Manic Street Preachers have followed up the criticisms they made of the Government in the NME Premier Review, screened last week on Channel 4, with a scathing attack on Tony Blair and New Labour.
The B-side of their new single, ‘You Stole The Sun From My Heart’, is called ‘Socialist Serenade’ and singles out Labour’s education policy for particular censure. The lyrics, written by bassist Nicky Wire, include: “What’s the point of an education/When you have to pay for the privilege?/This side of the truth/Where no sun shines/They don’t count/The cripples and the blind”.
Wire, who has often asserted his commitment to proper old-school socialism, continues: “Change your name to new/ Forget the fucking Labour… it’s about the politics of celebrity, of endless days in the sun in Tuscany”.
The A-side of the single, released on March 8 through Columbia, is inspired by the poem Reflections by RS Thomas, which is printed on the inside of the cover of the current album, ‘This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours’.
It is the third track from the album to be released as a single. The single is also backed by David Holmes and Mogwai remixes of ‘You Stole The Sun…’ plus a live version of their cover of The Clash‘s ‘Train In Vain’, which became a crowd favourite during their December arena tour.
They introduced it at Wembley as: “This is a song covered by Annie Lennox but we’re taking it back.”
The Manics will play on the same satge as Lennox at the Brit Awards on February 16 at London Docklands Arena.
The band are currently touring Australia before touring Japan and Europe until the end of March.
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