The Smiths signed to the independent label Rough Trade Records in 1983 and released their first album, The Smiths, in 1984. They based their songs on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey and Marr. Their focus on a guitar, bass, and drum sound and a fusion of 1960s rock and post-punk was a rejection of the synth-pop sound that was predominant at the time. Several Smiths singles reached the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart, and all their studio albums reached the top five of the UK Albums Chart, including the number-one album Meat Is Murder (1985). They achieved mainstream success in Europe with The Queen Is Dead (1986) and Strangeways, Here We Come (1987), both of which entered the top 20 of the European Albums Chart.
Internal tensions led to the Smiths' breakup in 1987, followed by public lawsuits over royalties. Their live album Rank (1988) reached the top 10 in Europe. Since the band's dissolution, the members have refused offers to reunite and have all separately stated that the band is finished and will never reunite.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smiths
Studio albums
The Smiths (1984)
Meat Is Murder (1985)
The Queen Is Dead (1986)
Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)
Panic
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where there's nothing but silence
In an ideal world am I perfect?
Am I perfect?
That feeling when you're so alone
That feeling when you're on your own
My chest tight, my chest tight
Just hold tight, just hold tight
I can't breathe, I can't breathe
But I see, but I see
Is it me?
Ohh
Silence in the attics of my eyelids
Where there's nothing but silence
When I'm older will I be perfect?
Am I perfect?
My chest tight, my chest tight
Just hold tight, just hold tight
Just hold tight, just hold tight, just hold tight
I can't breathe, I can't breathe
But I see, but I see
Is it me?
Ohh
The lyrics of "Panic" by The Smiths, one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s, are rich with social commentary, satire, and irony. The song was released in 1986, and it quickly became an anthem for disaffected youth in the UK who felt alienated from mainstream society. The lyrics speak to the feeling of being trapped in a disordered world and the longing for a sense of order and normalcy. The lines "Panic on the streets of London / Panic on the streets of Birmingham / I wonder to myself / Could life ever be sane again?" are particularly poignant in this regard, as they suggest a sense of disorientation and hopelessness in the face of chaos.
The song also touches on themes of class, culture, and identity, with references to regional accents and slang ("The Leeds side-streets that you slip down / Provincial towns you jog 'round"), as well as the culture of nightclubs and DJs ("Burn down the disco / Hang the blessed DJ / Because the music that they constantly play / It says nothing to me about my life"). The line "It says nothing to me about my life" has been interpreted as a critique of the commercialization of popular culture and the commodification of youth identity.
Moreover, the repeated refrain of "Hang the DJ" has been variously interpreted as a call for rebellion against mainstream culture, a nod to the punk ethos of the late 1970s, or even a critique of the cult of celebrity. In any case, the song remains a powerful reflection of the anxieties and frustrations of its time, and its lasting popularity is a testament to its enduring relevance.
Line by Line Meaning
Panic on the streets of London
There is a state of chaos and fear in London.
Panic on the streets of Birmingham
The fear and anxiety is also present in Birmingham.
I wonder to myself
Could life ever be sane again?
The singer reflects on the possibility of restoring order and sanity.
The Leeds side-streets that you slip down
I wonder to myself
The artist considers the back alleys of Leeds and its potential danger.
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
Despite seeking refuge in small towns like Grasmere and Carlisle, the fear persists and spreads to other cities.
Burn down the disco
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music that they constantly play
It says nothing to me about my life
The singer expresses frustration and disillusionment with popular music and its lack of relevance to his personal experiences.
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music they constantly play
The singer repeats his desire to take down mainstream DJs and their music.
On the Leeds side-streets that you slip down
Provincial towns you jog 'round
The artist mentions the same dangerous alleys of Leeds and provincial towns, further emphasizing his fear and paranoia.
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
The repeated phrase 'Hang the DJ' is a call to rebellion against mainstream music and media.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Toby Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alexisrivas9925
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
@DamienNightmarish
The Smiths - Panic
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
@williamdavid7422
Panic
The Smiths
Pânico
Pânico nas ruas de Londres
Panic on the streets of London
Pânico nas ruas de Birmingham
Panic on the streets of Birmingham
Eu me pergunto para mim mesmo
I wonder to myself
Poderia a vida ser sempre sã de novo?
Could life ever be sane again?
As ruas secundárias de leeds que você escorrega
The leeds side-streets that you slip down
Eu me pergunto para mim mesmo
I wonder to myself
As esperanças podem subir no grasmere
Hopes may rise on the grasmere
Mas torta de mel, você não está segura aqui
But honey pie, you're not safe here
Então você corre para baixo
So you run down
Para a segurança da cidade
To the safety of the town
Mas há pânico nas ruas de Carlisle
But there's panic on the streets of Carlisle
Dublin, Dundee, humberside
Dublin, Dundee, Humberside
Eu me pergunto para mim mesmo
I wonder to myself
Queime a discoteca
Burn down the disco
Pendure o abençoado DJ
Hang the blessed DJ
Porque a música que eles tocam constantemente
Because the music that they constantly play
Não me diz nada sobre minha vida
It says nothing to me about my life
Pendure o abençoado DJ
Hang the blessed DJ
Porque a música que eles tocam constantemente
Because the music they constantly play
Nas ruas secundárias de Leeds que você escorrega
On the Leeds side-streets that you slip down
As cidades provinciais que você movimenta
The provincial towns you jog 'round
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ, pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Pendure o DJ
Hang the DJ
@antonioeisadora
"The music that they constantly play... it says nothing to me about my life..."
This is totally modern!!!
@allantimothy2544
Lol, really relevant with todays music
@RetepAdam
But what if they play this song? Checkmate.
@Ld_277
@RetepAdam This song literally contains the lyrics "nothing to me about my life", so if this song were played, it would be saying 'nothing to me about my life', thus the message still stands as correct ;)
@latetodagame1892
What? There are no straight lines or primary colors!
@colingeddes2172
This song says loads to me. Effing banging tune, but 1 wud expect nothing less from the smiths.
@James-nk3tc
One of the only bands I could listen to 24/7 365 and never get sick and tired of
@Madame1887
Same here
@drums4b
You got that right James!
@davyhenry8985
Me too.