A place in the dirt - meaning

[Principiante]

Ok, so this is one for the old school, or the ones that can still remember it, as it can be quite specific...

What is, to any of you, the meaning of the following sentences, either on it's own, and in the context of that part of the song:

"Before I swallow all of it? " - swallow what? a conceptual swallowing?

"Now we hold the "ugly head" // The Mary-whore is at the bed" - ? (or that last verse in particular)

any ideas? Inputs or your own personal interpretations?

[Nemoris Inferioris]

Well for starters, "Kennedy" is Gaelic for "Ugly Head", which is sort of ironic, as in this photo of Kennedy's Gunshot wound, of his head, will appear to be... ugly? Or Grotesque.



"Now we hold the Ugly Head", meaning holding it up for a sort of display, as a trophy. As Kennedy is considered to be a "Dead Star", in terms of Celebritarianism.

--

"The Mary-Whore is at the bed", a Paradigm Shift, from the Virgin Mary, to a whore who wasn't pure, and Birthed another Bastardized child. At the bed, waiting for more.

--

"Cast the shadow of the Perfect Death", the Perfect death being the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, or the Christ-Like Assassination of JFK, dying a Martyr.
The Celebritarian Corporation Slogan "We Will Sell Our Shadow To Those Who Stand Within It", seems to be a throwback to this lyric, as for the lyric bearing the same slogan in Mutilation Is The Most Sincere Form Of Flattery.

--

"In the Sun, in the Dirt." Is another connection to the 1951 film "A Place In The Sun", as earlier in the song, it is referenced. "To our Perfect Place, in the Sun..."

Now, as for "Could you stop the Meat from thinking, before I swallow all of it? Could you please?", this can be many things. I've always thought the "Meat" was contaminated, and the "Meat" knows this, and allows itself to be "Swallowed". Or maybe it refers to Cannibalism? I guess it's always open for interpretation.

As for the rest of the song, I assume you know what it means?

[Principiante]

Thanks for your reply, that was quit good.

However, I was trying to come up with my understanding and interpretation of what Manson wrote, which (probably) may not have anything to do with the original intention with which this song was written.

I've always thought that stopping the meat from thinking was Manson way of saying he wanted his brain to stop thinking so much, like ignorance is bliss and always over working the meat (the brain, the body, by thinking too much, would made him feel just tired of it all, and hence to just wish to rest in peace - that's the whole vibe I get from the song overall though....).


Ok, granted, I know it's silly. But I was revisiting this song, and got stuck wondering what to make of "Before I swallow all of it? ", and sure, maybe yours or his interpretation of it will not be the same as mine, but maybe knowing what others are thinking about it will help me understand better this passage in the song :/

[Nemoris Inferioris]

It's all open for interpretation, so there is no wrong answer. Manson always like to inspire and provoke others to think for themselves to find their own meaning in his art. "Before I swallow all of it" could mean he wants to stop himself before he loses control and devours all of "It", whatever "It" is. Swallowing all of "it" can be a slip of control to become greedy and to take it all.

Nonetheless, I'm happy to see some conversation stirring up, dissecting lyrics. There's been a lack of that here for some time.

[Enname]

The Mary-Whore is at the bed", a Paradigm Shift, from the Virgin Mary, to a whore who wasn't pure, and Birthed another Bastardized child. At the bed, waiting for more.

There are two Marys (technically there are six potential ones, but shhh) in the Bible and Mary Magdalene is the 'whore'. There are a lot of variations in the Magdalene's origin stories, but basically the accepted version is that Magdalene was the prostitute at well who Christ forgave, as well as the sister of Martha who Christ preferred and let him anoint his feet with her hair. For those more Da Vinci Code inclined, she is also often cast as his wife. There is some argument that along with the Virgin Mary, the Magdalene was at the crucifixion, which matches nicely with the next line about casting the shadow of the perfect death ... so Mary-whore is at the bed could also be an implicit reference to the birth of celebritarianism (inversion to BVM at the cross, and the death being the birth of Christianity), to the imagery of the perfect death. Also, the Magdalene was the first witness of Christ risen from his tomb (bed), making her the first preacher of the 'risen word' and as such the bridge to The Nobodies and the mass marketing of death, the word of the media.

I do so love this song.

[Nemoris Inferioris]

Thank you for the correction, definitely makes more sense.

This song is also my favorite on the album.

[Enname]

Thank you for the correction, definitely makes more sense.

This song is also my favorite on the album.

Addition, not correction

And I like how the line ties the song back to the video for Coma White and back to JFK, with him crucified and a Mary (whore?) at his feet who is Jackie O/Rose McGowan/Maniqueen of depression. And thus works well with the whole 'ugly head'.

[Principiante]

Thank you all for your inputs


Yes, I sort of was stuck on the "swallow" part, and becasue I was taking it's meaning to be "cause or allow (something, especially food or drink) to pass down the throat", whereas because English is not my first language, it was not immediatly apparent of the other meaning it might have, namely "take in and cause to disappear; engulf", which does add another dimension that makes that part of the song easier to understand on the context that I want it to mean.

For me, it sort of is a song of despair, that when one know's too much he just can't have a normal life, and that he would be rather death than living like this, questioning everything, when knowing that if he did not saw the "ugly light", he would be much happier in ignorance about this, though the end stage will end being the same for everyone coming back to the first part of the song "We are damned and we are dead // all god's children to be sent // to our perfect place in the sun // and in the dirt"

It sort of always leaves me sad when I heart this song :/

Yes, it is a good thing that his art is always open to interpretation....

[Principiante]

As for the rest of the song, I assume you know what it means?

Shoot it ;D

[Enname]

Thank you all for your inputs


Yes, I sort of was stuck on the "swallow" part, and becasue I was taking it's meaning to be "cause or allow (something, especially food or drink) to pass down the throat", whereas because English is not my first language, it was not immediatly apparent of the other meaning it might have, namely "take in and cause to disappear; engulf", which does add another dimension that makes that part of the song easier to understand on the context that I want it to mean.

To swallow is to engulf, but in the case I think it is also about eating and eating sentient flesh. I mean we also have a song called 'lamb of God' on the album, about the sacrificial lambs led to the slaughter, and sacrificial lambs and calves are sacrificed to food. So there is an element here of devouring those who are lost, who are led astray, the innocent, and preferably those who aren't thinking. Whether that is media swallowing everyone in, or fame and stardom. The lamb thing is nice though because that takes me to a quick link in to Silence of the Lambs where people are treated as meat and as food, and there is definitely something there about cannibalism and 'the meat' fighting back. Not least also because Christ on a cross is celebrated by eating his flesh and drinking his blood. Eat me, drink me.

It is very .. Icarus and the sun.