This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours

This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours
Studio album by Manic Street Preachers
Released 14 September 1998
Recorded 1997–1998
Studio
Genre Alternative rock
Length 63:19
Label Epic
Producer
Manic Street Preachers chronology
Everything Must Go
(1996)		 This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours
(1998)		 Know Your Enemy
(2001)
Singles from This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours
  1. "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next"
    Released: 24 August 1998
  2. "The Everlasting"
    Released: 30 November 1998
  3. "Nobody Loved You"
    Released: 1998 (Japan only)
  4. "You Stole the Sun from My Heart"
    Released: 8 March 1999
  5. "Tsunami"
    Released: 5 July 1999

This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours is the fifth studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 14 September 1998 by record label Epic.

Like its 1996 predecessor Everything Must Go, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours was a commercial and critical success. The album debuted at number 1 in the UK Album Chart, selling 136,000 copies, going Gold in the first week.[1] It sold well in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia[2] and it represented a change in the sound from the alternative furious rock sound to a more melodic and tender approach. By March 1999 the album was Triple Platinum in the UK alone and since its release it has sold more than five million copies worldwide. It earned the band further nominations and accolades at the BRIT Awards in 1999.[3]

Music and lyrics

The title is a quotation taken from a speech given by Aneurin Bevan, a Labour Party politician from Wales.[4] Its working title was simply Manic Street Preachers.[5] The cover photograph was taken on Black Rock Sands near Porthmadog, Wales.[6]

It was the first Manics album to feature lyrics solely by Nicky Wire, while all the music was written by the duo of James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore. This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours shows considerably less hard rock influence than their previous efforts and finds the band experimenting with sound and production possibilities.[5] It features cleaner guitar sounds in general and the increased use of additional instrumentation such as strings, keyboards and both real and programmed percussion.[7] Clash magazine described the album's sound as "a glacial distillation of the anthemic rock that had served them so well two years previous",[8] an approach further developed on 2004's Lifeblood.

In an interview with Dave Eringa he admitted that: "James was piling on the pressure at the time. He's got this idea that I work best under pressure; it's about putting me under as much as he can all the time!". After recording "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next", he also said that the song went through a four-month gestation period.[9]

Eringa said that even in the week of release he was nervous: "You get midweek chart positions and sales figures all week, and it was my first chance of a possible Number One, which is such an exciting thing. Every day it was just getting worse and worse; I was becoming more and more psychotic. If it had been released the same week as a Nirvana record or an Oasis record, you'd just have to put your hands up and say 'c'est la vie' – but the horror of losing out to Steps would have been unbelievable!".[9]

James Dean Bradfield has cited John Frusciante as the main influence for the intro riff of "My Little Empire."[10]

Release

The album was preceded by the single "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next", released on 24 August 1998,[11] which debuted at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, their first single to do so. The album itself was released on 14 September 1998, and its sales were such that a spokesperson for Virgin Megastores claimed it to be the biggest selling album of the year.[12] It is their highest charting album to date, reaching No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.[13] Like the preceding single, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours prevented Steps from topping the U.K. charts;[12] "One for Sorrow" was held off at No. 2 by If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next[14] while the album Step One was also relegated to No. 2. The album remained at the top of the albums chart for 3 weeks,[15] selling around 250,000 copies on those 3 weeks, the album is Triple Platinum in the UK and spent a total time of 74 weeks in the UK Albums Chart.[16]

Apart from the lead single, the album presented another three singles, with the second one being The Everlasting. You Stole the Sun from My Heart was released on March 1999 and it was nominated for "Best British Single" at the 2000 BRIT Awards. The final single from the album was Tsunami, the song was inspired by The Silent Twins, June and Jennifer Gibbons, who gave up speaking when they were young, became involved in crime and ended up being sent to Broadmoor Hospital. Both singles The Everlasting and Tsunami peaked at number 11, You Stole the Sun from My Heart ended up peaking at number 5 in the UK Singles Chart.[13] In Japan the band released Nobody Loved You, replacing the UK single The Everlasting.

Around the world the album was as successful as it was in the UK, in Sweden the album managed to remain in the chart for a total of 43 weeks, debuting at number 2, but peaking at number 1 in the second week, in Finland the album sold enough to stay in the charts for 32 weeks, peaking at number 1, securing the top spot for 2 consecutive weeks. In Ireland the album also debuted at number 1 and it charted within the Top 20 in Norway, New Zealand, Denmark, Austria and Australia. It was Europe's number 1 album for 2 weeks, and it has been certified Platinum (1.000.000 copies) by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. The album's success ensured that by 1999 the band had sold more than three million albums worldwide.[17] To the present day This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours alone has sold more than five million copies since its release.[18][19]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[20]
CMJfavourable[21]
Sputnikmusic[22]
The Guardian[23]
The Independent[24]
Mojo[25]
NME7/10[26]
Pitchfork Media9.5/10[7]
PopMatters9.5/10[27]
Q[28]

