Some of you reading may be perplexed to find that this is the very first Smiths song I’ve covered in this long-running list. You may be even further confused when I tell you it’ll be the only I write about too. Just not into them at all, really. I’ve tried to make it an aim to go through all their albums. I have listened to The Queen Is Dead about twice. That’s argued to be their best one, right? But that didn’t do much for me. I just don’t like Morrissey’s vocals and his delivery all that much. They just don’t sit right with me for a reason I haven’t been able to pin down. But, and this is just personal preference, ‘Panic’ seems to be the group’s only track where they don’t irk me as much.

‘Panic’ was one of the first pieces the Smiths worked on after the release of The Queen Is Dead and was further promoted as a standalone single in 1986. Many may know it as the opener on the B-side compilation, The World Won’t Listen, that followed a year later. I’d say the track is split into two distinct sections, the first being the verses that cover the overriding panic in various cities and towns in the UK and the second being the rallying calls to violently rage against the discos and DJs who were promoting terrible pop music and putting a mask over the real-life events that were actually happening in the world. The track was written whilst the Chernobyl incident was going on, so you could probably see where Morrissey’s disdain was coming from.

Another ‘fun’ fact about ‘Panic’ is that it was the first track of the band’s to feature new guitarist Craig Gannon, marking the beginning to their short-lived period as a five-piece. I think it’s mainly Johnny Marr’s guitar you hear providing those sliding chords throughout. But you certainly hear the dual-guitar aspect during the explosive introduction. Morrissey melodically sighs his way through the track, which I’m sure he does in may other Smiths songs. But like I said earlier, it works a lot more here for me than it does in other places. And you’ve gotta give it up for the kids who join in on the ‘hang the DJ’ vocals during the outro. They sound like they’re having a lot of fun singing that aggressive line. But that’s kids for you.