A Design for Life

"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. It is regarded by many as one of their most compelling songs^{[citation needed]}, and by some as their outright best^{[citation needed]}.

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 a public 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 slogan 'Arbeit macht Frei' that featured above the gates of 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 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's 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.

1 Sleeve Quote
2 Track listing
- 2.1 CD1
- 2.2 CD2
- 2.3 MC

[edit] Sleeve Quote

The creation continues incessantly through the media of man. But man does not create... he discovers. Those who look to the laws of nature for support for their new works collaborate with the creator. Copiers do not collaborate. Because of this, originality consists in returning to the origin.

Antonio Gaudi

[edit] Track listing

[edit] CD1

"A Design For Life" - 4:19
"Mr Carbohydrate" - 4:13
"Dead Passive" - 3:19
"Dead Trees And Traffic Islands" - 3:43

[edit] 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)"

[edit] MC

"A Design For Life"
"Bright Eyes (live)"

v • d • e Manic Street Preachers

James Dean Bradfield • Nicky Wire • Sean Moore Flicker (Miles Woodward) • Richey James Edwards

Studio albums	"Generation Terrorists" (1992) • "Gold Against the Soul" (1993) • "The Holy Bible" (1994) • "Everything Must Go" (1996) • "This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours" (1998) • "Know Your Enemy" (2001) • "Lifeblood" (2004) • "Send Away the Tigers" (2007)

Singles and EPs	"Suicide Alley" (1989) • "New Art Riot EP" (1990) • "Motown Junk" (1991) • "You Love Us (Heavenly Version)" (1991) • "Feminine Is Beautiful" (1991) • "Stay Beautiful" (1991) • "Love's Sweet Exile/Repeat" (1991) • "You Love Us" (1991) • "Slash 'N' Burn" (1992) • "Motorcycle Emptiness" (1992) • "Little Baby Nothing" (1992) • "Theme From MASH (Suicide Is Painless)" (1992) • "From Despair To Where" (1993) • "La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh)" (1993) • "Roses In The Hospital" (1993) • "Life Becoming A Landslide EP" (1994) • "Faster/P.C.P." (1994) • "Revol" (1994) • "She Is Suffering" (1994) • "A Design for Life*" (1996) • "Everything Must Go" (1996) • "Kevin Carter" (1996) • "Australia" (1996) • "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" (1998) • "The Everlasting" (1998) • "You Stole The Sun From My Heart" (1999) • "Tsunami" (1999) • "The Masses Against The Classes" (2000) • "Found That Soul" (2001) • "So Why So Sad" (2001) • "Ocean Spray" (2001) • "Let Robeson Sing" (2001) • "There By The Grace Of God" (2002) • "The Love Of Richard Nixon" (2004) • "Empty Souls" (2005) • "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough" (2007) • "Autumnsong" (2007) • "Indian Summer" (2007)

Promos	"UK Channel Boredom" (1990) • "God Save The Manics EP" (2005) • " Underdogs" (2007) • "Ghost Of Christmas" (2007)

Other releases	"Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" (1995) • "Know Our B-Sides" (2001) • Leviathan" (2005) • "The Instrumental" (2006) • "Umbrella" (2008)

Compilation albums	"Forever Delayed" (2002) • "Lipstick Traces" (2003)

Box Sets	"Six Singles from Generation Terrorists" (1997)

Videos	"Everything Live" (1997) • "Leaving the 20th Century" (2000) • "Louder Than War" (2001) • "Forever Delayed" (2002)

Official book	"Forever Delayed" (2002)

Related articles	Manic Street Preachers Discography Manic Street Preachers B-sides