Don't Chase the Dead explained

Don't Chase the Dead
Type:single
Artist:Marilyn Manson
Album:We Are Chaos
Genre:Post-punk[1]
Label:Loma Vista
Producer:
  • Manson
  • Jennings
Prev Title:We Are Chaos
Prev Year:2020
Next Title:As Sick As the Secrets Within
Next Year:2024

"Don't Chase the Dead" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson, released on September 10, 2020 by Loma Vista Recordings as the second single from the band's eleventh studio album We Are Chaos. The single was issued as a one-track digital download a day ahead of the album's release. A music video for the song was directed by Travis Shinn, and featured actor Norman Reedus and Manson's wife Lindsay Usich. The track peaked at number 29 on Billboards Mainstream Rock, making We Are Chaos the band's first studio album since 1998's Mechanical Animals to contain more than one top thirty single on that chart. It was the final single released by the band through Loma Vista before they were dropped by the label in February 2021 following accusations of abuse made against the band's vocalist, allegations he has denied.

Composition and style

"Don't Chase the Dead" was the first song the band recorded for We Are Chaos. The track was written by Marilyn Manson and Shooter Jennings, and was recorded by the pair alongside drummer Jamie Douglass at Station House Studio, with Jennings saying the "bare bones" of the song were recorded in five hours. Originally written on a Gibson Hummingbird as an acoustic song, the track became predominantly electric during recording.[2] The song was composed by Jennings using a driving-rhythm guitar line, although Manson said its chorus features "very Berlin-era Bowie elements. … Shooter and I both played guitar in the chorus, so we were making sort of a heterodyning element between [our] two instruments. So it sort of has this postulating feeling of unease but romance at the same time. And it almost sounds like what [the lyric is] saying. It sounds like the end of the world, in a way. That really was what I was trying to capture."[3]

NME described the song as "thunderous",[4] elaborating in their album review that it is "a rattling little desert rock beast, the kaleidoscop[e] lead by acoustic guitar, piano balladry and an almost doo-wop refrain and lighters-up chorus. It's clearly been touched by the influence of early '70s Bowie and a little bit of [Marc] Bolan – and then it all collapses into pure noise."[5] Revolver said the track had an anthemic chorus,[6] while Exclaim! said it was one of the most energetic songs the band had released "in years".[7]

According to Ultimate Guitar, "Don't Chase the Dead" is written in the key of E minor and has an allegretto tempo of 114 beats per minute. The introduction consists of a repeated E minor pattern, followed by a sequence of Em–D5–C–Am7, which is repeated throughout the first verse and pre-chorus. The first chorus is made up of two sequences of G–D–Am–Em–C, followed by a D5–Em–D5–C–Am7 sequence. The Em–D5–C–Am7 sequence returns for a post-chorus break, and is repeated throughout the second verse. The second chorus repeats the same pattern as the first, but is followed by an abbreviated sequence of D5–Em. The middle eight repeats an E minor pattern, the final chorus consists of two repetitions of G–D–Am–Em–C, and the outro repeats the Em–D5–C–Am7 sequence.[8]

Release and promotion

On September 8, 2020, Manson stated he intended to create a music video for "Don't Chase the Dead", but that this may not be possible due to the restrictions put in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] Two days later, the track was issued as a one-track digital download, a day ahead of the album's release.[9] [10] [11] The music video for the song premiered on YouTube on September 24, 2020. Directed by Travis Shinn, it features Manson, actor Norman Reedus and Manson's wife Lindsay Usich.[12] In the video, the three appear to be fleeing from a botched art heist. Manson, apparently stabbed during the heist, bleeds out in the backseat of the getaway car before Usich executes Reedus with a shot to the head. She then leaves both bodies in the car in a darkened alleyway.[13] Soon after the video was released, it was revealed that Manson and Usich married in a private ceremony while in lockdown.[14]

"Don't Chase the Dead" spent three months on Billboards Mainstream Rock, reaching a peak of number 29 on the chart dated January 16.[15] This made We Are Chaos the band's first studio album since 1998's Mechanical Animals to contain more than one top thirty single on that chart, following the top ten peak of the title track the previous October. The song abruptly fell off the chart on February 9, the week after Manson was accused of abuse by Evan Rachel Wood and several other people,[16] allegations which he denied.[17] The song subsequently became their final release issued by Loma Vista, as the band was dropped by the label soon after the allegations were publicized.[18]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal[19]

Marilyn Manson

Guest musicians

Charts

Chart (2020-2021)Peak
position
scope=rowUS Alternative Digital Songs (Billboard)[20] 15
US Hot Hard Rock Songs (Billboard)[21] 5
scope=rowUS Hot Rock Digital Songs (Billboard)[22] 13

