Film
THE SEX PISTOLS – God Save the Queen Poster
1977
27.25″ x 39″ – Single Sided
UK (Great Britain)
Very Fine; originally rolled (as issued)
Sex Pistols, Glen Matlock, Johnny Rotten, Malcolm McLaren, Paul Cook, Sid Vicious, Steve Jones
A Virgin Records poster from 1977 promoting punk rock band The Sex Pistols’ single “God Save the Queen”, which was included on their album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols. This artwork was designed by British artist Jamie Reid, who collaborated with The Sex Pistols several times and often incorporated anarchist themes into his designs. Highly regarded as the most recognisable and memorable image of the punk era, Reid’s design features a monochromatic, defaced image of Queen Elizabeth II (from an original photograph by Peter Grugeon) with cutout letters forming the song title pasted over her eyes and mouth. Totally original and unrestored in very good rolled (as issued) condition. A true investment grade piece of original highly collectable extremely scarce rock n roll punk memorabilia.
Click HERE to watch the Sex Pistols performing the song
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“God Save the Queen” is a song by the English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It was released as the band’s second single and was later included on their only studio album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols. The song was released during Queen Elizabeth II‘s Silver Jubilee in 1977.
The record’s lyrics, as well as the cover, were controversial at the time; both the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the Independent Broadcasting Authority refused to play the song, including a total ban of its airing by the BBC.[2] The original title for the song was “No Future“, with the lyrics themselves being a general expression of the band’s view of the monarchy or any individual or establishment commanding general obligation.[3]
The song reached No. 1 on the NME charts in the United Kingdom, and made it to No. 2 on the official UK Singles Chart as used by the BBC. This led to accusations by some that the charts had been “fixed” to prevent the song from reaching No. 1.
The song’s title is taken directly from the British national anthem. At the time, it was highly controversial for its equation of the queen with a “fascist regime” and for the lyric “there is no future in England’s dreaming”. According to Glen Matlock, who had co-written the song—although he was no longer a member of the band by the time it was released—the bass was inspired by the Move‘s “Fire Brigade“. Guitarist Steve Jones stated that when Matlock first played him the song it did not sound like ‘God Save the Queen’: “It was like ‘Love Me Do‘ or something”.[5]
Although many believe it was created because of the Silver Jubilee, the band have denied it, with Paul Cook saying that “it wasn’t written specifically for the Queen’s Jubilee. We weren’t aware of it at the time. It wasn’t a contrived effort to go out and shock everyone.”[6] Johnny Rotten has explained the lyrics as follows: “You don’t write ‘God Save the Queen’ because you hate the English race. You write a song like that because you love them, and you’re fed up with them being mistreated.”[7] He intended to evoke sympathy for the English working class and a general resentment towards the monarchy.
On 7 June 1977, the Jubilee holiday, the band attempted to play the song from a boat named the Queen Elizabeth on the River Thames, near the Palace of Westminster. After a scuffle involving attendee Jah Wobble and a cameraman, 11 people, including Malcolm McLaren, the man who organised the concert, and several other members of the band’s entourage, were arrested when the boat docked.
“God Save the Queen” was featured on Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, the band’s only album, and several compilation albums.
Rolling Stone ranked “God Save the Queen” number 175 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time[24] and it is also one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame‘s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.[25] It was Sounds magazine’s Single of the Year in 1977.[26] In 1989, it was eighteenth in the list of NME writers’ all-time top 150 singles.[27] Q magazine in 2002 ranked it first on its list of “The 50 Most Exciting Tunes Ever…”[28] and third on its list of “100 Songs That Changed the World” in 2003.[29] In 2007, NME launched a campaign to get the song to number 1 in the British charts and encouraged readers to purchase or download the single on 8 October. However, it only made number 42. In 2010, the New Statesman listed it as one of the “Top 20 Political Songs”.[30]
In 2010, the song was ranked among the top 10 most controversial songs of all time in a poll conducted by PRS for Music.
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Mint
A poster that has never been used or displayed and may show the most minor signs of age and wear. The poster should have no holes or tears.
