"The Everlasting" | ||||
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Single by Manic Street Preachers | ||||
from the album This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 30 November 1998 | |||
Length |
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Label | Epic | |||
Composer(s) | ||||
Lyricist(s) | Nicky Wire | |||
Producer(s) | Mike Hedges | |||
Manic Street Preachers singles chronology | ||||
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"The Everlasting" is the second single to be lifted from the Manic Street Preachers's fifth studio album This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours . It was released on 30 November 1998 through Epic, it peaked on number 11 on the UK Singles Chart, breaking their run of consecutive top-ten hits. All three members of the band—James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire—share the writing credits. [1]
The title, "The Everlasting", was borrowed from a poem by Nicky Wire's brother Patrick Jones, after Wire had spent some time trying to think of a title similar to Blur's "The Universal" or Joy Division's "The Eternal". "The Everlasting" has been described as grand, elegiac and in some ways quite profoundly sad.[ by whom? ] The lyric hints at life's diminishing returns as one ages and lose one's idealism. [2]
The song features a combination of live and synthetic instrumentation, including acoustic guitar, electric guitar with a tremolo effect, drum loops and real and simulated strings. [3]
A shortened edit of the song is also featured on the 2002 compilation Forever Delayed. [4]
The single was released on 30 November 1998, [5] peaking at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. It broke their run of five consecutive top-10 hits but stayed on the chart for 12 weeks. [6] Outside the UK the single reached number 47 in the Netherlands, remaining in the chart for five weeks [7] and in Germany it peaked at number 88, remaining on the country's chart for seven weeks. [8] In Iceland, it peaked at number three. [9]
The first of two CD singles included "Black Holes for the Young" - a duet with Sophie Ellis-Bextor which is a criticism of London culture - and "Valley Boy". The second CD single featured remixes of "The Everlasting" - "Deadly Avenger Mix" and "Stealth Sonic Orchestra Mix". [10]
The promotional video that accompanied the song was censored[ by whom? ] because it included shots of people on fire. The original version was considered insensitive[ by whom? ] as the release of the single coincided with the well-publicised inquest into the death of Michael Menson, who had been set on fire by three men in a street attack. Two versions of the video were therefore produced - one with computer generated flames, one without. The video was filmed at Euston railway station in London. [3]
All music was written by James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore except where indicated. All were lyrics written by Nick Jones except where indicated.
CD single 1 (UK) Epic 666593 2
CD single 2 (UK) Epic 666686 5
CD single (EU) Epic EPC 666593 1
CD single (Australia) Epic 6668542
Cassette single
12-inch vinyl single UK: Sony XPR3297
Chart (1998–1999) | Peak position |
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Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [11] | 55 |
Germany (GfK) [8] | 88 |
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [9] | 3 |
Ireland (IRMA) [12] | 22 |
Italy Airplay ( Music & Media ) [13] | 4 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade) [14] | 7 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [7] | 47 |
Scotland (OCC) [15] | 9 |
UK Singles (OCC) [6] | 11 |