So Why So Sad

"So Why So Sad" was released by Manic Street Preachers in 2001 and was jointly the first single to be released from the Know Your Enemy album, alongside "Found That Soul". All three members of the band - James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire - share the writing credits. The song reached number 8 in the UK Singles Chart.[1]

"So Why So Sad"
Single by Manic Street Preachers
from the album Know Your Enemy
Released26 February 2001
Recorded2000
GenreAlternative rock
Length
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)James Dean Bradfield
Sean Moore
Nicky Wire
Producer(s)Dave Eringa
Manic Street Preachers singles chronology
"The Masses Against the Classes"
(2000)		 "So Why So Sad"
(2001)		 "Found That Soul"
(2001)

Background

The song includes the line "a burnt down expressway to your skull"[2] - a reference to the final track on Sonic Youth's EVOL album, and a Buddy Miles song.

For all its instrumental eccentricities, "So Why So Sad" is quite simple both structurally and lyrically. The song deals mainly with the paradoxical high rates of depression and anxiety experienced by those living in affluence and comfort. It has also been suggested that a reference to the Dead Sea scrolls and the line "dependent on above" imply that there is a religious connection, but there's no further support for this outside the chorus.[3]

It was the only single from "Know Your Enemy" to be featured on the 2002 compilation Forever Delayed, and was an edited version.[4]

The single version is shorter, with the phrase "So Why, So Why So Sad?" sung only three times instead of four at the end and the drums finish two bars earlier without a fill. The version that appears on Forever Delayed is an edit of the album version with "So Why, So Why So Sad?" sung twice.

Release

Surprisingly launched on the same day as "Found That Soul" this was the first sign of the Manics since the surprise number 1 hit "The Masses Against the Classes" thirteen months earlier.[4]

It reached the UK chart position of number 8 on 10 March 2001, spending 16 weeks in the chart, it is the second longest run in terms of singles in the UK chart by the band. "So Why So Sad" is only beaten by If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next which spent 17 weeks in the chart.[5] In Ireland it peaked on number 16.

The song did better in Finland than in the UK, spending less weeks, only 3, the single reached number 4 in the Finnish Charts.[6] In Sweden it reached number 26, spending 5 weeks,[7] in the Netherlands it reached position number 88,[8] and in Germany it peaked on number 94.[9]

The CD also included versions of "Pedestal" and a remix of "So Why So Sad" by Australian outfit The Avalanches whereas the 7" included a live version of "You Stole the Sun from My Heart".[10]

Less than 200 copies separated So Why So Sad from Found That Soul placing it 1 place higher at number 8.[1]

Track listing

All tracks written and composed by Nick Jones, James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore.

CD (UK)
  1. "So Why So Sad" – 3:55
  2. "So Why So Sad" (Sean Penn Mix - Avalanches) – 4:58
  3. "Pedestal" – 4:50
CD (AUS)
  1. "So Why So Sad" – 3:55
  2. "So Why So Sad" (Sean Penn Mix - Avalanches) – 4:58
  3. "Pedestal" – 4:50
  4. "You Stole The Sun From My Heart" (live at Millennium Stadium, 31 December 1999) – 4:25
Cassette
  1. "So Why So Sad" – 4:02
  2. "You Stole The Sun From My Heart" (live at Millennium Stadium, 31 December 1999) – 4:25

Charts
Chart (2001) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 8
Irish Singles Chart 16
The Official Finnish Charts 4
Dutch Singles Chart[11] 88
Sverigetopplistan 26
Media Control Charts 94

UK Chart Performance
UK Top 40
Week 01 02 03
Position
8
25
40
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References
  1. "The Official Charts Company". The Official Charts Company. 5 May 2013.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "So Why So Sad".
  4. Power, Martin (17 October 2010). Manic Street Preachers. Omnibus Press.
  5. "Manic Street Preachers - Official Single Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  6. "So Why So Sad".
  7. "So Why So Sad".
  8. "So Why So Sad".
  9. "So Why So Sad".
  10. "Manic Street Preachers".
  11. "dutchcharts.nl". Retrieved 9 December 2008.
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