~
45 RPM front cover
cover design by Jamie Reid
On May 26, 1977, the Sex Pistols released the single, God Save the Queen, which described the monarchy as a "fascist regime. It was released and coincided with national celebrations for the Queen's Silver Jubilee. It is believed it was created because of the Silver Jubilee, however, the band has denied it, with Paul Cook
saying that "it wasn't written specifically for the Queen's Jubilee.
We weren't aware of it at the time. It wasn't a contrived effort to go
out and shock everyone." Johnny Rotten
has explained the lyrics as follows: "You don't write God Save the
Queen because you hate the English race. You write a song like that
because you love them, and you're fed up with them being mistreated." He intended to evoke sympathy for the English working class and a general resentment towards the monarchy.
On 7 June 1977, the Jubilee holiday, the band attempted to play the song from a boat named the Queen Elizabeth on the River Thames, near the Palace of Westminster. After a scuffle involving attendee Jah Wobble and a camera man, 11 people, including Malcolm McLaren, the man who organized the concert, and several other members of the band's entourage, were arrested when the boat docked.
45 RPM back cover
cover design by Jamie Reid
The song's title is taken directly from the British national anthem. The original title for the song was No Future, with the lyrics themselves being a general expression of the band's view of the monarchy or any individual or establishment commanding general obligation.
The song was banned from being played by the BBC and by nearly every independent radio station in Britain, making it the most censored record in British history.
In spite of this, The song reached No. 1 on the NME charts in the United Kingdom, and made it to No. 2 on the official UK Singles Chart as used by the BBC. This led to accusations that the charts had been "fixed" to prevent the song from reaching No. 1
God Save the Queen was included on Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, the band's only album.
Rolling Stone ranked God Save the Queen number 175 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and it is also one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It was Sounds magazine's Single of the Year in 1977. In 1989, it was eighteenth in the list of NME writers' all-time top 150 singles. Q magazine in 2002 ranked it first on its list of "The 50 Most Exciting Tunes Ever..." and third on its list of "100 Songs That Changed the World" in 2003. In 2010, the song was ranked among the top 10 most controversial songs of all time in a poll conducted by PRS for Music.
In 2012, it was announced that the single would be re-released on 28
May 2012, coinciding with the 35th anniversary of the original release
and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
Lydon has voiced his disapproval over the re-release and the campaign,
saying in a statement: "I would like to very strongly distance myself
from the recent stories and campaign to push 'God Save the Queen' for
the number one spot... this campaign totally undermines what The Sex
Pistols stood for."
With the death of Elizabeth II in September 2022 and the accession of King Charles III, Matlock began to perform a modified version of the song which reflects the royal succession. Lydon paid tribute to the Queen on Twitter and subsequently objected to any commercial use of The Sex Pistols' tracks to capitalize on the Queen's death.
The single's picture sleeve, featuring a defaced image of Queen Elizabeth II, was designed by Jamie Reid and in 2001 was ranked No. 1 in a list of the 100 greatest record covers of all time by Q magazine. A photograph of the image is held by the National Portrait Gallery, London.
On the 18 March 1983 episode of SCTV in the Mel's Rock Pile segment, Mel Slirrup (Eugene Levy) has a tribute to punk rock featuring a number by the band the Queenhaters—Martin Short (lead singer), Andrea Martin (lead guitarist/back-up vocals), Eugene Levy (rhythm guitarist), Joe Flaherty (bass), and John Candy
(drummer)—performing I Hate the Bloody Queen, a sound-alike song that
almost matches the original it is spoofing, with references to the Falklands War
("I'd like to drown the Queen/Off the coast of Argentine/Throw her off a
battleship/With her Falkland war machine!") and the problems that Princess Diana
was, and would be soon having with her in-laws ("I feel sorry for you,
Lady Di/Having a mother-in-law like that!"). This spoof of the Sex
Pistols God Save the Queen even has its own cover version by Mudhoney on the tribute album Oh Canaduh! 2.
in 1975, Queen did an instrumental version of the original God Save the Queen piece. It would have been great if a vocal version with Freddie Mercury had been done.
