What does The Beautiful People mean?

Marilyn Manson: The Beautiful People Meaning

Album cover for The Beautiful People album cover

Song Released: 1996


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The Beautiful People Lyrics

I don't want you and I don't need you
Don't bother to resist, I'll beat you
It's not your fault that you're always wrong
The weak ones are there to justify the strong

The beautiful people, the beautiful people
It's all relative to the size...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 12th 2007 !⃝

    This song isn't just about religion or just about politics or any of that. It is about human nature in general. "The weak ones are there to justify to the strong" it is about the idea of our socially darwinistic society that upholds those with ability and leaves the scraps to the people seen as average or below average. It explains somewhat how this happens through the ideals pushed on us as children, look out only for yourself "there's no time to discriminate hate every motherf***** that's in your way"(darwinistic). Then it asks you the question "Hey you what do yous see?Something beautiful and something free?". Is this really what you believe is beautiful? A powerful person who looks out only for themselves and hangs the so-called weak out to dry. And
    further evidence that this song is about human nature is the line "You live with apes man it's hard to be clean". At least that's how I interpret it. I could be wrong though. The only one who can say for sure is Manson himself.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 13th 2007 !⃝

    It's a shame most people don't recognize how intelligent Manson is. In this song he talks about how ignorant people are these days "can't see the forest for the trees", "can't smell your own shit on your knees". People support things because of some superficially impressive but ultimately pointless quality "all relative to the size of your steeple." We supposedly live in free societies, but people willingly give up their freedoms making them not "the beautiful people", but "the horrible people." For those intelligent enough, Manson says the smart response is to look out for yourself and not enough bother to waste time with the ignorant masses because they are hopeless, "hate every motherfucker that's in your way." He might be suggesting that capitalism has made people complacent and ignorant, so that fascism could arise again without people realizing it. They wouldn't see the loss of freedoms they have because they don't use them. You really get to see some of Manson's Satanist type thoughts here, (the Church of Satan advocates the type of philosophy in this song, not worshiping Satan). This song is also very Objectivist, which holds that the best way to live is to be aware of reality and use that to and pursue your own self-interest. If Ayn Rand were alive today, I think she'd like this song and may even be friends with Marilyn Manson.

  3. 3TOP RATED

    #3 top rated interpretation:
    Modlovecat
    click a star to vote
    Jul 16th 2005 !⃝

    This song is a description of the way you need to survive in capitalistic society. It deals with Manson's personal struggle of being a wormboy (or middle class loser) to being a famous Rock Star. He's making a link between the American Media and Nazi propaganda, as well as the need to to be physically perfect because of the hyper-reality we are brainwashed by. It's also about the Rock Star looking down on the worms that make him what he is - this need to be more then a worm is what made him a star. The average rebel can relate to the song because Manson is making ugly fashionable, which is easier to achieve than the perfection we see on other CD covers and on MTV.

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 28th 2020 !⃝

    There are two interpretations of “beautiful people” the capitalistic one of the 1980s and the nazy -eugenics one from the 30s. I will not comment further because not politically correct. Whoever has studied history will get the meaning of the song.

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 16th 2019 !⃝

    Not one single interpretation has mentioned the actual point of the song. ITS IN THE DAMN TITLE PEOPLE. The "beautiful people" rule the world, and the rest of us who can't find a way to entertain them or make them laugh get left to live in the filth that is modern day society.

    Stop talking, start listening. Things are less complex than you want them to be.

  6. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 2nd 2018 !⃝

    In today's day ''The Beautiful People'' for me are The Ones who Those blindly considers and still sees Them to be just cattle and sheep, or as to be called the beasts of the fields that they have been grazing them Darwinian style as the beautiful people prepared for their slaughter. Just ask Jesus who knew and knows very well about all the inner beauty of the people who were ''all fooled'' by their appearances before HE revealed their inner beauty too themselves, who later became to be known as The Christians. Where the religion of Christianity followed them to be only resisted by the left handed rabbinic ''Jews'' creation of Judaism. Off course the size of their steeples,temples,synagogues,churches and mosques matter to them now. Be Them Internationalists who rules over the hindus,christian Zionists,jews,catholics,mormons,muslims,sikhs etc., etc,. Who also considers themselves as the beautiful people who are purely kept closer by blood to the Elite powerful Ones that think and foolishly know they mostly have the 'money power' that makes them feel like the beautiful people that over rules in this world.

  7. rokkinrobbin
    click a star to vote
    Nov 3rd 2017 !⃝

    It's about how hard people try to conform and fit it, doing things that make them seem acceptable, popular, doing what it takes to fit in this mold of perfection - while denying what they really think, how they really feel, just to be a part of... something. It's easier to change and conform then to stand up for what you believe.

