Tsunami (Manic Street Preachers song)

"Tsunami"
Single by Manic Street Preachers
from the album This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours
Released	July 5, 1999
Format	CD, cassette
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:51
Label	Epic
Writer(s)	James Dean Bradfield Sean Moore Nicky Wire
Manic Street Preachers singles chronology
"You Stole the Sun from My Heart" (1999) "Tsunami" (1999) "The Masses Against the Classes" (2000)

"Tsunami" is a song by Manic Street Preachers, released as a single on July 5, 1999 through Epic. It was the fourth and final single to be released from the album This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours All three members of the band - James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire - share the writing credits. The single managed to peak at number 11 in the UK charts.^[1]

Background

Tsunami is the Japanese word for "big wave". The song was inspired by The Silent Twins, June and Jennifer Gibbons, who gave up speaking when they were young, became involved in crime and ended up being sent to Broadmoor Hospital.^[2]

The song has a highly unusual instrumental turn, the whole song is largely built around an electric sitar; that the song feels so much like a hit comes from the surging chorus and Bradfield’s voice delivery. It is the shortest song in the album, it has 3:51.^[3] It is also featured as track number 11 in the Forever Delayed compilation by the band.

Release

The single peaked at number 11 in the UK Charts, remaining in the charts for 8 weeks, being the single from the album that less weeks spent on the UK Charts.^[1] In Finland the song peaked in number 13, spending 3 weeks in The Official Finnish Charts.^[4]

The B-side of the single is "Buildings for Dead People featured in the enhanced CD one, alongside a video for A Design for Life, the CD 2 features a remix of "Tsunami" from Cornelius and a mix from Electron Ray Tube in the cassette a version live from the Tivoli in Utrecht in Holland on March 29, 1999 of Motown Junk is featured to.^[5]

Track listing

All music written by James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore; except where indicated. All lyrics written by Nick Jones; except where indicated.

Enhanced CD one

1. "Tsunami" – 3:51
2. "Buildings for Dead People" – 5:29
3. "A Design for Life" (Video) – 4:20

CD two

1. "Tsunami" – 3:50
2. "Tsunami" (Cornelius Remix) – 4:04
3. "Tsunami" (Electron Ray Tube Mix) – 6:43 (Remixed by Stereolab)

Cassette

1. "Tsunami" – 3:50
2. "Motown Junk (Medley)" (Lyrics: Richey James, Nick Jones) – 4:02 (Live at the Tivoli in Utrecht in Holland on March 29, 1999)

Charts

Chart (1999)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart[1]	11
The Official Finnish Charts	13

UK chart performance

UK Top 40
Week	01	02
Position	11	31

References

1. "Manic Street Preachers - Official Single Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
2. Power, Martin (17 October 2010). Manic Street Preachers. Omnibus Press.
3. "Tsunami".
4. "MANIC STREET PREACHERS - TSUNAMI (SONG)".
5. "Manic Street Preachers albums".

External links

• Article on "The Silent Twins" from the New Yorker
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics