2. Im Terribly Sorry But It Appears That We Dont Have A Number 2 This Week
In a culture over-saturated with political activists, social commentators and wannabe critics (guilty as charged) who use the internet, and in particular, social media, as a platform on which to air their views, anyone can pretty much say what the hell they want and get away with it. Not so back in 77 where the Sex Pistols brand of anti-monarchist bile and working class disillusion with institution after institution, was met with extreme offence by the powers that be. Fuelling their anarchic image by swearing live on the Bill Grundy TV Show (forcing one outraged viewer to, somewhat humorously, kick in his TV screen) and gallivanting down the Thames on a party boat to publicise the release of their Her Maj-bashing single, God Save The Queen, the Pistols public image, svengalied by their enigmatic manager, Malcolm McLaren, was that of dangerous generation terrorists. And it was this very single that forced the safe ol BBC to flex their authoritarian muscle by banning it almost completely from airplay and existence. Peaking at a chart high of number 2 and losing out to a bland Rod Stewart number, many smelt a conspiracy afoot at the Beeb and accused them of intentionally doctoring to the charts to ensure that God Save The Queen didnt hit number 1 in the year of our beloved Queens silver jubilee. One chart even went as far as to suggest that for the week in question, there was no number 2 single and presented a blank space instead of naming the song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqrAPOZxgzU Consistent in all censorship is the demonising of art that in its political assessments, speaks the truth. It happened with Evgeny Zamyatins novel, We, in 20s Soviet Russia, Kurt Vonneguts scathing anti-war tract, Slaughterhouse-Five, in the land of Uncle Sam and it happened with the punk icons most biting single in the late 70s. In the eyes of those in charge, any departure from conformity poses a danger to the established order and the subsequent imposition of bans merely reinforces the dogmatism of the critiqued authority. It may not have hit number one but the fact that it was kept off the top spot intentionally only serves to hammer home the reality of John Lydons disaffected sentiments; the Queen isnt a human being but a divine presence of whom we are not allowed to speak ill and Britain peddles a fascist regime that views freedom of speech with scorn and disapproval.
A 22 year old English Literature graduate from Birmingham. I am passionate about music, literature and football, in particular, my beloved Aston Villa. Lover of words and consumer of art, music is the very air that I breathe.
