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)
Man Son Of Sam
Marilyn Manson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
New York cities' son of Sam
With a gun in hand
He reaps the wimen of our land
Blood and family does his death depravity
Keep out of his way
Live to lie another day
He picked up a .44 calibur gun
to shoot her down, down
He was told to kill
sogs and Demons gave him will
Fear and roaming nights
some remember hating life
Nobody wants him
He just stares at the world
Planning his vengance
that he will soon unfurl
Now the time is here
for son of Sam to spread fear
Father holy ghost, wicked son who kills the most
Nobody wants him
they just turn their heads
Nobody helps him
Now he has his revenge
Down, down, down
Gunshots full of lead
fills his victims full of dread
Running as fast as they can
Son of Sam killed again
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
The song "Sam Son of Man" by Marilyn Manson is an eerie depiction of the notorious NYC serial killer, David Berkowitz, who was known as the “Son of Sam”. The verses of the song capture the essence of his heinous acts and the impact they had on society. The opening line "Rise up son of man” is a biblical reference, also known as "The Son of God" rising from the dead, but in this context, it alludes to the rise of a notorious killer.
The lyrics "New York cities' son of Sam, With a gun in hand, He reaps the women of our land" are a direct reference to David Berkowitz who killed six people and wounded seven others over the course of a year in New York City during the mid-70s. The line "Blood and family does his death depravity" speaks to the fact that Berkowitz had a troubled childhood and reportedly killed because of his unstable relationship with his adoptive parents. The final verse "Running as fast as they can, Son of Sam killed again, Down, down, down" depicts the gruesome murders Berkowitz committed and the overwhelming sense of horror and fear that permeated the city during that time.
Overall, "Sam Son of Man" is a haunting reminder of the devastating effects of violent crime, and how it can traumatize an entire society.
Line by Line Meaning
Rise up son of man
Come forward, man, and show your true identity
New York cities' son of Sam
He is known as the killer Son of Sam in the city of New York
With a gun in hand
Holding a weapon of destruction
He reaps the women of our land
He is killing innocent women mercilessly
Blood and family does his death depravity
His twisted desires stem from his own bloodline and family background
Keep out of his way
It is better to avoid a confrontation with him
Live to lie another day
Stay alive even if it means to lie low and hide from harm
He picked up a .44 calibur gun
He chose a powerful firearm for his killing spree
to shoot her down, down
His intention is to take away someone's life
He was told to kill
His twisted mind was convinced by someone or something external to commit these murders
Sogs and Demons gave him will
Demons or evil spirits convinced him to carry out these heinous acts
Fear and roaming nights
He is often afraid and wanders around aimlessly at night
some remember hating life
His victims or those affected by his actions may have had struggles in their own lives
Nobody wants him
He is a disgraced person no one wants to associate with
He just stares at the world
He is full of hate and contempt for the world
Planning his vengance
He is planning to avenge something or someone
that he will soon unfurl
He will soon unleash his evil plans
Now the time is here
The moment he has been waiting for is now
for son of Sam to spread fear
He wants to instill fear and terror in the hearts of others
Father holy ghost, wicked son who kills the most
This line references the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity and highlights the evil nature of the Son of Sam
they just turn their heads
People choose to ignore him and his actions
Nobody helps him
He is not supported and has to engage in his vengeful acts alone
Now he has his revenge
He has finally got his revenge on those who wronged him in some way
Gunshots full of lead
The sound of gunshots ringing out can be heard everywhere
fills his victims full of dread
His victims feel intense fear and terror before being killed
Running as fast as they can
His victims try to escape from him as fast as possible
Son of Sam killed again
He has struck again and taken another life
Down, down, down
This line is repeated to show the repeated acts of violence and killing
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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.