Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen | Reaction

[@bartstarr100]

1977 the Queen had her 25 year Silver Jubilee. This song and all of their songs were banned by BBC. So they rented a boat to float on the Thames River an play this song (among others) DURING the Jubilee celebration.

[@nealabbott6520]

i'm old enough to remember this

[@somefatbugger]

I was 16 when this song was released in 1977 and I bought their first album "Never Mind the Bollocks" in early 1978 while in my last year of high school here in Australia. I was the punk generation and am now an old bloke in my early 60's and still a young punk at heart.

[@georgeaharonian9078]

an old punker from boston, still love the rebellion even though I'm 67 now.

[@stevensprunger3422]

This was not just another punk rock band this was the band that started the whole thing not just another punk rock band

[@scenxad]

You asked about some of the repercussions they faced. 1-their record was deemed obscene and record store owners were subject to arrest in the uk for displaying it. 2- their single was removed from the top 10. 3-a couple of the band members were physically assaulted by those who didnt appreciate their message. 4-Most of their concerts were banned and cancelled. 5- They had to tour under the name "SPOTS" (Sex Pistols on tour secretly ) to get by the ban. 5- They were arrested for performing on the river thames on the queens jubilee. I'm sure i am forgetting a couple.

[@RushfanUK]

What a load of crap, the record was thought to be offensive towards the Queen but not obscene and nobody got arrested for selling it, it wasn't removed from the top 10, the mainstream media of radio and tv just wouldn't play it, there's so much bullshit about these things mainly created by people who were never even there at the time.

[@scenxad]

@@RushfanUK all three of your counterpoints have been thoroughly disproven. Have a nice day.

[@punkoid76]

@@RushfanUK the album was deemed obscene because of its title and a record store owner was approached by the police for displaying it in his shop window. McLaren took the case to have the album title deemed non offensive to court and a very astute lawyer won it for him by proving the the word “bollocks” was an old english reference to the clergy. To be clear I am talking about the album “Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols” which I’m sure is what the original comment maker is alluding to.

[@jeffsparkes3430]

The single wasn't removed from the top 10, it was dropped from the Number 1 spot to the Number 2 spot.

[@dathorndike4908]

They were dropped from their record label and had to play shows outside the UK. Their lives turned into a media circus from all the attention and pretty much tore the band apart and ended their career

[@ellesee7079]

I'll never forget the impact the album had, when you went to the record shop as a teen, to see it in person, just to see the word 'bollocks' in print, in the open! I'm blessed to have seen so many ground breaking moments in music!

[@jabberthebut]

Society did everything they could to ban the LP, they went through the courts stating boĺlocks was obscene, they lost - its an old English word. When it was for sell, many stores covered in a brown paper bag.

[@nickcrisp7252]

This was released in the year of the Queen's Silver Jubilee (25 years on the throne), so lots of parades, fireworks, street parties and flag waving. This contrasts strongly with that, at a time when most Brits were still quite patriotic (youth never are!). Nowadays, I think most Brits think Queen Elizabeth is quite admirable, the monarchy itself not so much. "Heirs and Successors", and therein the trouble lies!

[@skiptrailer7048]

they are stupid

[@travislwoodward7780]

When they're talking about no future it's because Great Britain's economy was in the toilet in the 70's and there were no jobs for the working class. I really appreciate your analysis BTW, you have an astute grasp of punk musics' influence on later bands.

[@Nick-iq5gi]

Cannot agree more. And for a todays American to grasp 70's UK politics in music shows real intelligence..

[@rightroyalpain1]

Yes, but I wouldn't use the term 'lower' classes.

[@travislwoodward7780]

@@rightroyalpain1 Yeah I agree I changed it to working class.

