Ang Sex Pistols will issue on May 27 their forever controversial god save the queenperhaps the most iconic anti-hymn in punk history, on the occasion of the celebration, in June, of the queen’s 70 years on the throne Isabel IIended February 6.

Vetoed by public opinion, the anti-system song who saw the light in May 1977 -now converted to a cult theme- will be heard again from June 2 to 5 on the so -called Platinum Jubilee of British sovereign, age 96.

pure disrespect

The provocative anarchic lyrics of the Pistols and their rude protest content compared the reign of Elizabeth II to a fascist regime and reached, on the day of its release, the #number two on the UK best-selling album chart.

The British quartet had to pay a high price for their message: the musicians were arrested when they were trying to promote the song, it was over four decades ago, aboard a boat that set sail on the River Thames.

Although it was initially believed that the song was dedicated primarily for the queen’s anniversary, the band repeatedly denied it. the drummer Paul Cook he said a few years later that “they didn’t even know it was their anniversary and it wasn’t prepared to make it any more surprising”.

On the other hand, the great johnny is rotten explained: “You don’t write a song like that god save the queen because you don’t like English. You wrote such a song because you love them and you are tired of mistreatment. ”From his words it is learned that“ his intention was to arouse sympathy for the working class at the expense of monarchical power, and not specifically attacking Queen Elizabeth“.

At the time, the Pistols record label, AMdecided to do without the controversial band, which published the song with Virgin then sign a new contract.

One of those most affected by the controversy was Rotten himself, who was threatened and even attacked with a knife outside a pub. This is because not only is he the leader of the group and the composer of the song, but the attack may also be due to religious reasons, as Rotten was raised in a Catholic environment and came from Irish.

a punk anthem

The phrase “no future” will be a song for the punk movement, despite the fact that its use in god save the queen is quite vague and according to some is nothing nihilistic connotation which was later attributed by others to him.

god save the queen is included in Never Mind the Bollocks, Here are the Sex Pistols and in many subsequent compilations such as Whipping a Dead Horse. In addition, the subject was reached number 173 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Best Songs of All Time.

On this occasion, on the occasion of the date set to celebrate the long reign of His Majesty, it is strange Virgin will re -release 4,000 copies of the song and 1977 copy of the first version of AM

At that time -this is history- 25,000 were destroyed unpublished copies of god save the queenonly a few of A&M’s original edits are retained.

Source Agency EFE

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