A verse for the Queen: What writers and lyricists wrote about Queen Elizabeth II

The demise of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8 brought to an end her historic rule of seven decades The longestreigning monarch of the United Kingdom she inspired many poets and songwriters from Britain Though the poems mainly come out as a tribute or in affection of the Queen there are a number of songs which offered a critical perspective to the British monarchy Here are a few poems and songs one can read and listen to while the Queenrsquos sets on to a final journeylsquoElizabeth IIrsquo by Ruth StaceyAuthor Ruth Stacey brings to life the Queens of England and Britain from the AngloSaxon era to the modern age each through a poem in her book lsquoQueen Jewel Mistress A History of the Queens of England amp Great Britain in VersersquoIn lsquoElizabeth IIrsquo she writesIn todays correspondence a poetry bookdetailing the lives of British Queensmdashwith a note enclosed and a questionwhat does it mean to be a QueenI could reply and saymdashthis precious stone set in a silver seaa symbol like a banner for mens loveBut these are not my wordsRead the full poem on poetryfoundationorglsquoHer Majestyrsquo by the BeatlesA part of Beatlesrsquo iconic album lsquoAbbey Roadrsquo released in 1969 lsquoHer Majestyrsquo is a song written by Paul McCartney who was also knighted by the Queen The lyrics of the song seems like a love song to the Queen and readsHer Majesty is a pretty nice girlBut she doesnt have a lot to sayHer Majesty is a pretty nice girlBut she changes from day to dayI wanna tell her that I love her a lotBut I gotta get a belly full of wineListen to the full song herehttpswwwyoutubecomwatchvdcv1EFoaX8lsquoGod Save the Queenrsquo by The Sex PistolsA critical take on the monarchy as an institution in lsquoGod Save the Queenrsquo Johnny Rotten wroteGod save the queenThe fascist regimeThey made you a moronA potential H bombGod save the queenShes not a human beingand Theres no futureAnd Englands dreamingThe song was released during the Queenrsquos silver jubilee in 1977 as the bandrsquos second single In an interview Rotten now known as John Lydon had clarified that it was nothing against the Queen specifically He wrote ldquoIrsquove got no animosity against any one of the royal family Never did Itrsquos the institution of it that bothers me and the assumption that Irsquom to pay for thatrdquoListen to the full song herehttpswwwyoutubecomwatchvyqrAPOZxgzUlsquoRule Nor Reasonrsquo by Billy BraggIn lsquoRule nor Reasonrsquo Billy Bragg known as one of the most wellknown protest musicians takes a humanistic perspective on the Queenrsquos individual life as a head of the monarchy in his wordsNeither rule nor reasonThe Queen on her throne plays Shirley BasseyRecords when shes all on her ownAnd she looks out the windowAnd criesListen to the full song herehttpswwwyoutubecomwatchvAY10crQqBwlsquoNothing Great About Britainrsquo by SlowthaiWritten by British rapper Tyron Kaymone Frampton better known as Slowthai this 2019 song is one of the very few hiphop songs on the monarchy in the recent years ldquoI will treat you with the utmost respect only if you respect me a little bit Elizabethrdquo Slowthai sings in the songHerersquos how the song beginsI said theres nothing great about the place we live inNothing great about BritainNothing great about BritainSip a cup of tea whilst were spittinTheres nothing great about BritainListen to the full song herehttpswwwyoutubecomwatchvWZsNnuaUSNsAlso read What kind of music did Queen Elizabeth II like Herersquos a glimpse into her musical indulgence