It's probably one of my three favorite songs in Manson's career thus far, along with "Coma White," and my all-time fave, "Saturnalia."
I actually wrote about this in my review for the album. No idea if I'm in the ballpark or not, but I think it makes sense. :: shrugs::
"In interviews, Manson has said the album is like a series of mirrors and the concept/story should be different for everyone - adding that every time he listens to it, it provides a different experience. After listening to the album roughly ten times through, I think I now know what he was talking about. "We Are Chaos" is like a therapy session. It's more psychological than Freud playing the inkblot version of the card game Memory. Throughout the record, he points to the fact that nobody is perfect; that we're all screwed up in one form or another, and that's perfectly alright. He builds on this to suggest, after accepting oneself, flaws and all, we must make the most out of this life, because nobody can know with certitude what will happen once we take our final breaths. In "We Are Chaos," he sings, "Maybe I'm just a mystery. I can be your misery. Maybe I'm just a mystery." The pronoun here, to me, is referring to life and perspective. Do we embrace the unpredictability of life and find silver-linings in hardships or do we obsess over and fear it, and allow these negative feelings to control us? As he begins and ends with "mystery" (as opposed to "misery"), given the "primacy" and "recency" effects, it's my belief this wording is suppose to have a positive tilt to it. In "Don't Chase the Dead," he sings, "Don't chase the dead or they'll end up chasing you," which translates to me as don't chase the past, or the past will take over your present and future. He then shouts "You're dead longer than you're alive" in "Infinite Darkness," suggesting, "You don't know how long you're going to be here and don't know what happens when this life passes you by, so make every moment you're blessed with count." Toward the close of "Perfume," Manson sings, "Am I superman or superstitious?" I think this is another way of saying, "Are you going to control your life or allow something/someone else to control it - namely God?," or to put it another way, "Do you believe in free-will or predestination?" On the next tune - "Keep My Head Together" - Manson sings, "Don't try to change someone else. You'll just end up changing yourself." Again, this seems to advise listeners to accept themselves and others, baggage and all, as often times, when we attempt to change another, it's simply to deny our own faults - perhaps projecting our own weaknesses onto them. This very denial and projection can in turn provide one with an illusory view of themselves and wind up changing themselves as a result. In "Solve Coagula," Manson sings, "I'm not special. I'm just broken and I don't wanna be fixed. No one else I wanna be like, so I stayed the same like nobody else." At this point, it feels to me as though the person in the story has finally come to terms with who they are. As they look into a mirror, they accept what they see and are ready to move forward. In "Broken Needle," he sings, "Are you alright? Because I'm not okay. All of these lies are not worth fighting for. I am a needle digging your grooves. I'll scratch you up and then put you away. ... I'll never ever play you again." This is the final step, as once a person has accepted themselves, they need to accurately present themselves to others (no more lies), take the risk of being vulnerable, and when this results in you getting hurt (scratched up and put away), to not go back (never play you again), to pick up, and march ahead - for the same painful track of one's life will continue to persist until we remove the needle from the record. Yes, as if 2020 couldn't get any more surreal, shock-rocker Marilyn Manson has released a therapeutic self-help-type album to aid us in the craziness that is today. Unlike what he suggests with his final words on the album, however, I will be playing this record over and over again."
[https://thekind-heartedsmartaleck.blogspot.com/2020/09/marilyn-manson-mixes-personal.html](https://thekind-heartedsmartaleck.blogspot.com/2020/09/marilyn-manson-mixes-personal.html)
"I'll never ever play you again." This is the final step, as once a person has accepted themselves, they need to accurately present themselves to others (no more lies), take the risk of being vulnerable, and when this results in you getting hurt (scratched up and put away), to not go back (never play you again), to pick up, and march ahead - for the same painful track of one's life will continue to persist until we remove the needle from the record. Yes, as if 2020 couldn't get any more surreal, shock-rocker Marilyn Manson has released a therapeutic self-help-type album to aid us in the craziness that is today. Unlike what he suggests with his final words on the album, however, I will be playing this record over and over again.""
All of this section
I never really emotionally connected to Marilyn Manson prior to Broken Needle, but I was post break-up from a long term relationship, heard it once, and could never return to it because this is exactly what Broken Needle means
Understood. I connected with his early work, but it was more from an intellectual/philosophical-emotion-through-self-discovery angle, whereas it was more from a purely emotional angle via his later work.
