TIME STILL SNOWING HAS IN SAPPORO

I’M WALKING ON MY OWN IT’S 1993 THE HEAVY SNOW IS FALLING LIKE AN ANGEL OVER ME I SEE IT ALL THROUGH A VIDEO CAMERA FILTER IT FEELS SO REAL LIKE CHEAP GOLDEN GLITTER THERE ARE NO HOLES IN MY RECOLLECTIONS STOPPED TIME HAS STOPPED AND IS PERFECTLY FROZEN THOSE DAYS MAY NEVER COME AGAIN MY OPTIMISM RESEMBLES A DYING FLAME

IT’S STILL SNOWING SNOWING IN SAPPORO STILL BREAKING IN MY HEART AND IS IT COULDN’T LAST WITHOUT THE HURT - WITHOUT THE HURT WE FLEW INTO THE DARKNESS AND LANDED IN THE NIGHT THROUGH CLOUDS AND FOG WE GLIMPSED THE NEON LIGHTS WITH MAKE UP RUNNING EYES TURNED TOWARDS THE SKY OUR HANDS ALL GRIPPED TOGETHER HOLDING ON SO TIGHT

PERFECTLY WE PUT OUR BODIES ON THE LINE BUILT A MOUNTAIN WE COULD NEVER CLIMB HOW COULD 4 BECOME SO STRONG YET BREAK AND LEAVE TOO SOON

IT’S STILL SNOWING SNOWING IN SAPPORO STILL BREAKING IN MY HEART FROZEN THE FOUR OF US AGAINST THE WORLD-AGAINST THE WORLD ORWELLIAN WORDS WAGE WE LIVE IN ORWELLIAN TIMES IT FEELS IMPOSSIBLE TO PICK A SIDE IN SENTENCES THAT DANCE AND HIDE THE TRUTH BECOMES A BROKEN LIE

EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK WAR EVERY WAY YOU TURN THE FUTURE FIGHTS THE PAST THE BOOKS BEGIN TO BURN I’LL WALK YOU THROUGH THE APOCALYPSE WHERE ME AND YOU COULD COEXIST EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK EVERY WAY YOU TURN MEANING THE FUTURE FIGHTS THE PAST THE BOOKS BEGIN TO BURN WORDS WAGE WAR MEANING BEING MISSED I’LL WALK YOU THROUGH THE APOCALYPSE

WE LIVE IN ORWELLIAN TIMES A DEEPENING SENSE OF FEAR AND CRIME BEING ON THE PLAYING FIELDS IN EXCLUSIVE CLUBS AND THE PEOPLE MACHINES STILL MAKING FOOLS OUT OF US REPEAT CHORUS MISSED THE SECRET HE HAD STILL MISSED THE SEA - YOUR ROOM - YOUR GOD (FEAT. JULIA CUMMING) THE INTERIOR WORLD YOU LOVED YOU TURNED FACES INTO ICONS BUT THE MIRROR KILLED ALL YOUR FREEDOM QUIET STEADY AND UNIQUE OPPOSITES UNITED BY BLOOD AND DEED RESONATE BOREDOM YOUR BIGGEST ENEMY LEFT YOUR HEART ON THE BEACH IN TENBY

I’LL BE REMEMBERED AS YOUR BROTHER ALL MY WORK ADDS UP TO NOTHING YOU IGNORED THE REVOLUTIONS A N THEY JUST LED YOU NOWHERE THE SECRET HE HAD MISSED WAS LYING AT HIS FINGERTIPS THE GIRL IN THE LONG BLUE DRESS CAST A SPELL AND LEFT US BLESSED I’LL BE REMEMBERED AS YOUR BROTHER ALL MY WORK ADDS UP TO NOTHING LOST YOUR HEART AND SOUL IN FRANCE YOU IGNORED THE REVOLUTIONS IMPERFECT PRAYED SO HARD THAT LOVE WOULD LAST THEY JUST LED YOU NOWHERE BOHEMIAN WITH NO CONTROL IF ONLY YOU HAD YOUR SISTER’S SOUL THE SECRET HE HAD MISSED WAS LYING AT HIS FINGERTIPS NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO RECONCILE THE GIRL IN THE LONG BLUE DRESS LIVING SEPARATE AND LONELY LIVES CAST A SPELL AND LEFT US BLESSED IF ONLY WE COULD MEET AGAIN WALLS DEFEATED BY THE SEA WE COULD FIND A DIFFERENT END STILL RESONATE AN IMPERFECT DREAM DREAM THE WHISPERING WAVES STILL CLEANSE AND CLEAN THEY CAN’T WIPE AWAY WHAT YOU’VE SEEN QUEST MODERN FOR ANCIENT LIFE COLOUR

