"This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours" is the fifth studio album by the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 14 September 1998 by Epic Records.
The album, like its 1996 predecessor Everything Must Go, achieved both commercial and critical success. It debuted at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart, selling 136,000 copies in its first week and earning a Gold certification. The album was well-received in the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia, marking a shift in the band's sound from their earlier, more furious alternative rock to a more melodic and tender approach.
By March 1999, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours had reached Triple Platinum status in the UK, and it has since sold over five million copies worldwide. The album garnered additional nominations and accolades at the BRIT Awards in 1999.
Notably, this album is the first by the band where all the lyrics were written solely by bassist Nicky Wire, marking a departure from their previous work which included contributions from the late rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards.
The title This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours is a quotation from a speech given by Aneurin Bevan, a Welsh Labour Party politician. Initially, the album was simply going to be titled Manic Street Preachers. The cover photograph was taken at Black Rock Sands near Porthmadog, Wales.
This album marked the first time that all lyrics were written solely by bassist Nicky Wire, with all the music composed by the duo of James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore. This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours reflects a significant departure from the band's earlier, more hard rock-oriented sound, featuring a more melodic approach. The album includes cleaner guitar sounds and a greater use of additional instrumentation, such as strings, keyboards, and both real and programmed percussion. Clash magazine described the album's sound as "a glacial distillation of the anthemic rock that had served them so well two years previous," a style that was further developed on their 2004 album Lifeblood.
In an interview, producer Dave Eringa revealed that James Dean Bradfield put considerable pressure on him during the recording process, believing that Eringa worked best under stress. The recording of the track "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" involved a lengthy four-month process. Eringa also expressed his anxiety during the album's release week, noting the stress of monitoring midweek chart positions and sales figures, and the fear of losing out to other major releases, such as those by Nirvana or Oasis. He specifically mentioned that losing to Steps would have been particularly distressing.
Additionally, James Dean Bradfield cited John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers as the primary influence for the intro riff of the track "My Little Empire."
