Top Rated Interpretation

Nicola February 24th, 2004 06:02AM  

A "Starfucker" is a person who uses a celebrity to achieve their ends (whether this be money, fame, etc). It has been rumored that this song is about the falling out that Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor had during Manson's rise to mainstream culture. Reznor showed Manson the ropes of the business and alledgedly contributed much of his expertise to the 'Anti-Christ Superstar' album. However, once Manson achieved commercial success, he quickly began to sell out (The Dope Show) and ditched Reznor in favor of more prominent icons when Trent faded out of the media spotlight. 'Starfuckers' is supposedly a response to Manson's abandonment and sequential selling himself out as a media 'whore'. He was a "Starfucker"-he fucked Trent over to reach his own goals.

'My God (he is somewhat sarcastically refering to Manson here, 'God' is often interpreted as celebreties in general)sits in the back of a limousine' refers to the fame and status given to celebreties/Manson in todays culture. 'My God comes in a wrapper of cellophane' is a reference to the phoniness of Manson, how he is merely putting on a facade for the public. 'My God pouts on the cover of a magazine' can be similarly tied to the previous line, demonstrating the distortion of reality in the media, how the actually person doesn't matter, just their image. 'My God is a shallow little bitch trying to make the scene'-Reznor is refering to how Manson is a media whore-a bitch to the media who is willing to to anything to 'make the scene' or gain popular acceptance. 'I have arrived and this time you should believe the hype'-Reznor is speaking from Manson's perspective now, noting how he sees himself as a huge success to unfold to the public. 'I listened to everyone now I know everyone was right'-possibly refering to the advice Reznor gave Manson at the beginning of his career, how he will come to see how accurate it actually was. 'I'll be there for you so long as it works for me, I play a game, it's called insincerity'-these two lines refer to how Manson betrayed Reznor at the height of his career because he no longer needed him. Needs little clarification-Manson insincerly used Reznor to achieve his ends, fame and money. 'I am every fucking thing and just a little more'-also written from Manson's perspective, displays his egotistical tendancies-how he is better than everyone thinks he his, which according to him is pretty damn amazing in the first place. 'I sold my soul but don't you dare call me a whore'-easy interpretation, Manson sold his soul (and his friendship with Reznor) to the media in return for publicity, and is trying to justify it. 'When I suck you off, not a drop will go to waste, it's really not so bad you know, once you get past the taste (asskisser)'-has been reportedly written in response to when Manson sucked off a Nine Inch Nails band member on stage during a show. But it may just mean that he is willing to do WHATEVER it takes to get to the top, and that is why he is an asskisser. 'All our pain, how did we ever get by without you?'-this is of course written sarcastically, suggesting that Reznor does not need Manson and is not bothered by him abandoning their friendship. This of course begs the question-if he didn't care, why did he bother writing this song? But anyways, back to the interpretation...'You're so vain, I bet you think this song his about you-don't you, don't you?' This line is taken from a Carly Simon song, aptly titled, 'You're so vain'. In concert, Reznor is know to repeat the lyrics, 'don't you' over and over again until finally he shouts out the the crowd, 'well, fuck you'. So really, this song is just a big fuck you to Marilyn Manson. The final line of the song, 'Now I belong, I'm one of the chosen ones, Now I belong, I'm one of the beautiful ones' is fairly straightforward. Reznor is refering to how Manson accomplished what he desired most-he is now one of the chosen few to achieve fame and glory in the media. There is of course the implication that it is not REALLY what he should desire. Calling himself one of the beautiful ones may also be a play on Mansons 'Beautiful People' lyrics.

I do not claim to be an expert on lyrical interpretation, this is merely my OPINION. There are many differing ideas out there, many of which may be more correct than mine. Bear in mind that this song may also be interpreted as talking about celebreties in general, not just Manson, although Reznor does claim it was written 'for a friend'. The two have since reconciled and Manson is even in the 'Starfuckers' video, raising a new set of questions...