The album was generally well received by critics.[29]

NME awarded the album with a 7/10, stating: "No longer is James Dean Bradfield required to turn metrical somersaults in order to translate screeds of vituperative prose into the realm of the performable. Nicky's opaque verses lend themselves more readily to poetic contemplation, and James responds with his most incontrovertibly delicate vocals, singing as opposed to lacerating his larynx in the quest for empathy." [26]

Meanwhile, Sputnikmusic said that the album was: "the most indecisive piece of works in the Manic’s canon. Technically proficient and brilliantly written in spats", finishing with: "Still, This Is My Truth’s spot as one of the bands [sic] weakest releases is often overstated, if only because the rot was just beginning and the future predicted a bigger storm to come." [22]

Sarah Zupko, writing for Pitchfork Media, said that the album was her "album of the year so far", stating that "The Manic Street Preachers are also one of the few groups capable of integrating orchestral instruments in a way that still produces great rock music (check out the cello in "My Little Empire"), always avoiding the schmaltzy elevator music that can result when some rock musos get a hold of an orchestra. Meanwhile, they manage to infuse some quite dour lyrics with some of the most haunting melodies in rock this side of Radiohead. Bradfield and Moore seldom choose the obvious chords, arrangements and melodies, resulting in music that is heads- and- tails above almost any band on the planet." [7]

The Independent gave the album a positive review, saying that: " In their first album as a true trio, the Manics deliver another slab of anthemic rock that manages to be gloomy yet uplifting. Their recent hit single is one of the more joyous moments here, but they also offer class introspection." [24]

AllMusic praised the album, calling it "a strangely effective fusion of string-drenched, sweeping arena rock and impassioned, brutally honest punk", noting that it contains "a searing passion and intelligence that is unmatched among their peers on either side of the ocean – and, in doing so, it emphasizes the Manics' uniqueness as one of the few bands of the '90s that can deliver albums as bracing intellectually as they are sonically."[20]

Among less positive comments Entertainment Weekly gave the album a C-, concluding with: " Their best efforts, particularly the 1994 screed called Holy Bible, were triumphs of sheer will and caustic attitude. Sadly, the albums made after his departure prove the Preachers were, after all, a James gang. How else to explain such treacly dreck on This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours as You Stole the Sun From My Heart and You're Tender and You're Tired. This is my truth: The album is lucky to get a C-".[30]

Awards

The album won Best British Album, and the band Best British Group, at the 1999 BRIT Awards.[31] The album was nominated for the 1999 Mercury Prize, but just like the previous album it failed to win the award.[32] In the NME Awards in 1999, the band won every single big prize, Best Band, Best Album, Best Live Act, Best Single and Best Video.[33]
"If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next"
The single reached number one on the UK charts, it was widely named 'Single Of The Year'
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Accolades

The album was a critical success, in the End Of The Year Critics List it achieved the following accolades:

Reflecting on the album, Drowned in Sound in 2008 said that This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours is "sad" and is a "stately, tender lament to their past" stating that: "Just as the Holy Bible was Richey’s, this is Nicky’s more than anything; confused where Richey was focused, afraid of loneliness while Richey embraced it. You can’t escape the idea that he almost feels guilty for what they’d turned into, and that imbues This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours with a sadness and longing that wasn’t immediately evident on its initial release."[38]

Looking back to the catalogue of the band Clash stated the following about the record: "brushing up against eternal favourites ‘You Stole The Sun From My Heart’ and ‘Tsunami’ and the delicate shimmer of ‘Black Dog On My Shoulder’, which more than make up for it. Although a little close to AOR with the preference for mid-paced melancholia, the Manics were now making grown up, actually rather beautiful music. Which, of course, couldn’t last." [39]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Nicky Wire; all music composed by James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore.

No. Title Length
1. "The Everlasting"   6:09
2. "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next"   4:50
3. "You Stole the Sun from My Heart"   4:20
4. "Ready for Drowning"   4:32
5. "Tsunami"   3:51
6. "My Little Empire"   4:09
7. "I'm Not Working"   5:51
8. "You're Tender and You're Tired"   4:37
9. "Born a Girl"   4:12
10. "Be Natural"   5:12
11. "Black Dog on My Shoulder"   4:48
12. "Nobody Loved You"   4:44
13. "S.Y.M.M."   5:57

Personnel

Manic Street Preachers
Additional personnel

Charts and certifications

Chart (1998) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[40] 13
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[41] 20
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[42] 32
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[43] 1
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[44] 16
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[45] 24
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[46] 45
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[47] 27
Irish Albums (IRMA)[48] 1
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[49] 27
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[50] 11
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[51] 5
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[52] 48
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[53] 1
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[54] 47
UK Albums (OCC)[55] 1

