| "Disposable Teens" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byMarilyn Manson | ||||
| from the albumHoly Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) | ||||
| B-side | "Working Class Hero" | |||
| Released | November 7, 2000 | |||
| Recorded | 2000 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:01 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Marilyn Manson singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
"Disposable Teens" | ||||
"Disposable Teens" is a song by Americanrock bandMarilyn Manson. It was released on November 7, 2000 as thelead single from their fourth full-lengthstudio album,Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) (2000).
It was released in two standalone physical formats. The first, titled "Disposable Teens Pt. 1," was released on November 6, 2000 in the UK.[4] It features Manson's cover ofJohn Lennon's "Working Class Hero".[5] The second, titled "Disposable Teens Pt. 2," followed on November 14, 2000 and features a cover ofThe Doors' "Five to One".[6] "Disposable Teens Pt. 2" was also released as a 12" picture disc vinyl LP.
It is considered a teenage anthem of sorts, echoing what Manson see as teenagers who act violently in retaliation against parental and social authority. The chorus borrows lyrically fromthe Beatles' song, "Revolution." The song also paraphrasesGeorge Orwell's book1984, the original line being "You're only a rebel from the waist down'. Here, it has been given new meaning as a pop culture reference toElvis Presley's infamous swiveling hips, satirizing the assertion that they, and by extensionrock 'n' roll, had caused the "decline of Western Civilization" and given rise to 'disposable teens'.
The song is featured inBook of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 during the opening credits. Professional wrestlerChristopher Daniels has used the song as his theme inRing of Honor and several independent promotions, as well as an instrumental remix forTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling made by TNA's official music composerDale Oliver. The song is also featured as downloadable content forRock Band as part of the "Mayhem Tour Pack"[7] and as a playable track forGuitar Hero Live.
"Disposable Teens" was composed byJohn 5 andTwiggy Ramirez.[8] The lyrics were written by the band's frontmanMarilyn Manson.[8] During pre-release interviews, Manson described it as a "signature Marilyn Manson song."[9] Its bouncing guitar riff and teutonicstaccato has roots inGary Glitter's song "Rock and Roll, Pt. 2" andKISS's song "I" from theirMusic from "The Elder" album.[10] Its lyrical themes tackled the disenfranchisement of contemporary youth, "particularly those that have been [brought up] to feel like accidents", with the revolutionary idealism of their parent's generation.[9][11] The influence of the Beatles was critical in this song.[11][12][13] The chorus echoed theLiverpool quartet's own disillusionment with the 1960s counterculture movement in the opening lines of theirWhite Album song "Revolution 1".[11][13] Here the sentiment was re-appropriated as a rallying cry for "disposable teens" against the shortcomings of "this so-called generation of revolutionaries", whom the song indicted: "You said you wanted evolution, the ape was a great big hit. You say ya want a revolution, man, and I say that you're full of shit."[11][13]
The music video was directed bySamuel Bayer and premiered onMTV'sTotal Request Live on October 25, 2000.[4][14] Manson askedLos Angeles radio stationKROQ-FM to help spread the word that the band was looking for 200 to 250 fans to dress in black and participate in the shoot.[14] The clip was filmed in Los Angeles.[14]
The video starts out with Manson rising slowly from what appears to be a lake. The video cuts between Manson in several different environments and outfits including a Pope outfit which the Vatican reluctantly approved with a 1.4 million dollar price, as the food in a Last Supper reenactment and Manson himself performing to a crowd surrounded by fascist looking police with crucifix shaped batons. As the video climaxes the crowd is seen overthrowing the guards.
Two versions of the video were released: one with the content mentioned above and another composed of the stage performance footage from the original.
As early as the band's August 30, 2000, appearance at theKerrang! Awards, Marilyn Manson expressed interest in covering Lennon's "Working Class Hero" due to its correlation withHoly Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)'s thematic preoccupations. The cover was recorded in the interim leading up to the November 7, 2000, launch of the single.[10][12][15] In describing Lennon's idealism and influence on him Manson said that, "some of Lennon's Communist sentiments in his music later in his life were very dangerous. I think he died because of it. I don't think his death was any sort of accident. Aside from that, I think he's one of my favorite songwriters of all time."[10] Band members Manson, Ramirez, and John 5 later performed the song as part of a special invitation-only acoustic set at the Saci nightclub in New York City to celebrate the album's November 14, 2000, release.[15][16]
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Disposable Teens" | 5, Manson, Ramirez | 3:04 |
| 2. | "Working Class Hero" | John Lennon | 3:42 |
| 3. | "Diamonds & Pollen" | Gacy, Manson, Ramirez | 3:55 |
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Disposable Teens" | 5, Manson, Ramirez | 3:04 |
| 5. | "Five to One" | Densmore, Krieger, Manzarek, Morrison | 4:22 |
| 6. | "Astonishing Panorama of the Endtimes" | 5 | 3:59 |
Weekly charts[edit]
|
In 2002,Kerrang! ranked "Disposable Teens" 73rd in their100 Greatest Singles of All Time.[30]
