Album: Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols (1977)

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• She was a girl from Birmingham
  She just had an abortion
  She was a case of insanity
  Her name was Pauline, she lived in a tree
  
  She was a no-one who killed her baby
  She sent her letters from the country
  She was an animal
  She was a bloody disgrace
  
  Body, I'm not an animal
  Body, I'm not an animal
  
  Dragged on a table in a factory
  Illegitimate place to be
  In a packet in a lavatory
  Die little baby, screaming
  
  Body, screaming fucking bloody mess
  Not an animal, it's an abortion
  
  Body, I'm not an animal
  Mummy, I'm not an abortion
  
  Throbbing squirm
  Gurgling bloody mess
  I'm not a discharge
  I'm not a loss in protein
  I'm not a throbbing squirm
  
  Ah
  Fuck this and fuck that
  Fuck it all and fuck the fucking brat
  She don't want a baby who looks like that
  I don't want a baby that looks like that
  
  Body, I'm not an animal
  Body, an abortion
  
  Body, I'm not an animal
  Body, I'm not an animal
  An animal
  I'm not an animal
  I'm not an animal, an animal, an
  I'm not a body
  I'm not an animal, an animal
  I'm not an animal
  Mummy
  Ugh Writer/s: John Lydon, John Simon Beverly, Paul Thomas Cook, Stephen Philip Jones
  Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Payday Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 20

• Jj from CanadaTo Margie from St Louis.
  
  My wife is originally from Texas. Before I met her, she was married to a another man and had one child. One day, she told me after her first child, 2 years later she was pregnant again. Both her and her previous husband were ecstatic about another child but soon signs showed that something was wrong. She started to experience deep abdominal pain and bleeding. After visiting her doctor, she was given the bad news did she had what was referred to as a tubal pregnancy... also known as an ectopic pregnancy. This means that the fetus is not growing inside the uterus, but outside of it. In this case in her fallopian tube. She was told that there was zero chance the baby surviving, there is no way to place to featus back inside the uterus and that if she did not have a therapeutic abortion she, as well as the baby would be dead.
  
  Being devoutly Christian, my wife could not accept that and went to several doctors who gave her the same answer. She even visited her pastor who sent it to a Christian doctor and although he was not an OBGYN, he most certainly understood her position and told her there was no hope for the baby. Her pastor told her that she should think about her other child as well because if she were to die trying to carry this baby who would mother her child? Even so, she tried to find another way until she lost so much blood she lost consciousness and the procedure was carried through to save her life.
  
  This happened over 40 years ago, and she still has trouble dealing with it.
  
