Kinderfeld

Album: Antichrist Superstar (1996)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Kinderfeld" is about Marilyn Manson's Grandfather Jack Warner, who used to go into his basement and masturbate, then cover this behavior by saying he was playing with a train set. As Manson explains in his book The Long Hard Road Out of Hell, his grandparents had strict punitive rules that they would reinforce with making him kneel on broomsticks ("I had to kneel on broomsticks just to make it go away"). He broke the rules often because the pain made him forget what he saw. Other forms of punishment are referenced in the lyrics "three holes upon the leather belt, the gut is swollen the edge the edge is showing, there is no one her to save ourselves." The song also refers to how parents and religion tell us what to think and feel ("This is what you should fear"). >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Shaun - Adelaide, Australia
  • As a child, Manson always wanted to witness the forbidden. This led to his spying on his grandfather, along with spying on naked women. Around that same time in his childhood, he began having vivid dreams filled with distorted images of the things he saw. These images still haunt him in his sleep and have led to the creation of many of his songs.

Comments: 10

  • Luna Loud from Royal Woods, Michigan"Old Jack Warner sat in a corner...", LOL, well at least it still worked for him!
  • Cristian Manteen from Lyons Ga i love kinderfeld its a nice soft song like cryptorchid the whole album is good so lets just listion on yeah i listin to marilyn manson,s old songs even in 2020
  • Jezus from Mobile, Ali thought this song meant something like kids and fields cause "kinder", as in KINDERgarten and feld sounds like a suffix to the last name of s kike, lol. Jerry SeinFELD. but seriously, i thought it said kinderfield for the first couple of months i owned it. i didnt really like the song at first, but then i gave it a chance. all in all, i`d say it took me about 23 times for me to like this song. and surprisingly by then, it actually wasnt old.
  • Daivd from Aberdeen, NcThis song is the point in the album where the Antichrist Superstar character loses his mind and begins to be "reborn". Many different sides of his ego were fighting for control, but ultimately "The Disintegrator" won. "This is what you should fear, you are what you chould fear," is foreshadowing to the character's downfall, when his own hate eventually leads to his ruin in "The Reflecting God" and "Man That You Fear".
  • Freak from Biddoshit, Meumm yeah brian if you dont know what the song means then why are you listening to it.... you should have some idea of wat a song is about before listening to it
  • Dustin from West Bend, Wi"make him 'kneel on broomsticks' as a punishment, whatever that means."

    kneel on a broomstick once, you'll know very quickly
  • Andrew from Hamilton, CanadaKinderfeld does indeed mean "Field of Children". I think this may be a reference to the Frankfurt Kinderfeld in Germany, where 150 American children were buried between '66 and '86. To me, this song suggests that Adam (the main character in Manson's Antichrist Trilogy) was abused as a child, and as a result developed psychological problems that leave voices in his head telling him to do terrible things. And I don't think this song really belongs where it is positioned on the album- I think it takes place before.
  • Brian from Pittsburgh, PaKinderfeld means 'Field of Children' in German, or more literally 'Children field'...what does that mean?
  • Daisy from Dunedin, New ZealandKinderfeld is a truly beautiful song and I agree with Brian, it is VERY under-rated.

    I would also like to add that it was in fact Manson's grandmother, not the grandfather, that would punish Manson and his couisn by having them kneel on broomsticks. :-)
  • Brian from Paoli, InVery under-rated song, I dunno what it is about it, but I love this song.

    Also Mansons grandfather was abusive, and he used to make him 'kneel on broomsticks' as a punishment, whatever that means.

    Great great song, ties in with the entire album so well.

    "Because today is black, because there is no turning back, because your lies have watered me, I have become the strongest weed" Simply genius.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Yacht Rock!

Yacht Rock!Song Writing

A scholarly analysis of yacht rock favorites ("Steal Away," "Baker Street"...) with a member of the leading YR cover band.

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New York

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New YorkSong Writing

Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.

Song Cities

Song CitiesMusic Quiz

Nirvana, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen are among those who wrote songs with cities that show up in this quiz.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.

Gavin Rossdale of Bush

Gavin Rossdale of BushSongwriter Interviews

On the "schizoid element" of his lyrics, and a famous line from "Everything Zen."

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.