Man That You Fear
Marilyn Manson Lyrics


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Ants are in the sugar, muscles atrophied
We're on the other side, the screen is us, and we're TV
Spread me open, sticking to my pointy ribs
Are all your infants in abortion cribs
I was born into this, everything turns to shit
The boy that you loved is the man that you fear

Pray until your number
Asleep from all your pain
Your apple has been rotting
Tomorrow's turned up dead

I have it all and I have no choice but to
I'll make everyone pay and you will see
You can kill yourself now, because you're dead in my mind
The boy that you loved is the monster you fear

Peel off all those eyes
Crawl into the dark
You've poisoned all of your children
To camouflage your scars

Pray unto the splinters
Pray unto your fear
Pray your life was just a dream
The cut that never heals

Pray now, baby
Pray your life was just a dream

I am so tangled in my sins that I cannot escape
I am so tangled in my sins that I cannot escape

Pinch the head off, collapse me like a weed
Someone had to go this far
I was born into this, everything turns to shit
The boy that you loved is the man that you fear

Peel off all those eyes
Crawl into the dark
You've poisoned all your children
To camouflage your scars

Pray unto the splinters
Pray unto your fear
Pray your life was just a dream
The cut that never heals

Pray now, baby
Pray your life was just a dream
The world in my hands
There's no one left to hear you scream
No one left for you





When all of your wishes are granted
Many of your dreams will be destroyed

Overall Meaning

Marilyn Manson's song "Man That You Fear" is a haunting and introspective exploration of the darker aspects of human nature. The opening line, "The ants are in the sugar," sets the tone for the song as a metaphor for corruption and decay. Manson is acknowledging the small things that can gradually ruin us, like ants infiltrating our sweetness. The following line, "The muscles atrophied," is a reference to the physical and emotional deterioration that can occur when we are consumed by our own demons.


The next few lines add to the sense of detachment and alienation that pervades the song. Manson sings, "We're on the other side, the screen is us and we're t.v." This line suggests that we have become spectators of our own lives, watching ourselves on television sets. Manson goes on to say, "Spread me open, sticking to my pointy ribs are all your infants in abortion cribs." This line paints a grotesque picture of infant body parts clinging to Manson's bones, alluding to the pain and suffering that he believes is inherent in human existence.


As the song progresses, Manson becomes increasingly fatalistic. He sings, "I have it all and I have no choice but to / I'll make everyone pay and you will see / You can kill yourself now / Because you're dead in my mind." These lines suggest that Manson feels trapped by his own success and his own psyche. He has everything he could want, but is still unsatisfied and seeks to punish others for his own perceived shortcomings.


The chorus of the song, "The boy that you loved is the man that you fear," is a poignant commentary on the cyclical nature of life. Manson suggests that the innocent, childlike aspects of our personalities are often transformed into something darker as we age. The closing lines of the song, "The world in my hands, there's no one left to hear you scream / There's no one left for you," are a bleak acknowledgement of the isolation and loneliness that can come with being at the top.


Line by Line Meaning

The ants are in the sugar
The sweet things in life are tainted and ruined.


The muscles atrophied
Our strength has weakened.


We're on the other side, the screen is us and we're t.v.
We are trapped in our own media and entertainment.


Spread me open, Sticking to my pointy ribs, Are all your infants in abortion cribs
I am vulnerable and exposed, while society is killing its own future.


I was born into this, Everything turns to shit, The boy that you loved is the man that you fear
Life is a cruel joke, everything falls apart, and those you once admired will become your worst nightmare.


Pray until your number, Asleep from all your pain, Your apple has been rotting, Tomorrow's turned up dead
Seek salvation from the inevitability of death, but life is already decaying and going nowhere.


I have it all and I have no choice but to, I'll make everyone pay and you will see, You can kill yourself now, Because you're dead
Having everything is meaningless, and vengeance will be sought regardless of the consequences. Death is a relief compared to this emptiness.


In my mind, The boy that you loved is the monster you fear
Perceptions can change and those closest to you can become unrecognizable and feared.


Peel off all those eyes and crawl into the dark, You've poisoned all of your children to camouflage your scars
Strip away your own delusions and face the ugliness within, you have hurt those you should have protected to shield yourself.


Pray unto the splinters, pray unto your fear, Pray your life was just a dream, The cut that never heals, Pray now baby, pray your life was just a dream
Desperately seek relief from the pain and trauma that never goes away.


Pinch the head off, collapse me like a weed, Someone had to go this far
Destroy me as if I am nothing, but the extreme is the only action that can truly make a difference.


The world in my hands, there's no one left to hear you scream, There's no one left for you
Power and control means nothing when there is no one left to share it with or listen to your cries.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Brian Hugh Warner, Jeordie White, Scott Mitchell Putesky, Stephen Gregory Bier Jr.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@moistoyzter8884

Regardless of what happens, this mans music saved my life. And for that, I’m forever grateful.

@sexyman613

The powers that be are trying to go after the legends that brought a message that went against the system super funny how one comes out and then boom now others want to come out and say similar things seems way too calculated to me

@ItsMeRobynMarie

💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝

@carolgeorgeson9632

He saved a lot of people with his music live him always

@kestrelwitch8714

Beautifully said, thank you.

He saved my life, also.

@robertalilith7368

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

165 More Replies...

@angelarumill5678

I always found the lines where he says " you posion all your children to camouflage your scars", to be a powerful and true statement. I think we are all victims of our parents mistakes and traumas. So more then others. This song is so painful to listen to. It's feels like a fresh cut. True genius.

@tatianarodriguez1580

Yes! You really understood it like I did years ago...

@johndickerdown9225

Yet, with the right eyes some of us can't even see them.

@luisaritosa9700

Yes, but also he is saying that to himself, I see this song like he is singing to himself: "you poison all your children to camouflage your scars"- like- you abuse all your girlfriends to camouflage your scars.... anyway too bad he become an abuser like his grandfather was.... bad for him..and his victims too...

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