the jangle of religious medals would
Put the fear of God into an angel
Come, come all ye faithful
Their baby came home to them, an unmarried mother
They wished that she would turn into a pillar of salt
But in the end compassion has to be the greatest family value
Hope of the helpless
Looks like a drift to the right
For the world we were born in
But the horizon is bright
Yonder comes the morning
King James Version
Billy Bragg's "King James Version" stands as a defining track from his 2010 Vol. 2-Box Set, reflecting his enduring commitment to political activism and folk-rock fusion. The song utilizes a traditional hymn structure to deliver a sharp critique of religious hypocrisy and the commodification of faith, a recurring theme throughout Bragg's discography. By reimagining the King James Bible as a metaphor for authoritarian control, the recording captures the tension between spiritual ideals and political reality that has characterized his career since the punk era. The track exemplifies Bragg's ability to blend acoustic instrumentation with urgent, socially conscious lyrics, reinforcing his status as a leading voice in the protest music tradition. It remains a staple of his catalog, illustrating how he transforms historical texts into contemporary commentary on power and belief.