In 1976 Sex Pistols Debuted Anarchist Song "God Save the Queen"

Today in protest song history we're highlighting one of the ultimate anarchist anthems in mainstream punk rock, "God Save the Queen" by Sex Pistols.

The British punkers released the song in 1977 during Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee. then later on their only album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols.

The lyrics and the cover were so controversial at the time that neither the BBC nor the Independent Broadcasting Authority would play the song. The lyrics expressed their disdain for not only the monarchy, but any type of authority in general.

The name of the song is the same as the national anthem at the time. The Sex Pistols equated the queen with a fascist regime. In 2007, Johnny Rotten explained the lyrics in a way that Americans can relate to today:

"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."

The song sympathizes the English working class, and the mistreatment of them by the monarchy. In 2020, you could say the USA is going through a similar awakening. The resurgence of the Black Lives Matter Movement has pushed America to come face-to-face with the racist and oppressive systems it's run on. Much like the Sex Pistols did in 1976 with the monarchy, Americans today have began to equate capitalism to a form of fascism.

The Sex Pistols live debuted the song one year before its official release. Our setlist.fm archives has December 6th, 1976 recorded as the first time the band performed "God Save the Queen." The show took place at Leeds Polytechnic in England, part of their Anarchy Tour. They performed 12 songs that night, kicking off the set with "Anarchy in the U.K."

"God Save the Queen" was played five songs in, and was followed by a cover of "Substitute" by The Who. The main set ended on "Problem" and then they did a two-song encore, both covers - "What'cha Gonna Do About It" by Small Faces and "No Fun" by The Stooges.

Check out the full setlist here:

Sex Pistols

___

With the current state of the world, it's important to raise awareness and encourage our readers to take action in support of the BLACK LIVES MATTER movement. We compiled a list or resources to help guide you in the right direction to begin helping today - check it out HERE.

Karma Police - Please Share:

Most played songs

Last updated: 28 Mar 2024, 13:41 Etc/UTC