Lyrics Take Down the Union Jack (Band Version) - Billy Bragg

Take down the Union Jack, it clashes with the sunset
And put it in the attic with the emperors old clothes
When did it fall apart? Sometime in the 80s
When the Great and the Good gave way to the greedy and the mean

Britain isn't cool you know, its really not that great
It's not a proper country, it doesn't even have a patron saint
It's just an economic union that's passed its sell-by date

Take down the Union Jack, it clashes with the sunset
And ask our Scottish neighbours if independence looks any good
'Cos they just might understand how to take an abstract notion
Of personal identity and turn it into nationhood

Is this the 19th century that I'm watching on tv?
The dear old Queen of England handing out those MBEs
Member of the British Empire - that doesn't sound too good to me

Gilbert and George are taking the piss aren't they?
Gilbert and George are taking the piss
What could be more British than here's a picture of my bum?
Gilbert and George are taking the piss

Take down the Union Jack, it clashes with the sunset
And pile all those history books, but don't throw them away
They just might have some clues about what it really means
To be an Anglo hyphen Saxon in england.co.uk
To be an Anglo hyphen Saxon in england.co.uk