Nine Inch Nails: Starfuckers, Inc. Meaning

Starfuckers, Inc. Lyrics

my god sits in the back of the limousine
my god comes in a wrapper of cellophane
my god pouts on the cover of the magazine
my god's a shallow little bitch trying to make the scene

I have arrived and this time you should believe the hype
I...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Feb 24th 2004 !⃝

   A "Starfucker" is a person who uses a celebrity to achieve their ends (whether this be money, fame, etc). It has been rumored that this song is about the falling out that Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor had during Manson's rise to mainstream culture. Reznor showed Manson the ropes of the business and alledgedly contributed much of his expertise to the 'Anti-Christ Superstar' album. However, once Manson achieved commercial success, he quickly began to sell out (The Dope Show) and ditched Reznor in favor of more prominent icons when Trent faded out of the media spotlight. 'Starfuckers' is supposedly a response to Manson's abandonment and sequential selling himself out as a media 'whore'. He was a "Starfucker"-he fucked Trent over to reach his own goals.
   
   'My God (he is somewhat sarcastically refering to Manson here, 'God' is often interpreted as celebreties in general)sits in the back of a limousine' refers to the fame and status given to celebreties/Manson in todays culture. 'My God comes in a wrapper of cellophane' is a reference to the phoniness of Manson, how he is merely putting on a facade for the public. 'My God pouts on the cover of a magazine' can be similarly tied to the previous line, demonstrating the distortion of reality in the media, how the actually person doesn't matter, just their image. 'My God is a shallow little bitch trying to make the scene'-Reznor is refering to how Manson is a media whore-a bitch to the media who is willing to to anything to 'make the scene' or gain popular acceptance. 'I have arrived and this time you should believe the hype'-Reznor is speaking from Manson's perspective now, noting how he sees himself as a huge success to unfold to the public. 'I listened to everyone now I know everyone was right'-possibly refering to the advice Reznor gave Manson at the beginning of his career, how he will come to see how accurate it actually was. 'I'll be there for you so long as it works for me, I play a game, it's called insincerity'-these two lines refer to how Manson betrayed Reznor at the height of his career because he no longer needed him. Needs little clarification-Manson insincerly used Reznor to achieve his ends, fame and money. 'I am every fucking thing and just a little more'-also written from Manson's perspective, displays his egotistical tendancies-how he is better than everyone thinks he his, which according to him is pretty damn amazing in the first place. 'I sold my soul but don't you dare call me a whore'-easy interpretation, Manson sold his soul (and his friendship with Reznor) to the media in return for publicity, and is trying to justify it. 'When I suck you off, not a drop will go to waste, it's really not so bad you know, once you get past the taste (asskisser)'-has been reportedly written in response to when Manson sucked off a Nine Inch Nails band member on stage during a show. But it may just mean that he is willing to do WHATEVER it takes to get to the top, and that is why he is an asskisser. 'All our pain, how did we ever get by without you?'-this is of course written sarcastically, suggesting that Reznor does not need Manson and is not bothered by him abandoning their friendship. This of course begs the question-if he didn't care, why did he bother writing this song? But anyways, back to the interpretation...'You're so vain, I bet you think this song his about you-don't you, don't you?' This line is taken from a Carly Simon song, aptly titled, 'You're so vain'. In concert, Reznor is know to repeat the lyrics, 'don't you' over and over again until finally he shouts out the the crowd, 'well, fuck you'. So really, this song is just a big fuck you to Marilyn Manson. The final line of the song, 'Now I belong, I'm one of the chosen ones, Now I belong, I'm one of the beautiful ones' is fairly straightforward. Reznor is refering to how Manson accomplished what he desired most-he is now one of the chosen few to achieve fame and glory in the media. There is of course the implication that it is not REALLY what he should desire. Calling himself one of the beautiful ones may also be a play on Mansons 'Beautiful People' lyrics.
   
   I do not claim to be an expert on lyrical interpretation, this is merely my OPINION. There are many differing ideas out there, many of which may be more correct than mine. Bear in mind that this song may also be interpreted as talking about celebreties in general, not just Manson, although Reznor does claim it was written 'for a friend'. The two have since reconciled and Manson is even in the 'Starfuckers' video, raising a new set of questions...
2. anonymous

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   Nov 16th 2021 !⃝

   It's about Courtney Love you guys..I thought that pussycat burst out of the bag long ago!
   You're welcome.
   - Brad Bash
3. anonymous

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   Dec 1st 2018 !⃝

   It's about Harvey Weinstein. Marilyn Manson was dating Rose McGowan at the time and it was well known among the entertainment industry about the predatory practices of producers to mint young women into stars as long as they slept with them.
4. TravMoco

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   Jul 8th 2011 !⃝

   The original post on this song is dead wrong. This song has nothing to do with reznor/manson feud because MANSON DIRECTED THE MUSIC VIDEO AND APPEARS WITH TRENT in the limo! The song also came out on 'The Fragile' A late 1998 NiN album, which was followed by a Manson/NiN World Tour in 1999. It was AFTER all of these events that the eventual fallout took place.
5. oldane1