[@soulska75]

At the time the queen’s jubilee celebration was going on, whilst the UK was in shambles. They put tons of money into the celebration while the common English population had no jobs. When The Sex Pistols played their first gigs in the UK they sparked many of great bands to form. That’s how influential they were. True Punk founders

[@Nick-iq5gi]

Thanks mate, I grew up in the late 70's and early 80's.. And I knew straight from the start that it was more than just an offensive band to piss everyone else off. It came from school. We were told that they were the enemy, and we had no future whatsoever in life because my handwriting was shite. I could not see why with my 11 year old brain. Surely we have been vindicated!! ATB and P+L.. Nick

[@sparky6086]

Despite being banned on commercial radio in the UK, "God Save the Queen" was #2 on the record charts. ...The #1 slot was left blank.

[@Northman.56]

God save the Queen. She ain't no human being. Loved it.The song came out on the Queens silver jubilee.They played on the Thames River and they got arrested .They only got 5000 Singles pressed and it got banned.

[@JohnBGood-ry9wj]

I love your videos man!!! Subbed and 👍. Love that KISS lamp wish I could see the whole thing...

[@garykelly5710]

God Save the Queen the record was banned in the UK

[@TheAdventuresofTNT]

Damn lol

[@duane8829]

When the police came to arrest them and asked which one was Johnny Rotten, Johnny pointed to the band’s manager Malcolm McLaren, whom he despised, and said “there goes that scoundrel now, get him!”

[@Wulfyr]

"Scoundrel" Love it! 🤣

[@bobburroughs6241]

Drummer Paul Cook and family were local to us in Hammersmith, London. He and his mates rewired our house!

[@tomross6652]

This was considered so outrageous at the time, it was the number one song in England for weeks. They didn't print the song title on the charts, just left the spot blank.

[@jasonjames6383]

That's true, number 1 was left blank :)

[@punkoid76]

Number 1 was actually Rod Stewart, though that was allegedly due to the charts being rigged and not counting sales from independent stores, which is were most punk vinyl was sold. Interesting side note, Steve Jones is a big Rod Stewart fan.

[@feraljane]

I recall hearing this the first time here in the US. I loved out in the sticks but had heard the uproar over this single. The way everyone was so appalled, I figured it sounded - awful? Anyway, the fella on the radio played and I said, ‘what’s the big deal? This is rock!’ I was sold.

[@sparky6086]

The Ramones & other New Wave groups were retroactively labeled Punk Rock. The Sex Pistols were always labeled Punk Rock.

[@paulm7448]

Great reaction mate. Very intelligent analysis.

[@georgenemeth4837]

Cool video! Add surf punk to your bucket list!

[@neonknees]

Anarchy in the UK, Bodies, Holidays in the Sun...

[@edwardrandolph8665]

What made this song so ironical was that Johnny was Irish and we know how bitter the queen was toward the Irish. In England at the time there was a lot hatred, and racism toward the Irish, the blacks of Europe. Interrelating this song knocked thriller by Michael Jackson off the number 1 hits on the British charts

[@alex-E7WHU]

The song called bodies by the pistols is a powerful thing.

[@georgeaharonian9078]

i think many thing that a similar between punk rockers and rap. the music is about the life of streets and young people's struggles. the dress is both different from the norm, the pikes and leather jackets and hair. where rappers are about their colors and things like that.

[@janishaldeman3339]

Dr Feelgood Malpractice, the whole album

[@gabrielfuentes1054]

The influence on the UK punk scene came , in part , from New York. Check out a band called The Heartbreakers aka Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers… Songs Too Much Junkie Business or Born to Lose or Chinese Rocks.. the visual will be important as well..

[@olafkunert6368]

"🎼🎵...there's no future in England's drrreamin'...🎶" R.I.P Queeney☠

[@seanclark2085]

They were teenagers when they wrote this, the lyrics are incredible and it's as relivent today as it ever was .

[@jimmcdonald4087]

Not teenagers, but close.

[@seanclark2085]

Without being pedantic three of them were 19 when it was written ...

[@60sbaby456]

Insulting queen Elizabeth let’s see anyone even try to do and endure her 70 years of responsibility! Grow up

[@60sbaby456]

Bunch of brats

[@seanclark2085]

I didn’t see the position advertised, so missed the opportunity to see if I could have done a better job .

[@joeb2487]

John Lydon opened many minds in the 70s. He's changed since.

