SEX PISTOLS' John Lydon Wants Nothing To Do With ‘God Save The Queen’ Reissue Campaign To Go #1
April 17, 2012, 12 years ago
SEX PISTOLS frontman John Lydon has stated that he has nothing to do with the re-release of their legendary single, ‘God Save The Queen’, in the week of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (June 3rd-5th).
A statement reads as follows:
"I would like to very strongly distance myself from the recent stories and campaign to push God Save The Queen for the number 1 spot over the Jubilee weekend. 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.
I am pleased that the The Sex Pistols recordings are being put out there for a new generation however I wish for no part in the circus that is being built up around it. I am currently very focused on PUBLIC IMAGE LTD."
'God Save the Queen' was originally released during Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee in 1977. According to Wikipedia, the record's lyrics, as well as the cover, were controversial at the time, and both the BBC and the Independent Broadcasting Authority refused to play the song.
The song only made it to #2 on the official UK Singles Chart as used by the BBC. This led to accusations by some that the charts had been "fixed" to prevent the song from reaching number one.
