Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 8th, and many have been mourning her death. In honor of Her Majesty, we have a special music Friday this week. So get your speakers ready and check out five songs written or inspired about The Queen.
1. The Beatles – “Her Majesty”
The Beatles met Queen Elizabeth II in 1965, with John Lennon and the rest of the group receiving the Order of the British Empire. Released in 1969, it’s a less than 30-second song describing The Queen as a “pretty nice girl.”
2. Johnny Cash
Country legend Johnny Cash’s song “The Man Comes Around” was inspired by a dream he had. Per Taste of Country, in the dream, he came face to face with Queen Elizabeth II who gave him a message. “There she sat on the floor, and she looked up at me and said, ‘Johnny Cash, you’re like a thorn tree in a whirlwind,’” Cash told Larry King during a 2002 interview.
3. Leon Rosselson – “On Her Silver Jubilee
English singer Leon Rosselson included “On Her Silver Jubilee” on the 1979 album If I Knew Who the Enemy Was. “She’s as poised as a picture, she’s a sight for all to see / With a glass cage around her on her Silver Jubilee,” he sings.
4. Billy Bragg
Released in 1997 Billy Bragg’s “Rule Nor Reason” references Queen Elizabeth in a somewhat solemn but interesting way. “The Queen on her throne plays Shirley Bassey records when she’s all on her own / And she looks out the window / And cries,” he sings.