[@markallen2984]

The title of the song was actually "No Future"

[@savinghistory642]

the only real punk band ever. everyone else tried to imitate them but came off sounding like The Chipmunks.

[@OzzybinOswald]

It was the Queens Silver Jubilee that year.

[@oddespenjenssen2236]

The first UK punk release was back in '76, and you should try it. "New Rose" by The Damned. It's a boisterous gem!

[@joekidd1057]

Didn't they get kicked out of England 4 awile and did a show on a boat on the ocean.

[@oddespenjenssen2236]

@@joekidd1057 They were banned from playing almost everywhere after being ludicrously slandered by the right-wing tabloids as public enemies #1. (And swearing on TV. GASP!) That much is true. They did also play on a boat, but not on the ocean. As this footage shows, they launched their amazing single "God Save the Queen" drifting down the somewhat less treacherous waters of the River Thames in the wake of the royal barge. (The late queen was marking her 50th anniversary on the throne at the time.) I think some of them got arrested for their impertinence too.

[@williamwebb8908]

This song hit the number one spot on the charts but wasn't acknowledged by the industry.

[@Scott_Forsell]

I was 14 when I heard this. Went out and bought the album the very next day. Changed my life. Being a punk in 1977 was pretty radical. Get arrested for walking down the street. Get beat down by as,3

[@neshiah4747]

Me too 🙏🏼🇬🇧

[@johnsudnik547]

Dude! Listen to the “Bad Brains” (got the name from a Ramones song!) their from DC , first cassette 1982,an all black hardcore punk band.!!Amazing… one of theeee best bands ever. They’d play really smooth reggae RIGHT into the most BLISTERING hardcore!

[@wn68]

Wait till you found Crass band and know how relevant and dangerous punk scene at that time

[@antonyware9887]

Punk rock blew me away in 1977. This was banned on the BBC.

[@wilks6]

For "roots" punk, you need to hear Stiff Little Fingers. An Irish band, their developmental years were during "The Troubles," when Northern Ireland was basically at war with Britain. Punk was born of anger, of youth raging at the sh*t they were being expected to live with, at the injustice of inequality and class division. So, considering the above, have a listen to Stiff Little Fingers' "Suspect Device."

[@damianreid2452]

I second that. The album version for me. Bit more 'beef' to it. Always sounds ferocious.

[@Rafabenitez01]

Your right about an Irish influence but it’s from a guy named Eddie Cochran

[@Stephan74]

Punk lasted 2 years. Then new wave. Punk was British 🇬🇧.you had to be there. God love you for trying, black American lol8

[@oskariratinen1213]

If you still react to punk rock and want to see something that literally got the band in trouble, you should watch the band JMKE and their song "Tere Perestroika". They were formed in Estonia when Soviet Union still existed and they made punk that criticized the Soviet system by praising it way too absurdly. The frontman Villu Tamme spent time in a mental asulym because he had the band and wrote and performed those songs. The most iconic video of the song is them playing it live on Finnish television. Finland (my country) was still back then very much licking Soviet arse at every turn and playing that song on air caused quite a bit of stir in Finland too. Soviet Union collapsed soon after and Estonia regained their independence. JMKE was actually a pretty important piece in the Estonian "singing revolution".

[@punkdoggo211]

You’d probably like “Fat Lip” by Sum 41

[@Boiing008]

It was banned from radio in the Uk

[@martin-vg7hf]

1977 had mass unenployment in the uk. Also a lot of strikes happening and it was the queens silver jubilee

[@charcolew]

The song was banned by the BBC, which meant no TV or radio plays. It also meant everyone had to go out and buy it, so it became a massive no. 1 hit!

[@timholder6825]

There have been 3 songs banned from play on radio and TV by the BBC and others. JeT'aime, by, Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin (sexual content). God Save The Queen, by, The Sex Pistols (anti monarchy and in a Queens Jubilee year). And, Ding Dong The Witch is Dead, from the Wizard of Oz (went straight to no.1, when former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died (loved by the rich, Conservatives, hated by everyone else. Spontaneous street parties in many cities across the UK speaks volumes eh?).

