The song's title seems to be one of several references to Soft Cell, a cited influence for NIN, as a song of the same name opens their 1984 album This Last Night in Sodom. Other references may include the reference to their album The Art of Falling Apart in the remixes titled "The Art of Self Destruction" and NIN covering "Memorabilia" and "Sex Dwarf," though the latter remains unreleased and/or incomplete.
In the April 1994 issue of Guitar World, Reznor was asked about the circumstances behind the guest appearance of guitarist Belew: "His name just popped into my head. I called my manager and two days later he was here. As it turned out he was already in L.A., working on something else... The songs were pretty much arranged, but we thought, "What would it be like if we got someone in here who could really play his ass off? Let's see what happens." We basically told Adrian, "Just play whatever you want and we'll piece it together however we see fit. Maybe stuff from one song will fit into another." We did about six or seven songs with four or five passes each. One time we'd tell Adrian something like, "Concentrate on a rhythmic part." Another time, "Think in terms of countermelody." Or, "Think in terms of no pitch at all, just noise." He pulled out a bunch of great sounds that he never gets to use. Flood and I were definitely intimidated when he first came up. We were sitting in the living room of Sharon Tate's house--our studio--with this guy who's played with Paul Simon and David Bowie. The first song we played him was "Mr. Self Destruct"--the hardest-sounding one we had. I said, "Play whatever you want." He said, "What key is it in?" And I had to say, "Uh, I don't remember. It's probably in E." It's a real fast track. For a moment he thought, "What the fuck?" Then he kicked in and it was just the most awesome thing."
It begins with a restructured sample from the film THX 1138, and immediately picks up with very fast and aggressive verses and choruses, Reznor's casual vocal delivery contrasting with the noisy cacophony around it. The bridge is in stark contrast: quiet, subdued and atmospheric, it is the only section of the song to feature bass. A return to cacophony for the final verse and choruses gives way to manipulated and looped guitar noises made by Adrian Belew, which cuts off suddenly and leads into "Piggy". Its call-and-response style verses are later recalled by those of "While I'm Still Here".
Mr. Self Destruct
Nine Inch Nails Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am the lover in your bed (and I control you)
I am the sex that you provide (and I control you)
I am the hate you try to hide (and I control you)
I take you where you want to go
I give you all you need to know
I drag you down, I use you up
Mr. Self Destruct
I speak religion's message clear (and I control you)
I am denial guilt and fear (and I control you)
I am the prayers of the naive (and I control you)
I am the lie that you believe (and I control you)
I take you where you want to go
I give you all you need to know
I drag you down I use you up
Mr. Self Destruct
You let me do this to you (I am the exit)
You let me do this to you (I am the exit)
You let me do this to you (I am the exit)
You let me do this to you (I am the exit)
You let me do this to you (I am the exit)
You let me do this to you (I am the exit)
You let me do this to you (I am the exit)
You let me do this to you (I am the exit)
I am the needle in your vein
I am the high you can't sustain
I am the pusher, I'm a whore
I am the need you have for more
I am the bullet in the gun (and I control you)
I am the truth from which you run (and I control you)
I am the silencing machine (and I control you)
I am the end of all your dreams (and I control you)
I take you where you want to go
I give you all you need to know
I drag you down, I use you up
Mr. Self Destruct
I take you where you want to go
I give you all you need to know
I drag you down, I use you up
Mr. Self Destruct
The lyrics of Nine Inch Nails's song "Mr. Self Destruct" describe a figure that seems to be in control of the singer. This figure is depicted as a manipulative and harmful force that guides the singer towards destructive behaviors and thought patterns. The repetition of "and I control you" throughout the song reinforces this sense of domination and control.
The figure is described in various ways throughout the song, such as "the voice inside your head," "the lover in your bed," and "the needle in your vein." These different personas suggest that the figure is present in all aspects of the singer's life, from their thoughts to their relationships to their addictions. The lyrics also touch on themes of religion, guilt, fear, and denial, suggesting that the figure is able to manipulate these concepts in order to further control the singer.
Overall, the lyrics of "Mr. Self Destruct" paint a picture of a person who is struggling with addiction and self-destructive tendencies, while also acknowledging the role that external forces can play in exacerbating these issues. The lyrics suggest that there is a constant battle between the singer and this controlling figure, with the outcome uncertain.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the voice inside your head (and I control you)
I am the controlling force in your mind, manipulating your thoughts and actions.
I am the lover in your bed (and I control you)
I am your desire, and I exert control over your physical and emotional experiences.
I am the sex that you provide (and I control you)
I am the source of your sexual desires and cravings, and I have power over you as a result.
I am the hate you try to hide (and I control you)
I am your hidden feelings of anger and negativity, and I have control over your emotions.
I take you where you want to go
I lead you to the places and experiences that you crave.
I give you all you need to know
I provide you with the information and knowledge that you require to pursue your desires.
I drag you down, I use you up
I bring you down and exhaust you with my control over your life.
