Pretty Vacant

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“Pretty Vacant”
Single by Sex Pistols from the album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols
Released	July 1, 1977 (UK) October 27, 1977 (US) October 15, 2007 (30th anniversary re-issue)
Format	Vinyl single
Genre	Punk rock
Length	3:15
Label	Virgin Records (UK) Warner Bros. (US)
Writer(s)	Sex Pistols
Producer	Chris Thomas, Bill Price
Sex Pistols singles chronology
"God Save the Queen" (1977) "Pretty Vacant" (1977) "Holidays in the Sun" (1977)

"Pretty Vacant" was the third single released by the punk rock band Sex Pistols. This ode to apathy was released on July 1, 1977. Provocatively, in the chorus the name of the song is sung with heavy emphasis on the final syllable; so that it sounds like the word cunt. Despite this, this song marked the band's only appearance on the British music show Top of the Pops during their heyday, as they thought John Lydon was using an Irish accent. Also, according to Glen Matlock the riff was inspired by "S.O.S." by ABBA after hearing it on the radio.

The song was featured in the 1981 Ralph Bakshi movie American Pop.

The B-side is a cover of The Stooges' "No Fun" and lasts about 7 minutes, almost twice the length of the original.

"Pretty Vacant" was used as the theme song to a short-lived 1994 television sketch comedy show called The Vacant Lot.

The New Musical Express magazine made it their Single of the Year in 1977^[1]. In March 2005, Q magazine placed the song at number 26 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.

Joey Ramone used the lead riff in his cover of Wonderful World.

South African pop group Shikisha released a cover version of the song in 1996^[2].

The French band Les Négresses Vertes as well as grime MC Lady Sovereign have both covered "Pretty Vacant" and performed live versions of the song.

A version of this song entitled "Pretty Vacant (Guitar Hero Version)" was released on iTunes for download on October 16th, 2007. However, the song has never appeared in a Guitar Hero game.

This song is on the soundtrack to the video game skate.

[edit] References

v • d • e Sex Pistols Johnny Rotten • Steve Jones • Paul Cook • Sid Vicious • Glen Matlock Malcolm McLaren • Wally Nightingale Studio album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols Compilations and soundtracks Spunk • The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle • Some Product: Carri on Sex Pistols • Flogging a Dead Horse • Kiss This • Jubilee • Sex Pistols Box Set • We Have Cum For Your Children • Greatest • Never Trust A Hippy • Pirates Of Destiny • Back & There Again • Anarchy In The USA • Anarchy In The UK • Mini Album • There Is No Future • Pretty Vacant: The Best of '76 • Agents Of Anarchy • Indecent Exposure • Aural Sex • No Future UK? • Silver Jubilee • The Legends Collection: The Sex Pistols Collection • Archive • Early Daze Live albums Filthy Lucre Live • Raw • Anarchy in the UK: Live at the 76 Club • Live at Winterland 1978 • Live at Chelmsford Top Security Prison • Submission • Extended Versions • Alive • The Original Pistols Live • Better Live Than Dead • Pistol Whipped Live • Singles "Anarchy in the U.K." • "God Save the Queen" • "Pretty Vacant" • "Holidays in the Sun" • "No One Is Innocent" • "Something Else" • "Silly Thing" • "C'mon Everybody" • "The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle" • "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" • "Pretty Vacant (live)" • "God Save the Queen (2002 remix)" Film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle • D.O.A. • The Filth and the Fury • Who Killed Bambi? Related articles Public Image Ltd.  • The Professionals • Vicious White Kids • The Rich Kids • Ex Pistols • "Filthy Lucre Tour" • Edward Tudor-Pole • Neurotic Outsiders