The Dope Show
Marilyn Manson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The drugs, they say, make us feel so hollow
We love in vain, narcissistic and so shallow
The cops and queers, to swim, you have to swallow
Hate today, no love for tomorrow

We're all stars now, in the dope show
We're all stars now, in the dope show
There's lots of pretty, pretty ones
That want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low and blow your mind

We're all stars, now, in the dope show
We're all stars, now, in the dope show

They love you when you're on all the covers
When you're not, then they love another
They love you when you're on all the covers
When you're not, then they love another

The drugs, they say, are made in California
We love your face, we'd really like to sell you
The cops and queers make good-looking models
I hate today, who will I wake up with tomorrow?

There's lot's of pretty, pretty ones
That want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low and blow your mind

They love you when you're on all the covers
When you're not, then they love another
They love you when you're on all the covers
When you're not, then they love another

There's lots of pretty, pretty ones
That want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low and blow your mind
Blow, blow your mind





We're all stars, now, in the dope show
We're all stars, now, in the dope show

Overall Meaning

"The Dope Show" is a song by Marilyn Manson that critiques the effects of fame, drugs, and celebrity culture. It starts with the line "The drugs they say make us feel so hollow" which refers to the emptiness and sense of disconnection individuals may feel when they use substances to escape their problems. The second line "We love in vain Narcissistic and so shallow" suggests that the love that the people have for each other is vain because they are more concerned with themselves and their own image. The reference to narcissism highlights how our society focuses on the self and the image of the self, rather than on the actual person.


The next lines make a reference to the cops and queers, saying that if you want to be successful, you have to swallow your pride and follow the rules made by those in power (cops) and those who conform to societal expectations (queers). The line "Hate today there's no love for tomorrow" shows the fleeting nature of love which is based on the current status of fame.


The chorus "We're all stars now in the dope show" suggests that in today's society we are all part of the "dope show" which is a term coined by Manson to describe the subculture of drugs and celebrity that exists in our society. The second verse continues with the idea of hollow fame and how people who want the high life will do anything to get it, even if it means using drugs. The lines "they love you when you're on all the covers, when you're not then they love another" suggest that fame is fleeting and that people love you only when you are popular.


Overall, the song is a critique of the hollow nature of fame, celebrity culture, and drug use in our society. It highlights the narcissism, shallowness, and emptiness that can come with pursuing these things.


Line by Line Meaning

The drugs they say
According to popular belief, drugs cause a sense of emptiness in individuals.


Make us feel so hollow
It creates a void within our conscience.


We love in vain
Our love is superficial and does not come from the heart.


Narcissistic and so shallow
It is self-indulgent and lacks depth.


The cops and queers
The law enforcement and LGBTQ+ individuals.


To swim you have to swallow
To succeed, adapt and become one of them.


Hate today
Current society is filled with negativity and animosity.


There's no love for tomorrow
There will be no empathy or kindness forthcoming.


We're all stars now in the dope show
We are all equally a part of the show and performance of society.


There's a lot of pretty, pretty ones
There are many attractive people around.


That want to get you high
Those individuals who seem attractive offer the possibility of euphoria.


But all the pretty, pretty ones
However, those individuals that seem attractive will cause you to feel low.


Will leave you low
They will lead to a sense of inadequacy and worthlessness.


And blow your mind
The experience may be so intense as to cause psychological trauma.


They love you when you're on all the covers
People love you when you're in the spotlight and they receive something in return.


When you're not then they love another
Once you're out of the limelight, they will find someone else to love instead.


The drugs they say
People say drugs provide an outlet and connection to society.


Are made in California
Drugs are manufactured and distributed throughout California.


We love your face
We appreciate your appearance and want to capitalize on your looks.


We'd really like to sell you
We would like to exploit and gain profit from you.


Make good-looking models
They are ideal candidates for modeling and advertisement.


I hate today
I despise the current situation in society.


Who will I wake up with tomorrow?
Who we associate ourselves with in the future is uncertain.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Brian Hugh Warner, Jeordie White

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@johnappleseed8539

Director: So what gender do you want to be in THIS music video?
Marilyn: Yes.

@Devogor

😂😂😂

@v719v

The limits pushed!! I love it! nothing but the truth told in color!!

@SiliconBong

Good effort.

@buffdaddie6701

666 likes 🤘

@beepboop4595

No that’s being genderless lmao nonbinary

32 More Replies...

@juanguerra280

The sounds and concept he managed to create on this record are something else. So glam, dense, synthetic like sounds. He is more creative than most people give him credit for. So good.

@simisplitterbride

Brutal fall

@niveknailgun

Thank Trent Reznor. This guy has been washed up since they parted.

@user-eg9du5ep6p

Л Т И МОКРЫЙ

More Comments

More Versions