LyricMeaning

Marilyn Manson - Holywood
Sudsonbleeker

While I often review newer music in this column, this time I wanted to reach back into the past (but not too far!) to pull out another album you might've missed. It's a concept album and I feel it's sorely overlooked by fans of the artists who created it. For that reason you might not even know it exists or you may've been told that it's not all that good. Today I'd like to offer you my perspective on what I feel is one of the strongest albums ever put out by the group & artist who use the name Marilyn Manson.nnTitled 'Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)', this CD came out in 2000 shortly after the Columbine massacre of 1999. Not only does it address that tragedy and the media circus which surrounded it, the album also serves as the first part of a trilogy that includes Manson's Mechanical Animals and Antichrist Superstar. The kicker is that, though it was released last, this is actually the beginning of that three part musical epic.nnIn terms of the story, I'll stick to addressing the part that takes place on Holy Wood rather than cover the overarching tale. Holy Wood is a fictional place of wealthy, beautiful people who live lives of decadance. I doubt it'll be too much of a logical leap for you to figure out which real life place it represents. The Valley of Death serves as the fictional gathering place for various social rejects and societal misfits. It is from the Valley of Death that Adam Kadmon, the story's protagonist, emerges to lead a revolution against the filth and decay he sees in Holy Wood. As the album progresses Adam will succeed in his revolution, only to have it hijacked by the profiteering media who turn it into a cheap commercial phenomenon. This leads Adam to commit suicide, the rest of his story to be continued in Mechanical Animals.nnNow that story's interesting enough, even though I wanted to be able to read the entire novel that accompanies it. Unfortunately, due to publishing disputes, the novel has yet to see publication despite the fact that Chuck Palahniuk has read the manuscript, confirming it to be a great read. For me, one of the most interesting aspects of the album is how it kept a cohesive story going while still weaving in all sorts of smaller references to events of its day and larger cultural phenomena that have had shaping effects on our world. I'll give some examples below. The sound of the album is easily enough summed up in the ever cliche description rock 'n roll. From deep melancholy to raging black inferno, the album remains consistently rock-based to my ears, while still including the industrial elements Manson's known for.nnSince I've not got the time to review each of the songs (though they could probably all get a sizeable write-up themselves), I want to highlight my favorites. We'll keep in mind that the primary 'themes' of the album are the effects of the mass media combined with 'conservative Christian culture' and its effects on the youth of the United States. So here we go with a short list of musical reasons you ought to give this album a listen:nnThe Love Song - In case you wondered if anyone's ever used the metaphor of children as bullets fired from mothers as guns with father's pulling the trigger, I'm sorry to say it's been done. This song really lays itself out as a provocation of families to examine how they operate and why they behave as they do. Plus, who doesn't enjoy a love song, right?nnDisposable Teens - It's hard not to like this song, in part because it pulls on the same militaristic stylings that made 'The Beautiful People' such a hit. It borrows heavily from 'Revolution' by The Beatles, throws in a reverence to George Orwell's book '1984' ('Rebel from the waist down' which some also see as a reference to Elvis Presley) and tops it all off with a scathing chorus of, You say you want a revolution, man, and I say that you're full of shit! Pretty much encapsulates the tradition of young rebels inevitably selling themselves out to authority as they reach adulthood. 'Nuff said.nnThe Nobodies - This song's one cheeky little number, as my British friends might say. It addresses the concept of ignored youth trying to find ways to achieve the fame the whole world seems so obsessed with. In particular, Eric Harris & Dylan Klebold of Littleton, Colorado. The infectious chorus says it all, We are nobodies, wanna be somebodies. When we're dead, you'll know just who we are.nnLamb of God - This one covers the phenomenon of national martyrs in the US media-driven popular culture. It's a moving piece that speaks of the assassination of both John F. Kennedy Jr. and John Lennon. You'll find another reference to JFK in the song 'President Dead' which is 3 minutes and 13 seconds long, interesting because frame 313 of the Zapruder film is where we see JFK's head get struck by the bullet that ends his life. I feel the song's chorus speaks for itself:nnIf you die when there's no one watching, nThen your ratings drop and you're forgotten. nBut if they kill you on the TV, nYou're a martyr and a lamb of God.nnThat wraps up my assessment of an album I could review for about thirty more pages. It's a sharp critique on the widely exported 'American culture', an enthralling fictional journey and a real tribute to the level of meaning music can offer us while still remaining entertaining. It's one of the few CD's I've ever found strong enough to deserve consecutive listenings long after it came out.nnIf you've not given this album a chance, grab it and find yourself a place to listen to it undistracted, I believe you'll find it offers not only excellent tunes but genuine food for thought that's hard to find these days. I'll leave you with a quote by Marilyn Manson which he made during an interview featured in the film 'Bowling for Columbine' when asked what he'd tell Harris & Klebold if he'd known them prior to the killings. I think it shows that below the social critique of this album there's a message that's distinctly addressing the human spirit's capacity for empathy. Check it out.nnI wouldn't say a single word to them; I'd listen to what they have to say, and that's what no one did.


