4st 7lb

{{Short description|1994 song by Manic Street Preachers}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox song | name = 4st 7lb | cover = | alt = | artist = Manic Street Preachers | album = The Holy Bible | released = {{Start date|df=yes|1994|8|29}} | recorded = | studio = Sound Space Studios, Cardiff, Wales | venue = | genre = *Art rock<ref name="gpm" /> *gothic rock<ref>{{cite web |last = Harris |first = Cameron Sinclair |date = 29 January 2021 |title = 11 Underrated Songs: Manic Street Preachers |url = https://www.gigwise.com/features/3395555/11-underrated-songs-manic-street-preachers |access-date = 19 May 2021 |website = Gigwise |archive-date = 5 March 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210305134514/https://www.gigwise.com/features/3395555/11-underrated-songs-manic-street-preachers |url-status = live }}</ref> | length = {{Duration|m=5|s=5}} | label = Epic | composer = James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore | lyricist = Richey Edwards | producer = Manic Street Preachers }} "'''4st 7lb'''" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, from the band's third album, ''The Holy Bible'' (1994).<ref name="Franklin2005">{{cite book | last = Dave Franklin | title = Manic Streets of Perth: An Australian Comedy | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aYhYAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT44 | date = 4 April 2005 | publisher = Baby Ice Dog Press | pages = 44– | id = GGKEY:3YSBTPEZ47H }}</ref>

== Music and lyrics == Musically, the song features art rock riffs and the extensive addition of guitar reverb.<ref name="p4k">{{cite web |url = http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/5074-the-holy-bible/ |title = Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible |publisher = Pitchfork |date = 17 January 2005 |access-date = 2 September 2013 |last = Tangari, Joe |archive-date = 10 September 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130910002324/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/5074-the-holy-bible/ |url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="gpm">{{cite web |title=Manic Street Preachers - the Holy Bible - Golden Vault 38 |url=https://www.goldenplec.com/featured/manic-street-preachers-holy-bible-golden-vault-38/ |website=GoldenPlec Magazine |access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref> The verse riff in the first half of the song revolves around an arpeggiated diminished seventh chord, and has been compared to that of "Eton Rifles" by The Jam.<ref name="Consumable">{{cite news | last1 = Gajarsky | first1 = Bob | title = Manic Street Preachers – Interview | work = Consumable | date = 27 March 1995 }}</ref> Then, the song slows down and becomes a more atmospheric, minimalist base.<ref name="sputnik">{{cite web | url = https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/1675/Manic-Street-Preachers-The-Holy-Bible/ | title = Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible (staff review) | work = Sputnikmusic | date = 21 January 2005 | access-date = 2 September 2013 | last = Butler, Nick }}</ref><ref name="Jovanovic2010">{{cite book | last = Rob Jovanovic | title = A Version of Reason: The Search for Richey Edwards | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=08Ql0sjmjKsC&pg=PT147 | date = 3 December 2010 | publisher = Orion | isbn = 978-1-4091-1129-0 | pages = 147– }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.newstatesman.com/sarah-ditum/2015/01/razors-pain-you-what-dorothy-parker-teaches-us-about-our-addiction-female | title = Razors pain you: what Dorothy Parker teaches us about our addiction to female suffering | date = 13 January 2015 | access-date = 6 February 2015 | archive-date = 6 February 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150206143911/http://www.newstatesman.com/sarah-ditum/2015/01/razors-pain-you-what-dorothy-parker-teaches-us-about-our-addiction-female | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="Segalstad2008">{{cite book | last = Eric Segalstad | title = The 27s: The Greatest Myth of Rock & Roll | url = https://archive.org/details/27sgreatestmytho0000sega | url-access = registration | year = 2008 | publisher = Samadhi Creations, LLC | isbn = 978-0-615-18964-2 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/27sgreatestmytho0000sega/page/20 20]– }}</ref>

