Wish
Nine Inch Nails/David Bowie Lyrics
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I built it up, now I take it apart
Climbed up real high, now fall down real far
No need for me to stay
The last thing left, I just threw it away
I put my faith in god and my trust in you
Now there's nothing more fucked up I could do
Wish there was something true
Wish there was something real
In this world full of you
I'm the one without a soul
I'm the one with this big fucking hole
No new tale to tell
Twenty-six years, on my way to hell
Gotta listen to your big-time, hard-line, bad-luck, fist fuck
Don't think you're having all the fun
You know me, I hate everyone
Wish there was something real
Wish there was something true
Wish there was something real
In this world full of you
I want to but I can't turn back
But I want to, but I can't turn back
I want to but I can't turn back
But I want to, but I can't turn back
I want to but I can't turn back
But I want to, but I can't turn back
I want to but I can't turn back
But I want to
Wish there was something real
Wish there was something true
Wish there was something real
In this world full of you
Wish there was something real
Wish there was something true
Wish there was something real
In this world full of you
This world full of you
This world full of you
This world full
The lyrics of Nine Inch Nails's song Wish present a powerful expression of disillusionment, anger, and despair. Trent Reznor, the songwriter and frontman of the band, describes his feelings of self-destruction and disconnection from the world around him. He starts by acknowledging that it is his first day of the last days, implying that he knows he is on a path to destruction. He recognizes that he had built up something only to tear it apart again, and now he has fallen from a great height. He does not see any reason to stay and throws away the last thing he had left. He had put his faith in God and his trust in someone else, but now he realizes that there isn't anything more messed up than that.
In the chorus, he expresses his longing for something real and true in this world that is full of lies and fake emotions. He repeats this phrase a few times to emphasize the desire for authentic experiences. The second verse reveals an even more profound feeling of emptiness and despair. He feels like he is the one without a soul and has a big hole that can't be filled. He has been on his way to hell for 26 years now, and things are not getting any better. He criticizes the people who have power and control in society, calling them hard-line, bad-luck, fist fuck, and saying they are not the only ones having fun. He hates everyone, and he knows that he is not alone in his misery. The song finishes with a repetition of the chorus and the sentence "This world full of you," which leaves the listener with a sense of the overwhelming presence of fake emotions and lack of authenticity.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the first day of my last days
Today marks the beginning of my inevitable descent towards my own end.
I built it up, now I take it apart
I have created something out of nothing, only to destroy it myself.
Climbed up real high, now fall down real far
I have achieved great heights, but my downfall will be just as steep.
No need for me to stay
I have nothing left to hold onto, no reason to continue living.
The last thing left, I just threw it away
I have let go of everything that once mattered to me, even the last remaining shred of hope.
I put my faith in god and my trust in you
I have placed my hope in the divine and in someone else, only to ultimately be let down and disappointed.
Now there's nothing more fucked up I could do
Having lost everything and everyone that mattered to me, I have no more options to make things worse.
Wish there was something real
I long for something genuine and authentic in a world that seems full of deception and falsity.
Wish there was something true
I desire something with real, lasting value - something that won't let me down or prove to be a facade.
I'm the one without a soul
I am empty and hollow, lacking any sense of meaning or purpose.
I'm the one with this big fucking hole
My emptiness is vast and overwhelming, like a cavernous void in the core of my being.
No new tale to tell
My story is one of despair, tragedy, and loss - there is nothing novel or exciting about my existence.
Twenty-six years, on my way to hell
My life has been a slow descent into a personal hell that I have been unable to escape from.
Gotta listen to your big-time, hard-line, bad-luck, fist fuck
I am forced to endure the harsh, cruel realities of life that are beyond my control - like being repeatedly struck by a powerful, unyielding force.
Don't think you're having all the fun
Despite appearances, no one is really enjoying life - we are all struggling, suffering, and barely holding on.
You know me, I hate everyone
I am filled with anger and bitterness towards everyone and everything around me - I have become incapable of feeling any other emotion.
I want to but I can't turn back
I am consumed by regret and longing for what could have been, but I know that it is impossible to go back and make things right.
Wish there was something real
Despite my cynicism and despair, I still cling to the hope that there is something genuine and true in this world.
Wish there was something true
I am desperate for something that can provide meaning and purpose to my life, something that is not simply an illusion or facade.
This world full of you
The world is populated by people who are just as lost and broken as I am, who cannot offer me the solace or redemption I am seeking.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Trent Reznor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind