Scary Monsters
Nine Inch Nails and David Bowie Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She had an horror of rooms she was tired you can't hide beat
When I looked in her eyes they were blue but nobody home
She could've been a killer if she didn't walk the way she do, and she do
She opened strange doors that we'd never close again

She began to wail jealousies scream
Waiting at the lights know what I mean

Scary monsters, super creeps
Keep me running, running scared
Scary monsters, super creeps
Keep me running, running scared

She asked me to stay and I stole her room
She asked for my love and I gave her a dangerous mind
Now she's stupid in the street and she can't socialise
Well I love the little girl and I'll love her till the day she dies

She wails
Jimmy's guitar sound jealousies scream
Waiting at the lights know what I mean

Scary monsters, super creeps
Keep me running, running scared
Scary monsters, super creeps
Keep me running, running scared

Scary monsters, super creeps
Keep me running, running scared
Scary monsters, super creeps
Keep me running, running scared

Oh oh woh-oh
Oh, oh-oh-oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh woh-oh
Oh, oh-oh-oh oh

Oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" by Nine Inch Nails and David Bowie describe the singer's interactions with a woman who is unusual and unsettling. She has a horror of rooms and seems tired, as though she cannot hide from something. When the singer looks into her eyes, he finds that she is vacant and could have been a killer if she had not walked the way she does. She is a person who opens strange doors that will never be closed again, indicating that she has been exposed to things that most people have not.

As the song progresses, the woman begins to wail and scream with jealousy. She waits at the lights, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for waiting at a crossroads or facing a difficult decision. The repetition of the line "scary monsters, super creeps, keep me running, running scared" throughout the song suggests that the woman is one of many frightening aspects of life that keep the singer on the run. He is constantly afraid, and she is just one of many reasons why.

In the latter half of the song, the singer seems to take possession of the woman's room and mind, giving her a dangerous mind in return. She is now seen as stupid and unable to socialize, though the singer still loves her. The wailing and screaming continues, symbolizing the woman's internal turmoil, and the song ends on this unresolved, chaotic note.

Line by Line Meaning

She had an horror of rooms she was tired you can't hide beat
She was frightened of being confined in small spaces, tired of the way things were and feeling helpless to change it.

When I looked in her eyes they were blue but nobody home
Even though she was physically present, her mind was somewhere else, detached and unresponsive.

She could've been a killer if she didn't walk the way she do, and she do
If she wasn't so peculiar in movement and behavior, she could have been easily mistaken for the suspicious and violent.

She opened strange doors that we'd never close again
She exposed us to things that we had never experienced before and now we couldn't go back to our previous world.

She began to wail jealousies scream
She started to scream and cry out in pain and jealousy.

Waiting at the lights know what I mean
Standing at the traffic signals waiting for the green light to go ahead, hoping for things to get better.

Scary monsters, super creeps Keep me running, running scared Scary monsters, super creeps Keep me running, running scared
The monsters in her mind and the strange people around her makes her constantly afraid and on the run.

She asked me to stay and I stole her room
She asked him to stay with her, and he took advantage of the opportunity and took over her private space.

She asked for my love and I gave her a dangerous mind
She wanted affection, but in his care, she became a victim of his insidious and harmful intentions.

Now she's stupid in the street and she can't socialise
She is now socially inept, likely as a result of the damage he caused to her when he was with her.

Well I love the little girl and I'll love her till the day she dies
Despite all that has happened, he still claims to love her and will do so till her last day.

Jimmy's guitar sound jealousies scream Waiting at the lights know what I mean
The guitar riff reminds him of jealousies and thoughts of her, much like waiting at the light at an intersection, knowing that there's some relief up ahead.

Oh oh woh-oh Oh, oh-oh-oh oh Oh oh oh, oh oh Oh oh woh-oh Oh, oh-oh-oh oh Oh oh oh, oh oh Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
These are just the background music notes and do not provide any direct meaning.

Lyrics © TINTORETTO MUSIC
Written by: David Bowie

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@Sindollx666x

3y↑7

Nine Inch Nails released a VHS box set in the late 90s it was called "Closure" one vhs contained only Nin Music Videos, the other was all live footage, backstage, and on the road. It had EXCELLENT clips of the tour with Bowie, Marilyn Manson and Jim Rose Circus sideshow, a clip with Lou Reed turning up at a Nin show talking about how Trents just doing smart rockin' and praising him. It was pretty fun. Lots of footage of them destroying shit, like the dressing rooms, many many keyboards. An epic one where they're throwing glass beer bottles at an Exit sign they're attempting to kill. If I remember correctly I believe Trent gets the ultimate money shot which finally severs the last cord holding it barely above the door.
Trent was a Bowie fan, and Bowie was a Nin fan.

Trent spoke to writer for Rolling Stone, resulting in a great article for the mag talking about Bowie and its REALLY good.
It was my favorite of all tributes written that I read after Bowie's death this quote is from it:

One of the greatest moments of my life was standing onstage next to David Bowie while he sang “Hurt” with me. I was outside of myself, thinking, “I’m standing onstage next to the most important influence I’ve ever had, and he’s singing a song I wrote in my bedroom.” It was just an awesome moment.
I reccomend the full read here
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/trent-reznor-recalls-how-david-bowie-helped-him-get-sober-229659/

Btw Closure will NEVER BE RELEASED ON DVD. Trent tried, but there's too many permissions he can no longer get to re-release it. Sadly.

