Don't Chase the Dead

"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 Billboard's 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.

"Don't Chase the Dead"
Single by Marilyn Manson
from the album We Are Chaos
Released	September 10, 2020 (2020-09-10)
Genre	Post-punk^[1]
Length	4:17
Label	Loma Vista
Songwriter(s)	Marilyn Manson Shooter Jennings
Producer(s)	Manson Jennings
Marilyn Manson singles chronology
"We Are Chaos" (2020) "Don't Chase the Dead" (2020)

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 Billboard's 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.^[16] 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,^[17] allegations which he denied.^[18] 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.^[19]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal^[20]

Marilyn Manson Marilyn Manson – songwriter, vocals, guitar, producer Paul Wiley – guitar Juan Alderete – bass guitar Brandon Pertzborn – drums

Guest musicians Shooter Jennings – songwriter, guitar, producer John Schreffler – pedal steel guitar Ted Russell Kamp – bass guitar Jamie Douglass – drums Aubrey Richmond – fiddle David Spreng – recording Mark Rains – recording

Charts

Chart (2020-2021)	Peak position
US Alternative Digital Songs (Billboard)^[21]	15
US Hot Hard Rock Songs (Billboard)^[22]	5
US Hot Rock Digital Songs (Billboard)^[23]	13
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)^[24]	49
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[16]	29

References

1. Simon K. (Staff) (September 11, 2020). "Review: Marilyn Manson - We Are Chaos". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
2. Horsley, Jonathan (September 23, 2020). "Shooter Jennings: "Marilyn Manson's miraculous poetic ability doesn't grow cold, like a lot of people's songwriting"". Guitar World. from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
3. "Marilyn Manson on WE ARE CHAOS, Pandemic Life, New Wave Influences, and Favorite David Bowie Album". Consequence of Sound. September 8, 2020. from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
4. Moore, Sam (September 10, 2020). "Listen to Marilyn Manson's thunderous new single 'Don't Chase The Dead'". NME. from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
5. Trendell, Andrew (September 10, 2020). "Marilyn Manson – 'We Are Chaos' Review". NME. from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
6. "Hear Marilyn Manson's Anthemic New Song 'Don't Chase the Dead'". Revolver. September 10, 2020. from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
7. Hopkins, Manus (September 9, 2020). "Marilyn Manson Isn't Shocking Anymore, but 'We Are Chaos' Proves His Staying Power". Exclaim!. from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
8. "Don't Chase the Dead Chords by Marilyn Manson". Ultimate Guitar Archive. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
9. Turman, Katherine (September 10, 2020). "Marilyn Manson Drops 'Don't Chase the Dead' Single". Spin. from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
10. "Listen To Marilyn Manson's New Single, Don't Chase The Dead". Kerrang!. September 10, 2020. from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
11. "Stream Marilyn Manson's New Song 'Don't Chase the Dead'". Consequence of Sound. September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
12. "Marilyn Manson Taps Norman Reedus For 'Don't Chase The Dead' Music Video". Blabbermouth.net. September 24, 2020. from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
13. Lavin, Will (September 24, 2020). "Marilyn Manson shares 'Don't Chase The Dead' video starring Norman Reedus". NME. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
14. Johnson, Josh (October 23, 2020). "Marilyn Manson reveals he's married in interview with Nicolas Cage". ABC Audio. from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
15. "Mainstream Rock Airplay Chart". Billboard. January 16, 2021. from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
16. "Marilyn Manson Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
17. Lipshutz, Jason (February 9, 2021). "Marilyn Manson's Mainstream Rock Airplay Drops, Streams Rise Following Abuse Allegations". Billboard. from the original on February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
18. "Marilyn Manson denies abuse claims, calls them 'horrible distortions of reality'". Hot Press. February 2, 2021. from the original on February 6, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
19. Blistein, Jon (February 1, 2021). "Marilyn Manson Dropped by Label After Abuse Allegations". Rolling Stone. from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
20. "Credits / DON'T CHASE THE DEAD / Marilyn Manson – TIDAL". TIDAL. September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
21. "Marilyn Manson Chart History (Alternative Digital Songs)". Billboard. from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
22. "Marilyn Manson Chart History (Hot Hard Rock Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
23. "Marilyn Manson Chart History (Hot Rock Digital Songs)". Billboard. from the original on November 24, 2018. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
24. "Marilyn Manson Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2020.