Manic Street Preachers

Songwriter: Keith Richards Mick Jagger

If you start me up
If you start me up I'll never stop
If you start me up
If you start me up I'll never stop

I've been running hot
You got me ticking gonna blow my top
If you start me up
If you start me up I'll never stop, never stop, never stop, never stop

You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
Spread out the oil, the gasoline
I walk in smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine
Start it up

If you start it up
Kick on the starter give it all you got, you got, you got
I can't compete with the riders in the other heats
If you rough it up
If you like it you can slide it up, slide it up, slide it up, slide it up

Don't make a grown man cry
Don't make a grown man cry
Don't make a grown man cry
My eyes dilate, my lips go green
My hands are greasy
She's a mean, mean machine
Start it up

If you start me up
Give it all you got
You got to never, never, never stop
Slide it up
Slide it up
Slide it up (never, never)

You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
Ride like the wind at double speed
I'll take you places that you've never, never seen

Start it up
Love the day when we will never stop, never stop
Never, never, never stop
Tough me up
Never stop, never stop

You, you, you make a grown man cry
You, you make a dead man come
You, you make a dead man come

Manic Street Preachers were formed in 1986 in Blackwood, Wales. Composed of James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar), Nicky Wire (backing vocals, bass guitar), Richey Edwards (rhythm guitar) and Sean Moore (drums), they released three albums between 1992 and 1994 and were noted for their intense anger, post-punk influenced sound and political lyrics, as well as their controversial performances. Songwriting duties were shared across the band, with Edwards and Wire writing most of the lyrics and Bradfield and Moore composing the music.

Edwards disappeared in February 1995 following the release of the band’s seminal album, The Holy Bible, but the band continued as a three piece, with Wire assuming sole lyrical duties. During this period, the band had hits with songs such as “The Masses Against The Classes”, “Your Love Alone Is Not Enough” and “If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next”. Their albums Everything Must Go and This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours also achieved significant chart success.

Richey Edwards was legally declared dead in 2008, thirteen years after his disappearance. The band turned a folder of Richey’s writings into songs and released Journal For Plague Lovers, which was the Manics' best critically-received album since The Holy Bible. Since then they have continued to make music and are still active today.

Manic Street Preachers popular songs

Start Me UpManic Street Preachers

Manic Street Preachers