The Devil Beneath My Feet

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The Devil Beneath My Feet is a song by Marilyn Manson from the 2015 album The Pale Emperor. It was released as a promotional single in 2015 and received positive reviews for its style and mood.

Release and promotion
- First released January 15, 2015, as the seventh track on The Pale Emperor.
- Walmart US editions feature a censored version; Manson criticized Walmart’s gun sales policy in a later interview.
- In October 2015, promotional copies were sent to French radio as an airplay-only single to align with a Paris concert that was later canceled after the November 2015 Paris attacks.
- A December 6, 2015 release date proceeded in the UK as the third single from the album.

Composition and style
- The song is an uptempo glam rock track with psychedelic elements, about 4 minutes 16 seconds long.
- The arrangement is relatively sparse: an unaccompanied drum intro leads into a verse with a prominent bassline, followed by a chorus with psychedelic guitar lines.
- Tempo is about 127 BPM. The verse bass follows a G–D–A–E pattern; the chorus guitars follow Em–B–G–D–A–E.
- Lyrically, it was inspired by a text Manson sent to his then-girlfriend Lindsay Usich. The lyrics mix theological imagery with references to mathematics (Young’s inequality) and include the line about preferring to be blamed for “robbing Peter” than guilty toward Paul. Critics highlighted the song’s striking, provocative wording and its streamlined, direct feel.

Critical reception
- The track received generally positive reviews. Rolling Stone called it one of the album’s best songs, describing it as sounding “like a beach party on the River Styx.”
- Pure M praised its hushed vocals and restrained guitars, noting the track’s different direction within the album.
- The Quietus called it brilliant in its simplicity, and Classic Rock highlighted its Mechanical Animals-like vibe with bold guitar work.

Track listing (promotional releases)
- French Promo CD: The Devil Beneath My Feet (Radio Edit) – 3:28
- UK Promo CD (FRYCD737P): The Devil Beneath My Feet (Clean Edit) – 3:29; The Devil Beneath My Feet (Album Version) – 4:16

Credits and personnel
- Marilyn Manson: songwriter, lead vocals, producer
- Tyler Bates: songwriter, guitar, bass, keyboards, programming, producer
- Gil Sharone: drums
- Robert Carranza: mixing
- Dylan Eiland: additional programming
- Joanne Higginbottom: Pro Tools editing
- Brian Lucey: mastering
- Wolfgang Matthes: additional programming, mixing
- Recorded at Abattoir Studios (Studio City, California); drums recorded at Igloo Studios (Burbank, California)
- Publisher credits: Golgotha (BMI) / Tyler Bates Music, Inc. (BMI), under exclusive license to Cooking Vinyl

Release history
- France: October 2015 (airplay promotion) via Cooking Vinyl
- United Kingdom: December 6, 2015 (radio service as a single)