[@toddrotton218]

These dudes got fired from 2 record companies in the same day. Classic. They had to come to the US to tour. Nobody would let them play in the UK. If you had a venue there would be repercussions from the govt.

[@Salguine]

People now don't realize what a hand grenade thrown into the middle of the pop music world this was at the time.

[@mrsuperger5429]

The Sex Pistols were repeatedly violently assaulted on the streets of the UK after this song was released. The Queen is a hugely respected figure in Britain. Ironically, Johnny Rotten / Lydon nowadays admires the Queen.

[@tonytony5380]

He actually was saying there's no future for the royal family and that he and his kind were the future

[@thenorthrocksmusic]

"No Feelings" is one of my favourites especially because the "bridge" or "solo" part is so uplifting in a strange way

[@TheCosmicGenius]

This song was released during the Queen's 25th anniversary of her coronation. And, there's a video of the Sex Pistols on a boat, playing this song, trolling along behind Her Majesty & the ship she was on.

[@haraldtheyounger5504]

You should listen to Pretty Vacant, Bodies, Holidays in the Sun, really brilliant, musically and lyrically.

[@oliveant6283]

We re not into Music We re into CHAOS Steve Jones

[@idepocaralhokvosfoda]

believe me it was big in England

[@elmoblatch9787]

Pretty Vacant is the stand-out from Bullocks.

[@bryanforis1839]

They have there time line music history

[@rodneycraft1005]

Raw, real, and honest, with one foot still in the garage.

[@reyznbran9586]

iron maiden was sex pistols inspired with the first singer paul di' anno

[@lessmith7906]

The punk rock era was basically an anti establishment movement.

[@davidgillard3990]

Having retired (time flies) I have just moved from London down to the south coast to a town quite close to where my family and I stayed during the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977; I recall a bonfire on the beach with parents and their friends. At the time this really was a shock to the system. It was - some say artificially - kept off number 1 In the record charts to avoid official blushes, and hardly played on the radio. A classmate got excluded from School for chalking the lyrics on a blackboard. Given this is 45 years ago, this is amazing. I think that the crazy thing is that ‘45 years ago’ in 1977 was 1932; can you imagine, counterfactually, a ‘me’ doing a reaction video to a song from 1932 in 1977? Mr Rotten/Lydon still has some interesting views. I don’t agree with all of them, but at least he is far from anodyne. Apart from family and old personal friends, he would be one of the three people I would have to my ‘imaginary dinner party’, I think (and the only one still alive!). Actions speak louder than words, and I get the impression he is, whilst awkward, quite an unpresumingly kind person,, too! Would love to meet him!

[@DazzleMonroe]

Oh, and another thing I just remembered. If you ask very nicely (like I did) you can go down into the basement of number 6/7 Denmark Street, (which used to be London's "Tin Pan Alley" the heart of the music scene) and you can still see the 46 year old magic marker scrawlings on the wall that Sex Pistols did when it was their base for writing, rehearsing and recording early demos. It's now a Grade II listed 17th century property and was given special protection by Historic England.

[@doscojones6404]

If you watch the documentary 'The Filth and The Fury', you'll have a greater appreciation and understanding of the song as it perfectly explains the situation in the UK at the time.

[@loyalistu.y.m]

This video is of the sex pistols sailing up the river Thames in 1977 the yearof the Queen jubilee

[@bhamacuk]

What I find fascinating and mind boggling is that the very same Queen is still reigning today!

[@TheAdventuresofTNT]

LOL

[@TheAdventuresofTNT]

Term limits, lol

[@stefanbranden4898]

As a 58 year old man this is the thing that change my life!!!!

[@jamesgibson3242]

I like The Sex Pistols. I was ten years old when this came out but being so young and American I never heard it as a ten year old but in the late teens I heard it. I was a new wave guy in my teen years. By the way, you may have not noticed this or picked up on it but please hear the Chuck Berry influence on this song, specifically the guitar playing of Steve Jones with his Chuck Berry like Double Stops. Some early punk was influenced by the 50s both in style and music. Listen to Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, Little Richard, Gene Vincent, Elvis, and the list goes on. Actually X song "Johnny Hit And Run Paulene is like Chuck Berry on Speed and Steroids but be careful it sort of is an offensive song lyrically.