  Purchase "Marilyn Manson - Holywood"   Purchase Entire Album   Email Video to Friends   Play Youtube "Marilyn Manson - Holywood" Video   Play Spotify "Marilyn Manson - Holywood" Song   View Wikipedia "Marilyn Manson - Holywood" Entry   Receive Emails for Future Sudsonbleeker Lyrics

Email:

  Link to "Marilyn Manson - Holywood"   Share on Facebook, Twitter, and more
  See Recommended Lyrics For You

Loading...

Lyrics by Sudsonbleeker

  [MP3s] David Stephenson - Free MP3 Downloads   Beck - Modern Guilt   Blacklist - Solidare   Blue October - Foiled   Coldplay - Viva la Vida (Death and All His Friends...   Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles   David Stephenson - It's All In Your Head   Deadboy & The Elephantmen - If This is Hell I'm Lu...   Flight of the Conchords   Hollywood Undead - Swan Songs   Marilyn Manson - Eat Me, Drink Me   Nine Inch Nails - The Slip   Santogold - Say Aha   Slipknot - All Hope is Gone   Underdog Alma Mater - Forever the Sickest Kids   Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters

Related Songs

  My Girlfriend - Relient K  Kiddies - Self  I Hope My Kids Like Marilyn Manson - Gas Giants  Krautmeyer - Dan Bern  Fancy Bitch - Gucci Mane  Trappin Out A Mansion - Young Dolph  With My Tongue - Kevin McCall  Explotar - Mexican Institute of Sound  L.S.D. (Lucifer's Stained Dress) - Videodrone  This Is The New Shit (Marilyn Manson vs. Goldfrapp...  Marilyn Manson - Wesley Willis  Marilyn Manson- - Wrestling Lyrics  Marilyn Manson- \ - Wrestling  Marilyn Manson - \ - Wrestling  Marilyn Manson Ate My Girlfriend - Relient K  Rigamortus - Kendrick Lamar  Prelude (Family Trip) - Marilyn Manson  Rigamortis - Kendrick Lamar  Cryptochild - Marilyn Manson  They Said That Hell\'s Not Hot - Marilyn Manson  The Tourniquet - Marilyn Manson  White Trash (Remixed By Tony Wiggins)...  Post Human - Marilyn Manson  Bondallica - Bonde Do Role  Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These) - Marilyn Manson  White Trash (Remixed by Tony F. Wiggins)...  Holywood - Zeromancer  Last Day On Earth - Marilyn Manson  Angel With Scabbed Wings - Marilyn Manson  You Robbed A Sperm Bank Because You're A Cum Guzzl...  The Omen (Damien II) - Marilyn Manson  The Omen - DMX  Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams - Marilyn Manson  Marilyn Manson - Sweet Touch - Various Artists  Marilyn Manson- \"Antichrist Superstar\"...  Torniquet (Marilyn Manson cover) - Rasputina  Marilyn Manson- "Antichrist Superstar"...  Hypothetical (Feat. Marilyn Manson) - Emigrate  Dope Show - Marilyn Manson  Count To Six And Die (The Vacuum Of Infinite Space...  i want to live, i want to love - Marilyn Manson  New Model - Marilyn Manson  I Put A Spell On You - Nina Simone  White Trash (Remix Of Cake And Sodomy)...  The Minute Of Decay - Marilyn Manson  Deformagraphy - Marilyn Manson  Eye - Marilyn Manson  Great White Big World - Marilyn Manson  Speed Of Pain - Marilyn Manson  King Kill 33o - Marilyn Manson  The Only Thing That Matters - Blink 182  The Beautiful People (Marilyn Manson) - Soulfly  By Myself (Marilyn Manson Remix) - Linkin Park  Marilyn Manson- \"The Beautiful People\"...  