Dead Souls
Nine Inch Nails Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Someone take these dreams away
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

Overall Meaning

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
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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

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