So Why So Sad

"So Why So Sad" is a song by Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers, jointly released in February 2001 as the first single from their sixth studio album, Know Your Enemy (2001), alongside "Found That Soul". All three members of the band—James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire—share the writing credits. The song reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart, one place above "Found That Soul".

"So Why So Sad"
Single by Manic Street Preachers
from the album Know Your Enemy
B-side	"Pedestal"
Released	26 February 2001 (2001-02-26)
Genre	Alternative rock pop[1]
Length	4:02 (album version) 3:55 (single version) 3:46 (Forever Delayed edit)
Label	Epic
Songwriter(s)	James Dean Bradfield Sean Moore Nicky Wire
Producer(s)	Dave Eringa
Manic Street Preachers singles chronology
"The Masses Against the Classes" (2000) "So Why So Sad" (2001) "Found That Soul" (2001)

Background

The song includes the line "burns an expressway to your skull",^[2] a reference to the final track on Sonic Youth's EVOL album and a Buddy Miles song. The song deals mainly with the paradoxical high rates of depression and anxiety experienced by those living in affluence and comfort. It has also been suggested that a reference to the Dead Sea scrolls and the line "dependent on above" imply that there is a religious connection, but there's no further support for this outside the chorus.^[3] The single version is shorter, with the phrase "So Why, So Why So Sad?" sung only three times instead of four at the end and the drums finish two bars earlier without a fill.

Exclaim! Canada called the track "an outstanding pop song" with a production style "scarily similar" to the Beach Boys.^[1] It was the only single from Know Your Enemy to be included on the 2002 compilation Forever Delayed, appearing as an edited version.^[4]

Release

The CD version of "So Why So Sad" includes versions of "Pedestal" and a remix of "So Why So Sad" by Australian outfit the Avalanches, whereas the cassette single includes a live version of "You Stole the Sun from My Heart". Issued on 26 February 2001, the same day as "Found That Soul",^[5] "So Why So Sad" was the Manic Street Preachers' first hit since "The Masses Against the Classes" thirteen months earlier.^[4]

The single reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart on 10 March 2001. Spending sixteen weeks on the chart, it is the second-longest charting Manic Street Preachers single in the UK, after "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next", which spent seventeen weeks on the chart.^[6] In Ireland, it peaked at number 16.^[7] In Finland, the single reached number four on the Finnish Singles Chart, spending three weeks on the ranking.^[8] In Sweden, it reached number 26,^[9] while in the Netherlands, it peaked at number 88.^[10] In Germany, it reached number 94.^[11]

Track listings

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

UK CD single^[12]

1. "So Why So Sad" – 3:55
2. "So Why So Sad" (Sean Penn mix—Avalanches) – 4:58
3. "Pedestal" – 4:50

UK cassette single^[13]

1. "So Why So Sad" – 4:02
2. "You Stole the Sun from My Heart" (live at Millennium Stadium, 31 December 1999) – 4:25

European CD single^[14]

1. "So Why So Sad" – 3:55
2. "So Why So Sad" (Sean Penn mix—Avalanches) – 4:58

Australian CD single^[15]

1. "So Why So Sad" – 3:55
2. "So Why So Sad" (Sean Penn mix—Avalanches) – 4:58
3. "Pedestal" – 4:50
4. "You Stole the Sun from My Heart" (live at Millennium Stadium, 31 December 1999) – 4:25

Charts

Chart (2001)	Peak position
Australia Alternative (ARIA)[16]	11
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[17]	33
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8]	4
Germany (GfK)[11]	94
Ireland (IRMA)[7]	16
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10]	88
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[9]	26
UK Singles (OCC)[6]	8

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	26 February 2001	CD cassette	Epic	[5]
Denmark	3 March 2001	CD		[18]
Australia	12 March 2001			[19]

References

1. Bolton, Bob (1 May 2001). "Manic Street Preachers - Know Your Enemy". Exclaim Canada. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
2. "Manic Street Preachers / SO WHY SO SAD". Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
3. "So Why So Sad".
4. Power, Martin (17 October 2010). Manic Street Preachers. Omnibus Press.
5. "New Releases – For Week Starting February 26, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 24 February 2001. p. 27. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
6. "Manic Street Preachers: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
7. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – So Why So Sad". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
8. "Manic Street Preachers: So Why So Sad" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
9. "Manic Street Preachers – So Why So Sad". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
10. "Manic Street Preachers – So Why So Sad" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
11. "Manic Street Preachers – So Why So Sad" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
12. So Why So Sad (UK CD single liner notes). Manic Street Preachers. Epic Records. 2001. 670832 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
13. So Why So Sad (UK cassette single sleeve). Manic Street Preachers. Epic Records. 2001. 670832 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
14. So Why So Sad (European CD single liner notes). Manic Street Preachers. Epic Records. 2001. EPC 670788 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
15. So Why So Sad (Australian CD single liner notes). Manic Street Preachers. Epic Records. 2001. 670788 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
16. "The ARIA Report: ARIA Alternative – Week Commencing 19th March 2001" (PDF). ARIA. 19 March 2001. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
17. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 18, no. 12. 17 March 2001. p. 15.
18. "Manic Street Preachers" (in Danish). Sony Music Denmark. Archived from the original on 31 March 2001. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
19. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 12th March 2001" (PDF). ARIA. 12 March 2001. p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2023.