"Tsunami" is the Japanese word for "big wave". The song was inspired by The Silent Twins, June and Jennifer Gibbons, who gave up speaking when they were young, became involved in crime and ended up being sent to Broadmoor Hospital.[2] The song is unique in the band's catalogue in that it is largely built around an electric sitar and strings.[3]
Release
The single peaked at number 11 in the United Kingdom, remaining on the UK Singles Chart for eight weeks. Of all four singles from This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, "Tsunami" spent the fewest weeks on the chart.[4] In Finland, the song peaked in number 13, spending three weeks on Finnish Singles Chart.[5]
The B-side "Buildings for Dead People" appears on the enhanced CD 1 along with the video for "A Design for Life".[6] CD 2 includes a remix of "Tsunami" by Cornelius and a mix by Electron Ray Tube.[7] The cassette version includes a live recording of "Motown Junk" from the Tivoli in Utrecht in Holland on 29 March 1999.[8] "Tsunami" was also included on the band's Forever Delayed singles compilation.
^ abTsunami (UK CD2 liner notes). Manic Street Preachers. Epic Records. 1999. 667411 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ abTsunami (UK cassette single sleeve). Manic Street Preachers. Epic Records. 1999. 667411 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^"Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 30. 24 July 1999. p. 8.