Britain is getting ready for a party featuring mounted troops, solemn prayers- and a pack of dancing mechanical corgis. The nation will be celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne this week. With four days o pomp and pageantry in central London. But the Royal family has been in the books of criticism for their misconducts and misgovernance. The Royal reputation has taken a backseat from Meghan and Harry’s revelatory Oprah review.
As the Monarchy has become known, they’ve alleged that Meghan was ‘bullied’ by the Palace staff. This is shocking, because the Royal family has always seemed like such a healthy institution. But it’s a grim case of state affair.
This highlights the anti-royalist sentiments within the people. This also portrays the rich seam of inspiration that continued to produce great songs into the independent 80s and also in modern age. Some of the songs that showcases this sentiments are-
Manic Street Preachers, ‘Repeat (UK)’ 1992
Back when Manics were subverting glam metal cliches for their own deliciously anti-establishment ends on explosive debut album ‘Generation Terrorist’. They took aim at the Windsors with a crunching, rifftastic monster that dubbed them “imitation demi-gods” and their supporters “dumb flag scum”.
“Repeat after me
Fuck Queen and Country”
Bob Vylan, ‘England’s Ending’ (2020)
A general lamet about the state of an Empire- based nation that, in the wake of Brexit and amid soaring coronavirus cases. Bob Vylan mutter, “kill the fucking Queen”, before snarling through a litany of modern ills, from stop-and-search to the housing crisis. The song’s most controversial line was not to be taken seriously.
“This Country’s in dire need of a fucking spanking, mate”
The Sex Pistols, “God Save The Queen” (1997)
So, the Royal Jubilee of 1977 is back. It’s hard to imagine, in our enlightened times, the hullabaloo that twinkly eye punk. Svengali Malcolm McLaren kicked up when he had his Sex Pistols board a boat on the Thames and play a raging gig to wreck the Queen’s Siler Jubilee celebration. The lyrics goes by saying
