Dance band The Prodigy appears to have made a notable alteration to the lyrics of their controversial 1997 hit “Smack My B***h Up” during their ongoing European tour, sparking renewed interest in the song’s history and the changes made.
Footage from a recent gig on November 24, shared on X/Twitter account Secret Dr*g Addict, captures vocalist Maxim adjusting the lyrics in the opening moments of the song. Rather than the original second line, “Smack my b***h up,” he seems to repeat the revised line, “Change my pitch up.”
The track, featured on The Prodigy’s breakthrough album “The Fat of the Land,” stirred controversy upon its initial release and was once voted the most controversial song of all time. Criticism from artists like Tori Amos and the Beastie Boys, along with condemnation from the National Organisation for Women (NOW), accused the song of promoting violence against women as a form of entertainment.
In response to the backlash, the album faced removal from several US stores, and the BBC either banned the song outright from its stations or played a version without lyrics. Despite the controversy, the album achieved significant success in both the US and the UK, with “Fat of the Land” topping the US charts just eight days after its release.
During the initial backlash, the band defended the song, characterising it as a tribute to early hip-hop “B-boy” culture. Late singer Keith Flint dismissed accusations, stating that the girls who attended their shows understood the context differently and emphasised the song’s non-literal interpretation. Co-founder and band leader Liam Howlett, in the same vein, labeled the track as ironic and intentionally offensive.
While neither Flint nor Howlett expressed regrets about the song, XL label representative Richard Russell admitted in his 2020 memoir, “Liberation Through Hearing,” that he had second thoughts about the track. Despite any potential regrets, Russell acknowledged the ambiguity of the impact and questioned if any woman had suffered abuse due to The Prodigy.
Keith Flint tragically passed away at the age of 49 in 2019, leaving a significant void in the band. Last year, the remaining band members announced their first tour since Flint’s death, featuring a series of summer shows and paying tribute to the iconic “Firestarter” singer.
As The Prodigy continues their European tour, the altered lyrics of “Smack My B***h Up” have reignited discussions about the song’s controversial past and the band’s stance on its meaning. Their upcoming show is scheduled for tonight at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