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A - God Save The Queen, Producer – Chris Thomas - 3:20
Side 2:
B - God Save The Queen (Neil Barnes And The Sex Pistols - 7" Extended Mix), Engineer – Steve "Dub"* Remix, Producer [Additional Production] – Neil Barnes - 3:09
Companies, etc.
Side 1:
A - God Save The Queen, Producer – Chris Thomas - 3:20
Side 2:
B - God Save The Queen (Neil Barnes And The Sex Pistols - 7" Extended Mix), Engineer – Steve "Dub"* Remix, Producer [Additional Production] – Neil Barnes - 3:09
Companies, etc.
Licensed To – Virgin Records
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Sex Pistols Residuals
Copyright © – Sex Pistols Residuals
Published By – Warner Chappell Music Ltd.
Lacquer Cut At – The Exchange
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Sex Pistols Residuals
Copyright © – Sex Pistols Residuals
Published By – Warner Chappell Music Ltd.
Lacquer Cut At – The Exchange
Credits:
Producer – Chris Thomas
Artwork [Original Sex Pistols Artwork Originated by Jamie Reid
Artwork [Original Sex Pistols Artwork Originated by Jamie Reid
Lacquer Cut By – Grazz*
Written-By Matlock*, Rotten*, Cook*, Jones*
Written-By Matlock*, Rotten*, Cook*, Jones*
Notes:
25th Anniversary reissue coinciding with the Queen's Golden Jubilee Year.
Side A ℗ 1977 Sex Pistols Residuals
Side B ℗ 2002 Sex Pistols Residuals
Original Sex Pistols artwork originated by Jamie Reid.
Sample courtesy of Capital Radio Pic and Greg Edwards.
The copyright in this recording is owned by Sex Pistols Residuals.
℗&© 2002 Sex Pistols Residuals licenced exclusively to Virgin Records.
This label copy is subject of copyright protection.
©2002 Sex Pistols Residuals
Printed in EU.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
25th Anniversary reissue coinciding with the Queen's Golden Jubilee Year.
Side A ℗ 1977 Sex Pistols Residuals
Side B ℗ 2002 Sex Pistols Residuals
Original Sex Pistols artwork originated by Jamie Reid.
Sample courtesy of Capital Radio Pic and Greg Edwards.
The copyright in this recording is owned by Sex Pistols Residuals.
℗&© 2002 Sex Pistols Residuals licenced exclusively to Virgin Records.
This label copy is subject of copyright protection.
©2002 Sex Pistols Residuals
Printed in EU.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Barcode (Text): 7 24354 64837 3
Barcode (Scanned): 724354648373
Label Code: LC03098
Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, hand etched): VS-1832-A₁ GRAZZ - THE EXCHANGE
Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, hand etched): VS 1832-B VS-18̶2̶3̶-B₁
Distribution Code: F: PM215
Rights Society: bel BIEM
Barcode (Scanned): 724354648373
Label Code: LC03098
Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, hand etched): VS-1832-A₁ GRAZZ - THE EXCHANGE
Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, hand etched): VS 1832-B VS-18̶2̶3̶-B₁
Distribution Code: F: PM215
Rights Society: bel BIEM
Sex Pistols – God Save The Queen
Label: Virgin – VS 1832, Virgin – 7243 5 46483 7 3
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Reissue
Country: UK
Released: May 27, 2002
Genre: Rock
Style: Punk
Label: Virgin – VS 1832, Virgin – 7243 5 46483 7 3
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Reissue
Country: UK
Released: May 27, 2002
Genre: Rock
Style: Punk
Viewfinder links:
YouTube links:
British National Anthem - God Save The Queen
Motörhead – God Save The Queen
Styrous® ~ Monday, September 7, 2020
