It is the opening track on the band's 1969 concept album Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).

Both nostalgic and satirical,[3] Ray Davies' lyrics juxtapose the grim realities of life in Britain during the 19th century ("Sex was bad, called obscene/And the rich were so mean") with the paternalist aspirations of the British Empire in the Victorian age ("From the West to the East/From the rich to the poor/Victoria loved them all"), and expresses the simple adulation of queen and country by the downtrodden working class ("Though I am poor, I am free/When I grow I shall fight/For this land I shall die").

The production begins with a simple heavy rock electric blues guitar riff, carried through each verse and chorus, while the "Land of hope and gloria" bridge and raucous background vocals from Dave Davies build to an exultant climax of brass.

Reviewing the single, Record World called it "beautiful", stating that it "will soon be the cry of the nation.

[8][9] The song has also been recorded by Cracker, Nomeansno (who adapted the lyrics to be about Victoria, British Columbia), Roy Arad (who translated the song to Hebrew and changed Victoria to the Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin) and Sonic Youth.