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Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen

"When there's no future
how can there be sin
we're the flowers
in the dustbin
we're the poison
in your human machine
we're the future
you're future "

The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians. Although their initial career lasted just two-and-a-half years and produced only four singles and one studio album, they are regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of popular music.

The Sex Pistols originally comprised vocalist Johnny Rotten, guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock. Matlock was replaced by Sid Vicious in early 1977. Under the management of impresario Malcolm McLaren, the band provoked controversies that captivated Britain.

"God Save the Queen" was released as the band's second single and was featured on their only album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. The song was released during Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee in 1977.
The record's lyrics, as well as the cover, were controversial at the time, and both the BBC and the Independent Broadcasting Authority refused to play the song. The song reached number one on the NME charts in the United Kingdom, but only made it to #2 on the official UK Singles Chart as used by the BBC. This led to accusations by some that the charts had been "fixed" to prevent the song from reaching number one.
At the time it was highly controversial, firstly for its equation of the Queen with a "fascist regime", and secondly for its claim that England had "no future". The phrase "no future", the song's closing refrain, became emblematic of the punk rock movement. Rolling Stone ranked "God Save the Queen" number 173 on their list of the The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, one of the group's two songs on the list along with "Anarchy in the U.K.".

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