A Design for Life
Encyclopedia
"A Design for Life" was released by Manic Street Preachers
in 1996 and was the first single release from the Everything Must Go album of May that same year.
The title was inspired by the Joy Division
EP
record "An Ideal for Living
". The opening line 'Libraries gave us power' was inspired by the legend above the entrance to the former Pillgwenlly
Library in Newport, near the band's home town of Blackwood in Wales: 'Knowledge is Power', whilst the phrase 'then work came and made us free' references the German slogan Arbeit macht frei
that featured above the gates of most of the Nazi concentration camps and which was earlier referenced by the band on "The Intense Humming of Evil" from The Holy Bible
. It reached number two in the UK
charts on 27 April 1996 and was the first in a run of five consecutive releases to be top ten hits.
The song also explores themes of class conflict
and working class
identity and solidarity, inspired by the band's strong socialist
convictions. Its video included scenes of fox hunting
and Royal Ascot to represent what the band saw as class
privilege
.
The CD single included "Mr Carbohydrate", "Dead Passive" and "Dead Trees and Traffic Islands", while the cassette included a live version of "Bright Eyes
".
It was the first song written and released by the band following the mysterious disappearance of figurehead Richey James the previous year.
The song also made an appearance as the opening track on Forever Delayed
, the band's greatest hits album released in November 2002.
The song is referenced in the song "Slide Show" (alongside Beck
's "Devils Haircut" and Oasis
' "Wonderwall
") on Travis
' 1999 album, The Man Who
: "'Cause there is no design for life, There's no devil's haircut in my mind, There is not a wonderwall to climb to climb or step around".
In May 2007, NME
magazine placed "A Design for Life" at number 30 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 75 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
in 1996 and was the first single release from the Everything Must Go album of May that same year.
The title was inspired by the Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
record "An Ideal for Living
An Ideal for Living
An Ideal for Living is the debut EP released by Joy Division in 1978, shortly after changing their name from Warsaw.All tracks were recorded at the Pennine Sound Studios, Oldham, on 14 December 1977...
". The opening line 'Libraries gave us power' was inspired by the legend above the entrance to the former Pillgwenlly
Pillgwenlly
Pillgwenlly is an electoral district and coterminous community parish in the city of Newport, South Wales. The area is governed by the Newport City Council.- Origin of the name :...
Library in Newport, near the band's home town of Blackwood in Wales: 'Knowledge is Power', whilst the phrase 'then work came and made us free' references the German slogan Arbeit macht frei
Arbeit macht frei
"'" is a German phrase, literally "work makes free," meaning "work sets you free" or "work liberates". The slogan is known for having been placed over the entrances to a number of Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust, including most infamously Auschwitz I, where it was made by prisoners...
that featured above the gates of most of the Nazi concentration camps and which was earlier referenced by the band on "The Intense Humming of Evil" from The Holy Bible
The Holy Bible (album)
The Holy Bible is the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 29 August 1994 by Epic Records and was the last of the band's albums released before the disappearance of lyricist and guitarist Richey Edwards , on 1 February 1995.Edwards was...
. It reached number two in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
charts on 27 April 1996 and was the first in a run of five consecutive releases to be top ten hits.
The song also explores themes of class conflict
Class conflict
Class conflict is the tension or antagonism which exists in society due to competing socioeconomic interests between people of different classes....
and working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
identity and solidarity, inspired by the band's strong socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
convictions. Its video included scenes of fox hunting
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
and Royal Ascot to represent what the band saw as class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
privilege
Privilege
A privilege is a special entitlement to immunity granted by the state or another authority to a restricted group, either by birth or on a conditional basis. It can be revoked in certain circumstances. In modern democratic states, a privilege is conditional and granted only after birth...
.
The CD single included "Mr Carbohydrate", "Dead Passive" and "Dead Trees and Traffic Islands", while the cassette included a live version of "Bright Eyes
Bright Eyes (Art Garfunkel song)
"Bright Eyes" is a song written by Mike Batt, and performed by Art Garfunkel. It was used in the soundtrack of the 1978 film Watership Down and as such is considered the theme song of the film and the later television series adaptations. The track also appears on Garfunkel's fourth studio album,...
".
It was the first song written and released by the band following the mysterious disappearance of figurehead Richey James the previous year.
The song also made an appearance as the opening track on Forever Delayed
Forever Delayed
Forever Delayed is a greatest hits album by the Manic Street Preachers, released in October 2002. The album included three singles which had never appeared on earlier albums , the latter being one of the band's two UK #1 hits, along with "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next." Several...
, the band's greatest hits album released in November 2002.
The song is referenced in the song "Slide Show" (alongside Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
's "Devils Haircut" and Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
' "Wonderwall
Wonderwall
Wonderwall may refer to:*Wonderwall , a 1968 film by Joe Massot*Wonderwall Music, George Harrison's soundtrack to the Wonderwall film...
") on Travis
Travis (band)
Travis are a post-Britpop band from Glasgow, Scotland, comprising Fran Healy , Dougie Payne , Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose...
' 1999 album, The Man Who
The Man Who
The Man Who is the second studio album from the Scottish indie pop band Travis. The album was released on 24 May 1999, becoming the album that gave the band international recognition. The album peaked at #1 in the UK and #8 in Australia. It was later released in the United States in Early 2000...
: "'Cause there is no design for life, There's no devil's haircut in my mind, There is not a wonderwall to climb to climb or step around".
In May 2007, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
magazine placed "A Design for Life" at number 30 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 75 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".
Sleeve quote
Track listing
All music James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore, all lyrics Nicky Wire, except where notedCD1
- "A Design for Life" - 4:19
- "Mr Carbohydrate" - 4:13
- "Dead Passive" - 3:19
- "Dead Trees and Traffic Islands" - 3:43 (Music and lyrics James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore, Nicky Wire)
CD2
- "A Design for Life"
- "A Design for Life (Stealth Sonic Orchestra Version)"
- "A Design for Life (Stealth Sonic Orchestra Instrumental)"
- "Faster (Chemical Brothers Vocal Mix)" (Music James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore, lyrics Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards)