Smash It Up

"Smash It Up" is a song by 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]

"Smash It Up"
Single by the Damned
from the album Machine Gun Etiquette
B-side	"Burglar"
Released	12 October 1979 (1979-10-12)
Recorded	1979
Genre	Punk rock rock and roll hard rock pop-punk
Length	2:53
Label	Chiswick CHIS 116
Songwriter(s)	Dave Vanian Captain Sensible Rat Scabies Algy Ward
Producer(s)	Roger Armstrong The Damned
The Damned singles chronology
"Love Song" (1979) "Smash It Up" (1979) "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" (1979)

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

"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

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

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

All songs written by Scabies, Sensible, Vanian, Ward.

1979 vinyl release^[2]

1. "Smash It Up" – 2:52
2. "Burglar" – 3:33

2004 CD release^[8]

1. "Smash It Up" – 2:52
2. "Burglar" – 3:33
3. "Smash It Up Parts 1–4" – 8:43

Production credits

Producers

• Roger Armstrong
• The Damned

Musicians

• Dave Vanian − vocals
• Captain Sensible − guitar, keyboards
• Rat Scabies − drums, vocals on "Burglar"
• Algy Ward − bass

Cover versions

"Smash It Up"
Single by The Offspring
from the album Batman Forever soundtrack
Released	1995
Genre	Punk rock
Length	3:24
Label	Epitaph
Songwriter(s)	Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, Algy Ward
The Offspring singles chronology
"Gotta Get Away" (1995) "Smash It Up" (1995) "All I Want" (1997)

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.