"51st State" is a single by New Model Army, which appeared on their 1986 album The Ghost of Cain. The lyrics to the song stated that the UK was the 51st state of the United States and were believed to be behind a ban by the American Musician's Union on the band, which prevented them touring the Ghost of Cain album in the United States.
When asked what the song is about Justin Sullivan said in 1987: "It's a prophecy about England and also Germany and the rest of the world, that we all will become states of America. It not true now and I hope it will remain untrue."
The track was released as a single through EMI and reached number 71 on the UK Singles Chart, spending just two weeks in the listing. It was the band's fourth appearance on that chart.
Originally this song was written by Ashley Cartwright and performed by his band called The Shakes, from whom New Model Army took the song after The Shakes broke up in 1983.