| "Many of Horror" | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Biffy Clyro | |||||||||||||
| from the album Only Revolutions | |||||||||||||
| Released | 18 January 2010 | ||||||||||||
| Format | CD, Digital download, 7" | ||||||||||||
| Recorded | 2009 | ||||||||||||
| Genre | Alternative rock | ||||||||||||
| Length | 4:19 | ||||||||||||
| Label | 14th Floor | ||||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Simon Neil[1] | ||||||||||||
| Biffy Clyro singles chronology | |||||||||||||
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"Many of Horror" is an alternative rock song written by Simon Neil of Scottish band Biffy Clyro for their fifth studio album Only Revolutions. The song was released as the fourth single from the album on 18 January 2010.[2] The song was recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood, CA and mastered at Masterdisk.[3] The lyrics of the song concern Neil's wife and family. Jacknife Lee, who previously remixed "Silhouettes" for the Biffy Clyro and Sucioperro side project Marmaduke Duke, recorded a remix for the song.
Matt Cardle, winner of the 2010 series of The X Factor, recorded a studio version of the song under the title "When We Collide" and released it as his debut single, after having performed it in the final of the competition. Biffy Clyro fans launched an internet campaign to get the original track "Many of Horror" to the festive charts,[4][5] with fans joining a Facebook campaign urging people to buy Biffy Clyro's original single rather than Cardle's cover version. This resulted in the Biffy Clyro version reaching number 8 in the UK Singles Chart, its highest position ever, and Cardle's version became the UK Christmas number 1.
The song is featured on the deluxe edition soundtrack to the film Transformers: Dark of the Moon and is played during the end credits.
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Critical reception of "Many of Horror" was generally positive.
Jamie Fullerton of NME called "Many of Horror" a "perfect rock ballad".[6] Tim Newbound of Rock Sound described it as "beautifully serene" and stated it balances out more aggressive songs on the album.[7] Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic described the song as "mellow".[8]
Thom Gibbs of Drowned in Sound was critical of the song, calling it a "so-so ballad" and describing it as "too emo".[9]
CD Single 14FLR41CD
7" Blue Vinyl 14FLR41
7" Red Vinyl 14FLR41X
iTunes Digital EP
The video for the song features the band playing in Battersea Power Station. Occasionally, lead singer Simon Neil's face appears distorted.
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA)[10] | 10 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] | 27 |
| Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[12] | 11 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[13] | 8 |
| "When We Collide" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Matt Cardle | ||||
| from the album Letters | ||||
| Released | 12 December 2010 | |||
| Format | CD single, digital download | |||
| Recorded | 2010 | |||
| Genre | Pop, pop rock | |||
| Length | 3:43 | |||
| Label | Syco, Sony | |||
| Writer(s) | Simon Neil | |||
| Producer | Richard "Biff" Stannard, Ash Howes | |||
| Matt Cardle singles chronology | ||||
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"When We Collide" is the debut single by Matt Cardle, the 2010 winner of the seventh series of The X Factor.[14] His version has been re-titled "When We Collide".[5] It was made available as a download on 12 December 2010 shortly after the show had ended, with a physical CD single being released on 15 December 2010.[15]
In December 2010, Cardle stated that "I know there are some Biffy fans that are like, 'What have you done to that song?'...It's a great song. I'm hoping that I've done it justice." Referring to the Facebook campaign to make the original version of the song number 1 in the chart, Cardle said "If that happens then great - it's a great song".[5] On 19 December 2010, it charted number 1 in the UK Singles Chart, beating "What's My Name" by Rihanna featuring Drake and "Surfin' Bird" by The Trashmen, whilst the Biffy Clyro original of Many of Horror re-entered the chart at number 8.[16] The song is the second best-selling single of 2010 according to the UK Singles Chart "Top 100 Selling Singles of 2010" with 815,000 copies sold during that year; the number 1 being "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem featuring Rihanna with sales of 854,000 copies during 2010.[17]
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| BBC | [19] |
| Digitalspy | (Positive)[20] |
| Femalefirst.com | [21] |
| The Beat Review | [22] |
| Unrealityshout.com | [23] |
Critical reception of Cardle's version of the song was mostly positive although many reviewers noted they preferred the original version. Nick Levine of Digital Spy praised Cardle's vocals, stating he delivered "the violence-tinged lyrics with an appealing sense of intimacy, navigating the inevitable key change with ease and really smashing it on the final note".[20] Rachael Patan of Femalefirst.com[21] and The Beat Review applauded the song choice with the latter stating "his untimely cover of Biffy Clyro’s ‘Many of Horror’ is a very clever and risque thing to do and we applaud him for that".[22]
Fraser McAlpine of the BBC Chart Blog, was much more negative. He stated, "on the evidence of this song, he sure as hell can't sing."[19] Unrealityshout.com agreed, stating "I actually find it very hard to listen to such a heroically valiant vocal from the Biffy Clyro clan get turned into a whimpering, reedy, falsetto-ridden snoozefest".[23]
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scotland (The Official Charts Company)[24] | 1 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[25] | 1 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[26] | 1 |
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| Irish Singles (IRMA)[27] | 1 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[28] | 2 |
| Preceded by "The Time (Dirty Bit)" by The Black Eyed Peas |
UK Singles Chart number-one single 19 December 2010 – 9 January 2011 |
Succeeded by "What's My Name?" by Rihanna featuring Drake |
| Preceded by "Heroes" by The X Factor Finalists 2010 |
Irish Singles Chart number-one single 17 December 2010 – 14 January 2011 |
Succeeded by "Grenade" by Bruno Mars |
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