Get Your Gunn by Marilyn Manson Lyrics Meaning – A Piercing Analysis of Rebellion and Provocation
Lyrics
I eat innocent meat
The housewife, I will beat
The pro-life, I will kill
What you won’t do, I will
I bash myself to sleep
What you sow, I will reap
I scar myself, you see
I wish I wasn’t me
I am the little stick
You stir me into shit
I hate, therefore I am
Goddamn your righteous hand
Goddamn (ooh, Lord)
Goddamn (ooh, Lord)
Goddamn (ooh, Lord)
Goddamn (ooh, Lord)
Pseudo-morals work real well
On the talk shows for the weak (goddamn)
Selective judgment, good guy badges
Don’t mean a fuck to me (goddamn)
I throw a little fit
I slit my teenage wrists
The most that I can learn
Is in records that you burn
Get your gun
Get your gun
Get your gun
Get your gun
Pseudo-morals work real well
On the talk shows for the weak (goddamn)
Selective judgment, good guy badges
Don’t mean a fuck to me (goddamn)
Pseudo-morals work real well
On the talk shows for the weak (goddamn)
Selective judgment, good guy badges
Don’t mean a fuck to me (goddamn)
I am the VHS
Record me with your fist
Want me to save the world
I’m just a little girl
Pseudo-morals work real well
On the talk shows for the weak (goddamn)
Selective judgment, good guy badges
Don’t mean a fuck to me (goddamn)
Pseudo-morals work real well
On the talk shows for the weak (goddamn)
Selective judgment, good guy badges
Don’t mean a fuck to me (goddamn)
Get your gun
Get your gun
Get your gun
Get your gun
Get
When Marilyn Manson debuted ‘Get Your Gunn’ from their 1994 album ‘Portrait of an American Family,’ it wasn’t immediately clear to the broader public the intricate web of societal critique Manson was weaving. The song rocketed to become one of the band’s most provocative tracks, a searing condemnation of hypocrisy, violence, and the failure of moralising forces within society.
In the dissonance and chaos of ‘Get Your Gunn,’ listeners find a performance art piece veiled as a hard-hitting industrial metal track. Every line and chord strums through prevailing issues of the time, and yet, over two decades later, the lyrics retain a haunting relevance, Speaking volumes on the cyclical nature of society’s struggles.
The Thunderous Cry Against Hollow Morality
Distilled to its essence, ‘Get Your Gunn’ is a sonic blast at the pretense of moral superiority. Manson’s verses unabashedly target those who wield ‘righteous hands’ in judgment while perpetrating violence and oppression. The song is a raucous challenge to the double standards of a society that condemns certain forms of violence while endorsing others under the guise of morality.
The raw energy of the track invites listeners to confront the facade of societal norms and encourages a kind of violent retribution against the forces of moral dogmatism. Manson reflects the anger of those who feel beaten down by judgements and standards they neither fit into nor accept.
The Insidious Nature of Violence in the Name of Good
Delving further into the lyrics of ‘Get Your Gunn,’ Manson casts a spotlight on the characteristically American juxtaposition of puritanical ideology and violent action. The ‘prolife I will kill’ line is a direct provocation, questioning the extreme measures taken by some to enforce their idea of life preservation, and in doing so, Manson critiques the narrative around what kinds of violence are acceptable.
In these lyrics, Manson doesn’t simply point out the hypocrisy, but instead embodies the contradiction, drawing listeners into the discomfort of recognising their own possible complicity. It’s a compressed exploration of how violence breeds violence, and how moral high ground often collapses under the weight of its own contradictions.
The Hidden Meaning: A Reference to Real-Life Tragedy
Unbeknownst to many, ‘Get Your Gunn’ contains a layer hidden deep within its confrontational prose—one that ties directly to a chilling event in American history. The song’s title and chorus reference the 1993 murder of Dr. David Gunn, an abortion provider, by anti-abortion extremist Michael Frederick Griffin.
The song therefore becomes a narrative on the choice of violence in enforcing beliefs, and raises potent questions about the implications of such actions. Not only does Manson dissect the social order, but also the moments where that order erupts into real-world violence, compelling the audience to consider the depth of rhetoric splayed across our headlines.
The Anthem of the Unheard: ‘I Wish I Wasn’t Me’
Another significant segment of ‘Get Your Gunn’ arises as an anthem for the marginalized. When Manson screams, ‘I wish I wasn’t me,’ it resonates with those who feel unseen and unheard by society. It’s a mirror to the disenchantment felt by the youth, an undercurrent of self-loathing stirred by external forces of rejection and isolation.
The sentiment reflects a yearning for identity and recognition, and Manson masterfully translates this existential angst into a battle cry for genuine expression. This line, potent and painful, reaches into the heart of Manson’s artistic drive, which has always been about laying bare the agonies of societal pressures.
The Unforgettable Proclamations: ‘Pseudo Morals’ and the Media
To understand the song’s relentlessness, one must consider the sharply barbed commentary against the media, encapsulated in the line ‘Pseudo morals work real well on the talk shows for the week.’ Here, Manson pulls back the velvet curtain on the charade of televised morality, scrutinizing how mass media perpetuates and profits from a moral panic, all while genuine issues simmer beneath the surface.
This lyrical arrow cuts deep into the heart of trivial celebrity culture and the superficial valor that media hands out, challenging the viewer to look beyond the flickering images and dig into the substance of our societal conscience. As listeners, we’re asked to question the authenticity of the outrage and values paraded before us daily.
