Een rooie rakker als Billy Bragg heeft natuurlijk weinig op met de monarchie, maar Bragg beschikt over teveel klasse om zich te verlagen tot een ordinaire scheldpartij. Voor Bragg is de koningin eerder een wat tragisch figuur dan een haatobject: The Queen on her throne plays Shirley Bassey/Records when she’s all on her own/And she looks out the windowAnd cries. Zijn aanval op de monarchie wordt er niet minder effectief door.
The wind sways the trees and the raindrops on the leaves
Tumble down, down my neck in the breeze
Yes, it’s true I hid out in the shadow of your doubt
And this medal that I wear is not for bravery, I’m afraid
And we’re both going to have to accept
That this might be as good as it gets
As our love for each other respects
Neither rule nor reason
The Queen on her throne plays Shirley Bassey
Records when she’s all on her own
And she looks out the window
And cries
What should I do? Scratch off all of my tattoos?
And forget those girls’ names?
But you’re not about to let me do that, are you?
And we’re both going to have to accept
That this might be as bad as it gets
As our love for each other respects
Neither rule nor reason
And we’re both going to have to accept
That this might be as big as it gets
As our love for each other respects
Neither rule nor reason
Uitgelichte afbeelding: By West Midlands Police from West Midlands, United Kingdom – Day 194 – West Midlands Police – Royal Diamond Jubilee VisitUploaded by tm, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28731665