Song of the Night (#20) Manic Street Preachers - Judge Yr'self

It's hilarious to think of how long and how badly I'd misjudged Manic Street Preachers. I'd heard the band's name in passing a few times and seen their CDs in HMV, but this was during the nineties, when it felt like every band from the UK was a Britpop band and recorded nasally, emasculated whining.

One can only tolerate so much hype, so I assumed Manic Street Preachers to be more of the same and dumped them into my mental rubbish bin alongside Oasis, Radiohead and Blur (the latter three remain there to this day). It turned out that this was a colossal mistake, and I wouldn't reverse my opinion for another fifteen years.

My current impression of the band? Imagine Big Country, only meaner and a great deal angrier. Or perhaps you could imagine Rage Against The Machine's Welsh counterpart, minus all the rapping. While famous for their ambitious lyrics and revolutionary image, I'd argue that MSP should be better known for their forceful and intense brand of hard rock.

"Judge Yr'self" is an unusual song, though not in regards to its melody or composition. Originally written for the 1995 Judge Dredd film (yes, that one), "Judge Yr'self" was left off of the film's soundtrack after the disappearance of the band's chief lyricist and rhythm guitarist - the legendary Richey Edwards. Similarly to the band's seminal album "The Holy Bible", it is almost impossible to avoid interpreting the song in light of Edwards' mental condition and character (you could write a book on this topic, and several already have).

Musically, this is the band at their best, combining searing melodies with shout-worthy anthems. The legacy of Edwards' contributions only serves to make an already powerful song a punch to the gut.