Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Sanctified
Nine Inch Nails Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's still getting worse after everything I tried
What if I found a way to wash it all aside
What if she touches with those fingertips
As the words spill out like fire from her lips

If she says come inside I'll come inside for her
If she says give it all I'll give everything to her
I am justified
I am purified
I am sanctified

Inside you
Heaven's just a rumor she'll dispel
As she walks me through the nicest parts of hell
I still dream of lips I never should have never kissed
Well she knows exactly what I can't resist

If she says come inside I'll come inside for her
If she says give it all I'll give everything to her
I am justified
I am purified
I am sanctified
Inside you

I'm still caught up in another of her spells
Well she's turning me into someone else
Everyday I hope and pray this will end
But when I can I do it all again

And if she says come inside I'll come inside for her
If she says give it all I'll give everything to her
I am justified
I am purified
I am sanctified
Inside you

I am justified
I am purified
I am sanctified
Inside you

Overall Meaning

In Nine Inch Nails's "Sanctified", the singer is confessing to being powerless against a woman who has a hold on him. He recognizes that his situation is only getting worse despite his efforts to change it. He contemplates the possibility of finding a way to escape from his situation and start anew, but he then describes the allure of this woman and how he cannot resist her. He's trapped but unable to free himself, so he surrenders and declares himself purified, justified, and sanctified through his devotion to this woman.


The lyrics are laden with religious language and imagery, which suggests that the singer is caught up in a kind of worship or religious devotion to the woman. By describing himself as "purified", "justified", and "sanctified", he elevates his love for her to the level of religious devotion. The woman, in turn, is depicted as a kind of savior who will "dispel" any illusions of heaven and lead him through the "nicest parts of hell". There is a sense that this love affair is almost a religious experience for the singer, but one that is also dangerous and self-destructive.


Overall, "Sanctified" portrays a toxic and self-destructive love affair that is steeped in religious imagery and language. The singer is powerless to resist this woman, even though he knows that she is leading him down a dangerous path. The lyrics suggest that the singer is addicted to the euphoria and release that the relationship brings him, even though he also recognizes that he is trapped in a kind of cycle that may never end.


Line by Line Meaning

It's still getting worse after everything I tried
Despite my efforts, the situation keeps deteriorating.


What if I found a way to wash it all aside
What if I could make it all go away?


What if she touches with those fingertips
What if her touch has the power to change me?


As the words spill out like fire from her lips
Her words are so powerful, they feel like they're burning me.


If she says come inside I'll come inside for her
I will do anything she asks of me.


If she says give it all I'll give everything to her
I am completely under her control and will do anything to please her.


I am justified
I feel like what I'm doing is right, even if others may disagree.


I am purified
Through her, I feel like I'm absolved of my past mistakes and sins.


I am sanctified
I feel like I'm on a higher plane of existence because of her.


Inside you
My entire being is wrapped up in her and her influence.


Heaven's just a rumor she'll dispel
She is so powerful, that even Heaven seems like a distant fantasy in comparison.


As she walks me through the nicest parts of hell
She holds my hand and takes me willingly through the worst of experiences, because I trust her completely.


I still dream of lips I never should have never kissed
I long for her, even though I know she's not healthy for me.


Well she knows exactly what I can't resist
She is well aware of her control over me, and she uses it to her advantage.


I'm still caught up in another of her spells
I'm still under her influence, unable to break free.


Well she's turning me into someone else
Her power over me is changing me fundamentally, and I no longer recognize myself.


Everyday I hope and pray this will end
Despite everything, I know that this is not a healthy situation and I wish that it would stop.


But when I can I do it all again
Despite my better judgment, I keep going back to her and the cycle repeats.


I am justified
I continue to feel like what I'm doing is right, even though it's tearing me apart.


I am purified
I am still trying to cleanse myself of my past mistakes, even as I make new ones.


I am sanctified
Despite everything, I still feel like she has the power to elevate me to a higher level of existence.


Inside you
All of my actions and emotions are defined by my connection to her, and I am lost without it.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Trent Reznor

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Antoinette Alvarez

Comments from YouTube:

@JPastorius3

The bassist is Pino Palladino, one of the world's most renowned session players. He's played with The Who, Gary Numan, D'Angelo, Paul Young, Elton John, John Mayer, Jeff Beck, Tears for Fears, and many, many others. He's a bass playing god.

@kikstand2011

@Ian Norton you might want to grab some headphones and take another listen there bud. 😂 This is on a fretless, and almost all the notes you hear in this song, are pino.

If you can grab a fretless, and play even close to this, good on ya. 👍

@ettoremacca2927

@Ian Norton u don't play bass,right?

@RocknRoll420763

I was wondering who he was... He is an absolute phenom! he's a giant too, makes Trent look like dwarf. 🤣

@RodneyGurdal

@Ian Norton LOL. When you become the world's greatest bassist and can transform a lame studio track into something like this, we'd all love to hear it.

@sachindevaraj

@Ian Norton are you sure? Pino is one of the best

you cant really compare

38 More Replies...

@muterales

I played this VERY LOUD on my stereo just 9 months before and now all my neighbors have kids...

@ang8158

Best. Comment. 🤣👌 we shall call it the Reznor effect....FUCK YES, LITERALLY!!!!!!

@cjfernandez9089

He came inside.

More Comments

More Versions