In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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
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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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.
Of all the the coments this is the closest. But I truely believe Sid had bought this propaganda hook line and sinker. Mr. vicious ( he would have loved being called that, NOT ) was a cival rights actavist " When there are no more niggers or whites, no more punks or dirt ... Thats when everything will be alright" 1977 interview"
@ProIndividual Lydon (not Liden) is not a monarchist. Your criticism is invalid.
@ProIndividual Personally, I think your comment is fucking stupid. I don't think you understand Johnny Rotten from a political perspective. You're conflating his song lyrics from his teen years and his political perspective at the time with his career in music. He was young and he was taking the piss at a lot of people from different perspectives... anarchists and royalists included. Of course he got caught up in capitalism... his music was manipulated by the corporations in ways he was too young and naive to see at the time. Anarchism is stupid and it doesn't work. If you're naive or stupid enough to buy into Anarchism now, you'll understand by the time you're thirty-something why only teenagers and immature adults waste their time on the concept.
@ProIndividual You come across as a middle class cunt. Now no one could ever accuse the great John Lydon (get his name right you stupid cunt). Now back to the student union with you before you accept your job in the city. Anarchist indeed.
@ProIndividual dude you’re a fucking idiot. He wasn’t an anarchist or claiming to be one, he was just trying to piss people off. Same reason Sid wore swastikas, he wasn’t actually a nazi
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!!!!
What happened to the famous couplet, "Your future dream is a shopping scheme"? "Your future dream has sure been seen through". Indeed.
@hawksworth perchance
Who cares about Sid,I love John!! Great lyrics he wrote :-)!
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.
@alty6905 Dead Kennedys were constantly-preachy shite.
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.
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?
What happened to the famous couplet, "Your future dream is a shopping scheme"? "Your future dream has sure been seen through". Indeed.
Yeah R.I.P. Sid Vicious, the Pistols ARE the real punks, along with the Ramones R.I.P. Joey Ramone
Cool!!!