Tattooed in Reverse

In one of the first reviews published online for parent album Heaven Upside Down, Greg Kennelty of Metal Injection said that "Tattooed in Reverse" uses "a swung rhythm effectively because it comes off less like Manson trying to emulate a jazzier feel, and more like he's brandishing a bat and slowly pacing the floor until he decides to cave your skull in. 'Tatooted in Reverse' makes one thing evident that could only be assumed whilst listening to [preceding track] 'Revelation #12'—Manson is going to liberally use distortion on Heaven Upside Down, and it's going to work extremely well for him. The fuzzy guitars, keyboards, vocals, and bass all retain their own identities through the heavy haze, but ultimately become this massive ball of threateningly vile sound when used all at once. It's great."{{cite web|url=http://www.metalinjection.net/reviews/marilyn-manson-heaven-upside-down-review|title=Marilyn Manson's Heaven Upside Down: A Track-By-Track Review|author=Kennelty, Greg|work=Metal Injection|date=September 27, 2017|accessdate=October 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929000830/http://www.metalinjection.net/reviews/marilyn-manson-heaven-upside-down-review|archive-date=September 29, 2017|url-status=dead}}

The same publication later described it as one of the "catchier numbers" on the record,{{cite web|url=http://www.metalinjection.net/video/marilyn-mansons-tattooed-in-reverse-music-video-features-courtney-love-is-nsfw|title=Marilyn Manson's "Tattooed In Reverse" Music Video Features Courtney Love & Is NSFW|work=Metal Injection|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402201413/http://www.metalinjection.net/video/marilyn-mansons-tattooed-in-reverse-music-video-features-courtney-love-is-nsfw|archive-date=April 2, 2018}} while The Line of Best Fit called it an album highlight.{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/marilyn-manson-heaven-upside-down|title=Heaven Upside Down by Marilyn Manson|author=Leivers, Dannii|work=thelineofbestfit.com|date=October 6, 2017|accessdate=April 2, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402201413/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/marilyn-manson-heaven-upside-down|archive-date=April 2, 2018}} Other writers, such as Lina Lecaro of Consequence of Sound and Sasha Geffen of Pitchfork, said the song was "groovy".{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2017/10/album-review-marilyn-manson-heaven-upside-down/|title=Marilyn Manson – Heaven Upside Down|author=Lecaro, Lina|work=Consequence of Sound|date=October 4, 2017|accessdate=October 4, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004100400/https://consequence.net/2017/10/album-review-marilyn-manson-heaven-upside-down/|archive-date=October 4, 2017}} Geffen additionally noted that the track "boasts a chorus as catchy as anything since 'The Dope Show' (1998)."{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/marilyn-manson-heaven-upside-down/|title=Marilyn Manson: Heaven Upside Down Album Review|author=Geffen, Sasha|work=Pitchfork|publisher=Condé Nast|date=October 11, 2017|accessdate=April 1, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024205803/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/marilyn-manson-heaven-upside-down/|archive-date=October 24, 2017}} Loudwire praised the quality of the song's lyrics, saying that they demonstrate the eponymous vocalists' "infamous ... biting whimsy".{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/marilyn-manson-heaven-upside-down-album-review/|title=Marilyn Manson, 'Heaven Upside Down' - Album Review|work=Loudwire|publisher=Townsquare Media|author=Christopher, Michael|date=October 6, 2017|accessdate=March 30, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017235105/http://loudwire.com/marilyn-manson-heaven-upside-down-album-review/|archive-date=October 17, 2017}} The Jakarta Post commended Tyler Bates' production, saying: "The stoner/blues guitars of the sludgy 'Tattooed' find a quixotic partner in the song's high-pitched synths and samples and marching percussion. Manson even growls in that exasperated/theatrical way his old goth self did."{{cite web|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2017/10/27/album-review-heaven-upside-down-by-marilyn-manson.html|title=Album Review: Heaven Upside Down by Marilyn Manson|author=Thee, Marcel|work=The Jakarta Post|date=October 27, 2017|accessdate=April 2, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027052125/http://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2017/10/27/album-review-heaven-upside-down-by-marilyn-manson.html|archive-date=October 27, 2017}}