I speak religion's message clear (and I control you)
I communicate clear religious messages to you, and I have power over your spiritual beliefs.
I am denial guilt and fear (and I control you)
I am the emotions of denial, guilt, and fear that you experience, and I manipulate them to my advantage.
I am the prayers of the naive (and I control you)
I am the prayers of those who are ignorant and inexperienced, and I exploit them for my own purposes.
I am the lie that you believe (and I control you)
I am the falsehood that you believe to be true, and I use it to maintain control over you.
You let me do this to you (I am the exit)
You allow me to have this level of control over you, and I am the way out of your current experience.
I am the needle in your vein
I am the source of your addiction, and I control your need for more.
I am the high you can't sustain
I am the temporary pleasure that you cannot maintain or sustain in your life.
I am the pusher, I'm a whore
I am the one who manipulates you for my own gain, and I am a seller of false pleasures.
I am the need you have for more
I am the unsatisfiable need that you have for more pleasure, and I exploit this for my own gain.
I am the bullet in the gun (and I control you)
I am a dangerous force in your life, and I have control over your experiences of danger and violence.
I am the truth from which you run (and I control you)
I am the reality that you are avoiding, and I have power over your decisions and actions as a result.
I am the silencing machine (and I control you)
I am the force that silences you, and I control your ability to express yourself.
I am the end of all your dreams (and I control you)
I am the force that destroys your dreams, and I have power over your hopes for the future.
I take you where you want to go
I lead you to the places and experiences that you crave.
I give you all you need to know
I provide you with the information and knowledge that you require to pursue your desires.
I drag you down, I use you up
I bring you down and exhaust you with my control over your life.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Trent Reznor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DrJKintobor
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)
@tawdryhepburn4686
I disagree. He attempts suicide at the end of BIG MAN WITH A GUN.
The following track, A WARM PLACE represents the estatic moment of performing the act.
Next comes the twist — he botches the job and bleeds out in slow agony for the rest of the album. You can hear his labored breathing all throughout the opening section of ERASER.
The final suite of songs take place inside the narrator’s mind, during his dying minutes/hours. As he bleeds out, his life flashes before his eyes, revealing the origin of his pain; the loss of his one true love.
the final track HURT, serves as a coda to the whole (and maybe a post-mortem statement, if you accept that world of TDS is compatible with the possibility for a soul) But the album doesn’t end on a sentimental note. Instead, the final lines double back and reaffirm total nihilism. the narrator assesses his wasted life and concludes that he has no regrets. And if he were to get a second chance (reincarnation?) he would do it all over again. Presumably including the botched suicide.
@PolentaTaragnarock
Actually no.
Big Man With A Gun is the protagonist placing himself on a position of power, using brute force and violence to make himself look more important than what he actually feels like he is. It's an act of desperation to placate self-loathing and nihilism.
A Warm Place is a moment of realisation, a quiet, thoughtful moment
The Downward Spiral is him attempting suicide
Reptile is him realising he has nothing left but the crumbs, the trails, the proofs of his downward spiral
Hurt is a suicide letter
I documented myself on various sites, and i gathered up this theory. It makes sense, i think.
@dylpickle0192
I know I'm not the 1st person to correct the errs in this but here's how it goes:
Verse 1
"I am the voice inside your head. (And I control you)
I am the lover in your bed. (And I control you)
I am the sex that you deny. (And I control you)
I am the hate you try to hide. (And I control you)
Pre-Chorus/Chorus
I take you where you want to go!
I give you all you need to know!
I drag you down, I use you up!
MR. SELF DESTRUCT!
Verse 2
I speak religion's message clear. (And I control you)
I am denial, guilt, and fear.
(And I control you)
I am the prayer of all your needs. (And I control you)
I am the lie that you believe. (And I control you)
Bridge
You let me do this to you... (I am an exit!)
I am the needle in the vein... (I am an exit)
I am the high you can't sustain... (I am an exit)
I am the pusher, I'm a whore... (I am an exit)
I am the need in you for more... (I am an exit)
Verse 3
I am the bullet in the gun! (And I control you)
I am the truth from which you run! (And I control you)
I am the silencing machine! (And I control you)
I am the end of all your dreams... (And I control you)"
This is no doubt the most accurate truths of having an addictive personality... Take it from someone who has an addictive characteristic, it is the one and only truth of addiction and it's message is clear: To simply fuck everything up in life.
@chavruta2000
how can you forget the most important part of the song???
"you let me do this to you"
@CodyOsborn1
I am an exit!
@huntmastergutentag557
INSECT! I AM AN INSECT! GAW
@chalk-a-lotjudas8791
chavruta2000 they slammed girls into lockers just for talking to Eric Harris...
@nickdrake4595
I am an insect. Genius!!!
@dejblank4517
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
@Plur307
I've always thought this would be a great song to get a speeding ticket to.
@regret9423
True
@lylegardner7260
I feel the same way about Ministry's Just One Fix.