God Save The Queen – English Lyrics

• By: Sex Pistols

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the raw energy and biting social commentary of the Sex Pistols' "God Save The Queen." This iconic punk anthem offers a unique window into the disaffected youth of 1970s Britain and their challenge to the establishment. Through its provocative lyrics and rebellious spirit, you can explore authentic, unfiltered English expression and understand the cultural tension that defined a generation.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
save /seɪv/ A2	verb - to rescue or protect from harm or danger
queen /kwiːn/ A1	noun - a female monarch
fascist /ˈfæʃɪst/ C1	adjective - relating to fascism noun - a follower of fascism
regime /reɪˈʒiːm/ B2	noun - a government, especially an authoritarian one
moron /ˈmɔːrɒn/ C2	noun - a stupid person
potential /pəˈtɛnʃəl/ B2	adjective - capable of becoming noun - possibility
future /ˈfjuːtʃər/ A2	noun - the time that is to come
dreaming /ˈdriːmɪŋ/ B1	verb - experiencing dreams during sleep
tourists /ˈtʊərɪsts/ A2	noun - people traveling for pleasure
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a medium of exchange
figurehead /ˈfɪɡəhɛd/ C1	noun - a nominal leader or head without real power
mad /mæd/ B1	adjective - insane
parade /pəˈreɪd/ B2	noun - a public procession
mercy /ˈmɜːrsi/ B2	noun - compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is in one's power to punish or harm.
crimes /kraɪmz/ B1	noun - an action or omission that constitutes an offense
sin /sɪn/ B2	noun - an immoral act considered a transgression against divine law
flowers /ˈflaʊərz/ A1	noun - the seed-bearing part of a plant
dustbin /ˈdʌstbɪn/ B2	noun - a container for rubbish
poison /ˈpɔɪzən/ B1	noun - a substance that causes death or injury when swallowed or absorbed verb - to administer poison to someone

Key Grammar Structures

• God save the queen

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ This is a direct command or plea. "Save" is the verb in its base form, used to express a wish or a command directed to God. It's a play on the traditional national anthem.

• She ain't no human being

  ➔ Double Negative (Non-standard)

  ➔ "Ain't" is a non-standard contraction for "is not" or "are not". The phrase "ain't no" is a double negative, which, in standard English, would be corrected to "isn't a". The use of the double negative emphasizes the singer's conviction or disdain.

• There is no future In England's dreaming

  ➔ Existential "There is/are"

  ➔ "There is" is used to indicate the existence or presence of something. Here, it's used to express the absence of a future in the current state of England (described as 'dreaming').

• Don't be told what you want

  ➔ Passive Imperative

  ➔ "Don't be told" is a passive imperative, meaning you should avoid being in a situation where someone tells you what you want. It's a command not to allow yourself to be influenced or manipulated.

• We're the flowers in the dustbin

  ➔ Subject-Verb-Complement (Metaphor)

  ➔ "We're" is a contraction of "we are." The sentence follows a basic subject-verb-complement structure. However, the phrase is metaphorical, comparing the band (or their generation) to discarded flowers, suggesting beauty and potential wasted or ignored by society.

• How can there be sin

  ➔ Interrogative Sentence with Modal Verb

  ➔ "How" introduces the question. "Can" is a modal verb expressing possibility. The word order is inverted (can there be) because it is a question. This question implies that without a future, the concepts of morality and wrongdoing become irrelevant.