"Tattooed in Reverse" is the fourth track from Heaven Upside Down to receive a music video, following "We Know Where You Fucking Live", "Kill4Me" and "Say10".{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love/|title=Courtney Love Stars in Marilyn Manson's 'Tattooed in Reverse' Vid|author=DiVita, Joe|website=Loudwire|publisher=Townsquare Media|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323213713/http://loudwire.com/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love/|archive-date=March 23, 2018}} The latter two videos co-starred Johnny Depp.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-marilyn-mansons-disquieting-video-with-courtney-love-w518292|title=See Marilyn Manson's Hellish Hospital in New Video With Courtney Love|author=Kreps, Daniel|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/see-marilyn-manson-nursed-insanity-courtney-love-tattooed-reverse-video|title=See Marilyn Manson Nursed to Insanity by Courtney Love in "Tattooed In Reverse" Video|author=Hill, John|work=Revolver|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=April 2, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402201413/https://www.revolvermag.com/music/see-marilyn-manson-nursed-insanity-courtney-love-tattooed-reverse-video|archive-date=April 2, 2018}} The song was serviced to active rock radio formats in the United States on March 6.{{cite web|url=http://www.allaccess.com/rock/future-releases|title=Rock Future Releases|website=All Access Music Group |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305201549/https://www.allaccess.com/rock/future-releases|archive-date=March 5, 2018|accessdate=March 12, 2018 |url-status=dead}} It went on to peak at number 35 on Billboard{{'}}s Mainstream Rock Chart, making Heaven Upside Down the band's first studio album since 1998's Mechanical Animals to contain more than one song which appeared that chart, following the number 5 peak of preceding single "Kill4Me". On March 21, the band's vocalist shared a ten-second video on his Twitter account of him being pushed in a wheelchair by Courtney Love,{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8257683/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love-watch |title=Marilyn Manson Drops Bone-Chilling 'Tattooed In Reverse' Video With Courtney Love: Watch |author=Jones, Abby |magazine=Billboard |date=March 23, 2018 |accessdate=March 27, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323200325/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8257683/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love-watch |archive-date=March 23, 2018 }} with the caption: "Who allowed Courtney Love to be my nurse? Oh shit...I did."{{cite web|url=http://teamrock.com/news/2018-03-23/marilyn-manson-releases-tattooed-in-reverse-video-starring-courtney-love|title=Marilyn Manson releases Tattooed In Reverse video starring Courtney Love|author=Munro, Scott|work=Metal Hammer|publisher=TeamRock|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018}} He had been injured six months earlier while performing on-stage at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City during the "Heaven Upside Down Tour",{{cite web|url=http://www.denofgeek.com/us/culture/marilyn-manson/272064/marilyn-manson-gets-the-ink-out-with-tattooed-in-reverse-music-video|title=Marilyn Manson Gets the Ink Out with Tattooed in Reverse Music Video|author=Sokol, Tony|work=Den of Geek|date=March 26, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/music/news/watch-marilyn-mansons-creepy-video-for-tattooed-in-reverse-featuring-courtney-love-and-lisa-marie-presley-1202734494/|title=Watch Marilyn Manson's Creepy Video for 'Tattooed in Reverse,' Featuring Courtney Love and Lisa Marie Presley|author=Variety Staff|date=March 23, 2018|work=Variety|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|accessdate=March 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323223852/http://variety.com/2018/music/news/watch-marilyn-mansons-creepy-video-for-tattooed-in-reverse-featuring-courtney-love-and-lisa-marie-presley-1202734494/|archive-date=March 23, 2018}} when a large stage prop fell on top of him.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/oct/02/marilyn-manson-cancels-tour-dates-stage-prop-gun-injury |title=Marilyn Manson cancels tour dates due to stage injury |work=The Guardian |date=October 2, 2017 |accessdate=October 8, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008022527/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/oct/02/marilyn-manson-cancels-tour-dates-stage-prop-gun-injury |archive-date=October 8, 2017 }} The incident broke Manson's fibula in two places, which required a plate and ten screws to be inserted into his bone, and resulted in the cancellation of an entire portion of the tour.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/marilyn-manson-on-stage-injury-the-pain-was-excruciating-w508726|title=Marilyn Manson on 'Terrifying' Stage Injury: 'The Pain Was Excruciating'|author=Reed, Ryan|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=October 13, 2017|accessdate=October 13, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013184852/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/marilyn-manson-on-stage-injury-the-pain-was-excruciating-w508726|archive-date=October 13, 2017}}

