Target Audience (Narcissus Narcosis)

Track 5 on Holy Wood (In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death)

Producers

Throughout “Target Audience (Narcissus Narcosis),“ Marilyn Manson appears to confront religious fundamentalists and the media. He critiques their abuse of power and… Read More

Nov. 11, 20001 viewer29.5K views

Target Audience (Narcissus Narcosis) Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Am I sorry your sky went black?
Put your knives in babies' backs
Am I sorry you killed the Kennedy's and Huxley, too?
But I'm sorry Shakespeare was your scapegoat
And your apple's sticking into my throat
Sorry your Sunday smiles are rusty nails
And your crucifixion commercials failed

[Refrain]
But I'm just a pitiful anonymous (Yeah!)

[Chorus]
I see all the young believers
Your target audience
I see all the old deceivers
We all just sing their song

[Verse 2]
Am I sorry just to be alive
Put my face in the beehive
Am I sorry for Booth and Oswald, pinks and cocaine, too?
Sorry you never check the bag in my head for a bomb
And my halo was a needle hole
Sorry I saw a priest being beaten
And I made a wish

[Refrain]
But I'm just a pitiful anonymous

[Chorus]
I see all the young believers
Your target audience
I see all the old deceivers
We all just sing their song
I see all the young believers
Your target audience
I see all the old deceivers
We all just sing their song

[Post-Chorus]
We all just sing their song
We all just sing their song

[Bridge]
"Valley of Death, we are free
Your father's your prison, you see"
"Valley of Death, we are free
Your father's your prison, you see"

[Chorus]
I see all the young believers
Your target audience
I see all the old deceivers
We all just sing their song

[Outro]
You're just a copy of an imitation
You're just a copy of an imitation
The president is dead, let us pray

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About

Throughout “Target Audience (Narcissus Narcosis),“ Marilyn Manson appears to confront religious fundamentalists and the media. He critiques their abuse of power and influence, and mocks the media’s obsession with ratings. This theme even extends to the song title, which alludes to chapter four of Marshall McLuhan’s 1964 book Understanding Media, titled “The Gadget Lover: Narcissus as Narcosis.”

Near the end of the song, a snippet from WABC Radio broadcaster Don Gardiner confirming the assassination of President John F Kennedy – “The President is dead. Let us pray” is played. This transitions into “President Dead” on the album, the title taken from a headline about the incident.

On an appearance of MTV’s Total Request Live, Manson stated that this was his favorite song from the album Holy Wood.