Public Image

Album: Public Image (1978)
Charted: 9
Play Video
  • You never listen to a word that I said
    You only seen me
    For the clothes that I wear
    Or did the interest go so much deeper
    I must have been
    The colour of my hair

    Public image

    What you wanted was never made clear
    Behind the image was ignorance and fear
    You hide behind this public machine
    Still follow same old scheme

    Public image

    Two sides to every story
    Somebody had to stop me
    I'm not the same as when I began
    I will not be treated as property

    Public image

    Public image you got what you wanted
    Public image belongs to me
    It's my entrance
    My own creation
    My grand finale
    My goodbye Writer/s: JOHN WARDLE, KEITH LEVENE
    Publisher: BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 5

  • Ross from Leicester, United KingdomI think the name was meant to be partially ironic but also implying that they could be more than just a band and experiment with different media - not that much came of this. Heaven 17/British Electric Foundation dabbled with a similar idea. As for being anti-capitalist, Lydon has never seemed particulary concerned with this and is now a property developer in LA....!!!!
  • Tommy from London, United KingdomI thought the name of the band was ironic - as an anti-capitalist message - as opposed to being an actual 'business venture' as suggested here.
  • Ho Chi Nathan The Fi from Billinge!, AfricaPiL are amazing. They don't sound like anyone before of since. That I know of anyway.
  • Dave from Cardiff, WalesThe first of 12 big UK hits for PiL between 1978 and 1993... Others included "Death Disco", "Flowers of Romance", "This Is Not a Love Song", "Rise" and "Don't Ask Me"
  • Ralph from Newton, MaThis is a GREAT song and I believe, wrapped in and integral to all the anger about McLaren
    (correct spelling), is John's announcing the end of Jonny Rotten and introducing PiL. Killer opening bassline by Jah Wobble and John mumbling "Hello, Hello hello" in different tones. End in a defiant "Goodbye!"
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Kristian Bush of Sugarland

Kristian Bush of SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Gary Numan

Gary NumanSongwriter Interviews

An Electronic music pioneer with Asperger's Syndrome. This could be interesting.

The Fratellis

The FratellisSongwriter Interviews

Jon Fratelli talks about the band's third album, and the five-year break leading up to it.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.