The Tourniquet Prosthetic
Marilyn Manson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

She's made of hair and bone and little teeth
And things that cannot speak
She comes on like a crippled plaything
Her spine is just a string

I wrapped our love in all this foil
Silver tight like spider legs
I never wanted it to ever spoil
But flies will always lay their eggs

Take your hatred out on me
Make your victim my head
You never ever believed in me
I am your tourniquet

Prosthetic synthesis and butterfly
Sealed up with virgin stitch
If it hurts baby please tell me
Preserve the innocence
I never wanted it to end like this
But flies will lay their eggs

Take your hatred out on me
Make your victim my head
You never ever believed in me
I am your tourniquet

What I wanted, what I needed
What I got for me
What I wanted, what I needed
What I got for me

Take your hatred out on me
Make your victim my head
You never ever believed in me
I am your tourniquet

Take your, take your
Get up out of me




I'm not proud with me
I never ever believed in me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Tourniquet" convey themes of obsession, control, and the preservation of innocence. The opening lines describe a twisted, puppet-like figure made of hair, bone, and teeth, emphasizing a sense of artificiality and manipulation. The singer then describes their own attempts to preserve their love, likening it to wrapping it in silver foil. However, they acknowledge that no matter how tightly they try to hold onto something, it will inevitably decay and attract unwanted attention, like flies laying eggs.


The second verse alludes to medical procedures and the idea of constructing something artificial and perfect. The singer asks their partner to speak up if it hurts, suggesting they are in control and possibly hurting them. They then express their desire for innocence to be preserved, suggesting that they may be attempting to protect someone or something from the harsh reality of the world.


The chorus is a plea for the singer's partner to take out their anger and hatred on them, becoming metaphorically tied up in the singer's "tourniquet." The final line, "I never ever believed in me," suggests a lack of self-worth or confidence, and possibly an unhealthy dependence on their partner.


Line by Line Meaning

She's made of hair and bone and little teeth
She is comprised of only the most basic and essential components of a human body


And things that cannot speak
In addition to her physical makeup, she also possesses unspoken attributes that are impossible to describe


She comes on like a crippled plaything
Her demeanor and behavior are that of a helpless toy that cannot function properly without an owner


Her spine is just a string
Her backbone, which represents her strength and inner resilience, is weak and easily broken


I wrapped our love in all this foil
I preserved our affection and devotion in a protected and enclosed manner


Silver tight like spider legs
The wrapping of our love is cold and calculating, like the movements of a spider


I never wanted it to ever spoil
I hoped that our love would remain untainted and pure


But flies will always lay their eggs
However, inevitable destruction and contamination will occur from outside influences


Take your hatred out on me
Use me as a vessel for your anger and animosity towards others


Make your victim my head
Redirect your aggression towards me and hold me responsible for the actions of those who wronged you


You never ever believed in me
You never truly trusted or had faith in me


I am your tourniquet
I am the only thing that can stop the bleeding and alleviate the pain caused by your hatred and violence


Prosthetic synthesis and butterfly
A combination of man-made and natural elements that represent beauty and fragility


Sealed up with virgin stitch
Held together with new and pure sutures, emphasizing the delicate nature of the subject


If it hurts baby please tell me
If I am causing you pain or discomfort, please communicate with me so that I can adjust my behavior


Preserve the innocence
Protect the purity and naivete of the subject, regardless of outside influences


I never wanted it to end like this
I did not anticipate that our relationship would reach such a destructive and harmful state


Take your hatred out on me
Target me as the object of your vengeance and anger


Make your victim my head
Blame me and hold me responsible for the actions of others


You never ever believed in me
You never had faith or trust in me, despite my unwavering devotion


I am your tourniquet
I am the only source of relief from the pain caused by your hatred


What I wanted, what I needed
My personal desires and necessities


What I got for me
The satisfaction and fulfillment of my own needs and wants


Take your hatred out on me
Use me as a tool to vent your anger and aggression


Make your victim my head
Hold me responsible for the actions of others, even if they are not my own


You never ever believed in me
You never fully trusted or had faith in me, despite my unwavering love and dedication


I am your tourniquet
I am the only thing that can stop the flow of pain and anger within you


Take your, take your
Remove yourself from my life


Get up out of me
Separate yourself from the relationship that we share


I'm not proud with me
I am not satisfied with the person that I have become as a result of our relationship


I never ever believed in me
I never trusted or had confidence in myself, despite my love and devotion for you




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