In the past, band members dressed in outlandish makeup and costumes, and engaged in intentionally shocking behavior both onstage and off. Their lyrics often received criticism for their anti-religious sentiment and references to sex, violence and drugs, while their live performances were frequently called offensive and obscene. On several occasions, protests and petitions led to the group being blocked from performing, with at least three US states passing legislation banning the group from performing at state-owned venues. They released a number of platinum-selling albums, including Antichrist Superstar (1996) and Mechanical Animals (1998). These albums, along with their highly stylized music videos and worldwide touring, brought public recognition to Marilyn Manson. In 1999, news media, infamously, falsely blamed the band for influencing the perpetrators of the Columbine High School massacre.
As this controversy began to wane throughout the 2000s, so did the band's mainstream popularity. Despite this, Jon Wiederhorn of MTV, in June 2003, referred to Marilyn Manson as "the only true artist today". Marilyn Manson is widely regarded as being one of the most iconic and controversial figures in rock music, with the band and its lead singer influencing numerous other groups and musicians, both in metal-associated acts and also in wider popular culture. VH1 ranked Marilyn Manson as the seventy-eighth best rock band on their 100 Great Artists of Hard Rock. They were inducted into the Kerrang! Hall of Fame in 2000, and have been nominated for four Grammy Awards. In the U.S., the band has seen ten of its releases debut in the top ten, including two number-one albums. Marilyn Manson have sold in excess of 50 million records worldwide.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Manson_(band)
Studio albums
Portrait of an American Family (1994)
Antichrist Superstar (1996)
Mechanical Animals (1998)
Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) (2000)
The Golden Age of Grotesque (2003)
Eat Me, Drink Me (2007)
The High End of Low (2009)
Born Villain (2012)
The Pale Emperor (2015)
Heaven Upside Down (2017)
We Are Chaos (2020)
04. Rock Is Dead
Marilyn Manson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Amphetamines for boys
And crucifixes for ladies
Sampled and soulless
Worldwide and real webbed
You sell all the living
For more safer dead
Rock is deader than dead
Shock is all in your head
Your sex and your dope is all that were fed
So fuck all your protests and put them to bed
God is on the T.V.
Rock! Lalalalala [Repeat x4]
A thousand mothers are praying for it
We're so full of hope
And so full of shit
Build a new god to medicate and to ape
Sell us ersatz dressed up and real fake
Anything to belong [Repeat x2]
Rock is deader than dead
Shock is all in your head
Your sex and your dope is all that were fed
So fuck all your protests and put them to bed
God is on the T.V.
Rock! Lalalalala [Repeat x4]
Rock is deader than dead
Shock is all in your head
Your sex and your dope is all that were fed
So fuck all your protests and put them to bed [Repeat x2]
In Marilyn Manson's song "Rock Is Dead," the artist critiques the current state of rock music and how it has become a hollow and commercialized industry. The opening lines describe society as "simple monkeys with alien babies," indicating that people are heavily influenced by consumer culture and are losing their individuality. The use of amphetamines for boys and crucifixes for ladies highlights the destructive nature of this world, with people using drugs and religion respectively to cope with their existence. Manson also suggests that the music industry is "sampled and soulless," with artists more concerned with making money and getting famous than creating authentic and meaningful music. The line "you sell all the living for more safer dead" could be interpreted as a commentary on how rock music has lost its rebellious spirit and has become safer and more mainstream.
The chorus "Rock is deader than dead, shock is all in your head, your sex and your dope is all that were fed, so fuck all your protests and put them to bed" emphasizes Manson's assertion that rock music has lost its power to shock and provoke change. He dismisses the idea of protest as ineffective and instead urges people to embrace their hedonistic impulses. The line "god is on the T.V." shows how religion has become a commodity and is used as a tool for manipulation rather than as a source of spiritual fulfillment. The repeated refrain "anything to belong" suggests that people will do whatever it takes to fit in and be accepted, even if that means sacrificing their individuality and integrity.
Overall, "Rock Is Dead" can be interpreted as a scathing critique of the music industry and society as a whole. It highlights the destructive nature of consumer culture and how it has robbed people of their individuality and creative potential. Manson urges listeners to resist the temptation to conform and instead embrace their unique perspectives, even if it means being ostracized by society.
Line by Line Meaning
All simple monkeys with alien babies
Everyone is just blindly following whatever is new and trendy.
Amphetamines for boys
Drugs are being used as a way to cope with life's pressures.
And crucifixes for ladies
Religion is being used to provide a sense of comfort and stability.
Sampled and soulless
Music has lost its authenticity and heart.
Worldwide and real webbed
The internet has facilitated the spread of these trends and ideas globally.
You sell all the living
Society values the superficial and materialistic over the authentic and meaningful.
For more safer dead
People are sacrificing their true selves and their passions in order to fit into this safe, trend-following mold.
Anything to belong [Repeat x2]
People are willing to compromise their values and integrity to be accepted by others.
Rock is deader than dead
The rock genre has lost its power and influence.
Shock is all in your head
The shock value of music and entertainment is now internalized and no longer has a meaningful impact.
