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)
The Golden Age of Grotesque
Marilyn Manson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We drive our death crush diamond jaguar limousines
We're not fantastic motherfuckers
But we play them on TV
It's a dirty word Reich
Say what you like
It's a dirty word Reich
Say what you like
We're the low art gloominati
And we aim to depress
The scabaret sacrilegends
This is the golden age of grotesque
We're the low art gloominati
And we aim to depress
The scabaret sacrilegends
This is the golden age of grotesque
The devils are girls with van Gogh's missing ear
You say want you want but filth is all that they hear
I've got the jigger
To make all of you bigger
Ladies und gentlemen, so drop your pissroom bait
And make sure you're not late, you tramps and lunatics
Here's a trick that's gonna make you
Click
We're the low art gloominati
And we aim to depress
The scabaret sacrilegends
This is the golden age of grotesque
We're the low art gloominati
And we aim to depress
The scabaret sacrilegends
This is the golden age of grotesque
It's a dirty word Reich
Say what you like
It's a dirty word Reich
Say what you like
So my bon mots, hit-boy Tommy trons, rowdy rowdies
Honey-fingered goodbye dolls
Hellzapoppin, open your third nostril
Put on your black face and your god is gone
We're the low art gloominati
And we aim to depress
The scabaret sacrilegends
This is the golden age of grotesque
We're the low art gloominati
And we aim to depress
The scabaret sacrilegends
This is the golden age of grotesque
We sing
La la la la la la la
We sing
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
We sing
La la la la la la la
Marilyn Manson's The Golden Age of Grotesque is a song that speaks about society's obsession with fame, money, and sexuality. The opening line, "All our monkeys have monkeys," could be interpreted as a metaphor for how everyone is trying to mimic and outdo each other in their pursuit of wealth and success. Manson then goes on to describe the lavish lifestyle of the rich and famous, driving "death crush diamond jaguar limousines." Despite their relatively unimpressive personalities, they are portrayed as "fantastic motherfuckers" on TV, which furthers the idealization of this shallow way of life.
Manson then introduces the concept of the "dirty word Reich." This phrase has different meanings, depending on how you interpret it. It could be a reference to the Nazi regime, which was known for their oppressive and violent methods. On the other hand, it could also be a nod to the concept of the Third Reich, which was meant to represent a new era of German prosperity and power. Either way, it is clear that Manson is using this phrase to comment on the darker side of society's obsession with power and control.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase, "We're the low art gloominati, and we aim to depress the scabaret sacrilegends. This is the golden age of grotesque." Manson seems to be using this phrase to mock the art and music industry, which he sees as being more focused on shock value and superficiality than true creativity and talent. He describes the "scabaret sacrilegends" as being sad and pathetic, yet they are given a platform to perform and entertain. Manson is calling out society for valuing this type of meaningless content and for celebrating those who are willing to sell out their dignity for fame and fortune.
Line by Line Meaning
All our monkeys have monkeys
We are all influenced and controlled by something else, just as monkeys are controlled by their trainers.
We drive our death crush diamond jaguar limousines
We live a luxurious, yet destructive lifestyle that causes harm to those around us.
We're not fantastic motherfuckers
But we play them on TV.
We may not be great people, but we portray ourselves as such on television.
It's a dirty word Reich
Say what you like
It's a dirty word Reich
Say what you like
The concept of a Reich, or a powerful ruling body, is often associated with negativity and fascism.
We're the low art gloominati
And we aim to depress
The scabaret sacrilegends
This is the golden age of grotesque
We are a group of artists who create dark, depressing works that are sacrilegious and controversial. This is a time when such art is popular and celebrated.
The devils are girls with van goh's missing ear
You say want you want but filth is all that they hear
And I've got the jigger
To make all of you bigger, so
Ladies und gentlemen, drop your pissroom bait
And make sure you're not late, you tramps and lunatics
Here's a trick that's gonna make you
Click
Women who society sees as devils are often only reacting to the filth they are surrounded by. The artist claims to have a method of making his audience grow and become larger. He tells them to let go of their insecurities and be confident. He has a trick that will make them feel empowered and connected to each other.
So my bon mots, hit-boy Tommy trons, rowdy rowdies
Honey-fingered goodbye dolls
Hellzapoppin, open your third nostril
Put on your black face and your god is gone
These are a series of nonsensical statements that encourage the audience to let go of their inhibitions and embrace the absurdity of the world around them. The artist wants them to forget their gods and become empowered through their connection with each other.
We sing
This line represents the artist's desire to connect with his audience through his music.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JOHN LOWERY, MARILYN MANSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DrJKintobor
on (s)AINT
Top 10 rappers Eminem was afraid to diss
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.