Smash It Up
| "Smash It Up" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by the Damned | ||||
| from the album Machine Gun Etiquette | ||||
| B-side | "Burglar" | |||
| Released | 12 October 1979 | |||
| Recorded | 1979 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:53 | |||
| Label | Chiswick CHIS 116 | |||
| Songwriters |
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| Producers |
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| The Damned singles chronology | ||||
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"Smash It Up" is a song by the English punk rock band the Damned, released as a single on 12 October 1979 by Chiswick Records. It is considered the band's unofficial anthem.[1]
The single was the second release from the band's third studio album Machine Gun Etiquette (1979), where it was listed as "Smash It Up (Part II)". The B-side of the single was "Burglar".[2]
Production
[edit | edit source]"Smash It Up" was produced by the band and Roger Armstrong. It is structured in two-part form: a melodic instrumental introduction (written in homage to Marc Bolan after his tragic death) segueing into an energetic pop-punk song. The song's lyrics criticize those who indulge in hippie culture (referring to "blow wave hairstyles" and "Glastonbury hippies"[3]) instead of advocating for political revolution.
Release
[edit | edit source]Chiswick reissued the single on their budget Big Beat imprint in February 1982.[4][deprecated source] The single was also issued in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.
"Smash It Up" was boycotted by BBC Radio 1 because of its perceived anarchic lyrics,[5] stalling at No. 35 in the UK Singles Chart.[6]
In November 2004, Ace Records reissued the single on CD, with alternate versions of the song (including the previously unreleased third and fourth parts of "Smash It Up") and a video, directed by Martin Baker, added.
Promotion
[edit | edit source]The Damned performed "Smash It Up" (as well as "I Just Can't Be Happy Today") on the BBC2 television show The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1979.[7]
Track listing
[edit | edit source]All songs written by Scabies, Sensible, Vanian, Ward.
- 1979 vinyl release[2]
- "Smash It Up" – 2:52
- "Burglar" – 3:33
- 2004 CD release[8]
- "Smash It Up" – 2:52
- "Burglar" – 3:33
- "Smash It Up Parts 1–4" – 8:43
Production credits
[edit | edit source]Producers
- Roger Armstrong
- The Damned
Musicians
- Dave Vanian − vocals
- Captain Sensible − guitar, keyboards
- Rat Scabies − drums, vocals on "Burglar"
- Algy Ward − bass
Cover versions
[edit | edit source]| "Smash It Up" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Offspring | ||||
| from the album Batman Forever soundtrack | ||||
| Released | 1995 | |||
| Genre | Punk rock | |||
| Length | 3:24 | |||
| Label | Epitaph | |||
| Songwriters | Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, Algy Ward | |||
| The Offspring singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The song was covered by Die Toten Hosen for the 1991 cover album Learning English, Lesson One.[9]
In 1995, The Offspring covered the song for the soundtrack to the film Batman Forever. Although the song appeared in the film for only a few seconds, the full version was included on the soundtrack.[10] It peaked at No. 16 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart and No. 47 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.[11] Its chart success came about since it was the band's first new single after the breakthrough of their Smash album, albeit before their follow-up album Ixnay on the Hombre. It was later released on The Offspring's Club Me EP and also on the "All I Want" CD single.
References
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External links
[edit | edit source]- "Smash It Up" at Discogs (list of releases)
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