Sex Pistols Change ‘God Save the Queen’ Lyrics at Reunion Show

Last night (Aug. 13), Sex Pistols changed the lyrics to “God Save the Queen” at their first reunion show without the iconic Johnny Rotten and with new frontman Frank Carter.

Naturally, since it’s the lone Sex Pistols record, the band played every song off their 1977 classic Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols. Appearing eighth in the set between “Liar” and “Submission” was the all-time punk hit “God Save the Queen,” which was changed to “God Save the King” to reflect current U.K. monarch King Charles III.

The song has always been a shot at the U.K. National Anthem, which is titled either “God Save the King” or “God Save the Queen” depending on who is the serving monarch.

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The 40-year-old Carter, who fronted U.K. hardcore punk outfit Gallows from 2005 to 2011 and has been fronting his own namesake band Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes since 2015, looked and sounded the part onstage.

His stage presence has always been in-your-face, energetic and confrontational, his gritty attitude being an ideal fit for such a legendary punk group.

U.K. alt-rock star Yungblud even crashed the stage for a moment, delivering a couple lines before handing the microphone back to Carter.

Watch fan-filmed footage of “God Save the Queen” as “God Save the King” below and view the setlist from the reunion show further down the page.

Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” as “God Save the King” (Aug. 13, 2024)

Sex Pistols Setlist — Aug. 13, 2024

01. “Holidays in the Sun”
02. “Seventeen”
03. “New York”
04. “Pretty Vacant”
05. “Bodies”
06. “Did You No Wrong”
07. “Liar”
08. “God Save the Queen” (Lyrics changed to fit “God Save The King”, Yungblud came on stage for two lines)
09. “Submission”
10. “Satellite”
11. “No Feelings”
12. “E.M.I.”
13. “Problems”

Encore:
14. “”No Fun” (The Stooges cover)
15. “”Anarchy in the U.K.”

via setlist.fm