EMI

My Pistols history is a bit rough, but I think that they were first signed by EMI, who dropped them after a ridiculously short amount of time (like a day or something). Then they were signed by A & M, who kept them long enough to record a version of God Save the Queen, but they were again shortly dropped. I might have got the two labels mixed up though. Finally Virgin Records signed them, and released their classic debut album and the famous 'drawing pin' picture sleeve version of God Save the Queen. So this song is taunting EMI for signing the Pistols because of their celebrity alone, and then dropping them when they actually discovered what they were like.

"These days, it has become very, very easy to categorize and stereotype "emo" and "punk" acts, as they have established an aesthetic standard for themselves; tight, thrift store t-shirts, faded jeans, jet black hair, etc. It seems to me, that any band that fits this aesthetic is "emo", but what about the music? Does anybody even care anymore? Is it right for bands like Boxcar Racer and Bright Eyes to be lumped into the same category? I will now attempt to further illustrate this point: take for example, Dashboard Confessional and Taking Back Sunday. Both these bands are considered to be "emo" by modern standards, but why? Do they sound alike? Absolutely not. But, do they dress alike? Yes. What used to be a sincere art-form is now a trendy fashion statement. What the fuck is going on here? These days, everything seems to be "emo". From the most commercial shopping center to MTV... "emo" is fucking everywhere! It's literally embarrassing to use the term to describe something in total seriousness as it has been bashed, beaten and totally thrown out of context over the years. It has become a big joke.

"

The same thing goes for the term "punk".

Despite the claims of many people today SAY that they are "punk"... what almost everybody who has ever said the afformentioned phrase fails to recognize is that it is NOT a way of dressing, NOT a type of music.

Just because someone wears slip-ons, listens to music that shares the same title, and whatever other mockeries of the literal form of punk have been made, it is NONE of these common stereotypes.

TRUE PUNK, the kind you cannot find at a corporate clothing retailer or uttered from the mouth of some jackass that, in their eyes at least, is a "punk" because they happened to be wearing a pair of Vans, or possibly some tight jeans and are listening to a phony "punk" band such as Green Day or Avril Lavigne.

What these people fail to understand is that...... PUNK IS NONE OF THESE! It is much, MUCH more than a type of dress or a musical form What it TRUELY is, it is a way of thinking, an intellectual property of standing up for yourself, standing up for what you belive in and doing what YOU want to and letting big corporations (Nike, Abercrombie and Fitch, and GAP just to name a few) tell you who or what to be, and of course what to look like completely robs any shred of true, dignified "punk" completely away from these posers.

Punk is a dying way of life.

There are only a handful of real punks left, surronded by far too many posers.

I listen to real punk rock such as 7 Seconds, Sham 69 and The Misfits and I blatently discourage many of the brands and ideas that have almost killed the true lifestyle of punk.

I don't know much about the sex pistols because i am currently just getting into them, but i purchased nevermind the bullocks because someone recommened it to me and i love it! this song is one of my favorites. i hope to learn more about the sex pistols and if all of you on this board have your sex pistol facts right, then the meanging of this song is kick ass! that is cool that the sex pistols just gave a big "fuck you!" to the idoits that pasted them up. all i have to say is bloody brilliant!

I think Fame was either McLaren's or the band's management agency, so when he sings "I tell you it was all a frame, they only did it cos the fame!" it would suggest McLaren was the one behind it all, gaining publicity for the by having words with EMI to make them want to drop the band. Bearing in mind they were dropped after the Bill Grundy interview on Tonight, I'd have to hazard a guess that this is a dig at him (McLaren) for interferring, and also at the record company for believing some of the crap that was spread about the pistols.

Rich M is generally right but is slightly wrong about the details. The Pistols signed with EMI in 1976 and were on the label long enough to record and release the 45 rpm version of "Anarchy in the UK". Then came the infamous appearance on Bill Grundy's TV show, just after "Anarchy" was released. In the wake of the controversy over that appearnce, EMI got cold feet and dropped the band and withdrew the single.

That's why original EMI pressings of the "Anarchy" are a valued rarity, and I think it also explains all the lines about "unlimited supply" in the lyrics. One thing that characterized the early days of punk was a fetish for limited-edition releases (on pink vinyl, etc.). But the most limited edition of them all was the initial pressing of "Anarchy" on EMI. Lydon's song is in part a sarcastic commentary on this, since the song itself is now available to everybody on the same album that contains "EMI".

Between EMI and Virgin, they were on A&M for about a day, which explains the reference to that label in the song.

Thats right, just clarifing that for you. :) It's a great song, great band!

love this song, love sex pistols

never mind the queen god save the sex pistols

YES!!! This song is awesome and E.M.I was the record label that dropped them cuz they wanted a mass appeal band.

you are spot on rich m. the pistols did record a version of gstq on a & m, apparantly a few very rare copies around, but be prepared to pay very highly for one. no way were the pistols going to become stooges for commercial mass production.

its ovious that the meaning of this song is FUCK YOU EMI"lol cuz they wrote this after being fired from emi