"
England Swings (Like a Pendulum Do)" is a 1965
country music song written and performed by
Roger Miller. The single was Miller's eleventh hit on the US country chart where it peaked at number three. On the
Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at number eight and was Miller's second number one on the
Easy Listening chart.
Petula Clark (from the
Colour My World album) and
Pat Boone both released
cover versions in 1967. The title refers to
Swinging London, a popular term for the progressive youth-centric cultural scene in
London at the time. However, the lyrics don't convey any of this progressiveness: they mostly relate to stereotypical notions of traditional Britain, with references to "bobbies on bicycles", Westminster Abbey, and so forth (as in a tourism commercial). The song also provides the structure for Miller's later song "Oo De Lally (Robin Hood and Little John)" for the film
Robin Hood. The song is lambasted in 'How The Brits Rocked America' (BBC), where Miller is presented as mocking the youth culture in a cynical and commercial way.