The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle

The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle is a documentary film directed by Julien Temple. The film chronicles the peak of the Sex Pistols' career -- a time when they were considered by some to be "the most dangerous band in the world". The film was made on a low budget in the summer of 1978 and, after much editing, went to theaters in October 1979. It was derided by critics as being of poor quality. Created following the band's break-up, it tells its story from the perspective of the Sex Pistols' manager, Malcolm McLaren, and aggressively criticizes lead singer Johnny Rotten.

Track listing

Version 1

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• God Save the Queen (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten)
• Johnny B. Goode/Roadrunner (Berry)/(Richman)
• Disco Medley (aka Black Arabs): Anarchy in the UK/God Save the Queen/Pretty Vacant/No One is Innocent (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten)
• Anarchy in the UK (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten)
• Substitute (Townsend)
• Don't Gimme No Lip (Thomas/Richards)
• (I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone (Boyce/Hart)
• Anarchie Pour Le U.K. (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten)
• Belsen Was A Gas (Cook/Jones/Vicious/Rotten)
• Einmal Belsen War Wirflich Bortrefflich (Belsen Vos A Gassa) (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten)
• Silly Thing (Cook/Jones)
• My Way (Anka/Francois/Revaux)
• I Wanna Be Me (Matlock/Cook/Jones/Rotten)
• Something Else (Cochran/Sheeley)
• Rock Around the Clock (Myers/Freedman)
• Lonely Boy (Cook/Jones/)
• No One is Innocent (Cook/Jones/Biggs)
• C'mon Everybody (Cochran/Capehart)
• EMI (Cook/Jones/Matlock/Rotten)
• The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (Cook/Jones/Temple)
• Friggin' in the Riggin' (Traditional; arranged by Jones)
• You Need Hands (Bygraves)
• Who Killed Bambi (Tudor/Westwood)

Version 2

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• God Save The Queen (Symphony)
• Rock Around The Clock
• Johnny B. Goode
• Road Runner
• Black Arabs
• Anarchy In The U.K. (New Version)
• Watcha Gonna Do About It?
• Who Killed Bambi?
• Silly Thing
• Substitute
• Don't Give Me No Lip Child
• I'm Not Your Stepping Stone
• Lonely Boy
• Something Else
• Anarchie Pour Le U.K.
• Belsen Was A Gas (Live In San Francisco)
• Belsen Was A Gas (With Ronnie Biggs)
• No One Is Innocent
• My Way
• C'mon Everybody
• EMI (Orchestra)
• The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
• You Need Hands
• Friggin' In The Riggin'

Though most of the songs were performed by the Sex Pistols in some form, there are notable exceptions. "God Save the Queen" was an orchestral rendetion with Malcolm McLaren speaking over the music about how he "invented" punk rock and the Sex Pistols. EMI is done in the same manner, but with Steve Jones speaking the lyrics. The four song medley was a disco adaptation performed by a group called Black Arabs. "Anarchie Pour Le U.K." was done by a trio of French street musicians, with accordion and fiddle. "Who Killed Bambi", one of Edward Tudor-Pole's creations, was performed by himself and an orchestra.

Related Topics:
Disco - Accordion - Fiddle - Edward Tudor-Pole

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~