The Sex Pistols

[sunflower68]

This is really a question on the monarchy; didn't know where to put it though. If God Save the Queen were released today, would it have the same backlash as it did? Things have moved on so much since 1977 but I think, however much more open-minded we are these days there would still be a big hoo ha about the lyrics. http://www.plyrics.com/lyrics/sexpistols/godsavethequeen .html

[Mattk]

i dont think there would be such a fuss nowadays as we live in an age of media saturation where most acts dont stand out from the crowd.back in the 70s there was little choice in terms of music and tv meaning that anything shocking was really seized upon by the media.

i remember the days when an artist entering high in the charts was headline news ! just one example of how things have been de-valued.

[littleoldme]

It was actually re-released in 2002 for the Queen's Golden Jubilee and no, it didn't produce anything like the backlash. Got into the Top 30, but quickly disappeared again with a bit of a whimper.

[andy hughes]

Punk was the last time there was a genuine cultural change as a result of a popular music trend. It swept through the country at a time when the music scene was largely moribund -either frothy pop or the stranglehold of 'progressive' rock were the two alternatives, until punk appeared with its musical maelstrom, rapidly followed by a single youth movement which shocked the establishment and frightened the horses.

Add to that the teart-eyed love-in for her mage's jubilee, which was roundly stamped on by a sneering Johnny Rotten, and the nation was shocked and appaled!

Today, it is virtually impossible to shock any audience or group of people, so sadly, punk was the last chance to really get up one section of the nation's collective nose, whilst simultaneiously offering a rallying cry to the nation's youth.

[sunflower68]

I know and agree on all of the above. Look at homosexuality for example. Nobody bats an eyelid compared to even 20 years ago. I just am not sure on the use of 'fascist regime' etc in lyrics that made it, or make it to the top. (I am not a royalist in the slightest btw.) There was a bit of a do about Madonna's anti-Bush song a few years ago, ditto Green Day's American Idiot and a George Michael song, as I recall.