1 post tagged “electronic”

Ok!! The second band that changed my life was Nine Inch Nails, for many of the same reasons that Metallica did. I actually discovered NIN kind of late, as their album Pretty Hate Machine came out in 1989, but I didn't hear of them till 1991 or so, a little after I had discovered Metallica. Well, I had heard of NIN, but I had just never heard their music before then. It was probably MTV that I first heard them.
Just look at the anger on Trent's face!! That is exactly how I felt inside! I was screaming inside!!
Their music was decidedly different from Metallica's, being electronic, but it was still heavy, and just had a lot of anger in it. The same anger that I was feeling was being portrayed in Trent Reznor's music. Anger towards religion generally and Christianity in particular. I was beginning to learn that I was not the only one who had these feelings. I was beginning to learn that it was normal to have these feelings and that I was not going to go to hell for having them. But damn, was I angry. I was angry for being lied to all my life. I was angry for the loss of innocence that I felt at finally discovering the truth. It was like discovering Santa isn't real, times 100.

Nine Inch Nails has had a long career and are still going strong today. One of my favorite songs when I was in the Navy and dancing drunk at clubs and chasing skirts was Closer with it's graphic lyrics of "I wanna F*#% you like an animal."


But for our purposes right not, the bands that changed my life, we will only be talking about Pretty Hate Machine and two songs from it in particular. Head Like a Hole and Terrible Lie.












Ok! This is the song that started it all. The one that got me to go out and buy the album. The following are the lyrics, which rang so true in my heart.








"Head Like A Hole"

God money i'll do anything for you.
God money just tell me what you want me to.
God money nail me up against the wall.
God money don't want everything he wants it all.

[Bridge:]
no you can't take it
no you can't take it
no you can't take that away from me
no you can't take it
no you can't take it
no you can't take that away from me

head like a hole.
black as your soul.
i'd rather die than give you control.
head like a hole.
black as your soul.
i'd rather die than give you control.

[Chorus:]
bow down before the one you serve.
you're going to get what you deserve.
bow down before the one you serve.
you're going to get what you deserve.

God money's not looking for the cure.
God money's not concerned with the sick amongst the pure.
God money let's go dancing on the backs of the bruised.
God money's not one to choose

[Bridge]

[Chorus]

[Chorus]

[Bridge]

[Chorus]

you know who you are.

This one even more so than Head Like a Hole spoke to my anger. Religion? What a terrible lie!!








"Terrible Lie"

hey God
why are you doing this to me?
am i not living up to what i'm supposed to be?
why am i seething with this animosity?
hey God
i think you owe me a great big apology.

terrible lie
terrible lie
terrible lie
terrible lie

hey God
i really don't know what you mean.
seems like salvation come only in our dreams.
i feel my hatred grow all the more extreme.
hey God
can this world really be as sad as it seems?

terrible lie
terrible lie
terrible lie
terrible lie

don't take it away from me.
i need someone to hold on to.
don't take it away from me.
i need someone to hold on to.

hey God
there's nothing left for me to hide.
i lost my ignorance, security and pride.
i'm all alone in a world you must despise.
hey God
i believed your promises, your promises and lies.

terrible lie
terrible lie
terrible lie
terrible lie

you made me throw it all away.
my morals left to decay.
how many you betray.
you've taken everything.

terrible lie.
my head is filled with disease.
my skin is begging you please.
i'm on my hands and knees.
i want so much to believe.

i need someone to hold on to.
i need someone to hold on to.
i need someone i need someone.
i need someone to hold on to.
i give you everything.
my sweet everything.
hey God
i really don't know who i am.
in this world of piss

Like he said in the song and I said in my recent blog posts on this subject, "I want so much to believe." That's what I could not get anyone in my family or those around me to understand. I was not rebelling against anything. I WANTED to believe. I just no longer could. I had grown up.