This list was originally written to capitalize on royal wedding fever. But there’s a new royal baby and no less anti-monarchy sentiment in these songs. So we’re bringing it back.
Note: this list was originally written to capitalize on royal wedding fever. But in the spirit of capitalization (and Charlotte, England’s new baby overlord) we’re resurrecting it for the birth of the royal baby and changing none of the references. The royal wedding might be years ago now, but these anti-monarchy songs are timeless.
It doesn’t really matter whether you’re against the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton because you think it’s a gross waste of resources, you’re an anarchist, or because you’re vehemently opposed to state-recognition of unions and monolithic institutions, because the future King of England and his bride are still getting hitched at Westminster Abbey on April 29 whether you like it or not.
In lieu of awaking at 3 a.m. EST to watch Wills and Kate enter into holy matrimony, we’ll instead suggest a playlist of Chart Attack’s Top Anti-Monarchy songs to soundtrack your alternative celebration:
10. Manic Street Preachers “Repeat (Stars And Stripes)”
The Manic Street Preachers don’t hide their disdain for the Queen in this number, blatantly stating, “Repeat after me, fuck queen and country.”
9. Crass “Big A Little A”
A general fuck you manifesto directed at authority, this one features a way entertaining fake Queen Elizabeth singing lyrics.
8. The Exploited “Royalty”
In which the Queen of England gets slandered in this punk song with turns of phrase such as “dirty little bitch” and “fucking little cow.”
7. Primal Scream “Insect Royalty”
Bass player Gary Mounfield on the Royal Wedding to Q magazine: “Let’s roll out the golden fucking coaches and all our fucking crowns when there are people starving. Disgusting. England must fucking truly burn one day.”
6. The Housemartins “Flag Day”
Before adopting the moniker Fatboy Slim, Norman Cook was in ’80s indie pop group The Housemartins and “It’s a waste of time if you know what
they mean/Try shaking a box in front of the queen/’cause her purse is fat and bursting at the seams.”
5. Bow Wow Wow “Louis Quatorze”
English new-wavers tackle the contentious moments in royal history in this number, like French monarch Louis XIV marrying/statutory raping underaged Marie Antoinette.
Choice lyrics: “Oh I love it when he says so seriously with his gun in my back, “Honey, close your eyes and think of England.”
4. Manic Street Preachers “Her Majesty’s Prisoners”
If it wasn’t clear by this point, The Manic Street Preachers probably hate the Royals more than any other band.
3. The Stone Roses “Elizabeth My Dear”
This track off of the Stone Roses 1989 self-titled debut is under a minute long and right to the point: “Tear me apart and boil my bones/I’ll not rest ’til she’s lost her throne/My aim is true my message is clear/It’s curtains for you, Elizabeth my dear.”
2. The Sex Pistols “God Save The Queen”
The Sex Pistols’ definitive assault on the monarch needs no further explanation.
1. The Smiths “The Queen Is Dead”
With anthems like this, it’s not surprising that Morrissey won’t be tuning in to watch the festivities as he recently slammed the Royals as “benefit scroungers” and christened the bride-to-be “Kate Muddleton.”
