The song was released to radio stations simultaneously around 2:30pm EST on April 22, 2008, being mastered only the day before, and was then made available as a free download via the official Nine Inch Nails website. When downloaded, it comes with track art and a note found in the comments box of the song info saying "Go to www.nin.com on May 5", which was the release date of the then-unannounced album The Slip. The lyrics are also contained.
"Discipline" is the first radio single from NIN since becoming an independent recording act, following their final release under a major record label, 2007's Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D . Due to the advertisement and short notice of the release, the song was posted on YouTube almost immediately after release.
When downloading the song from discipline.nin.com, the process involved submitting an email address and a zip/postal code, opening the email and clicking the download link, then putting the token code into the website after clicking the link. A .zip file was automatically downloaded once the token and link had been registered. In addition, the multitrack files can be found at remix.nin.com. The song is no longer avaliable fro download by itself, and the download link now redirects to theslip.nin.com, this makes the single version of the song, which is slightly longer than the album track, can only be obtained via p2p sharing.
The track art resembles a lowercase d. The shape also resembles the portion of the Art is Resistance logo that contains the star.
For the physical release booklet, the red line on the Discipline artwork continues over to the opposite lyrics page crossing over the phrase "I cannot help myself".
Discipline
Nine Inch Nails Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feels like I'm wearing down, down, down, down, down
Is my viciousness losing ground, ground, ground, ground, ground
Am I taking too much?
Did I cross the line, line, line?
I need my role in this
Very clearly defined
I need your help
I need your discipline
You know once I start I cannot help myself
And now it's starting up
Feels like I'm losing touch
Nothing matters to me
Nothing matters as much
I see you left a mark
Up and down my skin, skin, skin
I don't know where I end
And where you begin
I need your discipline
I need your help
I need your discipline
You know once I start I cannot help myself
Ooh, ooh, ooh oh
Ooh, ooh, ooh oh
Ooh, ooh, ooh oh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
(I cannot stop myself)
(Once I start I cannot stop myself)
And you know
Once I start I cannot stop myself
And you know
Once I start I cannot stop myself
And you know
Once I start I cannot stop myself
And you know
Once I start I cannot stop myself
I need your discipline (and you know)
I need your help (once I start I cannot stop myself)
I need your discipline (and you know)
Because once I start I cannot stop myself
I need your discipline (and you know)
I need your help (once I start I cannot stop myself)
I need your discipline (and you know)
Because once I start I cannot stop myself
And you know
Once I start I cannot stop myself
And you know
Once I start I cannot stop myself
I need your discipline (and you know)
(Once I start I cannot stop myself)
The lyrics of Nine Inch Nails's song Discipline seem to describe a struggle with self-control and one's sense of identity within a relationship. The singer questions if they are still strong enough, if their "viciousness" is waning, and if they have gone too far in their actions. They seem to be seeking a defined role within their relationship, and express a need for the other person's discipline and help.
As the song progresses, it becomes more clear that the singer is engaging in some sort of physical or sexual activity with the other person, as they mention marks on their skin. Despite feeling like they are losing touch and that nothing else matters, they cannot help themselves and need the other person's discipline to guide them. The repetition of the line "once I start I cannot stop myself" emphasizes the feeling of being out of control and at the mercy of their desires.
Overall, the lyrics of Discipline seem to speak to the complex nature of power dynamics and surrender within relationships, and the struggle to maintain a sense of self while being vulnerable to another person.
Line by Line Meaning
Am I, am I still tough enough?
I am questioning whether I am still strong enough to handle whatever comes my way.
Feels like I'm wearing down, down, down, down, down
I feel like I am becoming weaker and less capable over time.
Is my viciousness losing ground, ground, ground, ground, ground
I am concerned that my ability to be cruel and forceful may be diminishing.
Am I taking too much?
I am wondering if my actions are becoming too excessive or unjustifiable.
Did I cross the line, line, line?
I am questioning whether I have gone too far in my behavior or actions.
I need my role in this
Very clearly defined
I require a well-defined and distinct purpose or position in this situation.
I need your discipline
I need your help
I need your discipline
You know once I start I cannot help myself
I require guidance and assistance to maintain control over my behavior and actions, as once I begin I have difficulty stopping.
And now it's starting up
Feels like I'm losing touch
I am beginning to feel as though I am losing control or contact with reality.
Nothing matters to me
Nothing matters as much
I am feeling apathetic and disconnected from the world around me.
I see you left a mark
Up and down my skin, skin, skin
I can see physical evidence of the impact you have had on me.
I don't know where I end
And where you begin
I am unsure where my own identity and boundaries lie in relation to you and your influence.
Ooh, ooh, ooh oh
Ooh, ooh, ooh oh
Ooh, ooh, ooh oh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Mysterious and ambiguous vocalizations.
(I cannot stop myself)
(Once I start I cannot stop myself)
And you know
Once I start I cannot stop myself
I cannot prevent myself from continuing a certain behavior or pattern once I have begun.
I need your discipline (and you know)
I need your help (once I start I cannot stop myself)
I need your discipline (and you know)
Because once I start I cannot stop myself
I require your guidance and assistance to control myself and prevent myself from falling into patterns of behavior that I am unable to stop on my own.
And you know
Once I start I cannot stop myself
And you know
Once I start I cannot stop myself
My inability to stop myself from continuing certain patterns of behavior is a known fact, and a source of concern.
I need your discipline (and you know)
(Once I start I cannot stop myself)
I require your guidance and assistance to control my behavior and actions, as I am unable to do so on my own once I have begun.
Lyrics © 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