"Number One is the only number that matters" - Richey Edwards

Released as a single in August 1998, it gave Manic Street Preachers their first chart-topping single ever. Technically, it was Number One in Ireland first, as Ireland releases its charts on Saturdays (the UK releases on Sundays). The band were actually in the country at the time, travelling from a gig in Cork to Slane castle. They were on the tour bus when they heard. Nicky's reaction was:

"I was really happy. I wanted to call up all my friends and tell them about it. But then I remembered that I didn't have any."
It became number one in the UK a day later, and lasted for a whole glorious week. Apart from The Masses Against The Classes, it remains their only Numer One.

The b-sides were: