Suicide Is Painless Explained

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
Length:2:53
Label:Columbia/CBS
Composer:Johnny Mandel
Lyricist:Mike Altman
Producer:Thomas Z. Shepard

"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 lyric 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] It 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

Chart performance

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 Chart1

Manic Street Preachers version

Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)
Cover:Manic Street Preachers Suicide Is Painless single cover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Manic Street Preachers
Album:Ruby Trax
A-Side:"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" (by the Fatima Mansions)
Released:[13]
Genre:Alternative rock, soft rock[14]
Length:3:43
Label:Columbia
Composer:Johnny Mandel
Lyricist:Mike Altman
Producer:Manic Street Preachers
Prev Title:Motorcycle Emptiness
Prev Year:1992
Next Title:Little Baby Nothing
Next Year:1992

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 spending three weeks in the top 10.

Track listings

7-inch vinyl

12-inch vinyl

CD

Charts

Year-end charts

Cover recorded versions

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Interview with Johnny Mandel. October 24, 2008. JazzWax.com. Bob said to me, 'You know, I need a song for the film. It's that Last Supper scene, after the guy says he'd going to do himself with a pill because his life is over, because couldn't get it up with the WAC the night before.'. jazzwax.
  2. Web site: Interview with Johnny Mandel. October 24, 2008. JazzWax.com. Bob also said the song had to be called 'Suicide Is Painless'. 'Since [Capt.] Painless commits suicide with a pill, that would be a good title,' he said. Then he said, 'It's got to be the stupidest song ever written.'.
  3. Web site: Interview with Johnny Mandel. October 24, 2008. JazzWax.com. Bob was going to take a shot at the lyrics. But he came back two days later and said, 'I'm sorry but there's just too much stuff in this 45-year-old brain. I can't write anything nearly as stupid as what we need.'.
  4. Web site: Interview with Johnny Mandel. October 24, 2008. JazzWax.com. Bob said, "All is not lost. I've got a 15-year-old kid who's a total idiot." So Michael Altman, at age 15, wrote the lyrics, and then I wrote the music to them..
  5. Web site: MASH Notes: The Story Behind "Suicide is Painless. Francis D. McKinley. July 28, 2015 . Neatorama.
  6. Web site: Stamberg. Susan. March 25, 2010. More Than 'M*A*S*H': Songwriter Johnny Mandel. 2020-10-02. NPR.org. en.
  7. Web site: Music of M*A*S*H. 2021-10-28. MASH4077TV.com. en-US.
  8. Book: Roberts, David. British Hit Singles & Albums. Guinness World Records Limited. 2006. 1-904994-10-5. 19th. London. 381.
  9. Web site: dutchcharts.nl – M*A*S*H – Suicide Is Painless (Theme from M*A*S*H). July 27, 2009. nl.
  10. Web site: De Nederlandse Top 40: week 39, 1970 . July 27, 2009. nl.
  11. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 194.
  12. Web site: The Official Charts Company – MASH – Theme from 'M*A*S*H' (Suicide Is Painless) . . July 27, 2009.
  13. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 21. September 5, 1992.
  14. Web site: Old music: Manic Street Preachers – Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless) . . October 25, 2012 . December 29, 2015 . Burrows, Marc.
  15. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 9. 41. 39. October 10, 1992.
  16. Year End Charts: Top Singles. Music Week. 8. January 16, 1993.
  17. http://www.billboard.com/charts/1970-07-04/adult-contemporary Adult Contemporary : July 04, 1970 | Billboard Chart Archive
  18. Web site: Suicide Is Painless. Svensk mediedatabas. sv. 1975. November 25, 2013.
  19. Web site: Suicide Is Painless. Hitparad. sv. 1975. November 25, 2013.

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