...and let me know what you think. I wrote it as a submission to McSweeneys website (they have a section, inspired by Nick Hornby's "Songbook", where people can write in about their favorite songs), and I just want some second or third opinions (it will also lay to rest the speculation of "is he or isn't he...way too American to hate the English Royal Family?") :D
"God Save The Queen," Sex Pistols
America doesn't have a royal family for a very good reason. Back in 1776, King George III couldn't fathom why we colonists were so upset that he would make arbitrary decisions about how we were to live, without our say, so far across the ocean in Great Britain. So we dumped some tea in the harbor, shot up some Redcoats at Lexington and Concord, and proceeded to go out on our own, like any rebellious teen. The first thing we did was ensure that our leaders would be responsible to the people, and if we didn't like what they did we wouldn't lop off their heads. We'd simply fire them.
But over the years, there are some Americans who have desired a ruling class in this country, one that (while denied the divine rights of kings) could hold sway simply through their aura over lesser-status citizens. We came close with the Kennedys, but they didn't quite match the grandeur of the English royals. They were Irish and Catholic, two things the English despised more than being French. So, while not a classless society by any means, we certainly don't put up with anyone using their status to tell us what to do.
I don't hate the British, however, for their past offenses. I have spent hours online talking to decent, hardworking Englishmen and women, people who really are the salt of the earth and truly giants among men. Which is why it pains me that they are still reigned in by a tired institution as hollow and cavity-riddled as the Englsih Royal Family. Centuries have passed with little notice from the House of Windsor, who continue to perpetuate the flawed notion that somehow, simply by being born, they are better than 99.9% of the rest of the population.
The Sex Pistols, of course, were also upset with the royals, and it's the impetus behind their most powerful song, "God Save The Queen." Released a full two years before my birth, it marked the "Silver Jubilee" of Elizabeth II as just the sort of dog-and-pony charade it was, a useless display of ugly nationalism hiding the fact that there wasn't much to be proud about. Sure, the Queen had been reduced to a meaningless figurehead by then, with no say in the running of the nation. But the very notion of "nobility" still held the public's fancy, much to the degredation of their own hopes and dreams. It nullified their existence simply by marking the Queen's presence on the scene.
If it seems unusual that someone as unquestionably American as myself could be so incensed at the trials and tribulations of a bunch of snotty rich people so far away, I guess I should qualify my statements as coming from someone who knows the same sort of assholes exist here in America, and elsewhere in the world. What's more, the Royals are more inbred than your typical Kentucky clan. Face it, they're the Beverly Hillbillies of England, only without the class.
Obviously John Lydon penned the song to document the hypocrisy of the English Crown, but you could really take the bile-filled sentiments presented in the song and apply them to any situation. The "Queen" in question could be the boss that yells at you for being lazy even as he's living the high life thanks to your hard work. It could be the teacher who calls you lazy and worthless, all the while praising the brown-nosing idiot he's promoting to the head of the class. It could be the parent that simply pisses you off by forcing you to stay home on a Saturday night. Perhaps it could even be the company you work for, the army you serve in, the culture around you, that holds little promise for you. And that pisses you off.
Anger is a destructive emotion, and Lydon knows this. He stops short of calling for the Queen's head, because he knows he's gone far enough. Much like the old-school Christian Church, the Royal Family is not an institution open to public debate. To publically say the Queen of England "ain't no human being" is tantamount to saying Jesus was a third-rate magician. It's just not done.
Which is why, of course, Lydon's lyrics and the accompanying music from his bandmates is so riveting. They're stepping on years of empty, hollow traditions and saying "fuck all" to it. Lydon was viciously, physically attacked numerous times following the release of the single. One wonders how the Dixie Chicks got off so light in comparison.
The great thing about punk back then (before the major labels turned it into a fashion trend, killing it forever) was the fact that nothing was off-limits. Question everything, don't let anyone escape unscathed if you think they're cheating you. That's the reason why a song so of it's moment as "God Save The Queen" still holds water today: the emotions behind the song, as well as the inherent message of anti-authority, is still something we need to prize, hold on to.
Old traditions die hard, though, and you really can't turn around without some mention of the hicks in Buckingham Palace, be it William's 21st birthday or Harry's drug problems, and how the royals will "change" over time. The answer is that they won't, they will continue to be as meaningless and unnecessary as they were when Lydon penned his manifesto. We all suffer when we prop up some group as being inherently gifted to lead, and don't question it. It's only human to wish for some wise and noble rulers who take care of their people, but those rulers don't exist anymore and it'd doubtful that they ever did.
Back in 1963, when the Beatles played a prestigious concert for the Royal Family just as they were gaining in fame, John Lennon asked the audience in the "cheap seats" to clap their hands. He then asked the rest (meaning the nobility, who he despised) to "rattle your jewelry". That opened the door for a song like "God Save the Queen" to be written and recorded a decade later. The English may never be able to rid themselves of the royals, but "God Save The Queen" means they don't have to be quiet about it anymore. When the Brits hit their national "teen" years, though, one would hope they would see how worthless the Windors are, like we did so long ago.
(but yeah, he is kind of an ass :D )