297:'Public Image', despite what most of the press seemed to misinterpret it to be, is not about the fans at all, it's a slagging of the group I used to be in. It's what I went through from my own group. They never bothered to listen to what I was fucking singing, they don't even know the words to my songs. They never bothered to listen, it was like, 'Here's a tune, write some words to it.' So I did. They never questioned it. I found that offensive, it meant I was literally wasting my time, 'cause if you ain't working with people that are on the same level then you ain't doing anything. The rest of the band and Malcolm never bothered to find out if I could sing, they just took me as an image. It was as basic as that, they really were as dull as that. After a year of it they were going 'Why don't you have your hair this colour this year?' And I was going 'Oh God, a brick wall, I'm fighting a brick wall!' They don't understand even now.
31:
313:
The single was originally packaged in a fake newspaper that makes outrageous statements such as "Refused To Play
Russian Roulette", "No one's Innocent, Except Us", "Donut's Laugh saves life" (Donut being a nickname for
322:, "The Cowboy Song", was designed to mock people buying the record (the track's only sensical rhythm is a bassline played over nonsensical yelling), much to the dismay of drummer
361:
While "Public Image" has been performed live for much of the band's existence, "The Cowboy Song" was only performed live twice, in a row, at their debut performance in
503:
929:
1003:
789:
1193:
1142:
1173:
1095:
596:
943:
1112:
1081:
1060:
738:
1188:
1168:
334:
named it the 242nd greatest song of all time in 2014. The song's bass line was named as the 18th best bassline of all time by
1178:
936:
915:
782:
1117:
1088:
1163:
971:
950:
1067:
1021:
901:
775:
282:
51:
1074:
758:
477:
824:
1137:
849:
754:
636:
436:
323:
315:
196:
115:
1183:
742:
462:
996:
571:
1132:
661:
553:
540:
72:
60:
687:
957:
854:
798:
473:
302:
280:
and the press. Along with being released as a single, it appeared on PiL's 1978 debut album
265:
261:
217:
210:
111:
106:
42:
922:
402:
390:
386:
336:
277:
204:
618:
305:
on 21 October 1978 at number 21. The single then peaked at number 9 on 4 November 1978.
167:
136:
89:
38:
1157:
884:
864:
713:
398:
978:
879:
839:
523:
424:
188:
162:
1122:
1053:
1028:
964:
831:
394:
273:
241:
123:
276:. The song addresses Lydon's feelings of being exploited in the Sex Pistols by
30:
874:
859:
844:
817:
810:
430:
418:
290:
269:
192:
184:
178:
1127:
908:
869:
382:
378:
131:
362:
366:
406:
319:
767:
771:
619:"Brussels, Theatre 140 Belgium, December 20th 1978 (PiL Gigs)"
330:
572:"Rocklist.net NME The 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time.. 2014"
521:
Brazier, Chris (28 October 1978). "The
Danceable Solution".
637:"Covers of Public Image by Public Image Ltd. on WhoSampled"
597:"Stylus Magazine's Top 50 Basslines Of All Time - Article"
318:) and "The Girl Who Drove Me To Tea" among others. The
1105:
1038:
1013:
988:
893:
216:
202:
176:
161:
145:
122:
105:
97:
82:
70:
58:
48:
37:
23:
739:The Irish Charts – Search Results – Public Image"
543:. Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 3 December 2009.
268:. The lyrics were written when band co-founder
930:This Is What You Want... This Is What You Get
783:
536:
534:
8:
504:"Playlist: 10 best new wave singles of 1978"
790:
776:
768:
447:
29:
20:
495:
47:
36:
7:
662:"Menswe@r – Being Brave (1996, CD)"
554:"Public Image 7' (PiL Discography)"
714:"Live At The Starwood Dec 3, 1980"
14:
688:"Scrawl – Nature Film (1998, CD)"
599:. Stylus Magazine. 4 October 2008
755:"Official Singles Chart Top 100"
264:. It reached number nine on the
761:. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
745:. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
18:1978 single by Public Image Ltd
1:
1194:Songs written by Keith Levene
377:The song has been covered by
1174:Songs written by John Lydon
972:What the World Needs Now...
