The Proclaimers caused something of a stooshie when their song I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) was removed from King Charles’ official coronation playlist due to the band’s anti-monarchy stance.

The list of 27 songs released by the House of Windsor contains Queen (of course), Take That and Ed Sheeran though why David Bowie, who turned down a knighthood and a CBE, was spared the punting the Reid brothers took is anyone’s guess.

From Poundland to Classic FM, you’ll find no shortage of playlists to celebrate the crowning of the new monarch.

However, not everyone will be in the mood to party ahead of the extra bank holiday. For those people, we’ve put together an alternative list of songs, whether they be anti-monarchy or just a bit off-beat.

God Save The Queen – The Sex Pistols (Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols, 1977)

The original royal-baiting song, ‘God Save The Queen’ proved so controversial on its release that workers at the vinyl pressing plant walked off their shift. Both the BBC and the Independent Broadcasting Authority refused to play it, with the Radio 2 controller of the time dubbing it “in gross bad taste”.

Ode To Joyce – Half Man Half Biscuit (CSI:Ambleside, 2008)

A more whimsical take from the Wirral’s finest export with a (likely) reference to Princess Diana. The song delivers what it promises in the title, as Nigel Blackwell laments “it hurts when I hear all the songs to Maria when we haven’t really done with J” and envisions a future “where the gods have dumped Diana for a girl called Joyce/And displayed on high is a banner in support of Joyce”.

Elizabeth My Dear – The Stone Roses (Stone Roses, 1989)

The shortest track on the band’s classic self-titled debut, ‘Elizabeth My Dear’ is a 53-second summation of Ian Brown’s views on the monarchy: “I'll not rest/'Til she's lost her throne/My aim is true/My message is clear/It's curtains for you/Elizabeth, my dear”.

Repeat (UK) – Manic Street Preachers (Generation Terrorists, 1992)

Track 13 on the Manics’ debut doesn’t mess about, opening: “Repeat after me/f*** Queen and country”.

Flag Day – The Housemartins (London 0 Hull 4, 1986)

The self-proclaimed fourth best band in Hull took aim at the royals in this song about trying to raise money for the poor via a jumble sale: “It’s a waste of time if you know what I mean?/Try shaking a box in front of the Queen/’Cause her purse is fat and bursting at the seams”.

Take Down The Union Jack – Billy Bragg (England, Half English, 2002)

It won’t come as a surprise to many that Billy Bragg isn’t a great fan of the monarchy. Scoffing at the idea of MBEs he declares: “Britain isn't cool, you know/It's really not that great/It's not a proper country/It doesn't even have a patron saint”.

Disenchanted – My Chemical Romance (The Black Parade, 2006)

A rumination on death from MCR’s 2006 concept album, ‘Disenchanted’ begins with the line “I was there on the day they sold the cause for the Queen” before going on to take aim at celebrities hawking products on television and imploring “bring out the old guillotine, we’ll show ‘em what we all mean”.

Nothing Great About Britain – Slowthai (Nothing Great About Britain, 2019)

Does what it says on the tin. Ends on a line which cannot be repeated in a national newspaper.

Long Live The Queen – Frank Turner (Love Ire & Song, 2008)

Not a tribute to a monarch but to a friend, Lex, who died of breast cancer. The verses tell of having one last wild night out, while the chorus relays what Turner’s friend told him after coming to the realisation she would succumb to the disease: “you’ll live to dance another day/it’s just now you’ll have to dance for the two of us”.

Her Majesty – The Beatles (Abbey Road, 1969)

A hidden track at the end of Abbey Road, ‘Her Majesty’ is the shortest song in the Beatles’ oeuvre. A tongue-in-cheek music hall song, it was later expanded and turned into an anti-monarchy polemic by Chumbawumba.

Bonus

Royals – Lorde (Pure Heroine, 2013)

The debut single by the New Zealand singer-songwriter was an instant smash, spending nine weeks on top of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Lorde stated that the song was inspired by the opulence seen in music videos, and the track was covered by Bruce Springsteen when he played in her native Wellington.

King For A Day – Green Day (Nimrod, 1997)

What better way to mark the king’s coronation than with an ode to the joys of cross-dressing? This ska-tinged song from 1997’s Nimrod advises: “don’t knock it until you’ve tried it”.

This Is A Low – Blur (Parklife, 1994)

A song inspired by the band’s love of the shipping forecast – “good for a  hangover”, apparently – it became a staple of their live set. It contains the line “the Queen she’s gone round the bend/jumped off Land’s End”. Clearly there were no hard feeling as Damon Albarn accepted an OBE for services to music in 2015.

Royalty – The Exploited (Punks Not Dead, 1981)

Not one to play in front of the kids. The Edinburgh punk band open with “show me a picture of the Queen now” and that’s about as clean as it gets for the remaining two minutes.

We Her Majesty’s Prisoners – Manic Street Preachers (Motown June b-side, 1991)

The Manic Street Preachers really don’t like the monarchy. This B-side to punky single ‘Motown Junk’ was originally titled ‘Ceremonial Rape Machine’, a title which was swiftly vetoed by label Heavenly Records.