[@stopthatluca]

I don't think they were saying "there is no future without the royal family", rather the opposite

[@ianrastall]

They got beaten up in the streets over this song. I think it made it to the top of the charts as a blank spot -- though I might be thinking only of "Anarchy In The UK". This video was shot at the boat that they played on to crash the Queen's jubilee celebration. Alex Cox re-creates it in the film "Sid & Nancy" -- and, seriously, I watched that depressing movie every day for weeks after getting home from classes, until my housemates took the tape away from me. :-)

[@60sbaby456]

They deserved a beaten. They can’t even begin to shine her shoes

[@ernestomercedes5754]

the song and video were banned/censored

[@jamesdreynolds3690]

Loved punk ska reggae growing up great times

[@bullfidde]

Malciolm mclaren their manager kinda put the band together to promote his clothes shop called Sex i belive. And his plan was to create a reputation about the band and there by getting them banned everywhere which resulted in more album sales. But it got kinda hard for the band they got a lot of hate and could not play anywhere. In the end he sent them on a tour in the U.s south where most people still though The Beatles was long haired and loud.

[@peterwalsh2470]

on a side note, it's funny how I see a few videos here and there that were shown on "Rage", which is a music video show that is free to air on a government funded TV channel here in AUS.

[@dsmith3351]

Clothes were designed by Vivien Westwood .

[@steely666]

It got banned from radio play and blanked out of the pop charts. was number but never was shown

[@mikebon8352]

1973,1979... 2 oil/energy/system crisis... Soon: dedollarisation will mean no oil for west europe... US and Israel... And will be far worse scenario as the bleak 1970s...

[@RevStickleback]

What people tend to ignore with the Sex Pistols, because of the lyrics, image, attitude etc, is that the music is still great. Great tunes with energy, without going over the top. The anger comes through the music, rather than just trying to be more and more extreme. Despite their songs not getting airplay, they sold a huge amount of records. This would have been the No.1 single in the UK upon release, had the official charts not temporarily excluded some shops they knew would sell a lot of copies. Even then, it got to No.2. The album did make No.1. Punk, in this era, was much bigger in the UK than it was in the USA. Conversely, the punk hardcore scene was bigger in the USA than it was here.

[@BigAndyK]

This song was discussed in Parliament, to see if they could charge the lyricist, John Lydon, with Treason. Treason was still punishable by hanging at the time. Lydon/Rotten was 19 when he wrote this.

[@anntelford8647]

Johnny Rotten, aka John Lydon, the singer, NOW says that he likes the Queen and didn't like this stunt. The Sex Pistols enjoyed a brief period in the spotlight. One dismal your in the US ended the "band." Listen to "Anarchy in the UK," their other big hit. Then listen to The Clash " London Calling," The Dead Kennedy's "Holiday In Cambodia," Misfits, MC5, New York Dolls, The Stooges, and more Ramones try " The KKK Took My Baby Away" (about Joey's girlfriend stolen by band member Johnny Ramone). Punk had a resurgence in the early 90s with Green Day, Nirvana, etc.

[@patrickdemeyer2210]

Punk was short lived , i was there.Engineered Rage.

[@mikemaggio6429]

They put her business on the street! She was put on full blast! Give thanks for living in a system that allows us to express true shit like this!!! I'm sure many places on this beautiful earth you would be disposed of quickly for expressing yourself this way. The Pistols were F.....G Great!

[@КристоферДосс]

You want the Sex Pistols to give thanks for living in the UK?

[@ffranzos]

On the British charts it reached #1, but they wouldn't admit it so on the polls, they left the slot blank.

[@richardfox2102]

You couldn't hear it but it went to number 1

[@leofranssen]

the sex pistels is not about clothes... it's pure emotion. pure anger.

