Poptones

I'm pretty sure it's about driving out to the countryside to have a picnic with a top 40 cassette in the tape deck, only to end up being raped and murdered. Maybe it's kind of supposed to symbolize society selling you idyllic dreams when reality is much bleaker. Regardless, there's some black humor to it (especially "I can't forget the impression you made/ you left a hole in the back of my head").

I'm sure I heard from a far more learned friend than I, that this is about a true incident.

Lydon read the story in a British paper and one of the quotes was about the girl in question being able to hear pop tones on the radio of the car she was bundled in to...

I've tried to search for more info on the intarwebs, but to no avail.

I also think the last line of the lyrics should read 'Pray is picknicking in a British countryside'

It's been confirmed to be about exactly what you guys said - in interviews with the band from the metal box tour period - they didn't get into a lot of detail, just that it was about "a rape during which pop songs were playing on the radio."

underrated

One of my favourite songs. Really.

Incredible.

The lyrics here are correct, at least according to the lyrics printed in the CD booklet. "Prey's picnicking in the British countryside" would make a lot more sense.

It contains more than a whiff of Hindley and Brady and the Moors Murders.

i think lydon's singing from the point of view of the murderer/rapist, whatever. Someone whose just commited a true atrocity, has fucked off to the countryside to forget it all and possibly escape the law, but the reality/guilt of what he has done keeps coming back to smack him in the face.

anger is an energy