Johnny Mandel (music) and Mike Altman (lyrics) - Suicide is painless

"Through early morning fog I see
visions of the things to be
the pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see...

[chorus]:

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.

I try to find a way to make
all our little joys relate
without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it's too late, and...

[Chorus]

The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
so this is all I have to say.

[Chorus]

The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I'm beat
and to another give my seat
for that's the only painless feat.

[Chorus]

MASH
The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger...watch it grin, but...

[Chorus]

A brave man once requested me
to answer questions that are key
'is it to be or not to be'
and I replied 'oh why ask me?'

'Cause suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
...and you can do the same thing if you choose."


"Johnny Mandel (November 23, 1925) [1] is a Grammy Award-winning American composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz.

Among the musicians he has worked with are Count Basie (for whom he arranged in the 1950s), Frank Sinatra (for whom he arranged Ring-a-Ding-Ding! (1960), Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Barbra Streisand, and Shirley Horn."

"Mike Altman (born 1955) is the son of film director Robert Altman and is best known for writing the lyrics to "Suicide Is Painless", the theme song for his father's 1970 movie, M*A*S*H.

The younger Altman wrote the song at the age of only 14. Speaking on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in the 1980s, the elder Altman said that Mike made over a million dollars from the song, while he himself was paid only $70,000 for directing the film."

Source Wikipedia