Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: industrial
Song Meaning of “How to Create a Monster” by Santa Hates You
“How to Create a Monster” is a darkly catchy track from Santa Hates You’s 2013 album Vintage Horror. The song’s central theme is of self-reflection and the idea of creating a version of oneself that could hurt those we care for or those we may perceive to have hurt us.
The chorus finds the narrator speaking to himself in a cautionary way, warning changing one’s identity won’t create an ideal self. At a deeper level, the chorus also serves as a warning to the listener to be mindful of their own actions and of the effects that reaching for perfection can have.
The verses shine a light on the thought process behind the narrator’s dissatisfaction with his current state. He feels confined both mentally and emotionally, and by transforming himself he can feel like he can break free of his old self and his old issues. He calls on the forces of evil and darkness to empower him in his transformation, urging them to “give me fire so I can light up the night sky”.
Ultimately, the narrator comes to terms with the fact that creating a new and improved self is impossible and gives the listener an insight into his own evolution. He asks himself, “how can I create a monster, when I am already part of it?”, revealing his discovery that transformation isn’t possible without personal reflection and introspection.