I HAD A VERY BAD DREAM THE MAIN ACTOR IN IT WAS ME MY SCREAM HAD LOST ITS SOURCE LIKE A RESERVOIR IN A SUMMER DROUGHT W A S IMAGES REMADE THEMSELVES I EXPLORED INTERNAL GALAXIES THE BOYS OF SUMMER HAD UPPED AND GONE GIRLS IN THEIR SUMMER DRESS HAD GONE

HERE’S WHAT I DISCOVERED NEGATIVE CAPABILITY IN MY QUEST FOR ANCIENT COLOUR RAN STRAIGHT THROUGH ME KILLED I USED TO MAKE SENSE MY SOUL A SUBURBAN SINKHOLE BUT NOW I AM CONFUSED A VAST BRUTAL URBAN SPRAWL I USED TO CONTROL I HAD A VERY BAD DREAM BUT NOW I JUST FEEL USED THE MAIN ACTOR IN IT WAS ME HERE’S WHAT I DISCOVERED MY SCREAM HAD LOST ITS SOURCE IN MY QUEST FOR ANCIENT COLOUR LIKE A RESERVOIR IN A SUMMER DROUGHT AND REPEAT CHORUS

MODERN LIFE WAS KILLED AND CRUSHED BY A DERELICT DIGITISED LOVE MY SCREAM HAD LOST ITS SOURCE LIKE A RESERVOIR IN A SUMMER DROUGHT CRUSHED DON’T LET THE NIGHT DIVIDE US

DON’T LET THE NIGHT DIVIDE US THE LIGHT WILL COME AND FIND US TO KEEP THE DARKNESS FROM THE DOOR DON’T LET THEIR HATRED BLIND US THEIR LIES WILL HELP UNITE US LET’S MAKE A PROMISE HERE AND NOW

DON’T LET THOSE BOYS FROM ETON SUGGEST THAT WE ARE BEATEN—NO NO NO

A LAND NOW SO INFECTED CAN BE FREED AND EQUAL AND WHEN THE SUNLIGHT BATHES US WITH SYMPATHY AND KINDNESS WE HAVE THE CAUSE AND THE CONSCIENCE WE HAVE THE PLANS AND THE PURPOSE THE LIGHT WILL COME AND FIND US DON’T LET THE NIGHT DIVIDE US

REJECT ALL PROPAGANDA THEY CAN’T HIDE FROM TRUTH’S ARROW VENGEANCE WILL BE YOURS AND MINE WE MAY USE PEACE OR VIOLENCE WE MAY WAGE WAR OR SILENCE THIS IS A WARNING NOT A PRAYER

REPEAT CHORUS I STOOD

DIAPAUSE STILL IS THIS JUST THE BEGINNING OR DID I LOOK BEHIND AS I MISSED YOUR DEMISE AS I FELL THROUGH THE NIGHT I AM NOT PRETENDING BUT I’M TURNING AWAY I CANNOT STAY HERE WITH THESE DEBTS I MUST PAY I VIEW YOU LIKE A STATUE SO TIGHT AND CONTROLLED I MAPPED OUT A JOURNEY TO REACH MY BROKEN HEART WITH MY HEART BY YOUR SOUL BEFORE I EVEN STARTED THE PLAN BEGAN TO FALL APART FOR A UNTIL YOU FIND A HOME I’VE BUILT SO MANY WALLS TO KEEP THESE FEELINGS TRUE I’VE BURNT SO MANY BRIDGES BUT NOT THE ONE THAT LEADS TO YOU - THE ONE THAT LEADS TO YOU

I LOOKED INTO THE SUNSET I SCREAMED AND I SIGHED I RAISED HOPE THEN IT DIED SO I RAN AND I LIED I STOOD STILL FOR A MOMENT PARALYSED THE SKY SEEMED SO HIGH AS THE WORLD PASSED ME BY MOMENT

