Anarchy in the U.K.
"Anarchy in the U.K." is a song by the English punk rock band The Sex Pistols. It was released as the band's debut single on 26 November 1976 and was featured on their only album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. "Anarchy in the U.K." is number 53 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[1]
Information
Originally issued in a plain black sleeve, the single was the only Sex Pistols recording released by EMI, and reached number 38 on the UK Singles Chart before EMI dropped the group on 6 January 1977, a month after the Bill Grundy incident, in which members of the band used profanity during a live television broadcast.
In the documentary The Filth and the Fury, John Lydon described the composition of the song's opening lyrics, explaining that the best rhyme he could devise for the first line, "I am an Antichrist", was the second line, "I am an anarchist".
The lyrics endorse a particularly sensational, violent concept of anarchy that reflected the pervasive sense of embittered anger, confusion, restlessness, economic frustration and social alienation which was being felt by a generation of disenfranchised youth amidst the repression and squalor of British life in the 1970s. Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren considered the song "a call to arms to the kids who believe that rock and roll was taken away from them. It's a statement of self rule, of ultimate independence."[2] In 2007, the surviving members (not including original Pistols' bassist Glen Matlock) re-recorded "Anarchy in the U.K." for the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock because the masters could not be found.[3]
Track listing
- A–side
- "Anarchy in the UK" – 3:31
- B–side
- "I Wanna Be Me" – 3:12
Megadeth cover
"Anarchy in the U.K." was covered by American thrash metal band Megadeth for their third album So Far, So Good... So What!, released in 1988.
Notoriously, the song has incorrect lyrics. Dave Mustaine explained that he could not understand Johnny Rotten's singing, so he made up the parts he could not understand (in addition, the titular country is changed to "USA", in spite of the title kept unchanged). The song's music video is a montage of live footage of the band, cartoon political figures, various scenes of violence, and scenes of a guy being forced to watch (much like Alex's therapy in A Clockwork Orange). Steve Jones played the second solo of this song.
Track listing versions
- United States 7"
- "Anarchy in the U.K."
- "Liar"
- United Kingdom 12"
- "Anarchy in the U.K."
- "Liar"
- "502"
- Germany 12"
- "Anarchy in the U.K."
- "Good Mourning/Black Friday" (live)
- "Devil's Island" (live)
Personnel
Additional personnel
Green Jellÿ cover
"Anarchy in the U.K." was covered by American comedy metal band Green Jellÿ.
Green Jellÿ's is a parody cover of the original. This version takes the original song and combines it with The Flintstones references. Although the song's proper title is "Anarchy in the U.K.", it was originally titled "Anarchy in Bedrock" on Green Jellÿ's (Then Green Jellö's) Triple Live Möther Gööse at Budokan album.
William Hanna and Joseph Barbera took offence to this version and to Green Jelly mocking The Flintstones, but later relented, as this version was featured on the soundtrack to The Flintstones film that was released in 1994.
Track listing versions
- "Anarchy in the U.K." - 3:29
- "Three Little Pigs (Blowin Down The House Mix)" - 6:34
- "Green Jellÿ Theme Song" - 2:15
Personnel
- Danny Carey - Drums
- Bill Tutton, Rootin' Bloomquist - Bass
- Marc Levinthal, Steven Shenar, Bernie Peaks - Guitar
- Bill Manspeaker, Joe Cannizzaro, Gary Helsinger, Greg Raynard, and Maynard James Keenan - Vocalists
- Kim O'Donnell and Caroline Jester - Back-Up Vocalists, Floor Tom Drummers
Notable covers
References
External links
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