Back in 1977 the Sex Pistols stirred up considerable controversy … well, pretty much all the time! But their confrontational punk anthem ‘God Save the Queen’ from their ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’ LP is perhaps the grandest singular statement in punk music. And perhaps not coincidentally it landed with a bang just as the Queen was celebrating her 25th anniversary.
Now in 2012 all of England is gearing up for the Queen’s diamond (60th) jubilee celebration. So naturally the Sex Pistols publishers are re-releasing the classic single to coincide with the event!
Back in 1977 the song simultaneously captivated and reviled – many media outlets (radio, TV, record stores) banned the song and refused to acknowledge it existed on sales charts. Yet anyone who DID carry the song or played it saw tremendous by the disenfranchised youth of England.
Broad estimates showed that the song should have been the #1 song in England during the Silver Jubilee … but due to being banned by official media sources, it was denied that positions. Now fans of the group are pushing to get the song to sell enough when it is released on May 28th to capture the #1 spot for the Diamond Jubilee and set history right.
John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten in 1977) has no interest in this move, saying:
“It is certainly not my personal plan or aim. I am proud of what the Sex Pistols achieved and always will be but this campaign totally undermines what the Sex Pistols stood for. This is not my campaign.”
Lydon continued by acknowledging that although he is “pleased” that a new generation of music fans are being given the chance to discover the punk legends’ music, he wants “no part in the circus that is being built up around” the release.
There is a Facebook page set up for the #1 movement, where one fan says:
This song was denied the No.1 for the Silver Jubilee in 1977, where many other charts at the time placed the Pistols at the top spot. Time for a re-match…who’s in?”
Sounds like fun! I already own the song on album from the late 70s and digitally … but I’ll have another go to support this!
Here is a great ‘live’ performance of the Sex Pistols and their classic God Save the Queen:
Source: Ultimate-Guitar