Marilyn Manson may seem like an unlikely artist to feature in any sort of Classic Rock list. However, he has dabbled in covers multiple times throughout his career and has paid homage to some of the biggest names in the genre.
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Manson's songs have a striking sound. They often delve into rock but also punch you in the face with screaming, distortion, electronic riffs, and I'm here for it! With this in mind, here are four times where Marilyn Manson covered Rock classics with his own unique spin.
Get My Rocks Off
One of Manson's lesser-known covers is of Get My Rocks Off by Dr Hook. The band, also known as Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show until 1975, is a Classic Rock ensemble most well known for songs like Sylvia's Mother.
Dr. Hook's version is led by the bassist, with several sections where there are only vocals. In comparison, Manson's arrangement has a faster tempo and a punchy drum line. He still retains a few vocal-only sections and an oddly psychedelic interlude ushering in the song's second half.
Personal Jesus
Personal Jesus is easily one of the most well-known Marilyn Manson covers. The original was written and performed by Depeche Mode in 1989 and was even covered by Johnny Cash in 2002.
The original has a thumping bass line, while Cash's rendition is a superb but notably lighter acoustic ensemble. There's even a piano bouncing around in the background, which is a brilliant inclusion.
Manson's version is far heavier than both and much closer to the Depeche Mode original. His version has more electronic frills, but my favorite part is where he lets the drums do all the work and sings along without the riff. It's a solid rendition and one of the heavy hitters in the Lest we Forget album.
Helter Skelter
The original Helter Skelter by the Beatles is a banger and notable for a few reasons. It's arguably the band's heaviest song. It also delves into 'Metal' territory, something most people had never heard in 1968.
To do a song like Helter Skelter justice, Marilyn Manson paired up with Rob Zombie, and I'm so glad he did. Rob Zombie is a personal favorite artist of mine, and his influence is pretty evident. The bass line and drums are thumpy and give you something to tap your feet to for the entire song.
The original dipped into Metal tones, and Manson's version leans into that, giving the drum kit a much more prominent role. The duo also screams during parts where it sounds like Mccarney really wanted to in the original, which is a nice touch.
Golden Years
Golden Years is one of my favorite David Bowie songs. There's so much going on, and it's almost impossible not to bob your head to the percussion line. Bowie's vocals also have the crazy range you expect from him.
Manson's rendition is heavier than the original, which is a running theme for most of his covers. However, it's lighter than much of his work, to a slight detriment, in my opinion. That's not to say it's a lazy cover. It's still a great track, but I do crave more of a punch.
I may hold Bowie on a bit of a high pedestal, but I don't think Manson's version quite holds up to the original. Still, I can appreciate what he was trying to do, and his rendition isn't just a simple rehash.