1210:
1022:The Greatest Hits, So Far
902:Public Image: First Issue
805:
283:Public Image: First Issue
260:" is the debut single by
224:
52:Public Image: First Issue
28:
352:"The Cowboy Song" - 2:17
289:On the song, PiL leader
1075:This Is Not a Love Song
759:Official Charts Company
1189:Virgin Records singles
1169:Public Image Ltd songs
1143:The Flowers of Romance
916:The Flowers of Romance
299:
1179:Songs about the media
1138:Cowboys International
541:"Public Image single"
349:"Public Image" - 2:58
295:
272:was a member of the
116:Wessex Sound Studios
743:Irish Singles Chart
576:Rocklistmusic.co.uk
1164:1978 debut singles
1068:Flowers of Romance
1014:Compilation albums
997:Paris au Printemps
220:singles chronology
1151:
1150:
1133:The Damage Manual
718:Music.YouTube.com
487:
486:
444:Chart performance
357:Live performances
254:
253:
250:
249:
172:
93:
78:"The Cowboy Song"
1201:
1106:Related articles
958:That What Is Not
855:Richard Dudanski
799:Public Image Ltd
792:
785:
778:
769:
762:
752:
746:
735:
729:
728:
726:
724:
710:
704:
703:
701:
699:
684:
678:
677:
675:
673:
658:
652:
651:
649:
647:
633:
627:
626:
623:fodderstompf.com
615:
609:
608:
606:
604:
593:
587:
586:
584:
582:
568:
562:
561:
558:Fodderstompf.com
550:
544:
538:
529:
528:
518:
512:
511:
500:
448:
303:UK Singles chart
266:UK Singles Chart
262:Public Image Ltd
226:
225:
218:Public Image Ltd
211:Public Image Ltd
207:
181:
170:
157:
156:
152:
112:Advision Studios
87:
86:13 October 1978
75:
63:
43:Public Image Ltd
33:
21:
1209:
1208:
1204:
1203:
1202:
1200:
1199:
1198:
1154:
1153:
1152:
1147:
1101:
1034:
1009:
984:
923:Commercial Zone
889:
801:
796:
766:
765:
753:
749:
736:
732:
722:
720:
712:
711:
707:
697:
695:
686:
685:
681:
671:
669:
660:
659:
655:
645:
643:
635:
634:
630:
617:
616:
612:
602:
600:
595:
594:
590:
580:
578:
570:
569:
565:
552:
551:
547:
539:
532:
520:
519:
515:
508:The Independent
502:
501:
497:
492:
455:
446:
415:
391:Revolting Cocks
375:
359:
337:Stylus Magazine
311:
301:It entered the
278:Malcolm McLaren
245:
236:
203:
177:
154:
150:
149:
141:
71:
59:
49:from the album
19:
12:
11:
5:
1207:
1205:
1197:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1156:
1155:
1149:
1148:
1146:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1115:
1109:
1107:
1103:
1102:
1100:
1099:
1092:
1085:
1078:
1071:
1064:
1057:
1050:
1042:
1040:
1036:
1035:
1033:
1032:
1025:
1017:
1015:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1007:
1000:
992:
990:
986:
985:
983:
982:
975:
968:
961:
954:
947:
940:
933:
926:
919:
912:
905:
897:
895:
891:
890:
888:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
836:
835:
828:
821:
814:
806:
803:
802:
797:
795:
794:
787:
780:
772:
764:
763:
747:
730:
705:
679:
653:
641:WhoSampled.com
628:
610:
588:
563:
545:
530:
513:
510:. 7 June 2018.
494:
493:
491:
488:
485:
484:
481:
470:
469:
466:
458:
457:
452:
445:
442:
441:
440:
434:
428:
422:
414:
411:
374:
373:Cover versions
371:
358:
355:
354:
353:
350:
346:
345:
310:
307:
252:
251:
248:
247:
238:
229:
222:
221:
214:
213:
208:
200:
199:
182:
174:
173:
165:
159:
158:
147:
143:
142:
140:
139:
134:
128:
126:
120:
119:
109:
103:
102:
99:
95:
94:
84:
80:
79:
76:
68:
67:
66:"Public Image"
64:
56:
55:
46:
45:
35:
34:
26:
25:
24:"Public Image"
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1206:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1161:
1159:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1129:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1110:
1108:
1104:
1097:
1093:
1090:
1086:
1083:
1079:
1076:
1072:
1069:
1065:
1062:
1058:
1055:
1051:
1048:
1044:
1043:
1041:
1037:
1031:
1030:
1026:
1024:
1023:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1012:
1006:
1005:
1004:Live in Tokyo
1001:
999:
998:
994:
993:
991:
987:
981:
980:
976:
974:
973:
