Suicide Is Painless

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"Suicide Is Painless" (also known as "Theme from M*A*S*H" 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 was used as 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.[1] 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".[2] Altman attempted to write the lyrics himself, but, upon finding it too difficult for his "45-year-old brain" to write something "stupid" enough,[3] he gave the task to his 15-year-old-son Michael, who reportedly wrote the lyrics in five minutes.[4][5]

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.[6]

Several instrumental versions of the song were used as the theme for the TV series, but the lyrics were never used in the show.[7] The vocal version from the film's opening credits became a number-one hit in the UK Singles Chart in May 1980.[8] 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]

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Charts

Chart (1970) Peak
position
Dutch GfK chart[9] 3
Dutch Top 40[10] 4
Chart (1980) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] 52
UK Singles Chart[12] 1
Irish Singles Chart 1

Manic Street Preachers version

Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 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-inch 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 seven on the UK Singles Chart[13] spending three weeks in the top 10.

Track listings

7-inch vinyl

  • UK: Columbia / 658382 7

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  • Netherlands: Columbia / COL 658385 7

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12-inch vinyl

  • UK: Columbia / 658382 6

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CD

  • UK: Columbia / 658382 2

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  • Europe: Columbia / 658385 2

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  • Japan: Epic/Sony / ESCA 5668

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Charts

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Release history

Region Version Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom with "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" September 7, 1992 Template:Hlist Columbia [17]
Australia Solo October 19, 1992 Template:Hlist [18]
Japan October 21, 1992 CD Epic [19]

Cover versions

  • 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.[20]
  • Swedish group Small Town Singers released a version under the title "Song from M*A*S*H" in 1975.[21] The single peaked at 17th position in Sweden,[22] Top 100 chart in Australia.

References

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  20. ↑ Adult Contemporary : July 04, 1970 | Billboard Chart Archive. Billboard.com (1970-07-04). Retrieved on 2014-03-29.
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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