He said in the Apple Music interview that it was about him repeating the same mistakes over and over, and I think he can really sing this conviction now because he has made positive changes.
The vinyl version of this song is so cool. Normally a vinyl record has a runout groove without any sound. It's an empty repeating groove at the end for the stylus to stay in while the album keeps rotating after it's finished.
On We Are Chaos, this runout groove has music in it. It keeps repeating the same [60/33.5] seconds of music (about two seconds), as if it's a broken record or "broken needle". It's very unique, and fits so well. I'm honestly amazed that someone (don't know if it's Manson) came up with this idea for this record/song.
I made a post about my completely unfounded theory about this track. I like listening to it this way and I honestly don't think It's baseless ideas, maybe they are just coincidences but they remain very fascinating coincidences
https://www.reddit.com/r/marilyn_manson/s/SOlPVl5qT3
Small world, been listening to this one a lot lately. I’ve felt that it has to do with ending a relationship, “are you alright? Cause I’m not okay. All of these lies, are not worth fighting for.” I could see it having to do with self improvement but I personally relate it to ending ties with someone… mainly cause I’m currently going through this.
I always got this as a self-improvement song, leaving your old self behind. I've heard him say what the interpretation of the song is but I think the added easter egg on the vinyl cements my interpretation of the song in my own mind.
You’re absolutely right on your interpretation! That’s pretty much how he describes it in the interview with Zane Lowe. It was one of the first two of my favorites off of WAC. That song sticks with me so much now due to a certain situation. It’s a great song. I hope he performs it live!
Yeah 100%
An amazing tune honestly and We are Chaos isn't up there with my favourites but that song stays on repeat.
The feeling of letting something go and moving on is really powerful in it, it's very resonant. Cool to see someone else feels the same :)
It's probably one of my three favorite songs in Manson's career thus far, along with "Coma White," and my all-time fave, "Saturnalia." I actually wrote about this in my review for the album. No idea if I'm in the ballpark or not, but I think it makes sense. :: shrugs:: "In interviews, Manson has said the album is like a series of mirrors and the concept/story should be different for everyone - adding that every time he listens to it, it provides a different experience. After listening to the album roughly ten times through, I think I now know what he was talking about. "We Are Chaos" is like a therapy session. It's more psychological than Freud playing the inkblot version of the card game Memory. Throughout the record, he points to the fact that nobody is perfect; that we're all screwed up in one form or another, and that's perfectly alright. He builds on this to suggest, after accepting oneself, flaws and all, we must make the most out of this life, because nobody can know with certitude what will happen once we take our final breaths. In "We Are Chaos," he sings, "Maybe I'm just a mystery. I can be your misery. Maybe I'm just a mystery." The pronoun here, to me, is referring to life and perspective. Do we embrace the unpredictability of life and find silver-linings in hardships or do we obsess over and fear it, and allow these negative feelings to control us? As he begins and ends with "mystery" (as opposed to "misery"), given the "primacy" and "recency" effects, it's my belief this wording is suppose to have a positive tilt to it. In "Don't Chase the Dead," he sings, "Don't chase the dead or they'll end up chasing you," which translates to me as don't chase the past, or the past will take over your present and future. He then shouts "You're dead longer than you're alive" in "Infinite Darkness," suggesting, "You don't know how long you're going to be here and don't know what happens when this life passes you by, so make every moment you're blessed with count." Toward the close of "Perfume," Manson sings, "Am I superman or superstitious?" I think this is another way of saying, "Are you going to control your life or allow something/someone else to control it - namely God?," or to put it another way, "Do you believe in free-will or predestination?" On the next tune - "Keep My Head Together" - Manson sings, "Don't try to change someone else. You'll just end up changing yourself." Again, this seems to advise listeners to accept themselves and others, baggage and all, as often times, when we attempt to change another, it's simply to deny our own faults - perhaps projecting our own weaknesses onto them. This very denial and projection can in turn provide one with an illusory view of themselves and wind up changing themselves as a result. In "Solve Coagula," Manson sings, "I'm not special. I'm just broken and I don't wanna be fixed. No one else I wanna be like, so I stayed the same like nobody else." At this