Suicide Is Painless
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"Suicide Is Painless" is a song written by Johnny Mandel (music) and Mike Altman (lyrics), which is best known for being featured as the theme song for both the movie and TV series M*A*S*H.
Mike Altman is the son of the original film's director, Robert Altman, and was 14 years old when he composed the song's lyrics. On an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in the 1980s, Robert Altman said that his son earned more than a million dollars for co-writing the song while he only made $70,000 for directing the movie. In addition to being sung by Johnny Mandel over the film's opening credits, the movie also features a scene that begins when Walter Koskiusko Waldowski, a dentist nicknamed “Painless Pole”, declares his intention to commit suicide, and the song is sung by Ken Prymus (playing Sergeant Seidman) during the suicide scene. Several instrumental versions of the song were used as the theme for the TV series (in which “Painless Pole” was mentioned, but never appeared).
First released in 1970, it belatedly became a number one hit in the UK in 1980 after being championed by BBC Radio 1 DJ Noel Edmonds. The refrain is well-known:
- 'Cause suicide is painless,
- It brings on many changes,
- And I can take or leave it if I please
Cover versions
- Al De Lory recorded a jazz piano version titled "Song from MASH" that was an adult contemporary hit a few months after the movie was released in 1970.
- Henry Mancini recorded an easy listening version of the song for his 1970 album Mancini Plays the Theme from Love Story.
- Ahmad Jamal recorded an instrumental jazz-funk version of the song on his 1974 release Jamalca titled "Theme From M.A.S.H." This version was included on some re-releases of the soundtrack album.
- Paul Desmond (alto saxophone) played together with Ed Bickert (e-guitar), Ron Carter (bass) and Connie Kay (drums) an instrumental version on his album Pure Desmond in 1974.
- Kerstin Forslund and Small Town Singers released a version in 1975. The single made the Top 100 chart in Australia.
- Ray Conniff recorded an easy listening version on his 1976 album Theme from S.W.A.T. and Other TV Themes.
- Bill Evans recorded a jazz piano trio version of the song for You Must Believe in Spring, an album posthumously released in 1981, having made it a staple of his live sets for some years. Evans version modulates through all 12 keys. The song is also recorded in a jazz piano trio version on the CD Bill Evans Trio, recorded live in Buenos Aires in 1979.
- Cal Tjader recorded a version on his album The Shining Sea (1981).
- Jimmy Smith recorded a version on his album Off the Top (1982).
- Art Of Noise perform a short instrumental interpolation on their 1984 track "A Time for Fear (Who's Afraid)", featured on both Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise? and Daft.
- Royal Trux recorded a version for the BBC John Peel radio show in 1993. It was released in 1997 on a Royal Trux compilation called Singles, Live, Unreleased. On the compilation the song is titled "Theme from M.A.S.H."
- Killarmy sampled the music for their 1997 track "5 Stars" from the Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars album.
- Ryan Kallok, singer-songwriter from Youngstown, Ohio, USA covered the song live and recorded a verion in 2008.
- Edgar Cruz recorded an instrumental cover of the song for his 1997 album Reminiscence titled "M*A*S*H Theme".
- Jay-Jay Johanson performed a version of this song on France Inter in 1997, later released on a promotional CD.
- Marilyn Manson did a version for the soundtrack of Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 in 2000.
- Barði Jóhannsson and Keren Ann recorded a version on their album Lady and Bird (2003).
- Stewie Griffin sang a part of it on Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story in 2005.
- Matt Costa, singer-songwriter from Huntington Beach, California, USA covered the song on his six-track The Elasmosaurus EP in 2005.
- Kelis does her own interpretation of the song in her single "Lil Star" (with Cee-Lo, from Gnarls Barkley), released in 2007.
- The Drones performed an acoustic version in 2008 on Triple J in Australia.
- Ania Dąbrowska recorded a version of this song on her album Ania Movie (2010).
- Amanda Lear recorded an acoustic and a dance version of this song on her 2009's cd Brief Encounters.
- Jay-Jay Johanson has a version of this song on his 2011 album Spellbound.
