'Panic'
The Smiths’ 14th single, 'Panic' was released in July 1986 in both 7 and 12-inch vinyl formats. The B-side consisted of ' Vicar In A Tutu ' and 'The Draize Train' (the latter only being included on the 12-inch version) The single reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart.
While the composition of ‘Panic’ is thought to have come together April of 1986, musical elements of the song can be traced back to an instrumental the band rehearsed at a soundcheck the previous February. Lyrical elements or ideas could also be traced back to a discussion between Morrissey and Johnny at about the same time.1
The song was recorded in May 1986 at Livingston Studios in London with producer John Porter and ‘fifth Smith’ Craig Gannon, who played rhythm guitar on the track. A music video directed by Derek Jarman was released to promote the single. See the video for 'Panic' here:
The single's cover art featured a close-up profile photograph of American actor Richard Bradford2.
Bradford was the star in the short-lived British television series Man in a Suitcase.
A private eye thriller series, the show originally aired in the UK from September 1967 to April 1968. The show was broadcast in the United States in 1968 (May to September).
The UK single had "I DREAMT ABOUT STEW LAST NIGHT" etched on its runout. This is likely a pun on a lyric from 'Reel Around the Fountain' ("I dreamt about you last night"). The German 12-Inch single had "HANG THEM HIGH MONIKA' etched on its runout.
Some early copies of the single came with a free 'Panic', 'Hang The DJ' and 'Smiths' sticker sheet.
A distinct similarity between 'Panic' and T-Rex's 'Metal Guru' (1972) has been noted. Listen to 'Metal Guru' here:
Morrissey seemingly dodges the question when asked about the similarity In an interview with Record Mirror in 1987:
Record Mirror: Didn't some say 'Panic' was slightly similar to T Rex's 'Metal Guru'?
Morrissey: "Well, it was whispered somewhere in the corridors of the British Isles, I can't remember where, but... I don't know, everything has its reference points, I suppose. Like the clothes we wear have their reference points... I thought the song was extremely funny, I really did. And I thought it was extremely funny to hear it on national daytime radio on the few occasions it was actually played in the mish-mash of monstrous morbidity... I think it was quite amusing -- a tiny revolution in its own sweet way."
Johnny Marr has proven quite candid on the question of the similarity between the two songs, telling France’s Les Inrockuptibles magazine in April 1999:
"The influence of T-Rex is very profound on certain songs of The Smiths i.e. ‘Panic’ and ‘Shoplifters’. Morrissey was himself also mad about [Marc] Bolan [guitarist, lead singer and songwriter of T-Rex]. When we wrote ‘Panic’ he was obsessed with ‘Metal Guru’ and wanted to sing in the same style. He didn't stop singing it in an attempt to modify the words of ‘Panic’ to fit the exact rhythm of ‘Metal Guru’. He also exhorted me to use the same guitar break so that the two songs are the same!!!
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'Panic' drew negative reaction from some critics who construed Morrissey's lyrics to have a racist connotation. In a 1986 Melody Maker interview with Frank Owen, Morrissey rejected Owen's suggestion that he was leading a "black pop conspiracy". Ironically, fresh criticism was sparked in the course of the interview when Owen quoted Morrissey as saying that reggae was "the most racist music in the entire world."
Johnny Marr was outraged by the inference of racism in the Melody Maker interview - so much so that in an interview he had with New Musical Express in 1987 he actually threatened to "kick the living shit" out of Frank Owen if he met him. Johnny went on to tell New Musical Express that
"To those who took offence at the 'burn down the disco' line I'd say -- please show me the black members of New Order! For me, personally, New Order make great disco music, but there's no black people in the group. The point I'm making is that you can't just interchange the words 'black' and 'disco', or the phrases 'black music' and 'disco music'. It makes no earthly sense... 'Panic' came about at the time of Chernobyl. Morrissey and myself were listening to a Newsbeat radio report about it. The story about this shocking disaster comes to an end and then, immediately, we're off into Wham!'s 'I'm Your Man'. I remember actually saying 'what the fuck has this got to do with peoples' lives?' We hear about Chernobyl, then, seconds later, we're expected to be jumping around to 'I'm Your Man'... And so -- 'hang the blessed DJ'. I think it was a great lyric, important and applicable to anyone who lives in England. I mean, even the most ardent disco fan wouldn't want to be subjected to that stuff, would they?"
Stephane at PassionsJustLikeMine.com
Richard Edwin Bradford Jr. (1934 – 2016) was an American actor. He is best known for his leading role in the television series Man in a Suitcase and a supporting role in the 1987 film The Untouchables.