Antichrist Superstar (song)
- This article is about the song. For the album, see Antichrist Superstar (album), for the unreleased single see Antichrist Superstar (single)
| "Antichrist Superstar" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Song by Marilyn Manson | ||
| Album | Antichrist Superstar | |
| Released | October 8, 1996 | |
| Recorded | 1996 at Nothing Studios in New Orleans, Louisiana | |
| Genre | Alternative rock | |
| Length | 5:14 | |
| Label | Nothing, Interscope | |
| Writer | Marilyn Manson | |
| Composer | Twiggy Ramirez, Madonna Wayne Gacy | |
| Producer | Trent Reznor, Dave Ogilvie, Marilyn Manson | |
"Antichrist Superstar" is the twelfth track on the 1996 release Antichrist Superstar. A video (see below) and a promotional version of the single were made for the track, but the single was never commercially released. Like on the album's ninety-ninth track, "Antichrist Superstar" ends with the phrase "When you are suffering, know that I had betrayed you" sampled repeatedly. The original version of the song however ended with a different phrase, "You might as well kill yourself, you are already dead." This alternate sample can be heard on the live album The Last Tour on Earth.
The second verse of the song contains the line "Prick your fingers it is done. The moon has now eclipsed the son. Angel has spread its wings. The time has come for biter thing" which also avaliable in the sixteenth track of Antichrist Superstar
Contents
Appearances
Albums
Singles
Versions
- Antichrist Superstar — Appears on Antichrist Superstar.
- Antichrist Superstar (Alternate Ending) — Appears on Antichrist Superstar (single) promotional sampler.
- Antichrist Superstar (Live in Hartford, CT) — Appears on Remix & Repent.
- Antichrist Superstar (Live) — Appears on Dead to the World.
- Antichrist Superstar (Live) — Appears on The Last Tour on Earth.
- Antichrist Superstar (Live) — Appears on the Guns, God and Government World Tour DVD.
- Repent (Live) — Performed during the Against All Gods tour; never officially released.
Music video
The music video for the song, directed by Elias Merhige and co-directed by Manson, was filmed sometime during 1996, but remains currently unreleased. It has allegedly been screened on MTV twice, and once at the 1997 San Francisco Film Festival as part of a program titled "Newly Minted Memories". It won a Golden Gate Certificate of Merit in the "Music Video" category. Despite these three known screenings, the video remains absent from all recollections of The Heirophant community, adding to the mystery surrounding it.
In 1996, Merhige was contacted by Marilyn Manson in regards to producing a music video for "Cryptorchid", the day after he saw Merhige's experimental horror film Begotten. Manson and Merhige met in Los Angeles, California where they would produce the "Cryptorchid" video. Merhige also expressed interest in filming a video for "Antichrist Superstar", but wanted to use a bulk of footage outtake that he had already compiled. He shot excess material featuring Manson, then put it together with the pre-existing scenes.
Merhige used military footage from different countries and different wars, that depicted the fascist aspect of the song, but Manson was not quite sure that it represented the criticism that it deserved. It wasn't ultimately Manson's opinion that mattered however because Interscope was appalled by the video. "That's not to say it won't be seen," said Manson, "but I'm not sure if [Merhige] ever had a fair chance of finishing it because of the record company."
Existing knowledge indicates that the music video was 5 minutes and 30 seconds, more or less. It was filmed in black and white, and incorporated footage from Merhige's Begotten, and also of military warfare. Original scenes including Manson were also filmed, although his character role in the video is uncertain. There is a possibility that to consist with the fascist aspect of the song and war scenes compiled for the video, that one of Manson's depictions was not unlike live performances of the song where he would stand dressed formally at a podium, possibly even tearing apart a bible as performances showcased. Henry Rosenthal of San Francisco-based film company Complex Corporation has mentioned his involvement in the production of the video, although according to Manson only he and Merhige were involved. It is not made clear as to whether or not the video was completed however, as Manson himself claimed he, "was not sure if [Merhige] ever had a fair chance of finishing it".
Nearly 13 years after filming "Antichrist Superstar", the video has still not seen proper, or even partial release independently or through Interscope Records as of April 2009, although Manson has expressed interest in releasing it someday. Potential owners of the video are the Complex Corporation in San Francisco, California, Elias Merhige, or even Marilyn Manson.
A petition directed to the Complex Corporation has been in circulation since June 2007, known dominantly by The Heirophant community (from which the idea was generated), although it is encouraged by the community that as many people as possible outside the community should sign it as well. The goal is 20,000 signatures.
Lyrics
you built me up with your wishing hell
I didn't have to sell you
you threw your money in the pissing well
you do just what they tell you
REPENT, that's what I'm talking about
i shed the skin to feed the fake
REPENT, that's what I'm talking about
whose mistake am i anyway?
Cut the head off
Grows back hard
I am the hydra
now you'll see your star
prick your finger it is done
the moon has now eclipsed the sun
the angel has spread its wings
the time has come for bitter things
REPENT, that's what he's talking about
i shed the skin to feed the fake
REPENT, that's what he's talking about
whose mistake am i anyway?
Cut the head off
Grows back hard
I am the hydra
now you'll see your star
the time has come it is quite clear
our antichrist
is almost here...
it is done
Trivia
- According to photos on his MySpace profile, former Marilyn Manson guitarist Scott Putesky, better known as Daisy Berkowitz, used an Ibanez Iceman to record "Antichrist Superstar".[1]
