Lunchbox by Marilyn Manson

Album: Portrait Of An American Family (1994)

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This song is about a young boy who is bullied at school and immerses himself in rock music to drown the pain. It is somewhat autobiographical. The album was exploring the fears of the average middle-class, Christian, conservative family, and one of them is that their child will become a "punk rocker."
Manson wrote about lunchboxes in this song because in Florida, where he was living at the time, the schools had banned metal lunchboxes because the children were hitting each other in the head with them. Manson used to have a metal KISS lunchbox which he used to defend himself at school. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Phil - Rockville, MD
The single was released on January 24, 1995 - the band's second single that year, the first being "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)." The single includes the album version of the song as well as four remixes: "Next Motherf--ker," "Brown Bag," "Metal" and "Highschool Dropouts" - and a cover of Gary Numan's "Down in the Park." Most of the remixes just change the intros or sound bites, and "Highschool Dropouts" is simply the radio edit, which mutes out the obscenities.
The music video, which dramatizes the song, features the band singing near a roller rink. It was included on Manson's first video compilation, Dead To The World.
The song dates back to 1991, when the band was using the name The Spooky Kids. Early versions can be heard on some demo albums and outtakes from that era.

Comments: 9

Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcI love this classic Marilyn Manson song and it sounds very groovy.
Tim from IndianaI love this song!
Charles from Big Rock, TnI love this song. It speakes to me a lot. I think it's stupid to blame Manson's music for teen violence. If his music related to it at all the relation is the fact that it can be used as an easy scapegoat or a tool to chisel away at an angry kid's plans. But the intent to harm is already there long before they even hear of Mailyn manson. For example: I wanted to do a school shooting and kill myself in fith grade. y'know who my favorite singers were back then? THE MOTHERF**KING BACKSTREET BOYS!!! Mr. Manson is innocent!!!
Tyler from Buffalo, NyThis is a great song i used to(and still do)get bullied alot and thatshow i used to feel. my fav part is when he says "its gonna go down in the playground i wanna go home" then his other side says "this mother ******s gonna get my metal" This song is about mm standing up 4 himself
Will from The Port, Walesyea some people are right he used to have a steel lunchbox which he once knocked out a bully with. i think 'pencils in my pocket' also refers to his 'back up' weapon - stabbing with a pencil (i did this to my best friend when we were like 5 and he still has a grey mark almost 20 years later!) if that law exists in florida he probably started it! i heard he now has a collection of lunchboxes, but this may well be a losd of bollocks.....
Martin from Brisbane, Australiasucks to live in florida then, doesnt it. what can you do with a metal lunchbox that you cant do with a plastic one with a brick in it anyway...
Jake from Houston, TxHah, you know why it was in the roller rink? Cause when he was a kid, he dreamed of being a professional skater. Skater to Anti-Christ Superstar. Go figure, ha. Or I suppose Brian Warner dreamed of it... Heh.
Zack from Atlanta Georgia, VaUhh... i belive this song is about him making fun of a law in florida about them banning metal lunchboxes because they we afriad that the kids would use them as weapons... in fact im sure of it because i read his book The Long Hard road out of hell he did have a kiss lunchbox but he didn't have to use it to defend himself.
Lex from London, EnglandThe whole school theme I think makes this truly a Misunderstood Teen Angst anthem. This whole expression of standing up for one's self, acting like their hero - a hero that their parent's will never understand why.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Smells Like Teen SpiritNirvana

Teen Spirit was a kind of deodorant marketed to young girls. That's where Kurt Cobain got the title "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

Down UnderMen at Work

Often heard as a patriotic song celebrating their homeland of Australia, "Down Under" by Men At Work is really about the selling of that country, and it makes a strong political statement.

China GroveThe Doobie Brothers

There really is a China Grove (in Texas), but Tom Johnston didn't know about it when he wrote the Doobie Brothers song.

IronicAlanis Morissette

The events described in Alanis Morissette's song "Ironic," like rain on your wedding day, are not examples of irony. Irony is the use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning.

Do You Want To DanceBobby Freeman

Bobby Freeman's '50s hit "Do You Want To Dance" was also a Hot 100 hit for Del Shannon, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & the Papas, Bette Midler and the Ramones.

Beautiful LoserBob Seger

Bob Seger's song "Beautiful Loser" was inspired by book Leonard Cohen published in 1966 called Beautiful Losers.