Let Robeson Sing

"Let Robeson Sing"
Single by Manic Street Preachers
from the album Know Your Enemy
Released	10 September 2001
Format	CD, 12" vinyl
Recorded	2000
Genre	Alternative rock folk rock[1]
Length	3:46
Label	Epic
Writer(s)	James Dean Bradfield Sean Moore Nicky Wire
Producer(s)	Dave Eringa Mike Hedges
Manic Street Preachers singles chronology
"Ocean Spray" (2001) "Let Robeson Sing" (2001) "There by the Grace of God" (2002)

"Let Robeson Sing" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released in September 2001 by record label Epic as the fourth and final single from their sixth studio album, Know Your Enemy. It reached number 19 in the UK Singles Chart.^[2]

Content

The song is a tribute to the black American actor, singer and civil rights campaigner Paul Robeson. It shares its title with book by Phil Cope and others, published jointly by the Paul Robeson Cymru Committee and the Bevan Foundation in 2001, with a reprint being published by the National Library of Wales in 2003.^[3] All three members of the band – James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire – share the writing credits.^[4]

The CD includes the B-sides "Masking Tape", "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel" – previously sung by Robeson – and a promotional video. The 12" vinyl edition contains "Fear of Motion" as well as two remixes of the title track, one by Ian Brown and the other by Felix Da Housecat.^[5]

Release

"Let Robeson Sing" was released on 10 September 2001 by record label Epic as the fourth and final single from the band's sixth studio album, Know Your Enemy. The single reached number 19 in the UK charts on 22 September 2001,^[2] and was their lowest-charting single since "She Is Suffering" reached number 25 in 1994.

On 17 December 2011 "Let Robeson Sing" was the tenth of thirty-eight songs performed at the one-off A Night of National Treasures live performance at the The O2 Arena (London). The lead vocals were performed by special guest Gruff Rhys of the Super Furry Animals, with James Dean Bradfield explaining to the audience that Rhys had been set to perform the song at the band's 2001 performance in Havana, Cuba, but circumstances had prevented this from happening.^[3]

Track listing

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

CD single 1

1. "Let Robeson Sing" – 3:46
2. "Masking Tape" – 4:11
3. "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel (Traditional)" – 2:07
4. "Let Robeson Sing" (video)

CD single 2

1. "Let Robeson Sing" – 3:46
2. "Let Robeson Sing (Ian Brown Mix)" – 5:01
3. "Let Robeson Sing (Felix Da Housecat Mix)" – 6:17
4. "Let Robeson Sing (Live at Teatro Karl Marx, Havana, 17 February 2001)"
5. "Let Robeson Sing (Video from Cuba)" (video)

12" vinyl

Side A

1. "Fear of Motion" – 2:46
2. "Let Robeson Sing" (Ian Brown Mix) – 5:01

Side B

1. "Let Robeson Sing" (Felix Da Housecat Mix) – 6:17

Charts

Chart (2001)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	19[2]

UK chart performance

UK Top 40
Week	01
Position	19

References

1. Pareles, Jon (8 October 2009). "A Mass of Angry Ideas, Set to Martial Melodies". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
2. "Manic Street Preachers | Official Charts Company". Official Charts. Retrieved 14 April 2015. delete character in |title= at position 24 (help)
3. Power, Martin (17 October 2010). Manic Street Preachers. Omnibus Press.
4. "Let Robinson Sing".
5. "manic street preachers discography".

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics