Panic (The Smiths song)

"Panic"
Single by The Smiths
from the album The World Won't Listen
B-side
  • "Vicar in a Tutu"
  • "The Draize Train"
Released21 July 1986 (1986-07-21)
RecordedMay 1986
StudioLivingston Studios, London
Genre
Length2:20
LabelRough Trade
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)John Porter
The Smiths singles chronology
"Bigmouth Strikes Again"
(1986) 		"Panic"
(1986) 		"Ask"
(1986)
Official video
"Panic" on YouTube

"Panic" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, released in 1986 and written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. The first recording to feature new member Craig Gannon, "Panic" bemoans the state of contemporary pop music, exhorting listeners to "burn down the disco" and "hang the DJ" in retaliation. The song was released by Rough Trade as a single and reached No. 7 on the Irish Singles Chart and No. 11 in the UK Chart. Morrissey considered the song's appearance on daytime British radio a "tiny revolution" in its own way, as it aired amongst the very music it criticised.[2]

Morrissey later gave a controversial interview for Melody Maker about the song's subject matter, which spurred allegations of latent racism in the lyrics and allusions to the Disco Sucks campaign of the 1970s, which some commentators at the time accused of being motivated by racism.[3] This was strongly denied by the Smiths, who also claimed that the interview had grossly misquoted Morrissey.[4] The affair led to debate about the song's meaning, including more recent speculation that it is in fact about Jimmy Savile and his then-veiled sexual abuse.[5]

It was later included in the compilation albums The World Won't Listen and Louder Than Bombs (both 1987).

  1. ^ "The best songs by The Smiths". Radio X. 31 October 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  2. ^ Goddard 2002, p. 193.
  3. ^ Luerssen 2015, p. 221.
  4. ^ Goddard 2002, p. 193–194.
  5. ^ "Was this Smiths song secretly written about Jimmy Savile?". Belfast Underground. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2024.