God Save the Queen
The Sex Pistols Lyrics

God save the Queen
A plea for divine intervention to preserve the British monarchy which represents a fascist regime.

The fascist regime,
A derogatory reference to the government, which is believed to be oppressive and dictatorial.

They made you a moron
The government has caused the population to become less intelligent and less capable of independent thought.

A potential H-bomb
An allusion to the threat of nuclear war, which is made more likely by the belligerent foreign policy of the British government.

She ain't no human being
The Queen is a symbolic figurehead with no real power or humanity.

There is no future
The hopeless situation in England under the current government, with no prospects for improvement.

And England's dreaming
A sarcastic statement implying that English people are deluded and have unrealistic expectations.

Don't be told what you want
A warning against blindly accepting the government's propaganda and lies.

Don't be told what you need
A warning against the government's attempts to control the population's desires and needs.

No future
Repeated statement of the bleak prospects for English society.

We mean it man
A declaration of sincerity and commitment to the message of the song.

We love our Queen
An ironic statement which belies the true feelings of the band and many English people towards the monarchy and their government.

'Cause tourists are money
The Queen and other symbols of English culture are used to attract tourism and generate revenue for the government.

And our figurehead
The Queen represents a fake, artificial image of England to the outside world.

Is not what she seems
An assertion that the real nature of English society and its government is hidden behind a facade of respectability and tradition.

God save history
A plea to preserve the true history of England, rather than the distorted version presented by the government.

God save your mad parade
A plea to save the people who are caught up in the insanity of English society under the current government.

All crimes are paid
The corrupt government is responsible for committing atrocities and crimes against the English people, which will not go unpunished.

When there's no future
A bleak and hopeless statement about the future of English society.

How can there be sin
If there is no hope or promise of a better future, then there is no real sense of morality or responsibility for one's actions.

We're the flowers in the dustbin
The Sex Pistols and their music represent a new, rebellious spirit emerging from the ruins of English society.

We're the poison in your human machine
The Sex Pistols and their message are seen as a threat to the established order and the attempt to control and manipulate the population.

We're the future
An assertion that the Sex Pistols and their message represent a new direction and hope for English society.

No future for you
A final, stark reminder of the lack of prospects and hope for the individual within the context of English society under the current government.