The Queen Is Dead, Long Live the Queen: 10 Songs About Queen Elizabeth II
A.D. Amorosi With the passing of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, a historic 70-year reign comes to a close. And while Elizabeth’s was a sovereignty that came with great joy, pain and controversy, it was also a monarchy touched by the songs of the pop-cultural 20th century. Ascending to the throne as she did in 1952, Elizabeth inspired affectionate music from the Beatles in the 1960s, followed by more confrontational music from the Sex Pistols and other punk groups from the 1970s onward. Whether they loved royals or mocked them, U.K. artists couldn’t resist invoking the figurehead of a nation.Here are 10 of Euro-pop’s finest moments dedicated to or inspired by Queen Elizabeth II:The Beatles, “Her Majesty” (1969)Tacked onto what seems like the close of their “Abbey Road” album, this kiss of a track, written by Paul McCartney and unlisted on the album’s initial sleeve, is a salute to his Queen performed a la the strains of England’s traditional music hall genre. At just under 25 seconds, McCartney looks at Elizabeth as “a pretty nice girl” who “doesn’t have a lot to say” and “changes from day to day” — and yet is still the object of his eye. “Someday I’m going to make her mine, oh yeah. Someday I’m going to make her mine,” he sings before the track’s abrupt stop. Maybe it’s tongue-in-cheek and maybe Paul is taking the piss, but it’s still the sweetest 25 seconds in pop.