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)
Better Of Two Evils
Marilyn Manson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Call me fagot call me whitey
But I am something that you'll never be
(Hey)
I won't look prettier if I smile for the picture
Motherfuckers never liked me then and they
Sure won't like me now
Your fake grin fits your faker face
But I find pleasure in your misery
Yeah
I will step on you on my way up
And I will step on you on my way back down
I will step on you on my way up
And I will step on you on my way back down
Haters call me bitch
Call fagot call me whitey
But I am something that you'll never be
(Hey)
Haters call me bitch
Call me faggot call me whitey
But I am something that you'll never be
(Hey)
I'll be your scapegoat, I'll be your saviour
I'm the better of two evils
I'm the better of two evils (yeah yeah yeah)
I want to hang all you cattle
With your velvet rope
Motherfuckers step up and get into
An orderly line.
I'll Show you how to make a muscle:
It takes less strength to grin than
It does to spit on all you
Paparazzi Nazis
Yeah
I will step on you on my way up
And I will step on you on my way back down
Haters call me bitch
Call me fagot call me whitey
But I am something that you'll never be
(Hey)
Haters call me bitch
Call me fagot call me whitey
But I am something that you'll never be
(Hey)
I'll be your scapegoat, I'll be your saviour
I'm the better of two evils
I'm the better of two evils (yeah yeah yeah)
Don't try to lead me to temptation
Don't try to lead me to temptation
Don't try to lead me to temptation
Don't try to lead me to temptation
I've been delivered and I already know the way
Haters call me bitch
Call me fagot call me whitey
But I am something that you'll never be
(Hey)
Haters call me bitch
Call me faggot call me whitey
But I am something that you'll never be
(Hey)
I'll be your scapegoat, I'll be your savior
I'm the better of two evils
I'm the better of two evils (yeah yeah yeah)
The lyrics of Marilyn Manson's "Better of Two Evils" convey a sense of defiance and triumph in the face of adversity. The artist is aware of the derogatory names he has been called – "bitch," "fagot," and "whitey" – but he refuses to let them define him or bring him down. In fact, he sees himself as superior to his detractors: "I am something that you'll never be."
The chorus repeats this idea, with the added declaration that Manson is the "better of two evils." He is unapologetic about his ambition and his willingness to step on others to climb the ladder of success. He even seems to relish the pain of those he leaves behind: "But I find pleasure in your misery."
The bridge of the song takes a turn towards addressing the paparazzi and their obsession with celebrity culture. Manson again asserts his superiority over those who try to bring him down, encouraging them to line up and watch as he flexes his muscles. In the end, he proclaims his own deliverance and knowledge of the way forward, refusing to be tempted by those who wish to lead him astray.
Overall, the song is a statement of power and resilience in the face of hate and criticism.
Line by Line Meaning
Haters call me bitch
People who dislike me refer to me as a derogatory term
Call me fagot call me whitey
They also insult me using other offensive words related to my sexuality and race
But I am something that you'll never be
Despite their attempts to belittle me, I possess qualities and traits that they cannot replicate
(Hey)
Interjection indicating a change in rhythm or vocal style
I won't look prettier if I smile for the picture
I won't conform to others' expectations of attractiveness or behavior just to please them
Motherfuckers never liked me then and they
Those who criticize me have never truly accepted or respected me
Sure won't like me now
Their opinion of me is unlikely to improve in the present or future
Don't try to drag me down with your cliche
I won't be influenced or brought down by common, overused ideas or actions
Your fake grin fits your faker face
Your insincere smile matches your dishonest personality
But I find pleasure in your misery
I take satisfaction in seeing those who mistreat me suffering
Yeah
Interjection to express agreement or excitement
I will step on you on my way up
I will not hesitate to use others for my own advancement, even if it means hurting them
And I will step on you on my way back down
I will not show mercy or gratitude to those I used to climb to the top
I'll be your scapegoat, I'll be your saviour
I can be seen as a victim or a hero, depending on one's perspective
I'm the better of two evils
I may not be perfect, but I am still superior to other flawed options
(yeah yeah yeah)
Repetitive interjection emphasizing the previous statement
I want to hang all you cattle
I have contempt for those who blindly follow the crowd without thinking for themselves
With your velvet rope
Symbolic of the superficial privilege that separates people into different social classes
Motherfuckers step up and get into
Challenging others to confront me and my beliefs, rather than just talking behind my back
An orderly line.
Sarcastically suggesting that everyone should calmly and patiently wait for their turn to criticize me
I'll show you how to make a muscle:
I'll demonstrate how to flex your bicep as a symbol of strength and dominance
It takes less strength to grin than
It's easier to pretend to be happy than to express genuine emotion
It does to spit on all you
It's more difficult to openly defy and insult those who oppose me
Paparazzi Nazis
Comparing the obsessive attention and harassment of the media to a totalitarian regime
Don't try to lead me to temptation
Don't encourage me to do something immoral or harmful
I've been delivered and I already know the way
I have overcome past struggles and am confident in my own path forward
I'll be your savior
I may be able to save or improve someone's life, despite my own faults and shortcomings
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: TIM SKOLD, BRIAN HUGH WARNER, STEPHEN BIER JR, JOHN LOWERY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rosa ware
I'm truly grateful for the fact that even through all his struggles In life he never gave up🙏
executenwordusers
What?
Raptor Claw
This song speaks volumes.
If you were bullied and hated on in school long ago and now years later they’re acting nice to you and acting like they did nothing bad to you at all, hiding behind a fake smile. It’s sick but truthful and Marilyn is great at pointing things like that out through his lyrics
Malavika Manson
you can hear the passion in his voice and that is a beautiful thing
Karen Lee Camacho
Malavika Manson your the fucking best and so much more than I have words to even describe.
Eduardo Buquich
I love Marilyn Manson his music helped me when I was bullied at school
Ryan Conaway
Very
Ryan Conaway
His lyrics are extremely powerful. Brilliant Artist. Seen him years ago. He is very rude to bandmates. Still love him. John 5 doing country I heard....SERIOUSLY? He sucked with industrial and nu metal. I'm picturing him with a banjo....lmfao
Mike Cortez
Love this track
J_Artz_05
My dad made me listen to this song today, and fuck i love it
Thanks dad