The song's music video was directed by Bill Yukich.{{cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/see-marilyn-manson-team-up-with-courtney-love-for-new-tattoed-in-reverse-music-video|title=See Marilyn Manson Team Up with Courtney Love for New "Tattooed in Reverse" Music Video|author=Maxwell, Jackson|work=Guitar World|publisher=NewBay Media|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018}} It portrays Manson using a wheelchair, with him and model Glo Taylorr as patients in a psychiatric hospital,{{cite web|url=http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/39477/1/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love|title=Courtney Love plays Marilyn Manson's nurse in his twisted new video|author=Bulut, Selim|work=Dazed Digital|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402201414/http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/39477/1/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love|archive-date=April 2, 2018}} who are seen receiving various forms of "experimental" medical treatment.{{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/marilyn_manson_unveils_tattooed_in_reverse_video_starring_courtney_love|title=Marilyn Manson Unveils "Tattooed in Reverse" Video Starring Courtney Love|author=Murphy, Sarah|work=Exclaim!|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018}} Like every other music video created for Heaven Upside Down, it begins with an explicit content warning, informing the observer that "viewer discretion is advised."{{cite web|url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video/|title=Watch Marilyn Manson and Courtney Love's New Video|author=Kielty, Martin|work=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323191505/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video/|archive-date=March 23, 2018}} The video starts with scenes of the character portrayed by Taylorr struggling against nursing staff while lying on an operating table, before she is made unconscious after being connected to an anaesthetic machine. As the video progresses, Taylorr's character becomes "torn between her unconscious state and reality"—her unconscious visions consist of torture, Satanic rituals and "predatory-looking sex".{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2018/03/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love/|title=Marilyn Manson's "Tattooed in Reverse" Video Featuring Courtney Love|author=Cook-Wilson, Winston|work=Spin|publisher=SpinMedia|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323222716/https://www.spin.com/2018/03/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love/|archive-date=March 23, 2018}} Courtney Love and Lisa Marie Presley both make cameo appearances, portraying nurses.

The video received generally positive reviews upon release. Joe DiVita of Loudwire said: "Nobody does music videos quite like Marilyn Manson. Throughout his career, his videos have intrigued, confused and disturbed fans, usually relying on an abstract artistic bent, and the clip for 'Tattooed in Reverse' adheres to this ethos." Metal Injection said that "Marilyn Manson has really been stepping up his game with music videos for his latest release, Heaven Upside Down. The budgets make it feel like we're back in the late 90s, when music videos meant something." Similarly, Bianca Gracie of Fuse.tv said the clip would "bring you back to the '90s heyday of Manson's career", elaborating: "Whether you listen to his music or not, you have to give [Manson] credit for consistently releasing cinematic videos that are visually appealing with a heavy dose of insanity."{{cite web|url=https://www.fuse.tv/2018/03/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love|title=Marilyn Manson's Disturbing 'Tattooed In Reverse' Video With Courtney Love Belongs In 'American Horror Story'|author=Gracie, Bianca|work=Fuse.tv|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402201414/https://www.fuse.tv/2018/03/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love|archive-date=April 2, 2018}}

Several writers noted similarities to the imagery of American television series American Horror Story, including Brad Miska of Bloody Disgusting, who said it was reminiscent of promotional materials created for the series' seventh season, Cult.{{cite web|url=http://bloody-disgusting.com/music/3489992/marilyn-mansons-tattooed-reverse-video-pulls-american-horror-story/|title=Marilyn Manson's "Tattooed In Reverse" Video Pulls From "American Horror Story"|author=Miska, Brad|author-link=Brad Miska|work=Bloody Disgusting|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402201413/http://bloody-disgusting.com/music/3489992/marilyn-mansons-tattooed-reverse-video-pulls-american-horror-story/|archive-date=April 2, 2018}} Gracie of Fuse.tv also went on to say: "If you're a fan of American Horror Story like myself, certain points of 'Tattooed In Reverse' will bring memories of seasons like Asylum and Cult. The hospital scenes are reminiscent of Lana Winters being taken advantage of with electroshock therapy, while the faceless mob scenes are coincidentally similar to Cult{{'}}s creepy clown sequences. It's a wonder that Ryan Murphy didn't have a hand in creating this video."

