Shock to the System (Billy Idol song)

"Shock to the System"
Single by Billy Idol
from the album Cyberpunk
Released8 June 1993 (1993-06-08)
Length3:33
LabelChrysalis
Songwriter(s)
  • Billy Idol
  • Mark Younger-Smith
Producer(s)Robin Hancock
Billy Idol singles chronology
"Heroin"
(1993) 		"Shock to the System"
(1993) 		"Adam in Chains"
(1993)
Music video
"Shock to the System" on YouTube
Alternative cover

"Shock to the System" is a 1993 song by Billy Idol. It was taken from his fifth studio album Cyberpunk. It went to number 30 in the United Kingdom, number 18 in Italy, number 28 in Australia, number 5 in New Zealand, number 34 in Iceland, number 44 in France and just missed making the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

Track listings

Several singles for "Shock to the System" were released to various countries. Several included various remixes of "Heroin", a cover of The Velvet Underground's song of the same name, composed and written by Lou Reed. The cover of "Heroin" also included the lyric "Jesus died for somebody's sins/But not mine", written by Patti Smith for her cover of "Gloria". The Australian, Japan, Netherlands, and U.S. releases included the track "Aftershock", which was not included in the Cyberpunk CD.

Australia and Netherlands release
No. Title Length
1. "Shock to the System"   3:33
2. "Aftershock"   4:45
3. "Heroin" (Don't Touch That Needle Mix) 5:10
4. "Heroin" (Durga Trance Dub) 5:10
Total length:
 17:78
Japan release
No. Title Length
1. "Shock to the System"   3:33
2. "Aftershock"   4:45
3. "Heroin" (A Drug Called Horse Mix) 7:19
Total length:
 22:40

U.K. double CD release

Disc 1
No. Title Length
1. "Shock to the System"   3:33
2. "Heroin" (Album version) 6:59
3. "Rebel Yell" (edit) 3:50
Total length:
 14:22
Disc 2
No. Title Length
1. "Shock to the System"   3:33
2. "Heroin" (Smack Attack mix) 6:59
3. "White Wedding" (edit) 3:30
Total length:
 14:02
U.S. release
No. Title Length
1. "Shock to the System"   3:33
2. "Aftershock"   4:45
3. "Heroin" (A Drug Called Horse mix) 7:19
4. "Heroin" (Ionizer mix) 7:03
Total length:
 22:40

References