When news broke this week of the release of the 73-year-old Leslie Van Houten, a former Charles Manson acolyte who recently finished serving more than 50 years of a life sentence for double murder, we remembered, Manson, the serial killer, wrote music, too.
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Manson, born in 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio, died in 2017 at the age of 83 years old. He was the leader of a cult in the 1960s that led to the killings of at least nine people, authorities say. Among his victims was the budding Hollywood film star Sharon Tate.
Living in Los Angeles in the ’60s, Manson was also known as a musician and songwriter, described as on the “fringe” of the local scene. After meeting Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys one day, Manson was introduced to producer Terry Melcher. Amazingly, in 1968 the Beach Boys recorded one of Manson’s songs, “Never Learn Not to Love,” though Manson was not credited.
Often in correctional facilities and going obviously mad, Manson began obsessions with bands, including and especially the Beatles. He obsessed, too, over their self-titled album, often called The White Album. He thought the band’s song “Helter Skelter” portended a forthcoming apocalyptic race war. Some of Manson’s followers were musicians as well.
But to know more about the serial killer and, thus, perhaps a little more about Leslie Van Houten, who is reentering society now, according to the news, here are five songs you didn’t know the serial killer Charles Manson wrote.
1. “Never Learn Not to Love,” the Beach Boys
Written by Dennis Wilson, Charles Manson
In 1968 when Dennis Wilson picked up two female hitchhikers, his life changed forever. Those girls told Wilson they had a guru, Charles Manson. Wilson followed them to a recording session where he met Manson and became enchanted with him. Wilson even called him “the Wizard.” Manson was invited to record several songs at engineer Stephen Desper’s house. These songs, Desper later said, were for Dennis Wilson and Byrds’ producer Terry Melcher.
In late 1968, Wilson recorded Manson’s song “Never Learn Not to Love.” It was originally called “Cease to Exist.” Wilson said Manson didn’t earn credit for the song, despite writing it initially, because he sold it for “about a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of stuff,” according to the 2000 book, Dennis Wilson: The Real Beach Boy by Jon Stebbins.
Wilson later began to distance himself from Manson, whose followers later stole many possessions from Wilson’s home. Manson, later looking to contact Wilson, left a bullet with Wilson’s housekeeper as a message. Years later, Beach Boy Mike Love said Wilson had told him he saw Manson kill a man by shooting him “in half” with a rifle. And hiding his body in a well. Wilson later regretted not telling the authorities.
The song was released in December of 1968 as a single.
Cease to resist, come on say you love me
Give up your world, come on and be with me
I’m your kind, I’m your kind, and I see
Come on come on, ooo I love you pretty girl
My life is yours, and you can have my world
I’m your kind, I’m your kind, and I see
Never had a lesson I ever learned
I know I could never learn not to love you
Come in now closer
Come in closer closer closer ahhhh
Submission is a gift given to another
Love and understanding is for one another
I’m your kind, I’m your kind, and I see
Never had a lesson I ever learned
I know I could never learn not to love you
Come in now closer
Come in closer come in closer
2. “Garbage Dump”
Written by Charles Manson
Covered in 1987 by punk rock artist GG Allin, “Garbage Dump” originally appeared on Manson’s infamous 1970 album, Lie: The Love and Terror Cult. The 14-song album is different from the songs that were recorded at Brian Wilson’s studio (those were never released). This record, though, was recorded at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood (and in 2006 12 bonus tracks were also released). Today, some believe the song “Smelly Cat” from the sitcom Friends was inspired by the song.
Oh garbage dump oh garbage dump
Why are you called a garbage dump
Oh garbage dump oh garbage dump
Why are you called a garbage dump
You could feed the world with my garbage dump
You could feed the world with my garbage dump
You could feed the world with my garbage dump
That sums it up in one big lump
When you’re livin’ on the road
And you think sometimes you’re starvin’
Get on off that trip my friend
Just get in them cans and start carvin’
Oh garbage dump my garbage dump
Why are you called my garbage dump
Oh garbage dump my garbage dump
Why are you called my garbage dump
3. “Home is Where You’re Happy”
Written by Charles Manson
Also from the 1970 Manson album Lie: The Love and Terror, “Home is Where You’re Happy” was later covered in 1988 by the band the Lemonheads for the group’s LP, Creator.
Your home is where you’re happy
It’s not where you’re not free
Your home is where you can be what you are
‘Cause you were just born to be
Now they’ll show you their castles
And diamonds for all to see
But, they’ll never show you their peace of mind
‘Cause they don’t know how to be free
So burn all your bridges
Leave your whole life behind
You can do what you want to do
‘Cause you’re strong in your mind
4. “Look at Your Game, Girl”
Written by Charles Manson
From the 1970 Manson album, Lie: The Love and Terror, “Look at Your Game, Girl” was famously covered by the famed Los Angeles rock band Guns N’ Roses. The song, about an insane woman, was a favorite of Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose, who included the track on the band’s 1993 LP, The Spaghetti Incident?
There’s a time for living
The time keeps on flying
Think you’re loving, baby
And all you do is crying
Can you feel?
Are those feelings real?
Look at your game, girl
Look at your game, girl
What a mad delusion
Living in that confusion
Frustration and doubt
Can you ever live without the game?
The sad, sad game
Mad game
5.”Sick City”
Written by Charles Manson
Covered by Marilyn Manson, who took the last name of his stage moniker in homage to the serial killer, “Sick City” was also on Manson’s 1970 debut LP. The song is all about Manson’s view of society.
Let’s see.
What was we talkin’ about?
Sick City
Restless people, from the sick city
Burn their home down
Make the sky look pretty
What can I do?
I’m just a person
This is a lie we always seem to hear
You just sit and things get worse and
Watch tv and drink your beer
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
