Theme from M*A*S*H
Manic Street Preachers Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Through early morning fog I see
Visions of the things to be
The pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
I can take or leave it if I please
That game of life is hard to play

I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
So this is all I have to say
That suicide is painless

It brings on many changes
I can take or leave it if I please
The sword of time will pierce our skin
It doesn't hurt when it begins

But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger, watch it burn
That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes

And I can take or leave it if I please
A brave man once requested me
To answer questions that are key
Is it to be or not to be

And I replied, "Oh, why ask me?"
That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
I can take or leave it if I please

That suicide is painless




It brings on many changes
And you can do the same thing if you please

Overall Meaning

The song "Theme from M*A*S*H" by Manic Street Preachers is a cover of the original song from the movie and TV series. The song is a reflective and melancholic take on the themes of war, death, and the struggle of life. The first verse sets the mood, with the singer seeing visions of the future that are painful to bear. The ultimate message here is that suicide is an option for some people, and it might bring changes that they desire, but it's just as valid to find a way to live and deal with the pain. The chorus repeats these themes, with a focus on the inevitability of losing in life, that the game is hard to play, and suicide is an option to "take or leave."


The second verse introduces the "sword of time," which will ultimately bring death to all, but it doesn't hurt when it first starts. As it goes on, however, the pain grows stronger until the end. The bridge features a conversation between the singer and a "brave man," who asks the tough question of whether it's better to live or die. The singer's response shows that he doesn't have an answer and that suicide is just as valid as living, depending on the person. This song is a haunting reflection on the impact of war and the struggle of human existence.


Line by Line Meaning

Through early morning fog I see
Amid the fog of uncertainty and confusion, I have a vision of the future.


Visions of the things to be
I can see what the future holds.


The pains that are withheld for me
I know there will be difficult times that I cannot yet imagine or understand.


I realize and I can see
I understand that the future is unpredictable.


That suicide is painless
Taking one's own life may seem like a way to escape pain, but in reality it causes many changes and complications.


It brings on many changes
Suicide is not just the ending of one life, but it has a ripple effect that affects many others.


I can take or leave it if I please
I have the choice to either end my life or continue living.


That game of life is hard to play
It can be challenging to navigate the complexities of life.


I'm gonna lose it anyway
In the end, we all die and lose the game of life.


The losing card I'll someday lay
Death is inevitable for everyone, and one day it will be my turn to die.


So this is all I have to say
These are my thoughts and feelings on the matter.


The sword of time will pierce our skin
Time is like a weapon that slowly but surely inflicts pain and suffering upon us all.


It doesn't hurt when it begins
At first, the effects of time may be imperceptible or bearable.


But as it works its way on in
Over time, the pain and suffering intensify and become more difficult to bear.


The pain grows stronger, watch it burn
The pain and suffering of life can be overwhelming and intense.


A brave man once requested me
Someone once asked me a difficult question.


To answer questions that are key
The questions were important and had a lot of meaning.


Is it to be or not to be
The question was whether it is better to live or to die.


And I replied, "Oh, why ask me?"
I do not have an answer to this existential question.


And you can do the same thing if you please
Everyone has the choice to live or to die, but suicide is not a painless or easy way out.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny Mandel, Michael B Altman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Patrick Stocks

Through early morning fog I see
Visions of the things to be
The pains that are withheld for me
I realise that I can see

That suicide is painless
It brings so many changes
And I can take or leave them if I please

The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card of some delay
So this is all I have to say

That suicide is painless
It brings so many changes
And I can take or leave them if I please

The sword of time will pierce our skin
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger watch I bring

That suicide is painless
It brings so many changes
And I can take or leave them if I please

A brave man once requested me
To answer questions that are key
Is it to be or not to be
And I replied oh why ask me

That suicide is painless
It brings so many changes
And I can take or leave them if I please



KONG

Suicide Is Painless
Johnny Mandel

Through early morning fog I see
Visions of the things to be
The pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see
That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please

The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
So this is all I have to say

Suicide is painless (suicide)
It brings on many changes (changes)
And I can take or leave it if I please

The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger
Watch it grin

Suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
A brave man once requested me
To answer questions that are key
Is it to be or not to be
And I replied oh why ask me?

Suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
And you can do the same thing if you please



D. Peri

Through early morning fog I see
Visions of the things to be
The pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
I can take or leave it if I please
That game of life is hard to play

I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card of some delay
So this is all I have to say
That suicide is painless

It brings on many changes
I can take or leave it if I please
The sword of time will pierce our skin
It doesn't hurt when it begins

But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger, watch it burn
That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes

And I can take or leave it if I please
A brave man once requested me
To answer questions that are key
Is it…



All comments from YouTube:

donna

Big love to all the manics fans who went through some of the worst times of their lives listening to these manics songs but got through the other side and are listening now, I'm one of them ❤️

El Cabre

It's not their song

donna

@El Cabre I'm aware!

Angelina Sheoraj

I'm here even though I mostly don't want to be but I have to

donna

@Angelina Sheoraj hugs ♥️

Mc Carthy

You are awesome. I've got a rose with the words 'I Hurt Myself To Get Pain Out' sort of cut out tattooed on my calf... Suffice to say Manics have got me through over 20 years of things. ♥ And ☀ from 🇮🇪

28 More Replies...

Spartacus45

An all time classic. One of the best bands out of Wales for years. God bless you Richey where ever you are.🙏

Locrytham

The taping, lyrics, Richey...watching this is sad

Locrytham

Filming this video, the lyrics, Richey...this is a hard one to watch

Jokers Wilde

His singing is more painfully nostalgic than the original. Given the nature of the lyrics he is spot on.

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