Lyrically, the song describes advanced-stage anorexia;<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |url = https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-holy-bible-mw0000123614 |title = Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible |publisher = AllMusic |access-date = 2 September 2013 |last = Erlewine, Stephen Thomas |author-link = Stephen Thomas Erlewine |archive-date = 7 September 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150907015426/https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-holy-bible-mw0000123614 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nme.com/reviews/name/7538 | title = Manic Street Preachers : The Holy Bible (Tenth Anniversary Edition) | work = NME | date = 13 December 2004 | access-date = 2 September 2013 | last = Martin, Dan | archive-date = 2 March 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140302181256/http://www.nme.com/reviews/name/7538 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/feb/04/popandrock.shopping10 | title = Manic Street Preachers, The Holy Bible 10th Anniversary Edition | work = The Guardian | date = 4 February 2005 | access-date = 2 September 2013 | last = Sweeting, Adam | archive-date = 3 March 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140303100158/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/feb/04/popandrock.shopping10 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/dec/21/manic-street-preachers-roundhouse-observer-review |title = Manic Street Preachers review – fire and brimstone revisited |last = Dorian Lynskey |website = The Guardian |date = 21 December 2014 |access-date = 6 February 2015 |archive-date = 6 February 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150206154833/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/dec/21/manic-street-preachers-roundhouse-observer-review |url-status = live }}</ref> it is about a teenage girl who wants "to be so skinny, that she rots from view".<ref name="stylus">{{cite web |url = http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/manic-street-preachers/the-holy-bible.htm |title = Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible |website = Stylus Magazine |date = 14 December 2004 |access-date = 2 September 2013 |last = Edwards, Mark |archive-date = 28 December 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131228211829/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/manic-street-preachers/the-holy-bible.htm |url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="pop" /><ref name="Buckley2003">{{cite book | last = Peter Buckley | title = The Rough Guide to Rock | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=7ctjc6UWCm4C&pg=PT643 | year = 2003 | publisher = Rough Guides | isbn = 978-1-84353-105-0 | pages = 643– }}</ref><ref name="Pasini2011">{{cite book | last = Aurelio Pasini | title = Brit Rock | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Xiq_Ihts8JIC&pg=PA75 | date = 29 June 2011 | publisher = Giunti Editore | language = it | isbn = 978-88-09-76922-9 | pages = 75– }}</ref> It has been widely interpreted as a reflection of the band's guitarist and lyricist Richey Edwards's own personal struggle with the disease,<ref name="RS">{{cite magazine | last = Fricke | first = David | date = 21 April 2005 | title = Manic Street Preachers: ''The Holy Bible'': 10th Anniversary Edition | magazine = Rolling Stone | publisher = Wenner Media | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/manicstreetpreachers/albums/album/7237722/review/7239745/the_holy_bible_10th_anniversary_edition | archive-date = 12 March 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080312163227/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/manicstreetpreachers/albums/album/7237722/review/7239745/the_holy_bible_10th_anniversary_edition | access-date = 2 September 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/manic-street-preachers/pages/holy_bible.shtml |title = Manic Street Preachers – Holy Bible |publisher = BBC |date = 20 November 2008 |access-date = 2 September 2013 |last = Pattison, Louis |archive-date = 5 April 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140405013951/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/manic-street-preachers/pages/holy_bible.shtml |url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="Magazine2007">{{cite book | last = Various Mojo Magazine | title = The Mojo Collection: 4th Edition | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=AVQbF9lTBwgC&pg=PA609 | date = 1 November 2007 | publisher = Canongate Books | isbn = 978-1-84767-643-6 | pages = 609– }}</ref><ref name="Whiteley2013">{{cite book | last = Sheila Whiteley | title = Too Much Too Young: Popular Music Age and Gender | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=eRGOAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA150 | date = 18 October 2013 | publisher = Routledge | isbn = 978-1-136-50229-3 | pages = 150– }}</ref><ref name="Larkin2006">{{cite book | last = Colin Larkin | title = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Kollington – Morphine | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=cgwKAQAAMAAJ | year = 2006 | publisher = MUZE | isbn = 978-0-19-531373-4 | pages = 475– | access-date = 27 September 2016 | archive-date = 15 December 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191215184650/https://books.google.com/books?id=cgwKAQAAMAAJ | url-status = live }}</ref> which was confirmed by the band's bass guitarist and co-lyricist Nicky Wire.<ref name="Testament">{{cite journal | title = Manics New Testament | journal = Melody Maker | date = 27 August 1994 | page = 4 }}</ref> The spoken intro was sampled from the documentary ''Caraline's Story'', which chronicles the final months of Caraline Neville-Lister, who died of anorexia in 1994 at age 29.

The song was named after 4 stones 7 pounds, or {{convert|63|lbs|kg}}, the weight below which death is said to be medically unavoidable for an anorexia sufferer.<ref name="sputnik" />{{sfn|Clarke|1997|p=116}}

== Reception == The song received acclaim from music critics. Nick Butler of Sputnikmusic praised the song, referring it as "quite simply, genius". He also commented that the song "contains one of the best lyrics even written by anyone, replete with the awesome chorus", while describing the song's musical structure in detail.<ref name="sputnik" /> Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote: "the diary of anorexia '4st 7lb' is one of the most chilling songs in rock & roll".<ref name="allmusic" /> Tim O'Neil of ''PopMatters'' described the song as "the most specifically evocative track on the album".<ref name="pop">{{cite web|url= https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/manicstreetpreachers-holybible2005/ |title = Manic Street Preachers: The Holy Bible -- 10th Anniversary Edition |website = PopMatters |date = 20 May 2005 |access-date = 2 September 2013 |last = O'Neil, Tim |archive-date = 1 February 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130201025206/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/manicstreetpreachers-holybible2005/ |url-status = live}}</ref> Mark Edwards of ''Stylus Magazine'' stated that the song, along with two other tracks, "Mausoleum" and "Faster", "takes your breath away", while commenting that the song is deeply disturbing. He also inferred that "it comes as close to glamourising anorexia as you can get".<ref name="stylus" /> In a retrospective review, critic Mike Cormack wrote that "Simply as a literary artefact, “4st 7lb” (the weight at which anorexia becomes fatal) is among the most impressive achievements in rock music. Its music is equally crafted, nauseating waves of guitar in the first half subsiding in a rare diminuendo, gradually declining to nothingness to mirror the anorexic’s final decline... '4st 7lb' is a towering reminder of the potential of rock music. It is utterly harrowing and yet almost majestic in its artistry."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.popmatters.com/manic-street-preachers-holy-hell/ |title = Manic Street Preachers' Holy Hell |website = PopMatters |date = 8 September 2025 |access-date = 16 January 2026 |last = Cormack |first = Mike}}</ref>

== Personnel == '''Manic Street Preachers''' * James Dean Bradfield – vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, production * Richey Edwards – lyrics, production * Nicky Wire – bass guitar, production * Sean Moore – drums, production '''Technical''' * Alex Silva – engineering * Mark Freegard – mixing

== References == {{Reflist}} '''Sources''' * {{cite book | last = Clarke | first = Martin | title = Manic Street Preachers: Sweet Venom | year = 1997 | publisher = Plexus | location = London | isbn = 0-85965-259-9 }}

== External links == * {{official website|manicstreetpreachers.com|Manic Street Preachers official website}}

Category:1994 songs Category:Art rock songs Category:Gothic rock songs Category:Manic Street Preachers songs Category:Songs about eating disorders Category:Songs written by James Dean Bradfield Category:Songs written by Nicky Wire Category:Songs written by Richey Edwards Category:Songs written by Sean Moore (musician)