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Suicide Is Painless
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Suicide Is Painless
| cover = The Mash Suicide Is Painless single cover.jpg
| caption = European picture sleeve
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = The Mash
| album = M*A*S*H (Original Soundtrack Recording)
| B-side = The M*A*S*H March
| released = 1970
| recorded = 1969
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 2:53
| label = Columbia/CBS
| composer = Johnny Mandel
| lyricist = Mike Altman
| producer = Thomas Z. Shepard
| misc =
}}
"'Suicide Is Painless'" (or "'Song from M*A*S*H'") is a song written by Johnny Mandel (music) and Michael Altman (lyrics) for the 1970 film 'M*A*S*H'. In addition to being performed by characters in the film, it plays during the title sequence as sung by The Ron Hicklin Singers. An instrumental version is likewise the theme music for the TV series based on the film, playing over the opening and closing credits.
Background
The song was written for Ken Prymus, the actor playing Private Seidman, to sing during the faux-suicide of Walter "Painless Pole" Waldowski (John Schuck) in the film's "Last Supper" scene. Director Robert Altman had two stipulations about the song for composer Johnny Mandel: it had to be called "Suicide Is Painless" and it had to be the "stupidest song ever written". Altman attempted to write the lyric himself, but, upon finding it too difficult for his "45-year-old brain" to write something "stupid" enough, he gave the task to his 15-year-old-son Michael, who reportedly wrote the lyrics in five minutes.
Altman later decided that the song worked so well he would use it as the film's main theme. This more choral version was sung by uncredited session singers John Bahler, Tom Bahler, Ron Hicklin, and Ian Freebairn-Smith, and was released as a single attributed to "The Mash". Altman said that, while he only made $70,000 for directing the movie, his son had earned more than $1 million for co-writing the song.
Several instrumental versions of the song were used as the theme for the TV series, but the lyrics were never used in the show. It became a number-one hit in the UK Singles Chart in May 1980. The song was ranked No. 66 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs.
Track listing
'7 vinyl'
* West Germany: CBS / 5009
*UK: CBS / S CBS 8536
*US: Columbia / 4M-45130 [mono promo only]
*US: Columbia / 4S-45130 [original stereo stock release]
Chart performance
Manic Street Preachers version
Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers released a cover version of "Suicide Is Painless" on September 7, 1992, as "Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)". In the UK it was a double A-side charity single to help The Spastics Society, with The Fatima Mansions' take on Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" as the other A-side. The 12 and CD versions of the UK single included "Sleeping with the NME" an excerpt from a radio documentary recorded in the offices of the 'NME' capturing staff's reaction to photographs of guitarist Richey Edwards' infamous self-mutilation. The single peaked at number 7 in the UK Singles Chart spending three weeks in the Top Ten.
Track listings
'7 vinyl'* UK: Columbia / 658382 7
* Netherlands: Columbia / COL 658385 7
'12 vinyl'
* UK: Columbia / 658382 6
'CD'
* UK: Columbia / 658382 2
* Europe: Columbia / 658385 2
* Japan: Epic/Sony / ESCA 5668
Chart performance
Cover recorded versions
*Ahmad Jamal recorded a new version of the song that replaced the version by The MASH on pressings of the soundtrack album beginning in 1973; the film retained the original version.
*Al De Lory recorded "Song from M*A*S*H", an instrumental jazz piano version for his 1970 album 'Al De Lory Plays Song from M*A*S*H'. This version peaked at No. 7 on the adult contemporary chart during the summer of 1970.[http://www.billboard.com/charts/1970-07-04/adult-contemporary Adult Contemporary : July 04, 1970 | Billboard Chart Archive]. Billboard.com (1970-07-04). Retrieved on 2014-03-29.
*Swedish group Small Town Singers released a version under the title "Song from M*A*S*H" in 1975. The single peaked at 17th position in Sweden, Top 100 chart in Australia.
*Marilyn Manson recorded a cover version which was released on the Soundtrack to Book_of_Shadows:_Blair_Witch_2 in 2000
References
Category:1970 singles
Category:1970 songs
Category:1980 singles
Category:American folk songs
Category:American soft rock songs
Category:British soft rock songs
Category:CBS Records singles
Category:Charity singles
Category:Columbia Records singles
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:M*A*S*H
Category:Manic Street Preachers songs
Category:Marilyn Manson (band) songs
Category:Songs about suicide
Category:Songs about the military
Category:Songs with music by Johnny Mandel
Category:Songs written for films
Category:Comedy television theme songs
Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles
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