Marilyn Manson- "The Beautiful People"...  Marilyn Manson- "Get Your Gunn" - Wrestling Lyrics  Marilyn Manson- "Cake And Sodomy"...  Loco Song - One-T  The Ballad Of Elton John - Simple Kid  We're All Water - John Lennon  We're All Water - Yoko Ono  As Seen on TV - Pitchshifter  lovers without love - Joshua James  We're All Water - John Lennon  Wrong Radio Noise - Marilyn Manson  Scabs, Guns, and Peanut Butter - Marilyn Manson  Shitty Chicken Gang Bang - Marilyn Manson  Doppelherz - Marilyn Manson  Empty Sounds of Hate - Marilyn Manson  Seizure Of Power - Marilyn Manson  The Telephone (Jesus Is My Boyfriend)...  Forbidden Fruit - Marilyn Manson  Misery Machine [Album Version] - Marilyn Manson  Long Hard Road Out of Hell [Instrumental]...  Long Hard Road Out of Hell [Instrumental]...  Lunchbox [Album Version] - Marilyn Manson  Lunchbox [Highschool Drop-Outs] - Marilyn Manson  Long Hard Road Out of Hell [Instrumental]...  Lunchbox [Next Motherf****r][#] - Marilyn Manson  Break You Down - Marilyn Manson  Highway to Hell (AC/DC cover) - Marilyn Manson  Born Again [Recorded Live, Feb. 14, 1997][Live]...  The Nobodies [Acoustic Version] - Marilyn Manson  Misery Machine [First Ever Recording of Marilyn Ma...  The Nobodies [Wormwood Remix] - Marilyn Manson  The Fight Song [Slipknot Remix] - Marilyn Manson  Man Son Of Sam - Marilyn Manson  They Said That Hell's Not Hot - Marilyn Manson  Heart-Shaped Glasses (When The Heart Guides The Ha...  Terrible Lie - Marilyn Manson  May Be Harmful If Swallowed - Marilyn Manson  We're From America - Marilyn Manson  The Way I Am [Danny Lohner Remix][*]...  The Fight Song [Slip Knot Remix] - Marilyn Manson  The Fight Song [Live] - Marilyn Manson  Disposable Teens [Remix Version] - Marilyn Manson  The Fight Song [Slipknot Remix][#]...  Reunion - Marilyn Manson  Cleansing - Marilyn Manson  The Fight Song [Album Version] - Marilyn Manson  The Way I Am [Danny Lohner Remix] - Marilyn Manson  The KKK Took My Baby Away (Ramones cover)...  The Nobodies [Stephane K Rock Dub Mix]...  Personal Jesus [Multimedia Track] - Marilyn Manson  The Nobodies [2005 Against All Gods Mix][Multimedi...  The Nobodies [2005 Against All Gods Mix]...  The Nobodies [German Mix] - Marilyn Manson  The Nobodies [Burn 36 Mix] - Marilyn Manson  Lovegame [Chew Fu Ghettohouse Fix]...  Hey, Cruel World... - Marilyn Manson  The Gardener - Marilyn Manson  Born Villain [Album Version] - Marilyn Manson  Hey, Cruel World... - Marilyn Manson  You and Me and the Devil Makes 3 - Marilyn Manson  Heart-Shaped Glasses (When the Heart Guides the Ha...  Putting Holes in Happiness [Acoustic]...  Omega - Marilyn Manson  Food Pyramid - Marilyn Manson  Diamonds & Pollen - Marilyn Manson  Astonishing Panorama Of The End Times...  