I CAN’T FIND A SOLUTION AS DECADES UNFOLD SO CALLOUS AS MY STANDSTILL TAKES HOLD

I MAPPED OUT A JOURNEY TO REACH MY SUNKEN HEART BEFORE I EVEN STARTED THE PLAN BEGAN TO FALL APART I’VE BUILT SO MANY WALLS TO KEEP THESE FEELINGS TRUE I’VE BURNT SO MANY BRIDGES BUT NOT THE ONE THAT PARALYSED LEADS TO YOU THE ONE THAT LEADS TO YOU TRUTH COMPLICATED ILLUSIONS

HIDES

ON A STREET OF OLD BONES DUST MASQUERADES AS SKIN TIME TURNS ITSELF TO STONE NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE AND NOTHING LEFT TO WIN DESIRES TO BREAK AND DECONSTRUCT I DEFEND THE MIDDLE GROUND BUT EVERY BATTLE I’VE EVER FOUGHT HAS EITHER BEEN LOST OR BOUGHT

AND IN THE RHYTHM OF YOUR VOICE I FIND SPACE TO REJOICE MY COMPLICATED ILLUSIONS LEAVE ME WITH NO CHOICE

LEAVES A EVEN THE ANSWERS THAT I DREAM AND IN THE RHYTHM OF YOUR VOICE ARE RIDDLED WITH DOUBT AND HOLES I FIND SPACE TO REJOICE ILLUSIONS ARE COMPLICATED MY COMPLICATED ILLUSIONS REDACTED AND RETOLD LEAVE ME WITH NO CHOICE

AND IN THE MARGINS OF THE PAGE TRUTH HIDES BUT LEAVES A TRACE MY COMPLICATED ILLUSIONS TRACE ARE NOW NO MORE THAN FAITH INTO THE WAVES I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT I BELIEVE IN BUT IT INVOLVES MISERY AND KEEPING STILL LANGUAGE OF A SILENCE SO INTENSE AND HARD TO FIND O F OF A PLACE THAT’S GONE OF A HATE THAT’S KIND

LOVE SO THROW ME INTO THE WAVES OF LOVE GRANT ME THE PLEASURES THAT GOD MADE UP DON’T TRY TO SELL ME A UNIVERSAL TRUTH I’M ALL GIVEN UP ON LISTENING TO YOU A VIRUS SO SILENCE IS A LIBERATION AS THE LAYERS OF LIGHT HAVE NOW DISAPPEARED LANGUAGE A VIRUS WITHOUT REASON JUST SKELETONS HIDING FROM THE RAIN

SO THROW ME INTO THE WAVES OF LOVE GRANT ME THE PLEASURES THAT GOD MADE UP DON’T TRY TO SELL ME A UNIVERSAL TRUTH WITHOUT I’M ALL GIVEN UP ON LISTENING TO YOU

SO THROW ME INTO THE ARMS OF LOVE GRANT ME THE PLEASURES THAT GOD GAVE UP DON’T TRY AND SELL ME A UNIVERSAL TRUTH I’M ALL GIVEN UP ON LISTENING TO YOU REASON BLANK DIARY

IN A GARDEN FULL OF LOCUSTS ENTRY PAIN WAS A CRYING MAN (FEAT. MARK LANEGAN) WRAPPED IN SEVERAL KINDS OF SKIN SEEKING CONSOLATION IN MACHINES

STUCK IN A HOLE OF COLLAPSING TIME LOCKED INTO SOLITUDE BY BODY STATE AND MIND A SILENT TENSION DRAGS AND WEAKENS IN A HOLLOW ROOM THE DARKNESS DEEPENS THE CURVE STEEPENS

JUST ANOTHER BLANK DIARY ENTRY THE EMPTINESS TELLS ITS OWN STORY BLANK DIARY ENTRY A SLOW PAINFUL GOODBYE TO GLORY - GOODBYE TO GLORY

A GENTLE MURMURATION CONCEALED TO ALL BUT ME ESTRANGED SAD AND SOFTENED IN A LOW SKY BY THE SEA - PATIENTLY

DISCIPLINED DESIRES AND TOXIC AGENDAS POLISHED BY LIGHT YET STILL HALF REMEMBERED FATIGUED - TIRED RAGGED AND DISTRESSED NO WAY OUT OF THIS UNHOLY MESS - I MUST CONFESS

