Panic

The Smiths

About Panic

"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, which "says nothing to me about my life", and exhorts 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. It was later included in the compilation albums The World Won't Listen and Louder Than Bombs. 


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Panic on the streets of London
Panic on the streets of Birmingham
I wonder to myself
Could life ever be sane again?
The Leeds side-streets that you slip down
I wonder to myself

Hopes may rise on the Grasmere
But honey pie, you're not safe here
So you run down
To the safety of the town
But there's panic on the streets of Carlisle
Dublin, Dundee, Humberside
I wonder to myself

Burn down the disco
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music that they constantly play
It says nothing to me about my life
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music they constantly play

On the Leeds side-streets that you slip down
The provincial towns you jog 'round

Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ

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The Smiths

The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of vocalist Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, the band also included bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce. Critics have called them the most important alternative rock band to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s. The group was signed to the independent record label Rough Trade Records, on which they released four studio albums, several compilations, and numerous non-LP singles. Although they had limited commercial success outside the UK while they were still together, and never released a single that charted higher than number 10 in their home country, The Smiths won a significant following, and remain cult an… more »

4 fans

Written by: Steven Morrissey, Johnny Marr

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Origin of the Song
"Panic" was released by The Smiths in 1986 as a standalone single. The formation of the song initiated when Johnny Marr came up with the tune, and Morrissey added the lyrics.
Song Inspiration
The inspiration for the song came about during a car ride. Johnny Marr and Morrissey were in a car listening to BBC Radio 1 when news of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster interrupted the programming, only to be followed by Wham's "I'm Your Man." They found this to be a distasteful transition, which inspired the song's famous refrain, "Hang the DJ!"
Shared Melody
The song shares the same guitar riff as "Metal Guru" by the band T.Rex, as a deliberate move from Johnny Marr, to create an easy and catchy composition.
Lead Singer
Morrissey, the lead singer of The Smiths, is known for his melancholic and desolate performing style. In "Panic", his singing style added to the song's out-of-place, distressed lyrical quality.
Top Chart Performance
"Panic" reached number 11 in the UK Singles Chart and stayed in the charts for 8 weeks, making it one of The Smiths' biggest hits.
Music Video
The music video for the song was directed by Derek Jarman. It features scenes from British coal mining communities, which were facing a crisis in the mid-1980s, reflecting the song's critique of the contemporary pop culture.
Cultural Impact
The song's chorus "Hang the DJ" has been adopted by fans during concerts and has become one of the band's most recognized phrases. It even inspired the title of an episode of the dystopian TV show, "Black Mirror."
Band Disbandment
Less than a year after the release of "Panic", The Smiths disbanded, making it one of their last songs as a group. Despite this, the song remains iconic and is regularly played in alternative clubs and indie discos to this day.
B-Side
The B-side of the "Panic" 7" and 12" single featured the song "Vicar in a Tutu", which is another fan-favorite track from the band.
Cover Versions
Numerous artists have covered "Panic", including the band "The Decemberists" and singer, Sandie Shaw. These covers pay homage to the universal influence of The Smiths.

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