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 B-side of the single was "Burglar".

"Smash It Up" was produced by the band and Roger Armstrong. It is structured in two-part form: a melodic instrumental introduction segueing into an energetic pop-punk song. The song's lyrics criticise hippie culture (referring to "blow wave hairstyles" and "Glastonbury hippies") rather than advocate political revolution.

Chiswick reissued the single on their budget Big Beat imprint in February 1982. The single was also issued in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.

"Smash It Up" was banned from BBC Radio 1's playlist because of its perceived anarchic lyrics, stalling at No. 35 in the UK Singles Chart.

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.

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.

The song appeared in the console-based game Driver: Parallel Lines as a track from the 1978 era.

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

The song was covered by Die Toten Hosen for the 1991 cover album Learning English, Lesson One.

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