The Joy Division original was recorded in 1979 and released on their compilation album Still. In commentary for The Crow with producer and musical supervisor Jeff Most, it is revealed that Nine Inch Nails were originally supposed to perform in the film instead of My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult.
"Dead Souls" is often considered to be about a schizophrenic man, as evidenced by the lyric "a duel of personalities" and the other lyric "they keep calling me". This version is on The Crow soundtrack and both the 2-disc Deluxe and Japanese editions of The Downward Spiral. It is reasonably faithful to the original, though it uses a slower tempo and has a much moodier feel.
"Dead Souls" is a regular in setlists. In the With Teeth: Summer Amphitheater Tour, Peter Murphy joined NIN on stage to sing this song at the live radio show on July 1, 2006, and at the last show of the tour on July 8, 2006. On the Self Destruct Tour, Reznor would sing "The Becoming" lyric, "god damn this noise inside my head," after the end of this song. It would then transition with the sound of wind into a performance of "Help Me I Am In Hell."
Dead Souls
Nine Inch Nails Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That point me to another day
A dual personality
A strange but true reality
They keep calling me
Keep on calling me
They keep calling me
Figures from the past stand tall
And mocking voices ring above
Imperialistic house of prayer
Conquistadors who took their share
They keep calling me
Keep on calling me
They keep calling me
The lyrics of Nine Inch Nails' song Dead Souls are haunting and enigmatic, leading to various interpretations. On the surface, the track is about a person struggling to rid themselves of their past and move on to a new day. The first two lines articulate this sentiment directly: "Someone take these dreams away/That point me to another day." The lyrics suggest that the character is tormented by their dreams and desires someone to take them away.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more complex, seeming to reference the weight of history and oppression. The lines "Figures from the past stand tall/And mocking voices ring above" suggest that the character's past is not just personal but also societal. The reference to the "imperialistic house of prayer" and the "conquistadors who took their share" further emphasize this theme. The character is struggling not only against their personal issues but also against a culture that is deeply entrenched in oppressive systems.
Overall, Dead Souls is a powerful and emotional track that speaks to the complicated nature of moving on from the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone take these dreams away
I wish for someone to rid me of these dreams that keep me bound and prevent me from moving forward
That point me to another day
These dreams tell me to hope and look forward to another day where things may be better
A dual personality
I have two different sides of myself that I can't quite reconcile
A strange but true reality
My reality is an odd and confusing one, but it is still real
They keep calling me
These troubling thoughts keep coming back to haunt me
Keep on calling me
These thoughts persist and won't leave me alone
They keep calling me
I am constantly reminded of my haunted past and troubled mind
Figures from the past stand tall
Memories from my past continue to hold significant influence over me and are still impacting my present
And mocking voices ring above
I constantly hear voices of others who have doubted me or mocked me
Imperialistic house of prayer
The religion I was raised in or around has oppressive and controlling elements
Conquistadors who took their share
My ancestors or heritage have a history of exploiting and causing harm to others
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bernard Sumner, Ian Kevin Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Paul David Morris
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