"I Write Sins Not Tragedies" is a song by American rock band Panic at the
Disco, and is the second single from their debut studio album, A Fever You
Can't Sweat Out. It was released on April 27, 2006 on both compact disc and
7 inch vinyl. The song was written by guitarist Ryan Ross, lead singer Brendon
Urie and drummer Spencer Smith. The famous riff that plays during the
introduction and verses is played on a cello by session musician Heather
Stebbins. The song reached No. 7 on the United States Billboard Hot 100. This
was the band's only top forty hit until the release of "Hallelujah" in 2015.
In the UK, the song was released on February 27, 2006 as a limited edition
single with a free sticker. Because the sticker was included with the CD single,
the song was not eligible for the UK singles chart. UK chart rules state that
stickers are not allowed in single releases. Later, in September 2006, due
to the popularity of the track and following further single releases there
of "Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" and
"But It's Better If You Do", going top 40 there, the single was re-released on
October 30, 2006. Despite receiving significant radio airplay upon its
re-release, the single only reached No. 25 in the UK Singles Chart.
Many U.S. radio stations, in response to the language found in the song, wanted
an edited version. The lyrics "The poor groom's bride is a whore" and "Haven't
you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?" were changed by replacing
"whore" with a "shhh" sound and removing "god" in "goddamn". Some stations —
generally modern rock stations – still play the original version.
The song was covered by Fall Out Boy, fellow Decaydance band, for their live
album, ****: Live in Phoenix. "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" was ranked
No. 3 in Billboard's Best 2000's Video poll.
Title The title of the song refers to Douglas
Coupland's novel Shampoo Planet, wherein the main character, Tyler Johnson, says:
"I am writing a list of tragic character flaws on my dollar bills with a felt
pen. I am thinking of the people in my universe and distilling for each of
these people the one flaw in their character that will be their downfall —
the flaw that will be their undoing. What I write are not sins; I write
tragedies." Music video
"I Write Sins Not Tragedies" is Panic! at the Disco's first single to have a
music video. The video for the song takes place at a strange, circus-themed
wedding played by the Lucent Dossier Vaudeville Cirque.
The video starts as the bride, played by Jessie Preston, and groom, Daniel Isaac,
are about to be married. Her family dress and behave formally, but are
revealed later to have fallen asleep and have eyes painted on their eyelids. His
family are lower-class entertainers and carnival folk, and interrupt the
wedding. The ringmaster, played by vocalist Brendon Urie, acts as narrator
and disrupts the events. After an argument between the two families, the
bride runs out and is followed by one of her guests. The ringmaster drags the
groom outside by his tie, where his fiancée is kissing the guest who
followed her out of the church. The groom straightens up, looking shocked,
and Urie and the groom bow to the camera. The ringmaster is revealed to be
the groom's alter ego. The music video by director Shane Drake
won the award for Video of the Year during the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards.
This marked the first occasion since the 1989 VMAs that the winner of Video of
the Year did not win anything else. The video was also ranked No. 7 on VH1's
list of the Top 100 Videos of 2006. The video was shot in December 2005.
According to vocalist Brendon Urie, he and guitarist Ryan Ross suffered from
the flu while filming the video clip. In August 2011, the video won Best VMA
Winning Video of All Time, in a world-wide poll on MTV's website.
Track listing UK 7" poster bag
A. "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" UK CD/Digital
"I Write Sins Not Tragedies" "Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks"
WMI CD/Digital "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" – 3:10
"Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks" – 3:57
"The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage" – 5:04
UK CD/Digital "I Write Sins Not Tragedies"
"Karma Police" UK 7" gatefold sleeve
A. "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" B. "But It's Better If You Do"
UK 7" picture disc A. "I Write Sins Not Tragedies"
B. "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" Enhanced CD
"I Write Sins Not Tragedies" "Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks"
"The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage"
"I Write Sins Not Tragedies" Charts and certifications
References External links
"I Write Sins Not Tragedies" Official music video on YouTube
Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics