Right now
I am an antichrist
And I am an anarchist
Don't know what I want
But I know how to get it
I want to destroy passerby

'Cause I wanna be anarchy
No dogsbody

Anarchy for the U.K.
It's coming sometime and maybe
I give a wrong time, stop a traffic line
Your future dream is a shopping scheme

'Cause I, I wanna be anarchy
In the city

How many ways to get what you want
I use the best, I use the rest
I use the NME
I use anarchy

'Cause I wanna be anarchy
It's the only way to be

Is this the MPLA?
Or is this the UDA?
Or is this the IRA?
I thought it was the UK
Or just another country
Another council tenancy

I wanna be anarchy
And I wanna be anarchy
Know what I mean?
And I want to be an anarchist
I get pissed, destroy


Lyrics submitted by Kpizzle, edited by mackster9, powerchordpete

Anarchy in the U.K. Lyrics as written by John Lydon Glen Matlock

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Music Hub O/B/O GEMA, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Anarchy in the U.K. song meanings
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199 Comments

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  • +10
    General Comment

    This song is sarcastic. As an anarchist I can tell you it is definately not a pro-anarchy song. The first clue is the cartoonish way it treats the subject. Anarchism is predominately nonviolent, and it certainly has nothing to do with the "antichrist". Also, singer Johnny Rotten (John Liden) was a monarchist. While claiming to be anti-royalist and anti-state he said things like "“They are brave, those young ones, and I really look up to that" when speaking of William and Harry serving in a STATE military, as if they would ever face any real danger and it wasn't all just pangeantry for the peasants. He cheered for the royal wedding as well.

    "You know, I was never pro them or anti them. I just think if we're going to have a monarchy it may as well work properly. I mean, we pay for it, after all. But nobody seems to care about that. Nobody cares about anything in Blair's Britain. They can't even arrange a proper jubilee bash." --- John Liden 2002

    Enough said?

    The song is a sarcastic parody of anarchism as a code of ethics and philosophy from the most sarcastic and ridiculous frontman in history. He was a cartoon, and so were his parodies of anarchism. He did it to sell records, make money, get famous, and stroke his huge ego. People trying to fit in never got the joke, and those that did weren't laughing.

    It's a good tune, and the band was ground-breaking...but they are no flag bearers (irony) for anarchism.

    ProIndividualon December 29, 2011   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Hehe :) thank you, thank you... you know what, fearandloathinginLV... Punk DOES have a tendency to change peoples lives.

    There's also one more thing I wanna add.. There is a very good reason for punk being bad. When punk started out it wasn't so much about music at all. It was a way to kids express themselves. ANY kids who had things to say. you didn't have to had musical skills, you didn't have to know how to play a guitar or write songs. That's why all real punk songs are those with three chords and simple lyrics. Back then ANYONE who wanted could start a band. That's what punk's about, Taking part. D.I.Y!!!!

    MissNeuroticon March 17, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Who cares about Sid,I love John!! Great lyrics he wrote :-)!

    dorareeveron April 16, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The whole point of punk bands was not to write good music, just to create controversy and stir the youth with radical lyrics that they may or may not actually believe in. To say that one real punk band is better than another because of the quality of music is stupid and irrational. The greatness of a punk band should be measured by its affect on the youth and the interest drawn to them because of the lyrics. On another note, how can the Dead Kennedys not be included as one of the great punk bands. Sure, they came later than the Pistols, Clash, and Ramones, but they had the same style and lyrical motives.

    alty6905on May 06, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    atly, I like you. #1, anyone who sees the genius of DK is cool with me, and #2 (I think anyway) that you understand that "punk" really doesn't mean anything except a style of music, or that's what I got out of your post.

    fuckyouallon May 08, 2003   Link
  • +1
    Lyric Correction

    I actually heard that the lyric intended by the Sex Pistols was not "I use the enemy" but "I use the NME" [N-M-E] which stood for New Music Express or New Musical Express.

    Sort of hard to distinguish though, eh?

    TKramaron June 21, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    What happened to the famous couplet, "Your future dream is a shopping scheme"? "Your future dream has sure been seen through". Indeed.

    hawksworthon February 04, 2023   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    What happened to the famous couplet, "Your future dream is a shopping scheme"? "Your future dream has sure been seen through". Indeed.

    hawksworthon February 04, 2023   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yeah R.I.P. Sid Vicious, the Pistols ARE the real punks, along with the Ramones R.I.P. Joey Ramone

    OwnPersonalDemonon January 09, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Cool!!!

    OwnPersonalDemonon January 09, 2002   Link

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