Near Mint
A generally unused poster with fresh, saturated colors. May have minimal tears at folds. Has no significant holes, no paper loss, may have minor tears along edges, may have fine pin holes.
Very Fine
A poster with bright colour and crisp overall appearance. It may have very general signs of use including slight fold separation and fold wear. It may have pin holes or very minor tears. This is the highest grade allowed for a poster that has been restored either on linen or on paper.
Fine
A poster with good colors and overall clean appearance. It may have minor tears small paper loss and minor stains. It may have some fold seperation.
Good
An average poster with overall fresh color. May have tears, minor paper loss, minor hazing. Paper may be brittle due to age, may have minor stains. May have a small amount of writing in an unobtrusive place. May have medium or major restoration.
Fair
A poster with faded colors and brittle paper, showing significant signs of use. May have tears and paper loss. May have tape, writing, stains in image area. In need of restoration or had major restoration.
Poor
A poster that is worn, torn, and/or damaged. May have staining, cracking, dry rot, and/or large tears. May be heavily soiled, may have pieces missing. In need of major restoration.
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LOBBY CARD
11 x 14″ printed on heavy stock paper. Used as display in theatre lobbies. Originally made in sets of eight. Some sets have a title card, which contains credits and artwork, essentially a mini-poster. The remaining seven cards are coloured photographic credits and poster artwork showing different scenes from the movie.
WINDOW CARD
14 x 22″ printed on heavy stock paper with the top 4-6 inches usually left blank for the local cinema owner to fill in the cinema and the date it was due to play. Largely discontinued during the 1970’s.
HALF SHEET
22 x 28″ printed on heavy stock paper. The image displayed is normally a smaller version of the main poster, although some do have different artworks and sometimes come in two versions.
INSERT
14 x 36″ printed on heavy stock paper. Inserts usually have the same artwork as a one sheet. Popular with collectors since they are smaller and easier to frame. Normally come tri folded or rolled.
STYLE Y/FORTY BY SIXTY
40 x 60″ printed on heavy stock paper. Rare since they were primarily used for major motion pictures only. Designed to be used outside the theatre, on an easel, normally at a drive-in movie theatre.
ONE-SHEET
27 x 41″ printed on paper. This is the most common size of poster, intended to be displayed in a glass “marquee” case. It is the most sought after size by collectors. Since the 1980’s most posters are sent to the theatre rolled and maybe slightly smaller measuring 27″ by 40″ and with the advent of backlit light boxes a growing number of modern movie posters are available double-sided and the more traditional single-sided.
THREE-SHEET
41 x 81″ printed on paper. These were printed on two or three separate sheets designed to overlap, few survive. Used for larger advertising spaces, normally posted on walls, perfect for huge movie theatres the drive-in, where people could see them from a distance. From the 1970’s on, three-sheets were sometimes printed in one piece and issued as “international” versions to be used abroad.
BRITISH QUAD
30 x 40″ Most common poster size used in the UK. British Quads are horizontal and may have different artwork to the US one sheet. Like a US one sheet they normally come in two versions. Like a US one sheet they are usually supplied single-sided or more commonly now as a double sided poster.
BRITISH ONE-SHEET
27 X 40″, printed on paper. Very rarely used size.
ITALIAN LOCANDINA
13 x 28″ six inches shorter than the US insert, very nice size to frame. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.
ITALIAN PHOTOBUSTA
18 x 26″ Glossy, high quality, used as lobby cards in Italy. Size may vary, either vertical or horizontal format. There are also double Photobusta or mini Photobusta.
2-FOGLIO (DUE)
(DUE): 39 x 55″ This is the standard poster size used in Italy. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.
4-FOGLIO
(QUATTRO) 55 x 79″ Very large Italian poster printed in two pieces, often contains very beautiful artwork.
FRENCH
47 x 63″ (GRANDE) or 24 x 33″ (PETITE) French movie posters normally come with different artwork to either the US or the UK. Like the Italian’s some of the artwork is extrememly beautiful.
