Marilyn Manson released “Third Day of a Seven Day Binge” as a free download on October 26, 2014. The first single from The Pale Emperor introduced a collaboration with composer and producer Tyler Bates that changed how Manson approached recording. Some of the song’s most distinctive moments came from leaving the performance open to improvisation.
Manson and Bates met through their work on Californication. Getting comfortable making music together took more than an introduction, though. Manson told Full Metal Jackie in a Loudwire interview that an early attempt to work together in a cramped rehearsal space hadn’t clicked. He was accustomed to recording alone in a vocal booth, and playing alongside other musicians required a different kind of confidence. “Records should be made in the room with a person,” he said.
When they reconvened, “Birds of Hell Awaiting” came first. “Third Day of a Seven Day Binge” was the second song they made together. Manson credited Bates with helping establish the album’s direction, and the sessions developed around their other commitments. Manson was acting in Sons of Anarchy, while Bates was scoring Guardians of the Galaxy. Much of their recording happened during daylight hours, a change from the late sessions Manson had previously considered essential to his creativity.
At Bates’ home studio in Los Angeles, the process also allowed early vocal performances to become finished recordings. Manson told NME that several vocals on the album came from first takes. He singled out the ending of “Third Day of a Seven Day Binge,” where his improvised vocal sounds overlap with Bates’ guitar. It’s a useful detail to listen for: the recording preserves a moment when the singer and guitarist are responding to one another, with the vocal doing more than carrying a finished set of lyrics.
Their division of responsibilities was straightforward. In an interview with Revolver, Manson credited Bates with creating the music while he concentrated on singing and writing lyrics. Manson also contributed percussion, and Gil Sharone added live drums. That account puts the collaboration in practical terms. Bates was involved in constructing the songs themselves, giving Manson music to write and sing against throughout the sessions.
The single’s reception picked up on that change in emphasis. Writing on the day of its release, Stereogum’s Chris DeVille highlighted its glam rock character and melodic guitar sound. Manson later told Revolver that the album’s connection to the blues also involved its storytelling: he wanted listeners to find their own experiences inside the songs. The approach left room for darkness without requiring every passage to depend on aggression.
A commercial digital edition of “Third Day of a Seven Day Binge” followed on November 10, 2014. The song then appeared on Manson’s ninth studio album, The Pale Emperor, which reached North American stores on January 20, 2015. The album’s deluxe edition included “Day 3,” an acoustic version of the same song, giving listeners a second arrangement of one of the earliest pieces Manson and Bates had created together.
