SONG FACTS
A song about pretence and loss of faith, if that doesn’t sound too grandiose. The “San Manuel” referenced in the title is a character in a novella by Miguel de Unamuno – a priest who loses his belief, but continues to pretend as he thinks it will comfort his followers.
The guitar part to this song was one of the first things that David Singleton wrote when first picking up a guitar at fourteen. It’s a series of open chords, easily played by any beginner (although playing it as beautifully as the absurdly talented Horacio Pozzo may be a little more difficult).
The vocal is by Andy Yorke, who seems born to sing these slightly mournful, introspective songs. As with “Forever”, this is a completely dry, unprocessed voice – a wonderful performance in the raw.