FILE--Members of the Sex Pistols from left, Johnny Rotten, Paul Cook on drums and Steve Jones on guitar are shown in Messila ,100 km north from Helsinki, in this June 21, 1996 file photo. A quarter century after the Sex Pistols belted out an acerbic punk tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, the song is being rereleased to mark the monarch's golden jubilee. Virgin Records plans to release "God Save the Queen'' on May 27, 2002, hoping it will top the charts when Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 50 years on the throneduring the first weekend in June.(AP Photo/Markus Hatakka, File)

LONDON (AP) -- A quarter century after the Sex Pistols belted out an acerbic punk tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, the song is being rereleased to mark the monarch's golden jubilee.

Virgin Records plans to release "God Save the Queen" on May 27, hoping it will top the charts when Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 50 years on the throne during the first weekend in June.

The song -- in which singer Johnny Rotten snarls, "God save the queen, she ain't no human being" -- shot up British charts on its release in 1977, despite receiving little radio or television airplay.

It peaked at No. 2, below Rod Stewart's "I Don't Want to Talk About It," but rumors persist that the Sex Pistols' song sold more copies.

"What we really want is it will finally gain the No. 1 spot. It will certainly be an alternative to the jubilee," a Virgin spokeswoman said.

Infamous for their rebellious attitude and rowdy gigs, the Sex Pistols were dropped by record labels EMI and A&M in quick succession before Virgin signed them in 1977.

Virgin released "God Save the Queen" on May 27 with a now-famous cover image of the queen, her eyes and mouth obscured by lettering cut from newspaper headlines to spell out the song title.

The band celebrated the song's release with a party on a boat called "Queen Elizabeth" on the River Thames. Police raided the party and arrested many of the guests.