Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless) – The Mash (1970)

Description

Additional information about this, The Mash vinyl art.

The Mash – The Artists

The Mash are session singers John Bahler, Tom Bahler, Ron Hicklin and Ian Freebairn-Smith. They were bought together specifically to perform the Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless)

Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless) – The Song

Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless) is a song written by Johnny Mandel (music) and Michael Altman (lyrics). It was the theme song for both the movie and TV series M*A*S*H. Mike Altman was 14 years old when he wrote the song’s lyrics. The song was written specifically for Ken Prymus, the actor playing Private Seidman, who sang it during the faux-suicide of Walter “Painless Pole” Waldowski (John Schuck) in the film’s “Last Supper” scene. Director Robert Altman had two stipulations about the song for Mandel: it had to be called “Suicide Is Painless” and it had to be the “stupidest song ever written”. Altman attempted to write the lyrics himself, but upon finding it too difficult for his 45-year-old brain to write “stupid enough,” he gave the task to his 14-year-old-son Michael, who wrote the lyrics in five minutes. Altman later decided that the song worked so well, he would use it as the film’s main theme, despite Mandel’s initial objections. This version was sung by uncredited session singers John Bahler, Tom Bahler, Ron Hicklin and Ian Freebairn-Smith and the single was attributed to “The Mash”. 

Bell 47G5 Helicopter – The Shape

Modelled into the light weight Bell 47G5a helicopter that was featured extensively in the TV series Mash. The Bell 47 is a single-rotor single-engine light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It was based on the third Bell 30 prototype, which was the company’s first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young. The 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946. The first civilian delivery was made on 31 December 1946 to Helicopter Air Transport. More than 5,600 Bell 47s were produced, including those under license by Agusta in Italy, Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan, and Westland Aircraft in the United Kingdom.

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