Revision as of 04:06, 7 March 2007

Smells Like Children is a 1995 album by Marilyn Manson. Although initially intended to be a Remix EP, various contributions by engineer and Skinny Puppy producer Dave Ogilvie, Nine Inch Nails keyboardist Charlie Clouser and new material by the band resulted in an eclectic combination of material. The album was produced by Trent Reznor and Marilyn Manson.

A number of covers are included on the album, most famous of which is the band's cover of Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)", which helped to skyrocket the band into the mainstream. The other covers on the album are the Patti Smith song "Rock 'n Roll Nigger" and Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You". Manson's recording of "I Put a Spell on You" was also featured on the soundtrack for the David Lynch film Lost Highway.

Early promotional copies of Smells Like Children featured unauthorized samples from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, as well as other sound bites considered too extreme; the album was re-edited into the release proper. The removed songs were the original opening track, "Abuse part 1", featuring Manson and Danzig tour driver Tony Wiggins speaking to a masochistic girl, attempting to calm her down when things get really out of hand, and "Abuse part 2", featuring an interview with a teenage girl who confesses to molesting her 6-year-old cousin.

"May Cause Discoloration of the Urine or Feces" was also featured as part of the sound scape "Revelation #9", released on the single for "Get Your Gunn".

Track listing

1. The Hands of Small Children – 1:34
2. Diary of a Dope Fiend – 5:55
3. Shitty Chicken Gang Bang (Edited Version) – 1:19
4. Kiddie Grinder (Remix) – 4:23
5. Sympathy for the Parents – 1:00
6. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) – 4:53
7. Everlasting Cocksucker (Remix) – 5:13
8. Fuck Frankie – 1:48
9. I Put A Spell On You – 3:36
10. May Cause Discoloration of the Urine or Feces – 3:59
11. Scabs, Guns and Peanut Butter – 1:01
12. Dance of the Dope Hats (Remix) – 4:39
13. White Trash (Remix) – 2:47
14. Dancing with the One Legged – 0:46
15. Rock 'n Roll Nigger – 3:31
16. (Unlisted Untitled Bonus Track) – 8:19

The untitled hidden track contains two bonus tracks: a slower, more ominous version of "Shitty Chicken Gang Bang" and, around six minutes in, a disturbing audio experiment known as "Poop Games".

Trivia

• If you slow down the song 'Scabs, Guns, and Peanut Butter', it is discovered to be a song actually sung by Twiggy Ramirez.

• The "Frankie" referred to in "Fuck Frankie" is Frankie Proia, Manson's tour manager at the time who embezzled $10,000 from the band during their tour for Portrait of an American Family.

• The "One Legged" referred to in "Dancing with the One Legged", was a Huggy Bear doll (the pimp from Starsky and Hutch) that the band used as a container for drugs; it had one leg.

Credits

• Marilyn Manson — concept, vocals, producer, art direction
• Twiggy Ramirez — bass, tape manipulation
• Daisy Berkowitz — guitars and concept
• Madonna Wayne Gacy — keyboards, synthesizers, loops, programming
• Ginger Fish — drums
• Tony F. Wiggins — vocals, acoustic guitar
• Trent Reznor — executive producer
• Chris Vrenna — programming, digital editing
• Sean Beavan — engineer, mixing
• Charlie Clouser — remixing
• Dave "Rave" Ogilvie — remixing
• Joseph Bishara — remixing
• Anthony Valcic — remixing
• Jim Janick — assistant
• Joseph Cultice — photography
• Gary Talpas — art direction, package design, logo

Billboard charts

1. 1995 - Smells Like Children The Billboard 200 No. 31
2. 1996 - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) Modern Rock Tracks No. 26
3. 1996 - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) Mainstream Rock Tracks No. 31