"Sin" is the fourth official Nine Inch Nails release and the final single for the album Pretty Hate Machine. It contains three remixes of "Sin" from Pretty Hate Machine and Nine Inch Nails' first cover song. Even though the front has a stylized graphic that simply says "5in" and it is generally referred to as "Sin"
the spine of the US version refers to the album as "Sin Long, Dub & Short".
"Get Down, Make Love" is a cover of the Queen song originally released on News of the World. This version of "Get Down Make Love" samples Dan O'Herlihy from The Cabinet of Caligari.
The video
A video was released, using the "(short)" remix of the song, which featured two girls dancing with each other at the beginning, cutting to a black-and-white footage of a woman, naked except for what looks like straps to spelunking gear and a halogen lamp, walking a wrist-bound Trent Reznor with a bag over his head through what looks like an industrial warehouse complex and eventually to strap him into a large rotary harness where she spins him throughout the video. These scenes are intercut with two young gay lovers who eventually fight, a man and woman wearing ritualistic dressings and dancing, as well as visuals of a pierced phallus and clitoris, all reflecting the song's dark, sexual aspects.
Released October 10, 1990
Format CD, 12"
Recorded 1989, 1990
Genre Industrial rock, Synth-pop
Length 19:29
Label TVT Records
Producer Adrian Sherwood, Keith LeBlanc, Hypo Luxa
Sin
Nine Inch Nails Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I gave you my purity, my purity you stole
Did you think I wouldn't recognize this compromise?
Am I just too stupid to realize?
Stale incense, old sweat
And lies, lies, lies
It comes down to this
And your strain, it gets under my skin
Within, take in
The extent of my sin
You give me the anger, you give me the nerve
Carry out my sentence, well I get what I deserve
I'm just an effigy to be disgraced, to be defaced
Your need for me has been replaced
And if I can't have everything
Well, then just give me a taste
It comes down to this
Your kiss, your fist
And your strain it gets under my skin
Within, take in
The extent of my sin
You give me the reason, you give me control
I gave you my purity and my purity you stole
Did you think I wouldn't recognize this compromise?
Am I just too stupid to realize?
Stale incense, old sweat
And lies, lies, lies
It comes down to this
Your kiss, your fist
And your strain, it gets under my skin
Within, take in
Well, my sin, it comes down to this
Your kiss, your fist
And your strain, it gets under my skin
Within, take in
The extent of my sin
The lyrics of Nine Inch Nails's "Sin" convey the feelings of an individual who has lost control of their own life and has become a victim of manipulation and abuse. The person is aware of the compromise they have made but feels too powerless to escape the situation. The lines "you give me the reason, you give me control, I gave you my purity, and my purity you stole" suggest coercion or manipulation by a more powerful personality. The lines "Stale incense, old sweat and lies, lies, lies" conjure up an image of a decaying and filthy environment, emphasizing the oppressive and abusive nature of the relationship.
The recurring phrase "It comes down to this, your kiss, your fist, and your strain, it gets under my skin" is particularly evocative of the physical and emotional toll of the situation. The end of the song, where the lyrics bring it all together, "Well, my sin, it comes down to this, your kiss, your fist, and your strain, it gets under my skin, within, take in, the extent of my sin," is the person's realization of their own responsibility towards their predicament. They acknowledge that they have made a mistake and are now paying the price, trapped in a cycle of abuse with seemingly no way out.
Line by Line Meaning
You give me the reason, you give me control
The other person in this relationship is the one in control, and has manipulated the singer into doing things they might not want to do.
I gave you my purity, my purity you stole
The singer has given up something important to them, likely their virginity, to this other person who has taken it without their consent.
Did you think I wouldn't recognize this compromise?
The other person thought that they could manipulate the singer into doing something they didn't want to by making a compromise that wasn't fair to both parties.
Am I just too stupid to realize?
The artist feels foolish for having been manipulated and tricked into doing something they didn't want to.
Stale incense, old sweat
And lies, lies, lies
This relationship is built on a foundation of deceit and manipulation, and everything within it is rotting and decaying.
It comes down to this
Your kiss, your fist
And your strain, it gets under my skin
Within, take in
The extent of my sin
The other person's actions are causing the singer physical and emotional pain, and they feel guilty for having allowed themselves to be manipulated in the first place.
You give me the anger, you give me the nerve
The other person is instigating the singer's anger and making them act out of character.
Carry out my sentence, well I get what I deserve
The artist feels like they deserve whatever punishment they are receiving because they allowed themselves to be manipulated.
I'm just an effigy to be disgraced, to be defaced
Your need for me has been replaced
The artist feels like they are nothing more than an object to the other person, and they have been discarded for someone or something else.
And if I can't have everything
Well, then just give me a taste
The artist is desperate for any scrap of affection or attention they can get from the other person, even if it means settling for less than they want.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, 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