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   Oct 17th 2009 !⃝

   They stated that it was them bitching about celebrity culture in general http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvIvCnJaeZQ
6. anonymous

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   Oct 23rd 2007 !⃝

   Ok, I'm gonna try and give you young bucks a small background on the other songs that may or may not have influenced this song. Star Star came out in 1973. Also around the same time, actually, 1972, Carly Simon, came out with the song "You're So Vain." And I quote the chorus from the song "Youre so vain, you probably think this song is about you/Youre so vain, I'll bet you think this song is about you
   Dont you? don't you?" Trent Reznor is my favorite artist of all time, but give credit where credit's due. Do your research. There are other bands out there besides NIN, TOOL, and The Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath.
7. anonymous

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   Apr 29th 2007 !⃝

   This doesn't seem right. Isn't NIN's song "Starfuckers, Inc.," not "Starfucker?" Wrong section, or did Reznor really do this song, too?
8. anonymous

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   Mar 5th 2007 !⃝

   The first interpretation was all right... except that the whole "wrapper of cellophane" bit is about how CDs come in a cellophane wrapper...duh...
9. anonymous

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   Dec 25th 2006 !⃝

   The first interpretation is completely right about everything, except one part, when Reznor says "Your so vein, I bet you think this song is about you. Don't You?" This isn't directed at Manson (who the song is actually about) but at Courtney Love, who Reznor had been dating. Also Manson appears in the video because they made up between the recording of the song and the release of the video.
10. anonymous

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    Dec 25th 2006 !⃝

    Ur interpretation is obviously wrong: The song was written by the rolling stones. :D

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
11. anonymous

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    Dec 6th 2006 !⃝

    OH MY FICKING GOD LEST END THIS SHIT NOW... IT ISNT A COVER ...
    
    (m. jagger/k. richards)
    
    Baby, baby, I've been so sad since you've been gone
    Way back to new york city
    Where you do belong
    Honey, I missed your two-tone kisses
    Legs wrapped around me tight
    If I ever get back to fun city, girl
    I'm gonna make you scream all night
    
    Honey, honey, call me on the telephone
    I know you're movin' out to hollywood
    With your can of tasty foam
    All those beat up friends of mine
    Got to get you in their books
    And lead guitars and movie stars
    Get their tongues beneath your hood
    
    Yeah! you're a star fucker, star fucker, star fucker, star fucker, star
    Yeah, a star fucker, star fucker, star fucker, star fucker, star
    A star fucker, star fucker, star fucker, star fucker star
    
    Yeah, I heard about you polaroid's
    Now that's what I call obscene
    Your tricks with fruit was kind a cute
    I bet you keep your pussy clean
    Honey, I miss your two tone kisses
    
    
    THIS IS THE SONG STARFUCKER BY ROLLING STONES NOT ANYWHERE CLOSE TO STARFUCKER BY NINE INCH NAILS... CLEARLY
12. anonymous

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    Oct 16th 2006 !⃝

    And also, the lyrics posted for this song aren't correct. Someone posted the rolling stones song "star star" instead of starfuckers inc. The lyrics really go:
    
    my god sits in the back of the limousine
    my god comes in a wrapper of cellophane
    my god pouts on the cover of the magazine
    my god's a shallow little bitch trying to make the scene
    
    i have arrived and this time you should believe the hype
    i listened to everyone now I know that everyone was right
    i'll be there for you as long as it works for me
    i play a game
    it's called insincerity
    
    starfuckers
    starfuckers
    starfuckers, inc.
    Starfuckers
    
    i am every fucking thing and just a little more
    i sold my soul but don't you dare call me a whore
    and when I suck you off not a drop will go to waste
    it's really not so bad you know once you get past the taste, yeah
    (asskisser)
    
    starfuckers
    starfuckers
    starfuckers, inc.
    Starfuckers
    
    all our pain
    how did you think we'd get by without you?
    You're so vain
    i bet you think this song is about you
    don't you?
    Don't you?
    Don't you?
    Don't you?
    
    Now I belong I'm one of the chosen ones
    now I belong I'm one of the beautiful ones
13. anonymous

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    Oct 16th 2006 !⃝

    The song "starfuckers inc." is not a rolling stones cover. The song "star star" contains the words "star fucker" but it is nowhere near the nine inch nails song. Check out the information that you posted more carefully.
14. anonymous

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    Sep 26th 2006 !⃝

    Actually, yeah, it is a rolling stones cover. Here's a write up on the original: http://www.Allmusic.Com/cg/amg.Dll?P=amg&sql=33:5u9yxd7b6olf .

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
15. 665.9999999

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    Jul 3rd 2006 !⃝

    LOL Rolling Stones cover... I think not.
16. anonymous

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    Jun 24th 2006 !⃝

    Question: If this is a cut down to Marilyn Manson, why did he star in the StarFuckers video as a dragqueen?

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