Following the death of cult leader, murderer, and pop cultural icon Charles Manson, we examine 8 chilling songs about, influenced, or referencing him.

Infamous cult leader and mass murderer Charles Manson died on Sunday, November 19, 2017.  Manson had been incarcerated for five decades, escaping a sentence that originally called or the death penalty.  Since influencing his followers, The Family, to commit utterly brutal murders in 1969, including actress Sharon Tate, his influence within pop culture has run rampant.  Manson has made a name for himself…albeit negative to the nth degree.  Hmm, interesting how his “dash” is defined…

1. System of a Down, “ATWA”

Album: Toxicity, 2001

Sony Music Entertainment

“I don’t sleep anymore / I don’t eat anymore / I don’t live anymore / I don’t feel.” This most dark and unusual playlist about Charles Manson commences with System of a Down.  The Armenian-American metal collective makes their first appearance on a The Musical Hype playlist – shocking.  SOAD make quite an impression with “ATWA,” which was inspired by the infamous cult leader and mass murderer.

ATWA itself is an acronym for air, trees, water, and animals.  It’s an “ecological mandate” that Manson promoted. It’s a fitting title for the song, which centers around the mindset and feelings of the ‘misunderstood’ cult leader – at least from his perspective.  The aforementioned lyrics, as well as the chorus give a clear portrait of how he felt.

“You don’t care about how I feel

I don’t feel there anymore.”

2. Ozzy Osbourne, “Bloodbath in Paradise”

Album: No Rest for the Wicked, 1988

Epic 

“As you lie bleeding, murdered in your bed…/ Execution halts your breath / Helter skelter, spiral death / Bloodbath in paradise.” Ozzy Osbourne doesn’t play around covering Charles Manson on the bloody “Bloodbath in Paradise.”  Definitely unexpected – oxymoronic – as one doesn’t expect mass murder to occur in paradise (California contextually).

“Can you hear them in the darkness

Helter skelter, spiral madness Bloodbath in paradise

But there’s nowhere you can run to baby

Bloodbath in paradise

Forever sleep in paradise.”

Osbourne sensationally paints a damning portrait of his eccentricity and ultimately, the loss of life for his respective victims.

“You’re coming home

There’s blood on the walls

When Charlie and the family make house calls

If you’re alone

Then watch what you do

Because Charlie and the family might get you.”

Yeah, this is definitely NOT Charlie and the Chocolate Family.  As aforementioned, Osbourne brilliantly references Helter Skelter, Manson’s apocalyptic race war theory, etc.

“And California is turning red

No sign of life or the keepers of doom

In Charlie and the keeper’s scarlet room.”

3. Lana Del Rey, “Freak”

Album: Honeymoon, 2015

Interscope

“You’re cold as ice, baby / But when you’re nice, baby / You’re so amazing in every way.” Oh boy. Anytime Lana Del Rey gets into the mix, there’s always dark, mysterious, and strange beauty. “Freak” from her 2015 album Honeymoon is no different.

“Baby, if you wanna leave, come to California

Be a freak like me, too

Screw your anonymity, loving me is all you need

To feel like I do

We could slow dance to rock music, kiss while we do it

Talk ‘til we both turn blue

Baby, if you wanna leave, come to California

Be a freak like me, too.”

It should be noted that the song itself isn’t specific to Charles Manson. However, the music video, featuring Father John Misty, brings in a cultish element.  Coupled with the lyrics – particularly the “slow dance to rock music” – there’s the sense that Misty plays a Manson-inspired character.   Del Rey gets some Jim Jones influence in as well, specifically the infamous “Kool aid.”

4. White Zombie, “Real Solution No. 9”

Album: Astro Creep 2000: Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions…, 1995

Geffen

“He cut through the bone, he cut through the wire.” Rob Zombie never yields a dull moment.  Him and White Zombie beams with hellishness – musically-speaking.  The proof lies in “Real Solution No. 9,” which references the crazed mindset of Charles Manson and his followers, as well as their murderous actions. Zombie and company don’t dwell on the specific horror, but there are enough hints that it’s clear Manson has managed to influence the band.

