It was announced Thursday January 17th 2025 that Film Director David Lynch died of emphysema at the age of 78, just a few days before his 79th birthday on Monday. Both Lindsay and Manson paid tribute to Lynch on Instagram, with Lindsay posting in her stories a broken heart under the poster for Wild at Heart and Manson posting the poster for Lost Highway with the message: "May you live forever inside our dreams." Manson and Lindsay have both said that Wild at Heart (1990) is their favorite Lynch film and favorite romance film, to the point where their wedding theme in 2020 was inspired by Wild at Heart , and they even invited Nicolas Cage, the star of the film, to attend, which he did via a video call. Also, a quote from the film spoken by Crispin Glover can be heard in the song "Lunchbox", when you hear: "I'm making my lunch!" Manson's first film appearance was as a snuff film pornstar along with bandmate Twiggy Ramirez in Lynch's film Lost ...
...continued from part one.
After my analysis of the first track "One Assassination Under God", I wanted to offer a brief analysis of its accompanying music video. The music video was released on the same day the album was released, November 22nd 2024, and like the other three videos released before it from the same album, it was directed by Bill Yukich.
After my analysis of the first track "One Assassination Under God", I wanted to offer a brief analysis of its accompanying music video. The music video was released on the same day the album was released, November 22nd 2024, and like the other three videos released before it from the same album, it was directed by Bill Yukich.
- The video opens with a bird's-eye view of Marilyn Manson walking on a dirt road. We then see him seated alone at a set table with empty seats in a dark room lit only by a number of red and white candles. In front of him is a birthday cake with what looks like around 8 candles lit and surrounding him are 7 red balloons suspended in the air; 3 attached to the back of his chair and 1 attached to each of the 4 empty chairs. This is where he sings the opening lines: "You gave us what we wished for, a few tangled strings attached."
I think here Manson wants to correlate the first lines of the song with the idea of making a wish before you blow out the candles on your birthday cake. Perhaps the balloons attached to the chairs are images that evoke the "strings attached." "Strings attached" is an idiom that means something has special conditions or limitations, or that there are expectations or obligations involved.
In my previous analysis of the song I also mentioned how the line from this song, "My pilot light has flickered out", was taken from the spoken lyrics that only appears in Manson's 2003 short film Doppelherz. Another line from these spoken lyrics reads, "I am a birthday cake that you light up, blow out, cut apart, devour and forget." This may also relate to what we are seeing in the music video, but not referenced in the accompanying lyrics.
I think here Manson wants to correlate the first lines of the song with the idea of making a wish before you blow out the candles on your birthday cake. Perhaps the balloons attached to the chairs are images that evoke the "strings attached." "Strings attached" is an idiom that means something has special conditions or limitations, or that there are expectations or obligations involved.
In my previous analysis of the song I also mentioned how the line from this song, "My pilot light has flickered out", was taken from the spoken lyrics that only appears in Manson's 2003 short film Doppelherz. Another line from these spoken lyrics reads, "I am a birthday cake that you light up, blow out, cut apart, devour and forget." This may also relate to what we are seeing in the music video, but not referenced in the accompanying lyrics.
- When Manson sings, "You will always be entertained", he is outside on a rainy night dressed fully in black, including a black hat and gloves, holding a black umbrella.
This imagery reminds me of a movie scene, especially one we would see in a noir film, where an umbrella motif is most commonly used at a time of deep reflection and can often represent a shift: a passing or a change. You can’t a have a scene for a funeral without having both rain and black umbrellas scattered across the screen, and seeing that the song is about death through a sacrifice or assassination this could be what is behind this imagery.
This imagery reminds me of a movie scene, especially one we would see in a noir film, where an umbrella motif is most commonly used at a time of deep reflection and can often represent a shift: a passing or a change. You can’t a have a scene for a funeral without having both rain and black umbrellas scattered across the screen, and seeing that the song is about death through a sacrifice or assassination this could be what is behind this imagery.
- A vehicle with headlights on then appears in the video, and Manson at first making movements in front of the headlights, then he is seen inside the vehicle in the driver's seat.
The automobile is also a motif in noir films. Dark deeds, heists, police pursuits, escapes, betrayals, and death all happen in and around cars – the darker and wetter the streets the better. In the video, the vehicle further adds to the shadow motif in noir films. By bathing scenes in deep shadows and accentuating specific elements with intense light, filmmakers evoke a sense of foreboding and unease.
The automobile is also a motif in noir films. Dark deeds, heists, police pursuits, escapes, betrayals, and death all happen in and around cars – the darker and wetter the streets the better. In the video, the vehicle further adds to the shadow motif in noir films. By bathing scenes in deep shadows and accentuating specific elements with intense light, filmmakers evoke a sense of foreboding and unease.
- Manson can also be seen on top of a large pile of logs.
This looks like it is supposed to evoke the imagery of a wooden pyre on which a burnt offering or sacrifice was made, though it also was used in executions. The size could also correlate with the lyrics referring to being thrown off a cliff.
This looks like it is supposed to evoke the imagery of a wooden pyre on which a burnt offering or sacrifice was made, though it also was used in executions. The size could also correlate with the lyrics referring to being thrown off a cliff.
- Manson is then seen dressed primarily in red holding a goat attached to a rope.
Manson speaks of sacrifice in the song and refers to imagery which reminds us of the idea of the scapegoat. The fact that Manson is all by himself in the video and now holding a goat further evokes the imagery of the scapegoat, which we read about in Leviticus 16:
"Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness."
