Marilyn Manson is one of those people who woke up one morning, looked out the window on his suburban neighborhood and said, "I'm gonna write and perform music based on everything a mother would hate." The band and songs were conceptually created to upset parents. In that sense alone, Marilyn Manson is a social experiment in modern parent/child relationships.
As a "Best Of" compilation, 'Lest We Forget...' fails to achieve a true "Best Of" title. I've always thought if you really wanted to create a "Best Of" record you'd let the hardcore fan base choose the tracklist. These are the people who would really have a say in what the best songs by the group actually are. In the grand tradition of record company formula releases, the "Best Of" is actually a single disc collection of released singles and oddities. But hardly represents the band's best work.
For the most part, I genuinely like the majority of the songs on this release. Marilyn Manson falls into a category of music I like to call "Go-Go Metal". Bands who use industrial beats and sounds, combined with new wave synthesizers, power chord guitar work and a theatrical approach to live performance. I've enjoyed bands in this genre for a long time. They have so many elements of entertainment I find exciting.
Considering I have all of Manson's albums, going through this disc song by song will be kinda pointless. Better by far to focus attention on the tracks that are safely assigned strictly to this release. The cover tunes are the most obvious. Depeche Mode's 'Personal Jesus' makes an appearance and the arrangement is fairly faithful to the original version. Of course the very subject matter and lyrics make it perfect for Manson's character to perform. In fact, after listening to his version, Martin Gore would have done better donating the tune to Manson first time around. It easily fits his image more than it ever fit theirs. And that's from a die-hard Mode fan.
Although Soft Cell's version is also a cover of the 1964 Gloria Jones classic 'Tainted Love', it's the first version of the song to gain any notoriety. Based on it's success, other bands have recorded the track or sampled Soft Cell's arrangement. From my understanding, Manson recorded this song for a movie soundtrack that used popular artists of the time covering 80s classics. Another track worth drawing some attention to is the cover of the Eurythmics classic 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)'. Although it appears on a regular album, it's interesting to see it among a compilation containing to many cover tunes.
I think I'd be interested in seeing Manson release an all cover tune record. He's done some brilliant covers. Like the cover of Danny Elfman's 'This Is Halloween' from Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" or David Bowie's 'Golden Years'. He's also performed live cover versions by other artists such as Madonna's 'Like A Virgin'. That would be an interesting CD.
My final word: TWO THUMBS UP. I quite like what's happening here. Great disc with some awesome tunes. Would be better if was titled 'Lest We Forget The Singles Of', but that's being nit picky (even if it is accurate).
MARILYN MANSON - LEST WE FORGET THE BEST OF
01. The Love Song
02. Personal Jesus
03. Mobscene
04. The Fight Song
05. Tainted Love
06. The Dope Show
07. This Is The New Shit
08. Disposable Teens
09. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
10. Lunchbox
11. Tourniquet
12. Rock Is Dead
13. Get Your Gunn
14. The Nobodies
15. Long Hard Road Out Of Hell
16. The Beautiful People
17. The Reflecting God
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