Your sex and your dope is all that were fed
Society's fixation on sex and drugs has become the focus of modern music and culture.
So fuck all your protests and put them to bed
Attempts to challenge the status quo are dismissed and ignored.
God is on the T.V.
Religion has become commercialized and broadcast like any other form of entertainment.
Rock! Lalalalala [Repeat x4]
The song is a call to arms for fans of rock music to reclaim its power and influence.
A thousand mothers are praying for it
Many people are hoping for a return to the authentic and meaningful music of the past.
We're so full of hope
Despite the current state of music and culture, there is still a sense of optimism that things can change.
And so full of shit
However, there is also an awareness that society's values and priorities are currently misguided.
Build a new god to medicate and to ape
A new form of music or entertainment that can inspire and uplift is needed to replace the current trends.
Sell us ersatz dressed up and real fake
However, the industry will likely try to continue selling the same inauthentic and superficial products in new packaging.
Rock is deader than dead
Once again emphasizing the lost influence and power of rock music.
Shock is all in your head
The shock value that once made rock music powerful has been dulled and rendered meaningless.
Your sex and your dope is all that were fed
Rock music, like much of modern culture, is now focused solely on sex and drugs.
So fuck all your protests and put them to bed [Repeat x2]
Once again, dismissing attempts to challenge the status quo and insisting that things will continue as they are.
God is on the T.V.
Once again emphasizing the commercialization and trivialization of religion.
Rock! Lalalalala [Repeat x4]
The rallying cry for fans of rock music to reclaim its power and influence is repeated at the end of the song.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
amezcarl
Here are the lyrics explained, this is such a masterpiece. I´m so glad I lived this guy era. He will never be forgotten. I´ll show his music to my kids. I know Marilyn Manson's records since I was just 8 years old and I still love them. The explanation I did not write it, random people in genius webpage did Im just sharing in it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Im a sociologist by the way so this song amazes me.
"All simple monkeys with alien babies": Humans have been transformed into mere animals, empty of thought and will, while our babies seem strange since they are full of life and not yet broken down and conformed
"Amphetamines for boys crucifixes for ladies": This exposes one of society’s contradictions. While men are raised to be strong and aggressive, to praise violence, and to seek sex, women are taught to be chaste, passive, submissive and that sexual desire is a bad thing, something to be ashamed of.
"...worldwide and real webbed": Children are sometimes born with “webbed” toes or fingers. The excess tissue between fingers impedes the use and function of hands. Likewise, expectations of us to conform to society and become similar to each other cripple us as individual agents of creation.
We are “worldwide” in the sense that our similarities make us interchangeable with each other. If you move to a new city, there’s a good chance you can replace your friends on your old cheerleader team with virtually identical people on the cheerleader team in your new city.
"...you sell all the living for more safer death": Our system discourages free thought and individuality, calling freaks those who act differently or disagree with the general ideas. All the spontaneity is suppressed while conformity is reinforced, creating a meek undead society.
"Anything to belong": Humans will abide for anything if that means they’ll be accepted and be part of the community, even it is immoral or simply a clear lie.
"Rock is deader than death": At the time of writing this album, much of rock music had become a pop commodity, with mass-produced generic sounds replacing creative and inspiring art forms. Whilst this may initially sell records, as with most fads it was a temporary phenomenon. This was demonstrated by the decline of nu-metal and other early 21st Century music trends.
"shock is all in your head": In becoming a fad, rock music has a little lasting impact. Rather, unlike early punk music and rock music that revolutionized youth culture and creative ways of thinking, contemporary commercial rock music consists solely of image and fashion shifts. This has been continuously demonstrated, since this song, especially by the fashion pedaled by shops like Hot Topic. However, one could also argue that the punk movement in the 1970s was much pioneered by the faddish nature of image and shock as it was by the substance employed by lyrically rich bands like The Clash.
Perhaps what differentiates dead, shockless rock of the early 21st century from previous incarnations of rock music is the magnitude of its commercialism
"...your sex and your dope is all that we´re feed, so fuck all your protests and put them to bed": In the 60’s and ’70s rock revolutionized culture advocating for free sex and experimenting with drugs, going directly against conformism and morality of the time. Today, the media constantly bombards us with images of sex and violence, commercializing and emptying the beliefs that rock'n'roll once stood for.
"God is in the tv": Consumerism is what now dictates life. You are what you buy, you are worth as much as you can spend. It is more important to be a consumer than a citizen, your rights are yours as long as you can consume. And the TV is the main dictator of life, showcasing the life of the rich and famous, manipulating the news, and presenting the unreal and impossible American dream.
"Build a new god to medicate and to ape, sell us Ersatz dressed up and real fake": The word “ersatz” means “substitute” in German, deriving from the verb “ersetzen” – to replace. In English, it is synonymous with replacements or substitutes that are of a lower quality, most often in reference to food and medicine. This terminology originates from the rationing that occurred in Germany during World War II in response to blockades. One example, “Ersatzbrot,” was a substitute bread made from fillers like potato starch and sawdust, fed to prisoners of war. Manson examines the general numbness of Western society, in which we are bombarded with images of sex and violence. Media and television serve as a “new God” to influence human life, where the airbrushed and manufactured ideals sold by the media are today’s new Ersatz products.
amezcarl
Here are the lyrics explained, this is such a masterpiece. I´m so glad I lived this guy era. He will never be forgotten. I´ll show his music to my kids. I know Marilyn Manson's records since I was just 8 years old and I still love them. The explanation I did not write it, random people in genius webpage did Im just sharing in it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Im a sociologist by the way so this song amazes me.
