The … Read Full Bio ↴"Big Man With A Gun" is the ninth track on The Downward Spiral.
The sample at the beginning of "Big Man With A Gun" comes from studio-altered recording of a porn star having an orgasm. According to the album booklet, this "sample" is titled "Steakhouse" and is credited to Tommy Lee.
In the 5.1 surround edition of the 2004 re-release of The Downward Spiral, the scream heard at the beginning is replaced with a distant wail, which echoes around the speakers.
"I had written those lyrics pretty quickly and I didn’t know if I was going to use them or not. To me, Downward Spiral builds to a certain degree of madness, then it changes. That would be the last stage of delirium. So the original point of “Big Man With A Gun” was madness. But it was also making fun of the whole misogynistic gangsta-rap bulls**t.“
- Trent Reznor
The track was ironically mislabelled as “gangsta rap” by conservatives such as activist, C. Delores Tucker.
Song Credits
* Production: Trent Reznor
* Mixing engineers: Bill Kennedy, Sean Beavan
* Additional guitars: Danny Lohner
* Steakhouse: Tommy Lee
Big Man With a Gun
Nine Inch Nails Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Yes I am)
And I have a big gun
Got me a big old dick and I
I like to have fun
Held against your forehead
I'll make you suck it
Maybe I'll put a hole in your head
I can reduce you if I want
I can devour
I'm hard as fucking steel and I've got the power
I'm every inch a man and I'll show you somehow
Me and my fucking gun
I never can stop me now
Shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot
I'm going to come all over you
Shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot
I'm going to come all over you
Shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot
I'm going to come all over you
Shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot
I'm going to come all over you
Me and my fucking gun
Me and my fucking gun
Me and my fucking gun
Me and my fucking gun
Me and my fucking gun
Me and my fucking gun
Me and my fucking gun
Me and my fucking gun
The lyrics of the song "Big Man With a Gun" by Nine Inch Nails are controversial and graphic, delving into themes of sexual violence and power. The opening lines suggest that the singer is physically imposing and armed, with both a "big gun" and a "big old dick." This combination of physical dominance and sexual aggression sets the tone for the rest of the song, which explores the singer's desire to exert control over others, particularly through sexual means.
The line "I'll make you suck it" is particularly disturbing, as it suggests that the singer is willing to use force to coerce others into sexual acts. The later line "Maybe I'll put a hole in your head / You know just for the fuck of it" is similarly violent, suggesting that the singer gets pleasure from inflicting pain and harm on others. The repeated refrain of "Me and my fucking gun" emphasizes the singer's reliance on this weapon as a symbol of his power and control.
Throughout the lyrics, there is a sense that the singer is trying to prove his masculinity through these acts of violence and sexual aggression. The line "I'm every inch a man and I'll show you somehow" suggests that the singer feels that these actions are necessary to prove his worth as a man. Ultimately, the song paints a disturbing picture of a man who uses violence and sexual domination to assert his power over others, revealing the darker aspects of toxic masculinity and the harmful effects it can have on individuals and society.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a big man
I am a physically imposing individual
(Yes I am)
(Emphasizing the fact that he is indeed a big man)
And I have a big gun
I possess a firearm of considerable size
Got me a big old dick and I
I also have a large penis
I like to have fun
I enjoy engaging in activities that others may find disturbing or violent
Held against your forehead
My firearm is pointed at your head
I'll make you suck it
I will force you to perform oral sex on me at gunpoint
Maybe I'll put a hole in your head
I might shoot and kill you for no reason at all
You know just for the fuck of it
Just because I feel like it
I can reduce you if I want
I can exert complete control over you
I can devour
I have the ability to consume and destroy
I'm hard as fucking steel and I've got the power
I am physically and mentally strong, with an overwhelming sense of dominance
I'm every inch a man and I'll show you somehow
I am the epitome of masculinity and I will demonstrate this through violent means
Me and my fucking gun
My firearm is an extension of myself and my power
I never can stop me now
No one can prevent me from doing whatever I want with my gun
Shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot
An expression of delight in firing my gun
I'm going to come all over you
I will physically and mentally dominate and humiliate you
Me and my fucking gun
Repeated emphasis on the intimate relationship I have with my firearm
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Trent Reznor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on Hurt
This is the most depressing song ever. I listened to this a lot back in November-December 2022.
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on Eraser
This song is so intense. It sounds like music from a horror movie. I love the Dissonance Tour version, but I don't like the Polite version, as it just sounds like one of those easy listening tracks. This song has gory vibes.
DrJKintobor
on Driver Down
I have a theory that this song is the instrumental for "Just Do It", the lost song from TDS that was scrapped for "promoting suicide".
DrJKintobor
on Heresy
I'm really resisting the urge to make a Warhammer 40k joke.
DrJKintobor
on Mr. Self Destruct
This song reminds me of Fleetway Super Sonic (if you don't know, the Fleetway Sonic Comics have Super Sonic as an evil split personality of Sonic)
Mohin Kann
on Closer
Moien
Antoinette Alvarez
on Something I Can Never Have
This song is sooo beautiful ♡
Antoinette Alvarez
on Sanctified
♡
Antoinette Alvarez
on Find My Way
OMG I ♡ THIS SONG