Suicide Is Painless

"Suicide Is Painless" (also known as "Theme from M*A*S*H" or "Song from M*A*S*H") is a song written by Johnny Mandel (music) and Michael Altman (lyrics) for the 1970 film M*A*S*H. In addition to being performed by characters in the film, it plays during the title sequence as sung by The Ron Hicklin Singers. An instrumental version was used as the theme music for the TV series based on the film, playing over the opening and closing credits.

Background

The song was written for Ken Prymus, the actor playing Private Seidman, to sing during the faux-suicide of Walter "Painless Pole" Waldowski (John Schuck) in the film's "Last Supper" scene.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Director Robert Altman had two stipulations about the song for composer Johnny Mandel: it had to be called "Suicide Is Painless" and it had to be the "stupidest song ever written".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Altman attempted to write the lyrics himself, but, upon finding it too difficult for his "45-year-old brain" to write something "stupid" enough,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> he gave the task to his 15-year-old-son Michael, who reportedly wrote the lyrics in five minutes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Altman later decided that the song worked so well he would use it as the film's main theme. This more choral version was sung by uncredited session singers John Bahler, Tom Bahler, Ron Hicklin, and Ian Freebairn-Smith, and was released as a single attributed to "The Mash". Altman said that, while he only made $70,000 for directing the movie, his son had earned more than $1 million for co-writing the song.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Several instrumental versions of the song were used as the theme for the TV series, but the lyrics were never used in the show.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The vocal version from the film's opening credits became a number-one hit in the UK Singles Chart in May 1980.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">Template:Cite book</ref> The song was ranked No. 66 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs.

Track listing

7″ vinyl

• West Germany: CBS / 5009
• UK: CBS / S CBS 8536
• US: Columbia / 4M-45130 [mono promo only]
• US: Columbia / 4S-45130 [original stereo stock release]

Charts

Chart (1970)	Peak position
Dutch GfK chart<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	3
Dutch Top 40<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	4
Chart (1980)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus>Template:Cite book</ref>	52
UK Singles Chart<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	1
Irish Singles Chart	1

Manic Street Preachers version

Template:Infobox song Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers released a cover version of "Suicide Is Painless" on September 7, 1992, as "Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)". In the UK, it was a double A-side charity single to help The Spastics Society, with the Fatima Mansions' take on Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" as the other A-side. The 12-inch and CD versions of the UK single included "Sleeping with the NME" – an excerpt from a radio documentary recorded in the offices of the NME capturing staff's reaction to photographs of guitarist Richey Edwards' infamous self-mutilation. The single peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart<ref name="MSPUK"/> spending three weeks in the top 10.

Track listings

7-inch vinyl

• UK: Columbia / 658382 7

• Netherlands: Columbia / COL 658385 7

12-inch vinyl

• UK: Columbia / 658382 6

CD

• UK: Columbia / 658382 2

• Europe: Columbia / 658385 2

• Japan: Epic/Sony / ESCA 5668

Charts

Weekly charts

Template:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chart

Chart (1992)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	26
UK Airplay (Music Week)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	17

Year-end charts

Chart (1992)	Position
UK Singles (OCC)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	98

Release history

Region	Version	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Template:Abbr
United Kingdom	with "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You"	September 7, 1992	Template:Hlist	Columbia	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Australia	Solo	October 19, 1992	Template:Hlist		<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Japan		October 21, 1992	CD	Epic	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Cover versions

• Al De Lory recorded "Song from M*A*S*H", an instrumental jazz piano version for his 1970 album Al De Lory Plays Song from M*A*S*H. This version peaked at No. 7 on the adult contemporary chart during the summer of 1970.<ref>Adult Contemporary : July 04, 1970 | Billboard Chart Archive. Billboard.com (1970-07-04). Retrieved on 2014-03-29.</ref>
• Swedish group Small Town Singers released a version under the title "Song from M*A*S*H" in 1975.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The single peaked at 17th position in Sweden,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Top 100 chart in Australia.