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)
President Dead
Marilyn Manson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is for the people, they want you
This is for the people, they want you
Getting high on violence, baby
President Dead is clueless
And he's caught in a head-lock, police state god
And his skull is stained glass
The bitter thinkers buy their tickets
To go find god like a piggy in a fair
And we don't want to live live forever
And we know that suffering is so much better
This is for the people, they want you
This is for the people, they want you
This is for the people, they want you
Getting high on violence, baby
Give the pills time to work
We all can't be martyred in the
Winter of your discontent
Getting high on violence, baby
Every night we are nailed into place and
Every night we just can't seem to
Ever remember the reason why
Getting high on violence, baby
And we don't want to live forever
And we know that suffering is so much better
This is for the people, they want to
This is for the people, they want to
This is for the people, they want to
Getting high on violence, baby
And we don't want to live live forever
And we know that suffering is so much better
And we don't want to live live forever
And we know that suffering is so much better
And we don't want to live live forever
And we know that suffering is so much better
The lyrics of Marilyn Manson's song "President Dead" convey a sense of societal disillusionment and the desire for rebellion against authority. The repetition of "this is for the people, they want you" suggests a call to action and a unifying mission. The phrase "getting high on violence" captures the thrill seekers who revel in chaos and destruction.
The image of the President being caught in a headlock and stained glass skull implies a state of vulnerability and fragility, despite holding immense power. The reference to bitter thinkers buying tickets to "go find god like a piggy in a fair" suggests that even those who are disillusioned with society are still searching for some higher purpose or meaning.
The chorus repeats the sentiment that the desire for rebellion and suffering is stronger than the fear of death or the desire for immortality. The line "Every night we are nailed into place" evokes the idea of being trapped or imprisoned by societal norms and expectations.
Overall, the lyrics of "President Dead" speak to the frustration and anger of a generation that feels disconnected from the systems of power and authority in their society.
Line by Line Meaning
This is for the people, they want you
The song is an attempt to cater to the people's desire to see change and rebellion against the status quo.
Getting high on violence, baby
The people find excitement and pleasure in engaging in violent acts.
President Dead is clueless
The current leader of the nation is incompetent and unable to lead properly.
And he's caught in a head-lock, police state god
The leader is oppressed and controlled by the oppressive forces of the government.
And his skull is stained glass
The leader's mind is fragile and easily manipulated by external forces.
Incubated and jet set
The leader is isolated from the real world and is only surrounded by those of power and wealth.
The bitter thinkers buy their tickets
People who are unhappy with the state of the government will go to great lengths to find a way to change it.
To go find god like a piggy in a fair
The search for a higher power, or a way out of the current state of oppression, is like a game or a carnival, with no clear winner or end in sight.
Give the pills time to work
Society uses medication and drugs to numb themselves from the harsh reality of their situation.
We all can't be martyred in the Winter of your discontent
Not everyone can or will sacrifice themselves for the greater good, especially during times of despair and disconnection from society.
Every night we are nailed into place and
Society is trapped and unable to move freely, both mentally and physically.
Every night we just can't seem to Ever remember the reason why
The people have lost sight of why they are unhappy and what they are truly fighting for.
This is for the people, they want to
The song is an attempt to unite the people in their quest for change and to give them a voice through music.
And we don't want to live live forever
The people do not want to live in this state of oppression and misery forever.
And we know that suffering is so much better
The people have accepted that suffering is a necessary evil in order to fight for change and happiness.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: STEPHEN BIER, BRIAN WARNER, JEORDIE WHITE
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.