La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)

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"La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)"
Single by Manic Street Preachers
from the album Gold Against the Soul
Released 26 July 1993
Format
Genre Alternative rock, soft rock[1]
Length 4:13
Label Columbia
Manic Street Preachers singles chronology
"From Despair to Where"
(1993)		 "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)"
(1993)		 "Roses in the Hospital"
(1993)

"La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released in 1993 by record label Columbia as the second single from their second studio album Gold Against the Soul.

It reached number 22 in UK Singles Chart.[2]

Content

The song's title is taken from the reported last words of Vincent van Gogh, "La tristessa durera toujours", quoted in a letter from his younger brother Theo to their sister Elisabeth, using her nickname Lies.[3] The letter was translated by Robert Harrison, who states that the phrase means "The sadness will last forever".[3]

The song lyrics are written from the perspective of a war veteran, containing the line "wheeled out once a year, a cenotaph souvenir" and tracking the bathetic progress of the former soldier's war medal: "It sells at market stalls/Parades Milan catwalks".[4][5][6] Richey Edwards told Melody Maker newspaper, "It's a beautiful image when the war veterans turn out at the Cenotaph, [...] and everyone pretends to care ... but then they're shuffled off again and forgotten."[6] According to Martin Power in his book Manic Street Preachers, the band "sounded at sixes and sevens" in the rest of the album, "Yet, as with Generation Terrorists, they had again produced one genuine classic in the form of 'La Tristessa Durera (Scream To A Sigh)'."[6]

Edwards wrote the lyrics, and also played rhythm guitar on the track.[6]

The B-side, "Patrick Bateman", is a "tribute" to the American Psycho character.

Release

"La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" was released as a single on 26 July 1993 by record label Columbia. It reached number 22 in the UK Singles Chart on 31 July.[2]

"La Tristesse Durera" also made an appearance as track number four on Forever Delayed (28 October 2002), the Manics' greatest hits album.

Track listing

CD
No. Title Length
1. "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" (7" version)  
2. "Patrick Bateman"    
3. "What's My Name" (live The Clash cover at Cambridge Junction, 20 October 1992)  
4. "Slash 'n' Burn" (live at Norwich UEA, 21 October 1992)  
12"
No. Title Length
1. "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" (album version)  
2. "Patrick Bateman"    
3. "Repeat" (live in Norwich, 21 October 1992)  
4. "Tennessee (I Get Low)"    
Cassette
Side A
No. Title Length
1. "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)"    
Side B
No. Title Length
1. "Patrick Bateman"    

Charts

Chart (1993) Peak
position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[2] 22

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Archive Chart: 1993-07-31" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Middles 2000, Temporary Caesars.

Bibliography

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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