In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Ants are in the sugar, muscles atrophied
We're on the other side, the screen is us, and we're TV
Spread me open, sticking to my pointy ribs
Are all your infants in abortion cribs
I was born into this, everything turns to shit
The boy that you loved is the man that you fear
Pray until your number
Asleep from all your pain
Your apple has been rotting
Tomorrow's turned up dead
I have it all and I have no choice but to
I'll make everyone pay and you will see
You can kill yourself now, because you're dead in my mind
The boy that you loved is the monster you fear
Peel off all those eyes
Crawl into the dark
You've poisoned all of your children
To camouflage your scars
Pray unto the splinters
Pray unto your fear
Pray your life was just a dream
The cut that never heals
Pray now, baby
Pray your life was just a dream
I am so tangled in my sins that I cannot escape
I am so tangled in my sins that I cannot escape
Pinch the head off, collapse me like a weed
Someone had to go this far
I was born into this, everything turns to shit
The boy that you loved is the man that you fear
Peel off all those eyes
Crawl into the dark
You've poisoned all your children
To camouflage your scars
Pray unto the splinters
Pray unto your fear
Pray your life was just a dream
The cut that never heals
Pray now, baby
Pray your life was just a dream
The world in my hands
There's no one left to hear you scream
No one left for you
When all of your wishes are granted
Many of your dreams will be destroyed
We're on the other side, the screen is us, and we're TV
Spread me open, sticking to my pointy ribs
Are all your infants in abortion cribs
I was born into this, everything turns to shit
The boy that you loved is the man that you fear
Pray until your number
Asleep from all your pain
Your apple has been rotting
Tomorrow's turned up dead
I have it all and I have no choice but to
I'll make everyone pay and you will see
You can kill yourself now, because you're dead in my mind
The boy that you loved is the monster you fear
Peel off all those eyes
Crawl into the dark
You've poisoned all of your children
To camouflage your scars
Pray unto the splinters
Pray unto your fear
Pray your life was just a dream
The cut that never heals
Pray now, baby
Pray your life was just a dream
I am so tangled in my sins that I cannot escape
I am so tangled in my sins that I cannot escape
Pinch the head off, collapse me like a weed
Someone had to go this far
I was born into this, everything turns to shit
The boy that you loved is the man that you fear
Peel off all those eyes
Crawl into the dark
You've poisoned all your children
To camouflage your scars
Pray unto the splinters
Pray unto your fear
Pray your life was just a dream
The cut that never heals
Pray now, baby
Pray your life was just a dream
The world in my hands
There's no one left to hear you scream
No one left for you
When all of your wishes are granted
Many of your dreams will be destroyed
Lyrics submitted by piesupreme
Man That You Fear Lyrics as written by Jeordie White Brian Hugh Warner
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Great version of a great song,
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Yes the video has something to with "The Lottery" which is the main concept of only the video. In his autobiography he mentions this song and why he wrote it. After several years apart, Chad, Brian's best friend asked him to come to his wedding. Brian was hesitant because he hadn't seen him for a long time and he hasn't seen everyone that was back home. Since he was already involved in his music career he was outcasted. So when Brian showed up to the wedding everyone looked at him differently and he wasnt the innocent little boy he used to be so they fear him actually. The concept of stoning makes Brain a scapegoat of everyones fears and what better way to get rid of their fears than to kill what is causing them. I hope this makes the song more clear.
It's funny because you are the first person I have read who 'got' the video being a complete rip off from Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery". And to add to why he wrote the story, the video had the Lottery overtones because Manson related to the poor sap who drew the wrong straw out of the hat.