Manson's role in holding the goat in an "uninhabited land" could be that of the "suitable man", and symbolically as the scapegoat as well. The red color of his suit could be meant to evoke the idea of blood used in the atonement ceremony.
In Christianity, this ceremony for the atonement of the sins of the people of Israel in the Old Testament was a type of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross where he offered himself for the atonement of the sins of all people. Manson has also applied this image of being crucified like Jesus on the cross as a sacrifice, and in the song "The Reflecting God" when performed live he even used atonement language when he added the line "I'm tired of dying for your fucking sins" before he repeated "No salvation, No forgiveness".
Since the goat was sent away to perish in the wilderness bearing the sins of the people of Isreal, the word "scapegoat" has developed to indicate a person who is blamed and punished for the actions of others.
Manson speaks of sacrifice in the song and refers to imagery which reminds us of the idea of the scapegoat. The fact that Manson is all by himself in the video and now holding a goat further evokes the imagery of the scapegoat, which we read about in Leviticus 16:
"Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness."
Manson's role in holding the goat in an "uninhabited land" could be that of the "suitable man", and symbolically as the scapegoat as well. The red color of his suit could be meant to evoke the idea of blood used in the atonement ceremony.
In Christianity, this ceremony for the atonement of the sins of the people of Israel in the Old Testament was a type of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross where he offered himself for the atonement of the sins of all people. Manson has also applied this image of being crucified like Jesus on the cross as a sacrifice, and in the song "The Reflecting God" when performed live he even used atonement language when he added the line "I'm tired of dying for your fucking sins" before he repeated "No salvation, No forgiveness".
Since the goat was sent away to perish in the wilderness bearing the sins of the people of Isreal, the word "scapegoat" has developed to indicate a person who is blamed and punished for the actions of others.
- Manson is shown driving the vehicle at what appears to be a high speed on the dirt road and encounters the figure of a man holding a pitchfork who is reflecting with red light, then he continues to drive.
The imagery of the figure could be the devil, and perhaps Manson encountering him on the road may indicate a deal with the devil at the "crossroad". In the past he has said that completing a certain album is his payment to the devil, i.e. his demons. In a 2015 interview speaking of the release of The Pale Emperor, he said: "This record is the devil saying, ‘You’ve got to pay up, motherfucker’. It is where I pay my own demons.”
On the other hand, it could be just a man coming at Manson with a pitchfork, which is the standard equipment for any angry mob that goes on a Witch Hunt. Villagers used to bring out their pitch forks and torches to demonstrate a united front against an outlaw or even just an outcast who didn’t fit in. Ignorance and superstition often fanned their fears. The mob would run the scorned individual out of town, or go hunt him down.
The imagery of the figure could be the devil, and perhaps Manson encountering him on the road may indicate a deal with the devil at the "crossroad". In the past he has said that completing a certain album is his payment to the devil, i.e. his demons. In a 2015 interview speaking of the release of The Pale Emperor, he said: "This record is the devil saying, ‘You’ve got to pay up, motherfucker’. It is where I pay my own demons.”
On the other hand, it could be just a man coming at Manson with a pitchfork, which is the standard equipment for any angry mob that goes on a Witch Hunt. Villagers used to bring out their pitch forks and torches to demonstrate a united front against an outlaw or even just an outcast who didn’t fit in. Ignorance and superstition often fanned their fears. The mob would run the scorned individual out of town, or go hunt him down.
- We then see Manson dragging with a rope over his shoulders a wooden coffin that looks like its on fire inside but not consumed, and a cross engraved on top of the coffin.
The image of a man dragging a wooden coffin is a popular image from the 1966 film Django. In the film, Django is a union soldier turned drifter after the Civil War, and winds up becoming a man who everyone wants dead and he gets revenge on his enemies, and the means of finding his revenge is contained in the coffin he has been dragging in the wilderness. Django is not only dressed similar to Manson in the video, but he even drags the coffin on a dirt road.
The image of a man dragging a wooden coffin is a popular image from the 1966 film Django. In the film, Django is a union soldier turned drifter after the Civil War, and winds up becoming a man who everyone wants dead and he gets revenge on his enemies, and the means of finding his revenge is contained in the coffin he has been dragging in the wilderness. Django is not only dressed similar to Manson in the video, but he even drags the coffin on a dirt road.
Different interpretations come to mind for this. The fact that this scene comes right after the encounter with the figure with the pitchfork leads me to believe that perhaps the coffin may contain his body, hence why it is glowing red. Or Manson carrying the coffin like a burden may be a punishment for his deal with the devil. However, the two scenes may not be connected, and it could maybe just serve as a symbol of deadly revenge like it does in the movie Django. It could also indicate, seeing that a crucifix is carved on the coffin, that Manson is carrying his cross as his burden and it requires him to die as a sacrifice.
- When Manson is shown repeating "Assassination" then screaming it as the camera shows a close up of his face, it reminds of the poster of the 1974 film Phantom of the Paradise, which has long been used by Manson as an inspiration. The grill Manson wears is said to be inspired by the film, where the Phantom's metal teeth are a symbol of being falsely accused and seeking revenge, and the movie alludes to a Faustian deal with the devil as well as an assassination attempt. And in the video as well as the song, Manson seen screaming "Assassination" in various scenes could further indicate the idea that what is really happening is an assassination and not a sacrifice.
PART THREE