"Turn It Off (When Praying Doesn't Always Help)" is the third official single (fourth overall) from PANIC!'s fourth studio album Broken Down on Memory Lane. The single is following the huge success from previous singles off the album, the radio-only Writing in Stone Across a Personal Map, and the first two official singles There's Only One Exception When It Comes to Love, Disloyal Order of the Ignorant, all reached the top spot in at least one region.



Song meaning

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Frontwoman and lyricist Ashley Perry explained this song to Kerrang! August 9, 2009:

"Everyone knows what we believe in and our personal choice to believe in Jesus. It's a struggle in the real world to do that. Sometimes you want to give up. Some of the things we've been through - things I've been through personally - in the last few years, I've felt it would be easier to not have faith in anything and see myself as alone and work at it that way. It sounds like a good idea and I don't think it's anything anyone gets over. I also think it's a hopeful lyric, too. If you find yourself at the bottom, the only way you have is to look up. It can't get any worse if you're at the bottom."

Perry went on to explain to Alternative Press that the lyrics were born out of internal strife during a period when PANIC! came close to breaking up, between their previous record, Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner and their latest album, Broken Down on Memory Lane: "Another bunch of lyrics from my trusty iPhone. I wrote all the verses with no melody on the tour with did in the spring of 2008. That was the tour right after we canceled our tour overseas in Europe. We were going through so much as a band - a lot of negative vibes. I felt hopeless and even faithless a lot of the time. Funny it had to be on a tour with some of our heroes. Nearly a year later, we're at our practice space and the guys are jamming this song. I just started singing these lyrics, reading them right out of my phone and making up the melodies as we all went along. It worked! I memorized the chorus progression and went home to write the chorus with my guitar in hand."

Lead guitarist Ryan Ross Hernandez, mentioned to MTV news that it was his favorite song off the record:

"I love the whole aspect of the record, even though I didn't write the lyrics, I just composed. I think everyone could relate to the lyrics Ashley wrote. For example, 'Turn It Off', my favorite song off the new album, I think that's a song all the guys relate to because we've all felt faithless, hopeless. I've had my rebellious phase where I didn't believe in God, I didn't believe in anything, and coincidentally it came at the same time where we were all going through these problems as human beings."

Reception

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The song received a positive review from Alternative Press, who gave the song 4 stars out of 5. Saying that the song is "infectious, deliciously dark, and packed with more energy than a Jedward dance routine – Perry sounds downright tremendous, holding every high note put in her way to a tee – this should provide a welcome edge at the top end of the charts". The song also received a positive review from NME, who awarded the song 5 out of 5 stars. Saying that the song is "hair-raisingly BRILLIANT" and said "Listening to the lyrics is like entering the very private behind the scenes lives of the PANIC! world where prayers aren't answered, but forgotten, a world where the baddie is not the big wolf, but reality... and in their world, things are dark, but they're very real. There's a sense of longing; longing for their younger years and longing for innocence, but it's coupled with a sense of realization that this will never happen".

PANIC!'s management team strongly disagreed with the band's choice to release 'Turn It Off' as a single due to its religious theme behind it. Although a spokesperson for their management has clarified the statement saying that, "We didn't think it was the best choice for a single because their team thought their were more mainstream-appealing singles on the record. We have no problem with the message 'Turn It Off' has." Guitarist Josh Fallon has confirmed that the head of management was pushing for 'All I Wanted Was (Me & You)' to be released as a single.

Most fans agree that it is one of the most serious songs from the band, although most of their latest record aside from rare exceptions have serious messages unlike previous hits.

Music video

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The music video for "Turn It Off" was filmed in their hometown of Nashville, Tennessee on November 7, 2009. It was directed by the sister duo of Emily and Annabelle Williams. It was filmed at an undisclosed church and its surrounding areas.

In an interview with MTV, bassist Nick Asher explained that the band had created a treatment for the video before receiving further ideas from several directors. The video will follow in the vain of previous, There's Only One Exception, and not be performance based. Having the band members actually act. Unlike previous video, this one will focus on all the members.

The video is set to premiere on Christmas day on MTV in the US and Canada. The following day it will be released on PANIC!'s official website for the rest of the world.

Track listing

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1. "Turn It Off (When Praying Doesn't Always Help)" - 4:19
2. "Turn It Off (Acoustic)" - 3:47
3. "Somebody's Gonna Miss Us" - 2:53

Personal

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* Ashley Perry – lead vocals
* Ryan Ross Hernandez – lead guitar, backing vocals
* Gabriel Hunter – rhythm guitar
* Josh Fallon - third guitar
* Nick Asher – bass guitar
* Joey Fallon – drums, percussion