"Smash It Up" is a song by The Damned, released as a single in 1979.
The single was the second release from the band's Machine Gun Etiquette album, where it was listed as "Smash It Up (Part II)". The single was banned from BBC Radio 1's playlist because of its perceived anarchic lyrics, stalling at number 35 in the UK Singles Chart. It is widely considered to be a punk classic.
The song's lyrics criticise hippie culture (referring to "blow wave hairstyles", "Glastonbury hippies" ) rather than advocate political revolution. It is of a two-part form: a melodic Quicksilver Messenger Service-like instrumental segues into an energetic pop-punk song.
Chiswick reissued the single on their budget Big Beat imprint in February 1982. In November 2004, Ace Records issued the single on CD, with alternate versions of the song (including the previously unreleased 3rd and 4th parts of "Smash It Up") and a video, directed by Martin Baker, added.
The single was also issued in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.
The song has appeared in the console-based game Driver: Parallel Lines as a track in the 1978 era.
Read more about Smash It Up: Track Listing, Production Credits, Cover Versions
Famous quotes containing the word smash:
“You make a toast for tomorrow
and smash the cup,
letting your false women lap the dish I had to fatten up.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)