Lunchbox (song)

[5] In his book Marilyn Manson, Kurt B. Reighley said that the "air of detachment and repressed xenophobia" present in "Down in the Park" made the song fit well with the band's own work.

[5] The track was written by the band's eponymous vocalist, Daisy Berkowitz and Gidget Gein, and was produced by Manson with Trent Reznor.

"[11] Berkowitz told the Sun-Sentinel that the song's narrative fits with Manson's self-image as an "outcast who stands up to abuse yet, in the process, catches hell from authorities.

"[2] Writing for the Houston Press, Kristy Loye said that the song features a "level of cultural examination" which separates it from the macho and heteronormative heavy metal music of the 1980s.

[13] The track features the sound of small children saying profanities, an effect which Matt Zakosek of The Chicago Maroon noted was later used on Outkast's album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003).

[16] The Miami Herald's Howard Cohen said that Berkowitz's "musicianship, songwriting, and industrial guitar...gave early Marilyn Manson its musical credibility on songs like 'Lunchbox,' 'My Monkey,' 'Dope Hat,' and 'Cake and Sodomy.

[18] Similarly, Ben Crandell of The Washington Post wrote that "While the band drew attention for its theatrical excesses, it prospered in large part because of the musical credibility provided by the gleaming, industrial-gear shredding of [Berkowitz's] guitar on early Manson songs such as 'Lunchbox,' 'Dope Hat' and their hit cover of the Eurythmics' 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).

"[10] Kristy Loye of the Houston Press called the track "fresh" and praised it for bringing a "level of shock and interrogation of acceptable performance hadn’t been seen since the glam/punk heyday of '70s-era Iggy Pop and David Bowie.

"[12] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote that "With its relentless but danceable industrial beat and death metal guitars, 'Lunchbox' was one of the standouts on Marilyn Manson's debut album, Portrait of an American Family.

"[5] For MetalSucks, Axl Rosenberg called "Lunchbox" and "Tourniquet" (1996) some of "Manson's best early material",[20] while Loudwire's John Hill said that, on the track, Berkowitz was "responsible for some of the most iconic guitar work from the band".

[22] The Chicago Maroon's Matt Zakosek deemed the song's use of children spewing profanities "kind of ridiculous" and "a lame stab at shock value".

Shooting the video caused Manson to recall negative memories, as Pierce physically resembled a bully he had encountered as a child.

The "Lunchbox" single features a cover of " Down in the Park " by Gary Numan .
"Lunchbox" was inspired by an incident where Manson defended himself from bullies with a Kiss ( pictured ) lunchbox.
"Lunchbox" helped to revive interest in Arthur Brown .