European Charts

Year Chart Position
1998 European Albums Chart 1

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[56] 3× Platinum 1,100,000^
Ireland (IRMA)[57] 2× Platinum 30,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[58] Gold 50,000^
Sweden (GLF)[59] Gold 40,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[60] Gold 32.153[60]
Norway (IFPI Norway)[61] Gold 25,000*
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[62] Platinum 1,000,000*

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ Diver, Mike (29 September 2010). "BBC – BBC Music Blog: Album Reviews Q&A: Manic Street Preachers".
  2. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Manic Street Preachers | Biography | AllMusic". Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "1999". brits.co.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "Hall of Fame". BBC Online. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
  5. 1 2 Price 1999.
  6. ↑ "All About ... Black Rock Sands.". Daily Post. 7 March 2003. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 Zupko, Sarah. "Manic Street Preachers: This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 23 November 2001. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  8. ↑ James, Gareth (18 June 2014). "Manic Street Preachers: The Complete Guide". Clash. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  9. 1 2 "DAVE ERINGA: Recording The Manic Street Preachers' 'If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next'".
  10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gslKjS155Q
  11. ↑ Price 1999, p. 249.
  12. 1 2 Price 1999, p. 260.
  13. 1 2 "Manic Street Preachers - Official Single Charts". Official Charts. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  14. ↑ Price 1999, p. 251.
  15. ↑ "Manic Street Preachers - This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". entertainmentghana.mobi. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  16. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". The Official Charts Company. 5 May 2013.
  17. ↑ Price 1999, p. 264.
  18. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (8 May 2009). "Interview: 'This album could seriously damage us'". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  19. ↑ Curran, Shaun (12 November 2010). "Preaching to the converted: Nicky Wire of Manic Street Preachers reflects on 10 albums of history". The Japan Times. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  20. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours – Manic Street Preachers : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : Allmusic". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  21. ↑ "Album Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly: 27. February 1999.
  22. 1 2 "Manic Street PreachersThis Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". Sputnikmusic.
  23. ↑ Sullivan, Caroline (11 September 1998). "Manic Street Preachers, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours (Epic)". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group: 24.
  24. 1 2 Perry, Tim (12 September 1998). "Album Reviews". The Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  25. ↑ "Album Reviews". Mojo: 84. February 2002.
  26. 1 2 "Manic Street Preachers : This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". NME. IPC Media. 9 August 1998. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  27. ↑ Zupko, Sarah (18 October 2000). "Manic Street Preachers: This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 31 August 2000. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  28. ↑ Duerden, Nick. "Manic Street Preachers: This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours Reviews Archive". Q. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  29. ↑ "1999 - Manic Street Preachers - This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". Mercury Prize. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  30. ↑ "This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". "Entertainment Weekly".
  31. ↑ "1999". brits.co.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  32. ↑ "Entertainment Manics lead Mercury shortlist". bbc.co.uk. 7 July 1999. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
  33. ↑ "NME Awards 1999".
  34. ↑ "Kerrang! End Of year Lists". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  35. ↑ "Q Lists - End of Year". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  36. 1 2 "Melody Maker End Of Year Critic Lists". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  37. 1 2 "Albums and Tracks of the Year". NME. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  38. ↑ Patashnik, Ben (25 February 2008). "Discography reassessed: the Manics in perspective". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  39. ↑ "Manic Street Preachers: The Complete Guide".
  40. ↑ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Albums Chart Week Ending 11 October 1998". ARIA. Retrieved 3 February 2016. N.B. australian-charts.com erroneously lists the album's peak as being #14, due to ARIA mistakenly listing Grinspoon's Pushing Buttons EP as debuting at #5 on the albums chart (replicated on this site) during the same week This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours debuted. ARIA removed the EP from the albums chart the following week, and the reference here displays that the album's HP (highest position) and LW (last week) position are #13.
  41. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  42. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  43. ↑ "Manic Street Preachers: This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  44. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  45. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  46. ↑ "Manic Street Preachers – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Manic Street Preachers. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  47. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  48. ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week {{{week}}}, {{{year}}}". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  49. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: {{{date}}}" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  50. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  51. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  52. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  53. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  54. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  55. ↑ "Manic Street Preachers | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  56. ↑ "British album certifications – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 16 July 2014. Enter This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  57. ↑ "Irish album certifications – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  58. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  59. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  60. 1 2 "Manic Street Preachers" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  61. ↑ "Norwegian album certifications – Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  62. ↑ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1999". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
Sources
Preceded by
Talk on Corners by The Corrs		 UK number one album
26 September 1998 – 16 October 1998 		Succeeded by
Hits by Phil Collins
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