(It's Not War) Just the End of Love
{{short description|Song by Manic Street Preachers}}
{{Infobox song
| name = (It's Not War) Just the End of Love
| cover = Itsnotwarjusttheendoflove.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Manic Street Preachers
| album = Postcards from a Young Man
| released = 13 September 2010
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Alternative rock
| length = 3:27
| label = Columbia
| writer = James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Sean Moore
| producer = Dave Eringa
| prev_title = The Ghosts of Christmas
| prev_year = 2007
| next_title = Some Kind of Nothingness
| next_year = 2010
}}
"(It's Not War) Just the End of Love" is a song by Manic Street Preachers and was released as the lead single from their tenth album Postcards From a Young Man.
The song was made Record of the Week on BBC Radio 2"[https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/music/playlist/ BBC Radio 2 Playlist: Week Commencing: 28 Aug 2010]", BBC, retrieved 2010-08-31 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310102057/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/music/playlist/ |date=March 10, 2011 }} and added to the BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music and XFM playlists."[http://www.xfm.co.uk/onair/playlist XFM Playlist]", retrieved 2010-08-31 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207231026/http://www.xfm.co.uk/onair/playlist |date=February 7, 2010 }}
Music video
The music video, directed by Alex Smith,{{Cite web |url= http://www.promonews.tv/videos/2010/08/26/manic-street-preachers%E2%80%99-it%E2%80%99s-not-war-just-end-love-alex-smith |title=Manic Street Preachers' (It's Not War) Just The End Of Love by Alex Smith |website= PromoNews.tv |access-date=2014-10-13 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141018125024/http://www.promonews.tv/videos/2010/08/26/manic-street-preachers%E2%80%99-it%E2%80%99s-not-war-just-end-love-alex-smith |archive-date= 2014-10-18 |url-status=dead }} was premiered on GMTV on 26 August 2010. It is set in a 1970s chess tournament and stars actor Michael Sheen, who portrays an American chess master (although playing with a Welsh flag), opposite a Soviet chess master portrayed by actress Anna Friel."[http://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/161374/9 MANIC STREET PREACHERS UNVEIL NEW VIDEO (IT'S NOT WAR) - JUST THE END OF LOVE]", stereoboard.com, 27 August 2010, retrieved 2010-08-31 The entire video unfolds in slight slow motion. The match is interrupted when the two mount the chess table and kiss passionately (coinciding with the guitar solo) as the studio audience looks on aghast.
Reception
The single was enthusiastically received by BBC Wales' James McLaren, who stated "Well I like it, I really do. It's got a theatrical pop verve to it. A sweeping string-laden hook, classic Bradders growly verse and a widdly solo in the middle eight. The melody is simple but delivered with classic Manics panache."McLaren, James (2010) "[https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesmusic/2010/07/manic-street-preachers-its-not-war-single.shtml Manic Street Preachers (It's Not War) Just The End Of Love]", BBC Wales Music, 26 July 2010, retrieved 2010-08-31 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110123145310/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesmusic/2010/07/manic-street-preachers-its-not-war-single.shtml |date=January 23, 2011 }} This Is Fake DIY described it: "It's simple, it's catchy and it's enjoyable, and will have many casual radio listeners rifling through their back catalogue to discover what they've been missing all these years." The NME commented that it had "nostalgia...but also an unmistakable sense of vitality and urgency"."[https://www.nme.com/reviews/magnetic-man--2/11478 10 Tracks You Have To Hear This Week]", NME, 5 August 2010, retrieved 2010-08-31 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020094143/http://www.nme.com/reviews/magnetic-man--2/11478 |date=October 20, 2012 }} In an early review of the album, the NME described the track as "quite literally the daftest, campest, most outlandish stadium pop song the Manics have ever put their minds to. But in a really excellent way, with one of those choruses you only need to hear once to remember forever."Martin, Dan (2010) "[https://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=140&p=8799&more=1&c=1 Manic Street Preachers, ‘Postcards From A Young Man’ – First Listen]", NME, 27 July 2010, retrieved 2010-08-31 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020094742/http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=140&p=8799&more=1&c=1 |date=October 20, 2012 }} The Fly called it a "brilliant start" to the album, saying that it "sets out its grandiose stall from the off as James Dean Bradfield's FM-friendly riff gives way to a warm orchestral flourish".Doherty, Niall (2010) "[http://www.the-fly.co.uk/words/features/8230/manic-street-preachers-'postcards-from-a-young-man'-//-first-listen Manic Street Preachers 'Postcards From A Young Man' // First Listen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100806063434/http://www.the-fly.co.uk/words/features/8230/manic-street-preachers-'postcards-from-a-young-man'-/-first-listen |date=2010-08-06 }}", The Fly, 29 July 2010, retrieved 2010-08-31
The single entered the UK Charts at #28, making "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love" their lowest charting single since "Life Becoming a Landslide" (1994). It was the band's last Top 40 hit single.
Track listing
=CD 1=
- "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love" – 3:29
- "I'm Leaving You for Solitude" – 3:21
- "Distractions" – 3:56
- "Ostpolitik" – 2:58
=CD 2=
- "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love"
- "Lost Voices"
(Manics website exclusive format)
=7" single=
- "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love"
- "I Know the Numbers"
"[http://www.columbia.co.uk/news/17933/0/ Manic Street Preachers - (Its Not War) Just The End of Love single details and pre-order] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310122250/http://www.columbia.co.uk/news/17933/0/ |date=2012-03-10 }}", Columbia Records, 30 July 2010, retrieved 2010-08-31
Chart performance
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| align="left"|Chart (2010)
!align="left"|Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|UK|28|artist=Manic Street Preachers|song=(It's Not War) Just the End of Love|date=2010-09-25}} |
| align="left"|BEL Singles Chart{{cite web |url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Manic+Street+Preachers&titel=Your+Love+Alone+Is+Not+Enough&cat=s |title=dutchcharts.nl |accessdate=9 December 2010}}
|align="center"|38 |
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Manic Street Preachers}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:It's Not War Just the End of Love}}
Category:Manic Street Preachers songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Dave Eringa
Category:Columbia Records singles
Category:Songs written by James Dean Bradfield