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 2nd 2010 !⃝

    There is a great difference between what is easy and what is original Manson unlike many others have the ability to clearly define such differences for himself and artistically report an unbiased/influenced message through this song

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 16th 2010 !⃝

    Really?!?! because I heard about how this song actually meant he HATES Black people (I don't mind this song though) but he really hates you blacks of course black people who listen to Manson? really? no!!

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  10. ZOMBIEROACHDAD
    click a star to vote
    May 25th 2010 !⃝

    You all have it wrong. What it is about is not religon. It is about his days of torture while he was in the Mickey Mouse club. He was telling a story of how he was treated, how Britney Spears was being treated better than him. How she wouldnt give him the time of day while on the show or in public, however, when they were alone. She wanted to be with him. So there ya go!

  11. ZOMBIEROACHDAD
    click a star to vote
    May 25th 2010 !⃝

    You all have it wrong. What it is about is not religon. It is about his days of torture while he was in the Mickey Mouse club. He was telling a story of how he was treated, how Britney Spears was being treated better than him. How she would give him the time of day while on the show or in public, however, when they were alone. She wanted to be with him. So there ya go!

  12. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 24th 2010 !⃝

    It's about religion, hence the album name. How christians think they're always right.

  13. anonymous
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    Jan 2nd 2010 !⃝

    It's actually about the Mormons. Utah has some of the most "Beautiful People" in the entire country. Playboy has verified that haha..but seriously. They have churches and steeples all across the state and "God" favors them for that and makes them more beautiful physically because they follow his wants to a tee. Mormons are false and shallow, thinking they're the only ones who'll make it to Heaven when really it doesn't matter what church your in. Mormons are more quick to judge than anyone and have no substance and give up their free will for God. They are so obsessed with appearance. It's really a giant beauty pageant in the state of Utah. They're so worried about their appearance because they think it reflects on what kinda person they are for some reason. I spoke with one of the guys who films the backstage shit that goes on and he said how Beautiful the fans were and how much they dressed up for the occasion. You guys read too deep into it. Manson's deep but you don't go into all that when you're writing lyrics. It just comes to you. Manson doesn't want you to over think it. He wants it obvious to those who already know and let those actually feel better about themselves. A true Crowleyian believer and Thelemite. He's done his research for sure and copied a lot.

  14. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 4th 2009 !⃝

    This song to me illustrates how capitalism creates haves and have nots. There are some people who flourish in this type of society more so than others because they happen to have been born with attributes that are superficially valued highly in a capitalist society or or at least where born into a family of of these types of people (these are the so-called beautiful people). People in this capitalist society get their self-importance from superficially striving to be or at least desiring to be in a better social class so they can feel good about themselves. Many in the "haves" actually like the fact that there are "have-nots" because that makes them appear relatively better and strokes their egos (The weak ones are there to justify the strong..and The beautiful people, it's all relative to the size of your steeple)

  15. Songreader
    click a star to vote
    May 22nd 2009 !⃝

    Well,you're right about music is your own interpretation,Manson. But I will be honest,if I ever saw that guy and Satan in the same room,I'd hide behind Satan. What he's saying is that we have rich movie stars and politicians (aka: "the beautiful people") that basically run the world,but inside they are absolutely corrupt and hideous,hence the fascism line. It's just a shout out of his hate to the fakes of the world.

  16. shadowmagwai
    click a star to vote
    Apr 4th 2009 !⃝

    Ok well first lets all face it marilyn manson is a freak I'm sorry but he is so he knows firsthand the abuse you take from not looking like those perfect people in magazines and what the media portrays so I think he wrote this song to say I'm not perfect and proud of it I don't want to look like everyone else cause that's not what everyone else looks like so screw the system do your own thing and you'll be beautiful

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  17. Meplusyou23
    click a star to vote
    Feb 11th 2009 !⃝

    It's basically saying Hey you dipshit! What do you see around you. Something beautiful and free but that's what you think. It's not all fun. You think you see it but you don't even have your eyes open. Stop dreaming and look at the shit everyone's made you roll around in for all your life.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  18. brianS
    click a star to vote
    Dec 21st 2008 !⃝

    I'm in no way trying to be vain, I'm often told that I'm very good looking. I can definitely say that anything that seems like it is golden is just as silver as it feels. Everyone has the desire and need to be loved-it doesn't matter what you look like. Looks are an artificial way of telling the world that your ok. No one is ok- we all need love- we all need to know that we are relevant. We have all been to hell and we all know that it isn't for us. Could we all just learn to smile?...if not for a moment...

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