Panic (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Panic


Artist = The Smiths
from Album = The World Won't Listen
Released = July 21 1986
Format = 7", 12", CD
Recorded = Spring 1986
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 2:20
Label = Rough Trade
Writer = Johnny Marr Morrissey
Producer = John Porter
Certification =
Last single = "Bigmouth Strikes Again"
(1986)
This single = "Panic"
(1986)
Next single = "Ask"
(1986)

:"This article refers to the song by British band The Smiths. For the song by American band No Doubt, please see "Everything in Time"."

"Panic" is a song by The Smiths. It was released by the band as a single in 1986, reaching #11 in the UK Singles Chart, and did not appear on a regular studio album; it has since been included on several of the band's compilation albums, including "Louder than Bombs". In May 2007, "NME" magazine placed "Panic" at number 21 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever. [http://www.nme.com/news/nme/28059]

The song is credited to Morrissey, who wrote the lyrics, and Johnny Marr, who wrote the music. [http://foreverill.com/disc/panic.htm]

Lyrics

The lyrics describe or evoke personal experience of panic, and end in repeated calls of "hang the blessed DJ / because the music that they constantly play / it says nothing to me about my life". These refer to the fact that after the report of the Chernobyl disaster, a popular radio disc jockey, Steve Wright, played a song by Wham!, something which Morrissey saw as highly inappropriate, hence writing the lyrics.

Cover versions

The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Billy Bragg, Tiffany, The Puppini Sisters (on their album "Betcha Bottom Dollar"), Death on Wednesday (on their album "Buying the Lie"), Carter USM (who released a cover version as a B-side to their single "The Only Living Boy in New Cross" in 1992), and Pete Yorn (who performs an acoustic version of the song incorporating locations like Los Angeles in place of London). A Britpop-themed night in Indianapolis, Indiana was also named after the song.

More recently, The Cribs frequently covered the song live on the NME Awards 2008 tour, with Johnny Marr accompanying the band on guitar.

Track listing

Tracks written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr except where noted. The cover art features actor Richard Bradford.

*7" (RT193) (UK)
*# "Panic"
*# "Vicar in a Tutu"

*12" (RTT193) and CD (RTT193CD) (UK)
*# "Panic"
*# "Vicar in a Tutu"
*# "The Draize Train" (Marr)

Etchings on vinyl

*UK 7" and 12": I DREAMT ABOUT STEW LAST NIGHT / none
*Germany 12": 'HANG THEM HIGH MONIKA' / HANG THEM HIGH MONIKA

The UK etching is a pun on "I dreamt about you last night", a line from the song "Reel Around the Fountain", taken from the play "A Taste of Honey".

References