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Review: Marilyn Manson - We Are Chaos. Simon K. (Staff). Sputnikmusic. September 11, 2020. April 14, 2021.
  2. Web site: Shooter Jennings: "Marilyn Manson's miraculous poetic ability doesn't grow cold, like a lot of people's songwriting" . Horsley, Jonathan . . September 23, 2020 . October 26, 2020 . October 27, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201027063706/https://www.guitarworld.com/features/shooter-jennings-marilyn-mansons-miraculous-poetic-ability-doesnt-grow-cold-like-a-lot-of-peoples-songwriting . live.
  3. Web site: Marilyn Manson on WE ARE CHAOS, Pandemic Life, New Wave Influences, and Favorite David Bowie Album. Consequence of Sound. September 8, 2020. September 15, 2020. September 10, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200910215529/https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/09/marilyn-manson-we-are-chaos-interview-2020/. live.
  4. Web site: Listen to Marilyn Manson's thunderous new single 'Don't Chase The Dead'. Moore, Sam. NME. September 10, 2020. September 15, 2020. September 10, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200910142307/https://www.nme.com/news/music/marilyn-manson-dont-chase-the-dead-2749745. live.
  5. Web site: Marilyn Manson – 'We Are Chaos' Review. Trendell, Andrew. NME. September 10, 2020. September 10, 2020. September 10, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200910153252/https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/marilyn-manson-we-are-chaos-2749238. live.
  6. Web site: Hear Marilyn Manson's Anthemic New Song 'Don't Chase the Dead'. Revolver. September 10, 2020. September 15, 2020. September 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917033116/https://www.revolvermag.com/music/hear-marilyn-mansons-anthemic-new-song-dont-chase-dead. live.
  7. Web site: Marilyn Manson Isn't Shocking Anymore, but 'We Are Chaos' Proves His Staying Power. Hopkins, Manus. Exclaim!. September 9, 2020. September 15, 2020. September 10, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200910194504/http://exclaim.ca/music/article/marilyn_manson_we_are_chaos_album_review. live.
  8. Web site: Don't Chase the Dead Chords by Marilyn Manson. Ultimate Guitar Archive. April 20, 2021.
  9. Web site: Marilyn Manson Drops 'Don't Chase the Dead' Single. Turman, Katherine. Spin. September 10, 2020. September 15, 2020. September 16, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200916175939/https://www.spin.com/2020/09/marilyn-manson-shares-latest-single-dont-chase-the-dead/. live.
  10. Web site: Listen To Marilyn Manson's New Single, Don't Chase The Dead. Kerrang!. September 10, 2020. September 15, 2020. September 16, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200916031825/https://www.kerrang.com/the-news/listen-to-marilyn-mansons-new-single-dont-chase-the-dead/. live.
  11. Web site: Stream Marilyn Manson's New Song 'Don't Chase the Dead'. Consequence of Sound. September 10, 2020. September 15, 2020.
  12. Web site: Marilyn Manson Taps Norman Reedus For 'Don't Chase The Dead' Music Video. Blabbermouth.net. September 24, 2020. September 24, 2020. September 24, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200924181219/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/marilyn-manson-taps-norman-reedus-for-dont-chase-the-dead-music-video/. live.
  13. Web site: Marilyn Manson shares 'Don't Chase The Dead' video starring Norman Reedus. Lavin, Will. NME. September 24, 2020. April 21, 2020.
  14. Web site: Marilyn Manson reveals he's married in interview with Nicolas Cage . Johnson, Josh . . October 23, 2020 . March 29, 2021 . October 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201031102801/http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2020/10/23/marilyn-manson-reveals-hes-married-in-interview-with-nicolas.html . live .
  15. Web site: Mainstream Rock Airplay Chart. Billboard. January 16, 2021. April 22, 2021. January 13, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210113155449/https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-mainstream-rock-tracks/2021-01-16. live.
  16. Web site: Marilyn Manson's Mainstream Rock Airplay Drops, Streams Rise Following Abuse Allegations. Lipshutz, Jason. Billboard. February 9, 2021. February 9, 2021. February 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210209214438/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/9523844/marilyn-manson-charts-mainstream-rock-airplay-streams-abuse-allegations/. live.
  17. Web site: Marilyn Manson denies abuse claims, calls them 'horrible distortions of reality'. Hot Press. February 2, 2021. April 21, 2021. February 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210206204055/https://www.hotpress.com/music/marilyn-manson-denies-abuse-claims-calls-them-horrible-distortions-of-reality-22840550. live.
  18. Web site: Marilyn Manson Dropped by Label After Abuse Allegations. Blistein, Jon. Rolling Stone. February 1, 2021. April 17, 2021. April 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210419060250/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/marilyn-manson-loma-vista-record-label-drop-abuse-allegations-1122075/. live.
  19. Web site: September 10, 2020. Credits / DON'T CHASE THE DEAD / Marilyn Manson – TIDAL. September 15, 2020. TIDAL. en.
  20. Web site: Marilyn Manson Chart History (Alternative Digital Songs) . Billboard . September 23, 2020 . December 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191224025932/https://www.billboard.com/music/marilyn-manson/chart-history/ALD . live .
  21. Web site: Marilyn Manson Chart History (Hot Hard Rock Songs). Billboard. September 23, 2020.
  22. Web site: Marilyn Manson Chart History (Hot Rock Digital Songs) . Billboard . September 23, 2020 . November 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181124111417/https://www.billboard.com/music/marilyn-manson/chart-history/rock-digital-song-sales . live .

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