This Is Halloween - Marilyn Manson  Dance of the Dope Hats - Marilyn Manson  The Beatiful People - Marilyn Manson  The Last Day On Earth - Marilyn Manson  Lunchbox - Marilyn Manson  Are You the Rabbit - Marilyn Manson  Disengaged - Marilyn Manson  Metal (Re-Mix) - Marilyn Manson  Diamonds & Pollen - Marilyn Manson  You Spin Me Right Round - Marilyn Manson  No Reflection (Single) - Marilyn Manson  King Kill - Marilyn Manson  The Beautiful People - Marilyn Manson  White Spider - Marilyn Manson  Overneath the Path of Misery - Marilyn Manson  Brown Bag (Re-Mix) - Marilyn Manson  Running To The Edge Of The World (Alternate Versio...  Dried Up,Tied Up & Dead To The World...  Sam Son of Man - Marilyn Manson  (s)AINT - Marilyn Manson  Use Your Fist - Marilyn Manson  Wight Spider - Marilyn Manson  Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin-Geddon (Teddybears Remix...  Running To The Edge Of The World - Marilyn Manson  I Have To Look Up Just To See Hell...  The Fight Song - Marilyn Manson  Rock Is Dead - Marilyn Manson  Redeemer [Queen Of The Damned Soundtrack]...  No Reason - Marilyn Manson  Wight Spider (Alternate Version) - Marilyn Manson  I Have To Look Up Just To See Hell (Alternate Vers...  Lunchbox (Highschool Drop-Outs) - Marilyn Manson  Leave A Scar (Alternate Version) - Marilyn Manson  Count To Six And Die - Marilyn Manson  Valentines Day - Marilyn Manson  Everlasting Cocksucker - Marilyn Manson  The Wow - Marilyn Manson  Coma Black: Eden Eye/The Apple of Discord...  Coma Black: Eden Eye / The Apple of Discord...  Sweet Dreams - Marilyn Manson  Diary of a Dope Fiend - Marilyn Manson  I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies...  Tainted Love - Marilyn Manson  Count to 6 and Die (The Vacuum of Infinite Space E...  Blank And White - Marilyn Manson  You and Me and the Devil Makes 3 - Marilyn Manson  New Model, No.15 - Marilyn Manson  Target Audience (Narcissus Narcosis)...  Prelude (The Family Trip) - Marilyn Manson  The Telephone (Jesus Is My Boyfriend)...  Cryptorchild - Marilyn Manson  Count To Six And Die (The Vacuum Of Infinite Space...  Mob Scene - Marilyn Manson  Hey, Cruel World - Marilyn Manson  God Eat God - Marilyn Manson  Fuck Frankie - Marilyn Manson  Lay Down Your Goddamn Arms - Marilyn Manson  Rock And Roll Nigger - Marilyn Manson  Pretty As A Swastika - Marilyn Manson  The KKK Took My Baby Away (Ramones cover)...  Marilyn Manson No Reflection is the lead single fr...  This Is The New Shit - Marilyn Manson  Heart Shaped Glass - Marilyn Manson  Fight Song - Marilyn Manson  User Friendliy - Marilyn Manson  Autopsy - Marilyn Manson  Fundamentally Loathesome - Marilyn Manson  Come Back - Marilyn Manson  & Quot;Untitled & Quot ; - Marilyn Manson  Count to 6 & Die - Marilyn Manson  Count to Six and Die (the Vacum of Infinite Space ...  Bad Girl - Marilyn Manson  A Long Hard Road Out Of Hell - Marilyn Manson  Dance Of The Dope Hats (Mixes) - Marilyn Manson  Dance Of The Dope Hats (Remix) - Marilyn Manson  Everlasting Cocksucker (Mixes) - Marilyn Manson  Everlasting Cocksucker (Remix) - Marilyn Manson  In The Shadow Of The Valley.. - Marilyn Manson  Horrible People (Beautiful People Remix)...  I Hate (Demo) - Marilyn Manson
  Please consider supporting this site by Clicking Here and Bookmarking whenever you search and shop Amazon. It costs you nothing but it supports us and gives us credit and we appreciate it greatly.