BLANK DIARY ENTRY - THE EMPTINESS TELLS ITS OWN STORY BLANK DIARY ENTRY - A SLOW PAINFUL GOODBYE TO GLORY GOODBYE TO GLORY WHY DO

HAPPY BORED THESE ALONE

I WAS SINGING TO A TROUBLED SKY SHE ONLY SHINES WITH SOME BORROWED LIGHT I WAS PRAYING TO A GODLESS SKY FOR THE PEOPLE STILL SCREAMING INSIDE WORDS

I AM HAPPY I AM BORED AND I’M ALONE I AM TIRED I AM RESTLESS AND I’M COLD WHY THE CHAOS LIVING IN YOUR SOUL I AM BORED I AM HAPPY AND ALONE

I SAW THE SMILE OF A DYING HERO SAW THE TEARS OF A LOVE THAT’S LEAVING REMAIN WHY IS THE DAY SO LONG AND BROKEN WHY DO THESE WORDS REMAIN UNSPOKEN REPEAT CHORUS

BOREDOM WAS ALWAYS MY BEST FRIEND COS BOREDOM NEVER REALLY HAS TO END INFINITE LOYAL AND SUBLIME IT LEADS ME TO A HIGHER PLANE UNSPOKEN AFTERENDING

AS THE FLAGS FALL DOWN THE STATUES CRACK AND DROWN WE CLAP FOR A CRUMBLING STATE INVENTING RULES WHICH WE CAN BREAK BUT TAKE NO BLAME

WE ENTER A NIGHT OF NOTHINGNESS EVEN YOUR SHADOW DISAPPEARS REALITY BECOMES AN APOLOGY AND WAKING UP THE CATASTROPHE

SAIL INTO THE ABYSS WITH ME AFTERENDING AND AFTER BELIEF AFTER TOMORROW AFTER THE FLOOD AFTERENDING FROM BELOW AND ABOVE

PROGRESS IS A COMFORTABLE DISEASE THAT BROUGHT US DOWN TO OUR KNEES NOT TO PRAY BUT TO CRY AND WISH WHILE PAINTING PORTRAITS OF OUR LONELINESS

SAIL INTO THE ABYSS WITH ME AFTERENDING AND AFTER BELIEF AFTER TOMORROW AFTER THE FLOOD AFTERENDING FROM BELOW AND ABOVE

AND THE TATTOO THAT RUNS DOWN YOUR SPINE IS A SECRET MESSAGE FOR US TO FIND TROJAN HORSES AND STRAW DOGS THE NEAR FUTURE HAS BEEN AND GONE CREDITS

MANIC STREET PREACHERS

JAMES DEAN BRADFIELD - VOCALS / / - BASS - DRUMS / PERCUSSION

Produced and engineered by Dave Eringa except tracks 1 and 9 Tracks 1 and 9 co-produced by Gavin Fitzjohn Additional engineering by Loz Williams, Jack Boston, Tony O’Flaherty & Jake Faber Mixed and additional programming by David Wrench for Solar Management except * Assisted by Grace Banks Track 1* mixed by Dave Eringa at Electric Daveyland Studios Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis Studios, Recorded at Rockfield and Door To The River Studios, Keyboards - Nick Nasmyth Additional keyboards - Dave Eringa Additional and keyboards - Gavin Fitzjohn Backing vocals - Cat Southall Additional backing vocals - Wayne Murray Strings and arrangement - Bernard Kane Track 3 lead vocals - Julia Cumming courtesy of Mom + Pop Records and Lucky Number Records Track 9 lead vocals - Mark Lanegan courtesy of Heavenly Recordings

All Songs Published by Copyright Control Management - Martin Hall, Michael Hall All photography and design concept - Nicky Wire Design - James Isaacs / Black Finch Design

CD2 DELUXE DEMOS

JAMES DEAN BRADFIELD - VOCALS / GUITARS / PIANO NICKY WIRE - BASS / VOCALS / GUITAR TRACK 5 AND 8 SEAN MOORE - DRUMS / PERCUSSION

All tracks produced and engineered by Loz Williams at Door To The River Studio except: Track 1 and 11 produced and engineered by Gavin Fitzjohn at Watertown Studios, Track 9 produced and engineered by Jack Boston at Rockfield Studios

Track 11 additional guitar and keyboard - Gavin Fitzjohn Track 3 additional piano - Nick Nasmyth