969:
967:
966:
962:
960:
959:
955:
953:
952:
948:
946:
945:
941:
939:
938:
934:
932:
931:
927:
925:
924:
920:
918:
917:
913:
911:
910:
906:
904:
903:
899:
898:
896:
894:Studio albums
892:
886:
885:Jeannette Lee
883:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
865:Martin Atkins
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
837:
834:
833:
829:
827:
826:
822:
820:
819:
815:
813:
812:
808:
807:
804:
800:
793:
788:
786:
781:
779:
774:
773:
770:
760:
756:
751:
748:
744:
740:
734:
731:
719:
715:
709:
706:
693:
689:
683:
680:
667:
663:
657:
654:
642:
638:
632:
629:
624:
620:
614:
611:
598:
592:
589:
577:
573:
567:
564:
559:
555:
549:
546:
542:
537:
535:
531:
526:
525:
517:
514:
509:
505:
499:
496:
489:
482:
479:
475:
472:
471:
467:
464:
460:
459:
453:
451:Chart (1978)
450:
449:
443:
438:
435:
432:
429:
426:
423:
420:
417:
416:
412:
410:
408:
404:
400:
396:
392:
388:
384:
380:
372:
370:
368:
364:
356:
351:
348:
347:
344:Track Listing
343:
342:
341:
339:
338:
333:
332:
327:
325:
321:
317:
308:
306:
304:
298:
294:
292:
287:
285:
284:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
243:
239:
234:
230:
228:
227:
223:
219:
215:
212:
209:
206:
201:
198:
194:
190:
186:
183:
180:
179:Songwriter(s)
175:
169:
166:
164:
160:
148:
144:
138:
135:
133:
130:
129:
127:
125:
121:
117:
113:
110:
108:
104:
100:
96:
91:
85:
81:
77:
74:
69:
65:
62:
57:
54:
53:
44:
40:
32:
27:
22:
16:
1096:Disappointed
1047:Public Image
1046:
1027:
1020:
1002:
995:
979:End of World
977:
970:
963:
956:
949:
942:
935:
928:
921:
914:
907:
900:
880:John McGeoch
840:Keith Levene
830:
823:
816:
809:
750:
733:
721:. Retrieved
717:
708:
696:. Retrieved
691:
682:
670:. Retrieved
665:
656:
644:. Retrieved
640:
631:
622:
613:
601:. Retrieved
591:
579:. Retrieved
575:
566:
557:
548:
524:Melody Maker
522:
516:
507:
498:
425:Keith Levene
376:
360:
335:
329:
328:
312:
300:
296:
288:
281:
258:Public Image
257:
255:
233:Public Image
232:
189:Keith Levene
50:
15:
1123:Sex Pistols
1118:Discography
1054:Death Disco
1029:Plastic Box
989:Live albums
965:This Is PiL
870:Stella Nova
832:Scott Firth
825:Bruce Smith
723:31 December
698:31 December
692:Discogs.com
672:31 December
666:Discogs.com
646:31 December
395:Long Ryders
274:Sex Pistols
242:Death Disco
205:Producer(s)
1184:1978 songs
1158:Categories
875:Ken Lockie
860:Karl Burns
850:Jim Walker
845:Jah Wobble
818:Lu Edmonds
811:John Lydon
603:13 October
581:13 October
490:References
474:UK Singles
437:Jim Walker
431:Jah Wobble
419:John Lydon
324:Jim Walker
316:Jim Walker
293:has said:
291:John Lydon
270:John Lydon
197:Jim Walker
193:Jah Wobble
185:John Lydon
1128:The Clash
909:Metal Box
461:Ireland (
456:position
413:Personnel
383:Pearl Jam
379:The Germs
340:in 2005.
132:Post-punk
118:in London
101:July 1978
1082:Bad Life
1061:Memories
427:- guitar
421:- vocals
403:Menswear
387:Ministry
363:Brussels
137:new wave
98:Recorded
83:Released
1113:Members
1039:Singles
625:. 2009.
560:. 2006.
439:- drums
367:Belgium
246:(1979)
237:(1978)
944:Happy?
694:. 1998
668:. 1996
433:- bass
407:Scrawl
399:Feeder
320:B-side
309:Single
171:VS 228
168:Virgin
146:Length
107:Studio
73:B-side
61:A-side
39:Single
937:Album
163:Label
124:Genre
1089:Rise
725:2021
700:2021
674:2021
648:2021
605:2016
583:2016
463:IRMA
454:Peak
405:and
397:and
195:and
114:and
478:OCC
468:15
331:NME
41:by
1160::
757:.
741:.
716:.
690:.
664:.
639:.
621:.
574:.
556:.
533:^
506:.
483:9
480:)
465:)
409:.
401:,
393:,
389:,
385:,
381:,
369:.
365:,
326:.
286:.
244:"
235:"
191:,
187:,
155:58
90:UK
1098:"
1094:"
1091:"
1087:"
1084:"
1080:"
1077:"
1073:"
1070:"
1066:"
1063:"
1059:"
1056:"
1052:"
1049:"
1045:"
951:9
791:e
784:t
777:v
737:"
727:.
702:.
676:.
650:.
607:.
585:.
527:.
476:(
256:"
240:"
231:"
153::
151:2
92:)
88:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
