Panic (song)

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"Panic"
Single by The Smiths
Released	July 1986
Format	7", 12", CD
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	2:20
Label	Rough Trade
Writer(s)	Johnny Marr Morrissey
Chart positions
UK: #11 (1986)
The Smiths singles chronology
"Bigmouth Strikes Again" (1986)	"Panic" (1986)	"Ask" (1986)

"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. The song is still performed live by Morrissey in his solo shows.

The song arose from an incident on the radio where DJ Steve Wright had played the Wham! song "I'm Your Man" after a serious news report about the Chernobyl disaster. The band were disgusted at the dismissiveness of the disaster by Wright, which is why the song features the lines "The music that they constantly play / It says nothing to me about my life" and the spookily chirpy refrain "Hang the DJ".

• The core of the song was lifted from "Metal Guru" by T. Rex (written by Marc Bolan). However, the song is only credited to Morrissey/Marr.[1]

• The song was featured on the soundtrack to the 2004 movie Shaun of the Dead [2].

• During the Jackass skit "Roller Bobby", Chris Pontius skates around the streets of London in a small, tight top and matching shorts with the British flag pattern to the song in the background.

• Carter USM released a cover version as a B-side to their single "The Only Living Boy in New Cross" in 1992.

[edit] Single track listing

Tracks written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr except as noted.

• 7" (RT193) (UK)
  1. "Panic"
  2. "Vicar in a Tutu"

• 12" (RTT193) and CD (RTT193CD) (UK)
  1. "Panic"
  2. "Vicar in a Tutu"
  3. "The Draize Train" (Marr)

The Smiths
Morrissey - Johnny Marr - Andy Rourke - Mike Joyce
Craig Gannon - Dale Hibbert
Discography
Albums: The Smiths | Meat Is Murder | The Queen Is Dead | Strangeways, Here We Come | Rank (live)
Singles: Hand in Glove | This Charming Man | What Difference Does It Make? | Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now | William, It Was Really Nothing | How Soon Is Now? | Shakespeare's Sister | That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore | The Boy with the Thorn in His Side | Bigmouth Strikes Again | Panic | Ask | Shoplifters of the World Unite | Sheila Take a Bow | Girlfriend in a Coma | I Started Something I Couldn't Finish | Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me | There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
Band-assembled compilations: Hatful of Hollow | The World Won't Listen | Louder Than Bombs
Other compilations: Stop Me |Best...I | ...Best II | Singles | The Very Best of The Smiths
Related
Rough Trade Records