  So Margie and others like you, perhaps you should get off your high moral horse and walk a mile in someone else's shoes before you start dictating to them what they should and should not do or to judge someone else as to what is right and what is wrong for their position in life as opposed to yours.
• Fred Sampson from Planet EarffThe main subject and the bulk of the lyrics — even the title — is about abortion. Lydon uses graphic imagery to highlight the disgusting nature of abortion with the safe and sanitized language is removed. Sex Pistols were always abrasive. That’s what makes them the Sex Pistols. Pro choice or not, abortion is not a pretty thing and this song does not soften the nature of the act. People tend to make the subject political — it’s not. It is what it is… it’s “Body, screaming, f--king, bloody mess
  Not an animal, it's an abortion”. This isn’t exactly using metaphor. I’m not making a case for or against, but I’m making a case to not pretend it’s pretty. Lydon was unarguably doing the same thing.
• AnonymousBody has a voice.... I'm not an animal! Mummmmy don't kill me don't cut me up I'm not an an animalllll
• Jb from London, UkFor me this song isn't about abortion primarily. It's about a poor girl and the way she was treated.... by the hospital, by society. The first verse tells us about her. The second verse is society's uncaring view of her (and those like her) and the rest of the song is her fighting back "I'm not an animal!"
• Laylah Is So Punk Rock from Washington DcThe song Bodies is about Laylah and her missing chromosomes.
• David Harvey from AustraliaSid Vicious played bass on "Bodies", but it's not certain how audible his bass playing is in the final mix, and Steve Jones did say, "He (Sid) played his farty old bass part and we just let him do it. When he left, I dubbed another part on, leaving Sid's down low. I think it might be barely audible on the track."
• Joes54 from UsaWhatever John Lydon said decades later, wanting to be acceptable to his betters, it is not only not vague what the 21-year-old Johnny Rotten thought and felt about this subject, it is relentlessly, brutally, unmistakably clear. He is taking the subject and shoving it in everyone's face, forcing them to look at it. Blasting through the hypocrisy. There is no other song like this. What is punk rock? It's the Sex Pistols. And this is their ultimate song.
• Laylah from Milwaukee, WiChristian, you seem to be one of the only people that made a short but decent comment. Maybe back in the day he felt allot differently because his input on this song also had to do with his
  own Mother having a miscarriage & him (John Lydon) having to go throw what could have been his brother or sister in a plastic bag into the outdoor toilet.
• Laylah from Milwaukee, WiSheeberson, WOW! Are you a brain surgeon? You're writing sure sounds like you are! Such a fun song indeed, yee haw...giddee up my friend. Let's go crank the tune "She thinks my tractor's sexy" & cut up a rug!!!
• Laylah from Milwaukee, WiSacco Thayer , where do get you're BS nonsense from? No it's not...
• Laylah from Milwaukee, WiMargie, John Lydon (& the rest of The Sex Pistols except the "useless one" Sid Vicious aka: John Simon Ritchie) all wrote this song together for one. It is true what the song states: "Her name was Pauline & she lived in a tree (house according to Lydon & hard to believe outside a mental institution but on the grounds) but it's just a song. She obviously was mentally ill & did allot of stupid stuff (don't we all sometimes or are you above that)? None of The Sex Pistols ever said she stalked them but yes she was promiscuous & a "groupie". Hmm, neither them or any other bands had a problem with "doing" her nor cared if she got pregnant. Lydon has said many times he is pro-choice. If you aren't like you said it's your opinion.
• Margie from St. Louis, MoHey Lacy, did you read the songfact? It says that this song was about a schizophrenic person who stalked The Sex Pistols and would talk about getting pregnant. Also, I have been to his website and I don't see anywhere on there stating he is pro-choice. His website basically has videos, info on tours and stuff and other music-related stuff. Plus, Johnn Lydon doesn't even run the site, it's run by other people. If you click on email, it will say that Johnny does not accpet email and he is a luddite. If you don't know what that is, look is up. It explains why he doesn't run his own website. Whether he is pro-choice or not, since you stated your opinion, I can freely state mine: I disagree with pro-choice. I don't expect anyone to accpet my opinion, but y'all will have to deal with it, cause I ain't changing my mind.
• Kike from Laredo, TxVelvet Revolver sings this and do a very good job of it. I saw them sing this live in Houston, TX and it was amazing.
• Lacy from Cadillac, MiJohn Lydon acually belives in pro-choice. He said so on an interveiw for Q magazine December 2005 issue 233 and is posted somewhere on his website. He said that every woman sould have the choice when they face it. I definatly agree with him.
• Sacco Thayer from Taunton, MaThe song is about forced abortions in mental hospitals
• Sheeberson from Wrightsville Beach, Ncthis is song is sooooooo good, and fun to sing along to
• Christian from Kansas City, MoOn the VH1 Classic Album program for "Never Mind The Bollocks," John Lydon specifically says that it's not a pro-abortion song, nor an anti-abortion song.
• Kane from Vancouver, WaI think this song IS about how Jonny Rotten disapproved of abortion but he used a good story to make everyone understand where he was coming from.
• I'm Awesome from Boulder, Coive always though this song was about abortions and how the sex pistols disaprroved of them.
• John from Topeka, KyThis is the best song ever. Me and my friend used to get in trouble singing this at recess. Yes I am only 12

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