[@Ingens_Scherz]

John Lydon maintains - rightly! - that the Sex Pistols had nothing to do with "Punk Rock" (a term invented by the American media years before that appealed to Malcolm Maclaron). The Sex Pistols were an antidote to a disease he identified as a young poet, born into poverty in post-war Britain. He did not give shit-one about "punk rock". The Sex Pistols were a British Rock 'n Roll band in the best tradition of that phenomenon, pure and simple. And this song - and all the others - were performed live around universities and other shitty venues across the country in 75-76. The album came out a year later when the whole thing had gained some kind of bullshit momentum. So this is not a '77 sound. John Lydon had totally given up on the whole idea by '77. He was sick of Maclaron, specifically, and the whole media uproar generally. And this song has nothing to do with the Queen herself or even British history. It's to do with the "Establishment" and the prospect of unemployment and nuclear war. If you don't believe me, ask Lydon (if you dare).

[@Ingens_Scherz]

"Pretty Vacant", Notre Dame Hall, London, November 1976. This was only filmed because the band had started to gain some traction over the previous year. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqvGq4mun92EoZI&ab_channel=AntiBonez

[@richardmumford2708]

The family is an icon !

[@haraldtheyounger5504]

Glad to see someone with insight and intelligence listening open mindedly. Yep, the song was banned on radio and TV. It got to the top of the UK charts, but the number 1 listing was simply left blank. The Pistols represented what so many of us felt during the early 70's, then they gave us a focus.

[@johnbrookes4892]

good punk origin track - check out Jonathon Richman's Roadrunner ;) sex pistols covered it 30 years later

[@robs.6891]

I believe the album was BANNED

[@darrenhunt9049]

Check out the Specials, message to you Rudy. I want that at my funeral.

[@albrussell7184]

You need to check out their first single 'Anarchy in the UK'. After their notorious TV interview the women at the packing plant refused to handle the single, so it became impossible to get hold of and only reached 37 in the charts before they got ditched by the record company (EMI). I could only get hold of an imported copy from France.

[@Ramsb0ne]

F**k yeah !

[@mrpuniverse2]

If you haven't tried out some Aussie punk try songs from Radio Birdman The Saints and The Exploding White Mice Paul McCartney said and I quote "The Sex Pistols are another band playing Chuck Berry." and I don't think he was wrong but they sure made an impact

[@GS44691]

ATV 'My Love Lies Limp'. Thoughts folks?

[@GS44691]

Outstanding. Was about to suggest it but then seen you'd beat me to it. 👍

[@piscator57]

I like the fact that you react to hard punk, I recommend strongly the best canadian hard punk band of all times D.O.A.

[@patthewoodboy]

and Sid wasnt in the pistols at the time

[@laudanum669]

If you think this song is outrageous or risky check out their song "Belson was a Gas".

[@bryanhale5254]

He had a man good question yeah it was obviously banned from being played and they were banned from actually performing at a lot of places the only time they got to perform was for a benefit for some fireman they have their kids come and dance and have fun that was great it was a awesome show you can see the film somewhere I think there's a documentary yeah you got to check out some of the Public Image Limited that was the band that Johnny Rotten who's also known as Johnny Lydon his actual name but he is brilliant in that group

[@Frank216S]

Check out the song "Politicians In My Eyes" by Death. EARLY PUNK!!!!!

[@mrgreenelander4952]

This song was sung at Prince Harrys and Meghan's wedding, apparently, Harry requested it lol

[@Northman.56]

Great band .The Bollocks lp is the best of all time.Cheers mate.

[@markshackleton9805]

Listen to the whole Never Mind The Bollocks albums and follow the lyrics online. Also watch a few KZbin documentaries about UK punk and about England in the 70s.

[@markshackleton9805]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/foixdoediq57ZsU

[@DisposableFrequencies]

check out Stiff Little Fingers - Tin Soldiers

[@buzzbomb67]

The story of this song and video is pretty interesting! As others mentioned, it was the Queens Silver Jubilee, for 25yrs in service, and the Pistols followed the Queen’s flotilla down the Thames, playing this song. Needless to say, the Queen did NOT approve and police tried to get rid of them.