"So Why So Sad" is a song by Welsh rock band

Manic Street Preachers Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh rock band formed in Blackwood in 1986. The band consists of cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Sean Moore (drums, percussion, soundscapes), plus Nic ...

, jointly released in February 2001 as the first single from their sixth studio album, '' Know Your Enemy'' (2001), alongside "

Found That Soul "Found That Soul" is a single by the Manic Street Preachers, released on 26 February 2001 from the '' Know Your Enemy'' album. Writing credit was shared by all three members of the band, James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire. Note: ...

". All three members of the band—

James Dean Bradfield James Dean Bradfield (born 21 February 1969) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. He is known for being the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. Biography Early life B ...

, Sean Moore and

Nicky Wire Nicholas Allen Jones (born 20 January 1969), known as Nicky Wire, is a Welsh musician and songwriter, best known as lyricist, bassist and secondary vocalist of the Welsh alternative rock band, Manic Street Preachers. Prior to the group, Wire ...

—share the writing credits. The song reached number eight on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

, one place above "Found That Soul".

Background

The song includes the line "burns an expressway to your skull", a reference to the final track on

Sonic Youth Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of th ...

's ''

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'' album and a Buddy Miles song. 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. 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. '' Exclaim! Canada'' called the track "an outstanding

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

song" with a production style "scarily similar" to the

Beach Boys A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shell ...

. It was the only single from ''Know Your Enemy'' to be included on the 2002 compilation '' Forever Delayed'', appearing as an edited version.

Release

The CD version of "So Why So Sad" includes versions of "Pedestal" and a remix of "So Why So Sad" by Australian outfit

the Avalanches The Avalanches are an Australian electronic music group formed in Melbourne in 1997. They are known for their studio albums '' Since I Left You'' (2000), ''Wildflower'' (2016), and ''We Will Always Love You'' (2020), as well as their live and ...

, whereas the cassette single includes a live version of " You Stole the Sun from My Heart". Issued on 26 February 2001, the same day as "

", "So Why So Sad" was

' first hit since "

The Masses Against the Classes "The Masses Against the Classes" is a song by Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers, released as a limited-edition single in January 2000. It was a stand-alone single, not featured on any studio album, and was deleted, removed from wholesale supp ...

" 13 months earlier. The single reached number eight on the

on 10 March 2001. Spending 16 weeks on the chart, it is the second-longest charting Manic Street Preachers single in the UK, after "

If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 24 August 1998, through Epic Records as the first single from their fifth studio album, ''This Is My Truth T ...

", which spent 17 weeks on the chart. In Ireland, it peaked at number 16. In Finland, the single reached number four on the

Finnish Singles Chart The Official Finnish Charts ( fi, Suomen virallinen lista; sv, Finlands officiella lista) are national record charts in Finland compiled and published by Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. The name ''Suomen virallinen lista/Finlands officiel ...

, spending three weeks on the ranking. In Sweden, it reached number 26, while in the Netherlands, it peaked at number 88. In Germany, it reached number 94.

Track listings

All tracks were written and composed by Nick Jones,

and Sean Moore. UK CD single # "So Why So Sad" – 3:55 # "So Why So Sad" (Sean Penn mix—

Avalanches An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and eart ...

) – 4:58 # "Pedestal" – 4:50 UK cassette single # "So Why So Sad" – 4:02 # " You Stole the Sun from My Heart" (live at

Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm y Mileniwm), known since 2016 as the Principality Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm Principality) for sponsorship reasons, is the national stadium of Wales. Located in Cardiff, it is the home of the Wales national ru ...

, 31 December 1999) – 4:25 European CD single # "So Why So Sad" – 3:55 # "So Why So Sad" (Sean Penn mix—Avalanches) – 4:58 Australian CD single # "So Why So Sad" – 3:55 # "So Why So Sad" (Sean Penn mix—Avalanches) – 4:58 # "Pedestal" – 4:50 # "You Stole the Sun from My Heart" (live at Millennium Stadium, 31 December 1999) – 4:25

Charts

Release history

References

{{Authority control 2000 songs 2001 singles Epic Records singles Manic Street Preachers songs Song recordings produced by Dave Eringa Songs written by James Dean Bradfield Songs written by Nicky Wire Songs written by Sean Moore (musician)