NME described it as one of the band's most "unsettling" music videos to date,{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/news/music/marilyn-manson-tatooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love-watch-2270725|title=Tattooed In Reverse: Marilyn Manson releases creepy AF new video with Courtney Love|author=Trendell, Andrew|work=NME|publisher=Time Inc. UK|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402201414/http://www.nme.com/news/music/marilyn-manson-tatooed-in-reverse-video-courtney-love-watch-2270725|archive-date=April 2, 2018}} while Abby Jones of Billboard called it "quintessentially creepy", and said: "The appearance of the Hole singer and the glitchy, grainy visuals elicit a major '90s ambience that recalls memories of Manson's earlier [videos]." A writer for Variety called it "characteristically provocative", while Kerrang! said it was a "brilliantly exhilarating watch".{{cite web|url=http://www.kerrang.com/video/watch-marilyn-mansons-nsfw-tattooed-in-reverse-video/|title=Watch Marilyn Manson's NSFW Tattooed In Reverse Video|author=Kerrang! Staff|website=Kerrang!|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402201413/http://www.kerrang.com/video/watch-marilyn-mansons-nsfw-tattooed-in-reverse-video/|archive-date=April 2, 2018}} Although Consequence of Sound gave a positive review, they called Love's cameo "brief and a bit forgettable, especially considering everything else that's happening in the video".{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2018/03/courtney-love-guests-in-marilyn-mansons-devilish-video-for-tattooed-in-reverse-watch/|title=Courtney Love guests in Marilyn Manson's devilish video for "Tattooed In Reverse": Watch|author=Schatzon, Lake|work=Consequence of Sound|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018}} Conversely, Derrick Rossignol of Uproxx said that Love's cameo was "perhaps the most notable thing about the video", highlighting comments Manson had made previously about the singer.{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/music/marilyn-manson-courtney-love-tattooed-in-reverse-video/|title=[WATCH] Marilyn Manson And Courtney Love's 'Tattooed In Reverse' Video|author=Rossignol, Derrick|work=Uproxx|publisher=Uproxx Media Group|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=March 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324142016/https://uproxx.com/music/marilyn-manson-courtney-love-tattooed-in-reverse-video/|archive-date=March 24, 2018}} Stereogum was negative, saying the clip was "utterly packed with '90s shock rock clichés" and describing it as Manson "descend[ing] even further into self-parody".{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1988269/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-feat-courtney-love/video/|title=Marilyn Manson – "Tattooed In Reverse" Video (Feat. Courtney Love)|author=Breihan, Tom|work=Stereogum|date=March 23, 2018|accessdate=April 1, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402072231/https://www.stereogum.com/1988269/marilyn-manson-tattooed-in-reverse-video-feat-courtney-love/video/|archive-date=April 2, 2018}}

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Heaven Upside Down.{{cite AV media notes |title=Heaven Upside Down |title-link=Heaven Upside Down |type=liner notes |chapter=Booklet |others=Marilyn Manson |publisher=Loma Vista Recordings |year=2017 |id=LVR00229 |location=Los Angeles, United States}}

Credits

• Recorded at Abattoir Studios, Studio City, California
• Songs of Golgotha (BMI)/Box Cutter Music. (BMI), under exclusive licence to Loma Vista Recordings and Caroline International

Personnel

• Marilyn Manson – vocals
• Tyler Bates – instrumentation, engineering, recording, production, mixing
• Robert Carranza – mixing
• Gil Sharone – drums
• Joanne Higginbottom – assistant engineer
• Brian Lucey – mastering {{small|(at Magic Garden Mastering, Los Angeles, California)}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Marilyn Manson}}

Category:2017 songs

Category:2018 singles

Category:Marilyn Manson (band) songs

Category:Songs written by Marilyn Manson

Category:Songs written by Tyler Bates

Category:Loma Vista Recordings singles

Category:Glam rock songs

Category:Gothic rock songs