"All simple monkeys with alien babies": Humans have been transformed into mere animals, empty of thought and will, while our babies seem strange since they are full of life and not yet broken down and conformed
"Amphetamines for boys crucifixes for ladies": This exposes one of society’s contradictions. While men are raised to be strong and aggressive, to praise violence, and to seek sex, women are taught to be chaste, passive, submissive and that sexual desire is a bad thing, something to be ashamed of.
"...worldwide and real webbed": Children are sometimes born with “webbed” toes or fingers. The excess tissue between fingers impedes the use and function of hands. Likewise, expectations of us to conform to society and become similar to each other cripple us as individual agents of creation.
We are “worldwide” in the sense that our similarities make us interchangeable with each other. If you move to a new city, there’s a good chance you can replace your friends on your old cheerleader team with virtually identical people on the cheerleader team in your new city.
"...you sell all the living for more safer death": Our system discourages free thought and individuality, calling freaks those who act differently or disagree with the general ideas. All the spontaneity is suppressed while conformity is reinforced, creating a meek undead society.
"Anything to belong": Humans will abide for anything if that means they’ll be accepted and be part of the community, even it is immoral or simply a clear lie.
"Rock is deader than death": At the time of writing this album, much of rock music had become a pop commodity, with mass-produced generic sounds replacing creative and inspiring art forms. Whilst this may initially sell records, as with most fads it was a temporary phenomenon. This was demonstrated by the decline of nu-metal and other early 21st Century music trends.
"shock is all in your head": In becoming a fad, rock music has a little lasting impact. Rather, unlike early punk music and rock music that revolutionized youth culture and creative ways of thinking, contemporary commercial rock music consists solely of image and fashion shifts. This has been continuously demonstrated, since this song, especially by the fashion pedaled by shops like Hot Topic. However, one could also argue that the punk movement in the 1970s was much pioneered by the faddish nature of image and shock as it was by the substance employed by lyrically rich bands like The Clash.
Perhaps what differentiates dead, shockless rock of the early 21st century from previous incarnations of rock music is the magnitude of its commercialism
"...your sex and your dope is all that we´re feed, so fuck all your protests and put them to bed": In the 60’s and ’70s rock revolutionized culture advocating for free sex and experimenting with drugs, going directly against conformism and morality of the time. Today, the media constantly bombards us with images of sex and violence, commercializing and emptying the beliefs that rock'n'roll once stood for.
"God is in the tv": Consumerism is what now dictates life. You are what you buy, you are worth as much as you can spend. It is more important to be a consumer than a citizen, your rights are yours as long as you can consume. And the TV is the main dictator of life, showcasing the life of the rich and famous, manipulating the news, and presenting the unreal and impossible American dream.
"Build a new god to medicate and to ape, sell us Ersatz dressed up and real fake": The word “ersatz” means “substitute” in German, deriving from the verb “ersetzen” – to replace. In English, it is synonymous with replacements or substitutes that are of a lower quality, most often in reference to food and medicine. This terminology originates from the rationing that occurred in Germany during World War II in response to blockades. One example, “Ersatzbrot,” was a substitute bread made from fillers like potato starch and sawdust, fed to prisoners of war. Manson examines the general numbness of Western society, in which we are bombarded with images of sex and violence. Media and television serve as a “new God” to influence human life, where the airbrushed and manufactured ideals sold by the media are today’s new Ersatz products.
True Believer 04
@amezcarl Could You do for "Great Big White World"? :)
amezcarl
@True Believer 04 Well, no, not really but tell me about any and I´ll do the research =)
True Believer 04
Thank You so much! Do you have another songs from MM explained?
Marcos 2022
La música y su caracterización con ocultismo, geometría sagrada y drogas , mezclado con el cambio de milenio y la incertidumbre creciente del apocalipsis con poca información y un Internet existente pero no desarrollado, ademas de uno que otro secreto mágico revelado por ahí... Para los sabios de esa época, hacían que se percibiera el artista y su banda muy interesante...y a veces también se cruzaba la linea de la cordura ... para los que vivimos en ese tiempo fue muy muy bueno... gracias.
Kevin Parker
Totalmente de acuerdo
Spooky101 UwU
I adore this song so much. Some of my friends know that I am a Mansonite, and so is my mother. So either way, this song is dope. Much love and blessings from Britain 💖
ALLSTREETS
A esto le llamaban HD hace 10 años 😂
Vine Vegas
muito louco mesmo parabens bryan
Mary Sol
gracias al arte, a la música y este excelente artista me libre de la mamada esa de la iglesia jajajaja ... mi mamá exorcisando mi habitanción en ese entonces ... MM nos llevaba años luz!