The Speed of Pain
- This article is about the song. For the live bootleg, see Speed of Pain.
| "The Speed of Pain" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Song by Marilyn Manson | ||
| Album | Mechanical Animals | |
| Released | September 14, 1998 | |
| Recorded | 1997–1998 at the White Room, Westlake Recording Studios in West Hollywood, California and Conway Studios | |
| Genre | Alternative rock | |
| Length | 5:30 | |
| Label | Nothing, Interscope | |
| Writer | Marilyn Manson | |
| Composer | Twiggy Ramirez, Madonna Wayne Gacy, Zim Zum | |
| Producer | Michael Beinhorn, Marilyn Manson | |
"The Speed of Pain" is the sixth track on the 1998 release Mechanical Animals.
Contents
Appearances
Albums
Versions
- "The Speed of Pain" — Appears on Mechanical Animals.
Lyrics
They slit our throats
Like we were flowers
And our milk has been
Devoured
When you want it
It goes away too fast
When you hate it
It always seems to last
But just remember when you think
You're free
The crack inside your fucking heart is me
(Thought, not spoken):
I wanna outrace the speed of pain for another day
I wish I could sleep
But I can't lay on my back
Because there's a knife
For everyday that I've known you
When you want it
It goes away too fast
When you hate it
It always seems to last
But just remember when you think
You're free
The crack inside your fucking heart is me
(Thought, not spoken):
I wanna outrace the speed of pain for another day
Lie to me, cry to me, give to me
I would
Lie with me, die with me, give to me
I would
Keep all your secrets wrapped in dead hair
I hope at least we die holding hands
For always.
Theme
Allegedly this song is mostly about a painful relationship, looking back on it after it has ended, and seeing how both of the people came out of it worse than they started. He wants to outrace the speed of pain so that he can stop thinking about her, and about what they have lost, about how quickly it was gone. ("When you want it, it goes away too fast") Everything beautiful in the world is ephemeral, and he's just now realizing it, of course when it's already too late. But the true beauty of this song is even though the character in the song wants his ex to feel pain like he has felt ("Just remember, when you think you're free, the crack inside your fucking heart is me"), he still has a small bit of catharsis dropped in at the end - "I hope at least we die holding hands," which seems to say to me that there can be two people so steeped in misery and hate, but in the end there is always hope, even in death.
Trivia
- The background vocals and wailing during the chorus are sung by the same soul singers featured on "I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)".
- Billy Corgan also lended background vocals.
- The song appears on the 2nd teaser for the second season of "True Blood" on Fox.
