i peek into the hole, i struggle for control
the children love the show, but they fail to see the anguish in my eyes
fail to see the anguish in my eyes
i scratch around the brim, i let my mind give in
the crowd begins to grin, but they seem to screem when darkness fills my eyes
seem to screem when darkness fills my eyes, it's no surprise
fail to see the tragic, turn it into magic
my big top tricks will always make you happy, but we all know the hat is wearing me
my bag is in the hat, it's filled with this and that
my vision's getting fat, the rabbit's just a monkey in disguise
stars and pills and needles dance before our eyes
they will bite the hand if ti is slower than the quickness of thier scrutinizing eyes
fail to see the tragic, turn it into magic
my big top tricks will always make you happy, but we all know the hat is wearing me
chicanery will always make you happy, but we all know the hat is wearing me


Lyrics submitted by Ice

Dope Hat song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

42 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +2
    General Comment
    The song is about how that drugs, in spite of the glamour and glitter associated with them, can often come back to control the individual who takes them in the end (my big top tricks will always make you happy, but we all know the hat is wearing me). I like his usage of imagery here, too.
    Akashaon May 04, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    My opinion in this song is strangely controversial to the ones posted here. Instead of drugs this could be the hardships of someone who's gained fame in what they do and when something happens that's so bad to that same person they become sad and lonely and destructive but to be able to go on in life materially they continue to do their entertainment job, which causes a sort of insanity within that one, since he is doing something completely against his will. He's turning his "tragedy" into "magic", for the viewers, and he's not doing it because he wants to, it's for his own personal material needs. The hat is wearing him.
    AnguishOfAngeron July 21, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I interpreted that since a hat is roughly circular, and a cirlce is a never ending perfection, Brian's mind is telling us about people who are in a never ending drug dream world that provides them glamour and everything they want, but they cannot get out. Once they are so far into the magnificent world of drugs, they no longer control the world, the world controls them, or "...the hat is wearing me..." so to speak. On the other hand he could be speaking about the antichrist. Let me explain:Brian talks a lot about the antichrist in some songs as if he wants to be the one to become this man. His hat could be his halo that he wears as a disguise to draw people in. I got this from "...rabbits's just a monkey in disguise...". both of these interpretations are just the meanings i got from the song, you could get something totally different. I am just here to expand the horizon...aren't we all?
    wayne*on June 19, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    The inner pain is also hidden from the public eye, as shown in the first part of the song.
    Akashaon May 10, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    My opinion is that it's the typical reaction of using drugs. First he has anguish, and later on the 'tragic' turns to 'magic'. And with 'magic' he means, he's high and everything is different: 'my vision's getting fat, the rabbit's just a monkey in disguise stars and pills and needles dance before our eyes'. The magic has such great impact that he can't live without drugs, he gets addicted: 'but we all know the hat is wearing me'. It's a fuckin great song! But i'm not sure if my comment is the real meaning of the song!!!
    .comon April 30, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    My opinion is that it's the typical reaction of using drugs. First he has anguish, and later on the 'tragic' turns to 'magic'. And with 'magic' he means, he's high and everything is different: 'my vision's getting fat, the rabbit's just a monkey in disguise stars and pills and needles dance before our eyes'. The magic has such great impact that he can't live without drugs, he gets addicted: 'but we all know the hat is wearing me'. It's a fuckin great song! But i'm not sure if my comment is the real meaning of the song!!!
    .comon April 30, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I LUV IT. MY CUZUNS BAND PLAY IT
    NINCOMPOOPASSon May 08, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    You really have to see the dope hat video for this song to make sense.. and even if you don't understand the video, it is the coolest thing that you will ever see. Manson is god.
    xlilkikixon October 21, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Good song, What does it say on the back of the boat in the video? This is one of the few songs of early manson that I really like. If your looking for a straight interpretation: drugs.
    the_nihiliston December 29, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    In Manson's Biography, he mentions a few times that he took halluicgenic drugs, but they hit him really hard, made him see some very strong images. This is obviously discussing one of these trips "but we all know the hat is wearing me" is just one example of it.
    hittingmanon January 08, 2005   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!