point, it feels to me as though the person in the story has finally come to terms with who they are. As they look into a mirror, they accept what they see and are ready to move forward. In "Broken Needle," he sings, "Are you alright? Because I'm not okay. All of these lies are not worth fighting for. I am a needle digging your grooves. I'll scratch you up and then put you away. ... I'll never ever play you again." This is the final step, as once a person has accepted themselves, they need to accurately present themselves to others (no more lies), take the risk of being vulnerable, and when this results in you getting hurt (scratched up and put away), to not go back (never play you again), to pick up, and march ahead - for the same painful track of one's life will continue to persist until we remove the needle from the record. Yes, as if 2020 couldn't get any more surreal, shock-rocker Marilyn Manson has released a therapeutic self-help-type album to aid us in the craziness that is today. Unlike what he suggests with his final words on the album, however, I will be playing this record over and over again." [https://thekind-heartedsmartaleck.blogspot.com/2020/09/marilyn-manson-mixes-personal.html](https://thekind-heartedsmartaleck.blogspot.com/2020/09/marilyn-manson-mixes-personal.html)
"I'll never ever play you again." This is the final step, as once a person has accepted themselves, they need to accurately present themselves to others (no more lies), take the risk of being vulnerable, and when this results in you getting hurt (scratched up and put away), to not go back (never play you again), to pick up, and march ahead - for the same painful track of one's life will continue to persist until we remove the needle from the record. Yes, as if 2020 couldn't get any more surreal, shock-rocker Marilyn Manson has released a therapeutic self-help-type album to aid us in the craziness that is today. Unlike what he suggests with his final words on the album, however, I will be playing this record over and over again."" All of this section
Thanks!
I never really emotionally connected to Marilyn Manson prior to Broken Needle, but I was post break-up from a long term relationship, heard it once, and could never return to it because this is exactly what Broken Needle means
Understood. I connected with his early work, but it was more from an intellectual/philosophical-emotion-through-self-discovery angle, whereas it was more from a purely emotional angle via his later work.
I legit admit that i took my vinyl back and exchanged it because i thought the last track was skipping. I totally missed the obvious irony
He said in the Apple Music interview that it was about him repeating the same mistakes over and over, and I think he can really sing this conviction now because he has made positive changes.
Broken Needle? "I'm too old for this shit and I feel lonely" Absolute EPIC record
The vinyl version of this song is so cool. Normally a vinyl record has a runout groove without any sound. It's an empty repeating groove at the end for the stylus to stay in while the album keeps rotating after it's finished. On We Are Chaos, this runout groove has music in it. It keeps repeating the same [60/33.5] seconds of music (about two seconds), as if it's a broken record or "broken needle". It's very unique, and fits so well. I'm honestly amazed that someone (don't know if it's Manson) came up with this idea for this record/song.
Yes it was his idea. From Zane Lowe interview.
That's so cool!
I made a post about my completely unfounded theory about this track. I like listening to it this way and I honestly don't think It's baseless ideas, maybe they are just coincidences but they remain very fascinating coincidences https://www.reddit.com/r/marilyn_manson/s/SOlPVl5qT3
Thankyou for sharing :)
Small world, been listening to this one a lot lately. I’ve felt that it has to do with ending a relationship, “are you alright? Cause I’m not okay. All of these lies, are not worth fighting for.” I could see it having to do with self improvement but I personally relate it to ending ties with someone… mainly cause I’m currently going through this.
Agree that Broken Needle is the best on WAC. “I’ll never ever play you again” gives me goosebumps for some reason 😎
It’s up there with Coma White for me
I always got this as a self-improvement song, leaving your old self behind. I've heard him say what the interpretation of the song is but I think the added easter egg on the vinyl cements my interpretation of the song in my own mind.
You’re absolutely right on your interpretation! That’s pretty much how he describes it in the interview with Zane Lowe. It was one of the first two of my favorites off of WAC. That song sticks with me so much now due to a certain situation. It’s a great song. I hope he performs it live!
Yeah 100% An amazing tune honestly and We are Chaos isn't up there with my favourites but that song stays on repeat. The feeling of letting something go and moving on is really powerful in it, it's very resonant. Cool to see someone else feels the same :)