Such hints include the opening sample, with key lines such as “‘I’m already dead’” and “‘burn an X in your head.’” On the first verse, Zombie paints a picture of the brutality and madness:

“Who will survive and what will be left of them? / Apocalyptic dreams see the ordinary madness.”

Apocalyptic is the key word, possibly related to Manson’s apocalyptic Helter Skelter theory.

5. Rob Zombie, “Devil’s Hole Girls and the Big Revolution”

Album: Hellbilly Deluxe 2, 2010

Roadrunner

“Dreaming be damned – this is control / Awaken your mind, yeah, awaken your soul / Dreaming be damned – this is control / Raping your mind, yeah, raping yourself.” Cult, cult, cultish stuff!

Even more accurately, it’s Rob Zombie, Charles Manson enthusiast, again.  On his album Hellbilly Deluxe 2, Zombie references Manson ability to control on the colorfully-titled “Devil’s Hole Girls and the Big Revolution.” According to NPR, …Manson was a Master Manipulator, Even as a Child.

Besides the mind control, it’s clear that Manson and the infamous Family commune is on his mind because of location.

“Devil’s hole, the girls are one / Burning in the desert sun.”

Desert sun? Could that be Death Valley?

6. Deicide, “Lunatic of God’s Creation”

Album: Deicide, 1990

Roadrunner

“Lunatic of God’s creation / No resist / Hear the voices of devastation.” Lyrically, American death metal band Deicide keeps things short and sweet on “Lunatic of God’s Creation.” “Lunatic of God’s Creation” serves as the opener for their 1990 self-titled album. The lunatic would be Charles Manson, of course. On the first verse, frontman Glen Benton savagely sings:

“Servants of death, enchanter of pain / From the land of no return, you’ll kill again / Smear the blood on the naked corpse / Manson.”

Definitely hellish.  The Hadean nature of Manson and company continues on the second verse, equally aggressive.

“There is darkness in his eyes / And you won’t see it, before you die / Feel the knife of the Lord Divine’s Creation.”

7. Neil Young, “Revolution Blues”

Album: On the Beach, 1974

Reprise

“I see bloody figures / And ten million dune buggies coming down the mountains / Well, I hear that Laurel Canyon is full of famous stars / But I hate them worse than lepers and I’ll kill them in their cars.” Ah, The Musical Hype welcomes another newbie to its playlists – Neil Young.  The veteran Canadian singer-songwriter joins in dark fashion on “Revolution Blues” from his 1974 album, On the Beach.  The aforementioned lyrics do justice in summing up the madness of Charles Manson, particularly Young’s reference to “famous stars.” 

There are number of other troubling lyrics.

“So, you be good to me and I’ll be good to you / And in this land of conditions / I’m not above suspicion / I won’t attack you but I won’t back you.”

“Well I’m afraid that he’s gone / It was such a drag to hear him whining all night long.”

8. Church of Misery, “Spahn Ranch (Charles Manson)”

Album: Early Works Compilation, 2011

Emetic 

“Operation for new domination / Blind family’s power / Stab them to death, my children.” Manson mind control to the nth degree! “Spahn Ranch (Charles Manson)” commences with a news report about the brutal murder of Sharon Tate by The Family.

“Demolition for new creation / Peace, love, and terror / Pigs must be killed, my children.”

It’s accompanied by the dark, devastating music of Japanese metal band Church of Misery.  This playlist is just one of many that the band has appeared on covering the deviants of society.

“Now is the time for revolution / Are you prepared for destruction? / Now is the time to creepy crawl / Helter Skelter is comin’ down fast! / Rise! Death to pigs! Helter Skelter!”

Photo Credits: Sony Music Entertainment, Epic, Interscope, Geffen, Roadrunner, Reprise, Emetic