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)
Dance of the Dope Hats
Marilyn Manson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The children love the show
But they fail to see the anguish in my eyes
Fail to see the anguish in my eyes
I scratch around the brim, I let my mind give in yeah, yeah
The crowd begins to grin
But they seem to scream when darkness fills my eyes
It's no surprise
Fail to see the tragic, turn it into magic
My big top tricks will always make you happy
But we all know the hat is wearin' me
My bag is in the hat, it's filled with this and that
My vision's getting fat, the rabbit's just a monkey in disguise
Stars and pills and needles dance before our eyes
They will bite the hand if it is slower than
The quickness of their scrutinizin' eyes
Fail to see the tragic, turn it into magic
My big top tricks will always make you happy
But we all know the hat is wearin' me
Chicanery will always make you happy
But we all know the hat is wearin' me
The lyrics to Marilyn Manson's song "Dance of the Dope Hats" are deep and thought-provoking. At first glance, it appears to be about a performer who is putting on a show for an audience, but upon closer examination, it is clear that there is a lot more going on beneath the surface. The performer in question is struggling to hold it together, and the audience is along for the ride, blissfully unaware of the performer's pain.
The opening lines of the song, "I peek into the hole, I struggle for control, the children love the show," set the stage for what's to come. The performer is in charge, but only barely. The line "But they fail to see the anguish in my eyes" makes it clear that the performer is suffering even as they put on a happy face for the crowd.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more and more surreal. The performer describes scratching around the brim and letting their mind give in, and the crowd begins to grin. However, things take a dark turn, and "they seem to scream when darkness fills my eyes." This line is especially poignant, as it suggests that the audience is not just unaware of the performer's pain but is actively frightened of it.
Overall, "Dance of the Dope Hats" is a haunting exploration of the struggles of performers and the way that audiences can be oblivious to their pain. On the surface, it's a song about putting on a show, but it has so much more to say about the human experience and the way we mask our suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
I peek into the hole, I struggle for control
I look into my mind, trying to keep it under control
The children love the show
The audience enjoys the entertaining performance
But they fail to see the anguish in my eyes
No one notices the distress in the performer's eyes
I scratch around the brim, I let my mind give in yeah, yeah
I dig deep into my head and let it take over
The crowd begins to grin
The spectators start to smile
But they seem to scream when darkness fills my eyes
However, they react negatively when I show a dark side
It's no surprise
It's not unexpected
Fail to see the tragic, turn it into magic
People ignore the sorrow behind the performance and see it as impressive
My big top tricks will always make you happy
My performances always bring joy to the crowd
But we all know the hat is wearin' me
I am controlled by the persona I present to the audience
My bag is in the hat, it's filled with this and that
My thoughts and emotions are part of my performance
My vision's getting fat, the rabbit's just a monkey in disguise
My perspective is distorted, and what seems like a great trick is really just a deception
Stars and pills and needles dance before our eyes
We are entertained by dangerous and addictive things
They will bite the hand if it is slower than
Those who seek entertainment will turn on the performer if they are not satisfied fast enough
The quickness of their scrutinizin' eyes
Their ability to judge the performance immediately
Chicanery will always make you happy
Trickery and deception will always entertain you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BRIAN HUGH WARNER, SCOTT MITCHELL PUTESKY, STEPHEN GREGORY JR BIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on Use Your Fist and Not Your Mouth
I woke up today and wished for tomorrow, I don't wanna be like anyone else!
DrJKintobor
on The Speed of Pain
This song reminds me of Shadow the Hedgehog falling to Earth. The lyrics "I hope we die holding hands, always" refers to him and Maria.
DrJKintobor
on Spade
This is the saddest song on the album.
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on Cyclops
Correction, this song makes me think of the dark night.
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on HALF-WAY & ONE STEP FORWARD
This song is so dark, it makes me think of Endora from Sabrina Online: Skunk's Day Out.
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on I Want to Disappear
This is Zaphod Beeblebrox's theme from Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy.
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on Posthuman
This song reminds me of the Mike Teavee Oompa Loompa song from the 2005 Willy Wonka movie, which is funny since Johnny Depp is friends with Marilyn Manson.
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on Tattooed In Reverse
This song gives me Blitzo from Helluva Boss vibes.
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on Long Hard Road Out of Hell
This song reminds me of Shadow the Hedgehog.
DrJKintobor
on Killing Strangers
Me when my dog is killed by Russian gangsters.