Greetings. This is the theme song from the film and US television series M.A.S.H., which aired 1972-83, one of the longest running TV shows in history. “Suicide is Painless” was written by Johnny Mandel for the movie. I find the music and lyrics haunting and uplifting at the same time. The original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0xy-LoDi94&rco=1
The Backstory: For those from across the various ponds or not Vintage Club aged, this TV comedy-drama follows the antics of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the 1950-53 Korean “Police Action” (We tend not to call our wars “wars.” Vietnam was a 20 year “Conflict” never declared a war by the Congress. But I digress). The show features the best of America (bravery, compassion, principle, individuality, skill) and also the worst (jingoism, racism, misogyny, homophobia, glorified alcohol abuse and adultery, and the cruelty laid on people pressed into armed conflict they don’t understand or support).
The Cover: Like everyone, I have played this better without the red light, but I was just hanging on my porch with my Alvarez AF60 and iPhone, and this seems good enough to post. I picked up a guitar for the first time 3 years ago and decided as a lefty to play right-handed, so consistent and clean strumming is a never-ending challenge. I have a fingerstyle version of the song too which I’ll add to this post later. Thanks for your feedback and for sharing the Justin Guitar journey.
Hi Michael,
Great , this brings back nice memories
I’ve seen them all (the reruns right 'cause I’m still…uh young )
Speaking of a inappropriate thing in naming… "Hot Lips " Loretta Swit recently passed away and that song was stuck in my head for days …you brought it back
Michael, it’s been a while since I heard you play (maybe I just missed it)
This was a lovely rendition and this doctor failed to pick up any fever at all…
Bravo!
MASH- what a classic! I think everyone of a certain age, (at least in the anglophone world) would be familiar with it. It is indeed a gorgeous song, although the lyrics always puzzled me. I googled it a couple of years ago and discovered:
Director Robert Altman had two stipulations about the song for composer Johnny Mandel: it had to be called “Suicide Is Painless” and it had to be the “stupidest song ever written”. Altman attempted to write the lyrics himself, but, upon finding it too difficult for his “45-year-old brain” to write something “stupid” enough, he gave the task to his 15-year-old-son Michael, who reportedly wrote the lyrics in five minutes… Altman said that, while he only made $70,000 for directing the movie, his son had earned more than $1 million for co-writing the song. (Wikipedia)
If you go back and read them with that in context, they become as meaningful as ABBA’s Honey, Honey or Octopuses Garden . It’s funny how we can often read special meaning into banality if we try.
… And indeed, how it then becomes meaningful!
Look forward to the fingerstyle
It’s a user transposed version from Ultimate Guitar. Easier chord shapes and I personally like the sound better. I gravitate toward songs using a capo - helps with my short finger syndrome.
I enjoyed that Michael. I too remember the original on tv and I remember going to the cinema to see the movie version.
Well played with feeling and I think a fingerstyle version would suit the song very well.
As for the lyrics of the movie version……@brianlarsen summed it up well.
I watched the reruns and I identify with Hawkeye a lot, especially how he tries to disarm tense situations with his serious reply/humerous delivery combo. Just as for me, it doesn’t always work out that well but we both manage to polish some edges here and there
I grew up with MASH, and its up there as the very best.
Years later, my wife and I re-watched every single episode over a couple of months. No other show will ever be like it.
Re the lyrics; the song doesnt need them. It stands on its own.
Very nice Michael. I would love to hear the finger style rendition you mention.
I was reading the thread title and kept thinking “How do I know that song” and just before clicking into it had the aha moment that it’s the theme to M.A.S.H. I watched it during the latter years as I was too young for the early years. I have watched all of them multiple times on reruns over the years. Like a whole bunch of other people, I watched the final episode which went down in history as the most watched single show.
I didn’t know that about the lyrics either. Since the TV version is just instrumental I rarely heard the song with the lyrics. Oh, and you added yet another song to my songs I want to learn list.
Nice! I’m slightly too young (just) but i remember my mum watching it. Since my late teens I’ve been a fan of the Manic Street Preachers and they covered the song (https://youtu.be/y11f8Oc25AI?si=_Bsj2DokqdTpG4I-).
I haven’t watched the original series or any reruns - but I watched the video with the link you have posted so I got some idea. I like the version you play - very athmospheric and so perfectly placed out on the porch! Please post also the fingerpicking version!!!
Hey Colin, thanks for sharing Manic Street Preachers’ version. It’s like Johnny Mandel meets Mötley Crüe. I’ll have to drink three espressos and figure out how to jam along.
Nice one. Mash takes me back to when I was a wee child and my father would come home from work and watch reruns. So much nostalgia. Thanks for sharing!
@DavidP, I am happy you enjoyed the song and some memories from way back. Yes, I did dance right up to the line of political diatribe, but didn’t cause you to take your red pencil to my post!
Old enough? Guilty. Iconic TV theme – though I did miss the sound of the helicopters! Anyway, enough of the trip down memory lane. Very good cover, Michael. I think you played it a touch slower than the original — was that intentional? Either way, it’s a nice arrangement, and I especially liked the way you mixed in the picking with the strumming.
P.S. Manic Street Preachers did a nice cover.
, this brings back nice memories 
)
