Sex Pistols’ John Lydon Says He’ll “Sorely Miss” Queen Elizabeth When She Dies

John Lydon sat down for a new interview with the Quietus for their weekly podcast. At one point, the conversation turned to the death plans that were recently revealed for when Queen Elizabeth II eventually passes away. Specifically, Lydon was asked if he felt dread about how the Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen” would be used. (In the song, Lydon famously sang, “God save the queen/She ain’t no human being.”) Lydon began by saying that he hopes the song isn’t misused. “That’s about a political situation and the demand for obedience to a monarchy I don’t believe in,” he said. “But that’s a human being and I would sorely miss her as a human being on planet Earth.” He continued:

Yeah, no, I’ll miss her. I will, as a fellow human being. It’s not her fault she was born into a gilded cage. … Can I just correct this, just slightly? Because it’s important. “I will miss her” sounds ominous and I don’t want that. Long may she live. I don’t know about the “reign” part, but long may she live.

And at the same time, I love all the pageantry too. I loved that last wedding. Oh, when the planes flew over the palace? It reminded me of World War II and all those films, and how grim it was fighting Nazis. For me, it was a reintroduction to history, lest we forget. 

Watch the conversation, with Lydon’s comments about Queen Elizabeth starting around the 20-minute mark:

Watch the Sex Pistols perform the song in 1978:

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