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)
Golden Years
Marilyn Manson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere, angel
Come get up my baby
Look at that sky, life's begun
Nights are warm and the days are young
There's my baby, lost that's all
Once I'm begging you save her little soul
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Come get up my baby
Last night they loved you, opening doors and pulling some strings, angel
Come get up my baby
In walked luck and you looked in time
Never look back, walk tall, act fine
Come get up my baby
I'll stick with you baby for a thousand years
Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years, gold
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Come get up my baby
Some of these days, and it won't be long
Gonna drive back down where you once belonged
In the back of a dream car twenty foot long
Don't cry my sweet, don't break my heart
Doing all right, but you gotta get smart
Wish upon, wish upon, day upon day, I believe oh Lord
I believe all the way
Come get up my baby
There's my baby, lost that's all
Once I'm begging you save her little soul
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Come get up my baby
Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere, angel
Come get up my baby
Run for the shadows, run for the shadows
Run for the shadows in these golden years
I'll stick with you baby for a thousand years
Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years, gold
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
The song "Golden Years" by Marilyn Manson is a cover of a David Bowie track of the same title that was released in 1975. Despite being a cover, Manson imbues the song with his own dark and moody style, making it more foreboding than the original. The lyrics themselves are cryptic but seem to speak of a desire for a better life and a longing for a time when things were simpler and better.
The opening lines of the song can be interpreted as a plea to a loved one to not give up on life, despite its difficulties. The lines "Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere, angel" and "Nights are warm and the days are young, come get up my baby" suggest a yearning for a brighter future. The mention of "golden years" and "life's begun" further reinforce this imagery.
The middle section of the song seems to describe a moment of luck and success, with "they" opening doors for the singer's loved one. The lines "I'll stick with you baby for a thousand years/Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years" hint at a commitment to a long-term relationship and a desire to protect the other person.
The song ends on a hopeful note with the lines "Wish upon, wish upon, day upon day, I believe oh Lord/I believe all the way." The repetition of "golden years" throughout the song suggests a longing for a time when things were simpler and better. Overall, the song can be seen as a melancholic yet hopeful meditation on life and love.
Line by Line Meaning
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
The singer is drawing attention to a period in their life that was filled with success and prosperity.
Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere, angel
The singer is imploring someone close to them not to give up on life and to persevere through tough times.
Come get up my baby
The singer is encouraging the person they address to take action and get up from wherever they may be.
Look at that sky, life's begun
The artist is emphasizing the possibilities that life offers by calling attention to the beauty of the sky.
Nights are warm and the days are young
The artist is expressing optimism about their future and the opportunities that it holds.
There's my baby, lost that's all
The singer is referring to someone they care about who is struggling and feels lost.
Once I'm begging you save her little soul
The singer is pleading with the person addressed to help save the person who feels lost and needs help.
Last night they loved you, opening doors and pulling some strings, angel
The artist is referring to a time when the person addressed was successful and well-liked, and is encouraging them to regain that status.
In walked luck and you looked in time
The artist is acknowledging that luck played a role in the person addressed regaining their former success.
Never look back, walk tall, act fine
The artist is advising the person addressed to stay confident and determined, rather than dwelling on past failures.
I'll stick with you baby for a thousand years
The singer is expressing their commitment to helping the person addressed for a long time.
Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years, gold
The artist is expressing their belief that the person addressed will be successful and protected during this period of prosperity, the 'golden years'.
Some of these days, and it won't be long
The singer is predicting that the person addressed will soon return to their former life of success and prosperity.
Gonna drive back down where you once belonged
The singer is referring to the person addressed going back to a place where they were successful before, in order to regain that success.
In the back of a dream car twenty foot long
The singer is describing a luxurious car that the person addressed will be riding in, symbolizing their regained success and prosperity.
Don't cry my sweet, don't break my heart
The artist is reassuring the person addressed that they will not have to suffer or be unhappy in the future.
Doing all right, but you gotta get smart
The artist is acknowledging that the person addressed is currently doing well, but advising them that they need to continue being smart and focused in order to maintain their success.
Wish upon, wish upon, day upon day, I believe oh Lord
The singer is expressing their faith in a higher power and their belief in the power of wishes and hopes.
Run for the shadows, run for the shadows
The singer is urging the person addressed to be cautious and avoid danger or obstacles as they move forward in life.
Golden years, gold whop whop whop
The artist repeats the opening line once again, emphasizing this period of success and prosperity in life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MissViolence
This is one of the best covers ever done. Manson does so well with covers in general. I've loved this shit forever. Brilliant.
DaveRave's Madonna Covers And Remixes
I couldn't agree more! This should have been a single! I would have loved to have heard some remixes 2
Lauren
yes, he is one of the few artists who has good, unique covers for the most part!
Sorcerer Supreme
Agreed. This cover is phenomenal. When I first heard it I was blown away and listened to it many times throughout the day
ShAyE sHaYe
It feels like such a odd Bowie song for Manson to cover but in my opinion he did it so well
J P
Right?
maybe it was the intention, to cover a weird Bowie song
The Industrial Retrospective
I agree, it's one of his best covers and it baffles me as to why it never got more exposure. It"s from the soundtrack from the 1998 film "Dead Man On Campus"
Aaron Versiontwo
BAHAHA That is where I first heard this song.
It's a pitty that song about Sperm didn't get more recognition.
Linda Doyle
I had no idea he did a cover of this song.
I'm a Manson fan from way back but have kind of lost touch with his music as of late.
This happens to be one of my all time favorite Bowie songs.
Manson did a good job.
Spooky101 UwU
This was from the 1998 film "dead man on campus". I cannot believe Manson covered a song by one of his influences! It's awesome 😊🤘