All comments from YouTube:

@bigguy1164

22w↑9

Reznor flung David Bowie headfirst into the 1990's and beyond without ever being considered a nostalgia act.
Bowie taught Trent Reznor that he didn't have to succumb to his addiction issues and that he was allowed to find a life outside of his art.
It was a pretty good trade of talents.

@pf8860

perfectly said..

@jessemcclellan5278

Life is just crazy.

@NachtSchreck13

6y↑70

I love the original song + album, but this version definitely took this song to the next level. Trent has incredible aptitude for sonic layering and getting those sounds hidden in the cut to perfection

@bikshmeister8710

5y↑1

Nacht Schreck yes i tottaly agree with u

@cynthiacurrie5589

20w↑4

The interaction between David and Trent is eye-opening. Can only imagine how Trent felt about performing with one of his idols from childhood--luckily for us, Trent was very open about his love for David. What a powerful combination.

@MrHoohah1

8y↑70

I've always been a bit ambivalent about Trent, but holy hell he really brings it here... His love for Bowie is palpable is this clip.

@bikshmeister8710

yes

@cameron_fairchild

ditto

@michaelreidperry3256

2y↑1

Reznor will admit it really helps to have good material. Bowie brought good material.

@DoctorFurioso

2y↑3

Reznor himself cultivated an image of a tortured edgelord, such as knowingly living/recording in the Sharon Tate house, paling around with Marilyn Manson, etc, and I get why some people would be ambivalent towards him. He's worth taking a closer (no pun intended) look at, though, as he has such a huge catalogue at this point and, like Bowie, has evolved significantly as an artist over time. Also, his mid-career remix albums (Further Down the Spiral, Things Fall Apart) and EPs (The Perfect Drug, Still), together with the "Ghosts" series, are a totally different side to him and are reminiscent of Bowie's Berlin period albums.

@Juanvez

Pure Magik, i would sell it m0re to m0re people see how amazing that day was :(

1 More Replies...

@XinthaRahan

9y↑59

God, Trent on that sax though...

@spikedart

6y↑2

Yeah. Could have worked with Heroes, except Bowie did it right.

@bscarborough396

47w↑3

I was at this show. I remember the moment David walked on stage so clearly. I wish I could go back and appreciate it more than I did then. Youth is wasted on the young.

@darthsavage4025

8y↑51

RIP David, you'll be missed

@BojanHrusevar

POČIVAJ V MIRU David Bowie, pogrešan boš.

@gabeellis3641

five years today, where the fuck has the time gone

@Sindollx666x

3y↑19

I love both Bowie and Trent, so much. I cried off and on the entire month when Bowie died (or you know, returned to the stars). But I would love to hear Trent do a full recorded cover of Scary Monsters I love his voice with this song. I actually would be totally totally down for an entire Trent fronted Bowie tribute album. Trent doing every Bowie song he's ever wanted to. I also want him to record and do more stuff with Gary Numan and Peter Murphy. Omg cross over gold.

@cynthiacurrie5589

35w↑1

I agree. David would have wanted Trent to do an entire album of his songs. He loved Trent like a father.

@shaggydog9789

32w↑1

I'm not sure if Bowie would have liked the idea of Gary Numan covering his songs! It's said that the lyrics of Teenage Wildlife were written as a dig at Gary Numan and in 1980 had him ejected from the studio during the recording of The Kenny Everett show and removed from show when they were both meant to be on the episode.

@WHR17

25w↑3

I had the pleasure of seeing this live in Dallas back in 95 on the Outside tour. Seeing Bowie and Reznor share the stage was such a treat. Still one of my top 3 concert tickets experiences!!!

@andreasleonlandgren3092

4y↑20

Special to see the mentor and disciple working so eloquently together.

This song was made to be Done by them together.

@theabhorreddread4886

9y↑41

Understanding Subterraneans (my personal fave Bowie song) is on my bucket list.

@Sparkina

5y↑1

The Abhorred Dread I always thought it was a song about a breakup.
Share bright failing star (relationship going south)
Caroline, Caroline, Caroline, Caroline. (The woman’s name)
Riding there surely, surely, surely on
(She boarded a bus, train or subway, surely and steadily moving on with her life and out of the narrator’s life)

@billyseneczyn94

5y↑7

It was about the Berlin wall. Subterraneans are the people living under the earth or behind the berlin wall cut off from there families and the life they once had.

@vaporman442

--also, people were traveling through tunnels under the wall to get from East to West (and back.) Tony Visconti has told a story of an East German soldier who showed up out of nowhere while they were recording at Hansa Ton and asked for a cigarette.

@vaporman442

4y↑5

But also keep in mind that this was when Bowie and Eno were using cut-up method of writing. The meaning is probably largely random chaos.

@vrucewayne

4y↑3

I would agree with @@Sparkina's explanation. Another explanation i found was on genius.com lyric footnote, it was meant to capture the misery of those that were caught in "East Berlin seperation during the Cold War."

2 More Replies...

@fallyn2920

1y↑3

i love how daddy bowie is hanging out with all the cool kids of the day and everyone he joines is all exited and making it awesome. bowie is the best.

@rechellefleck9302

8y↑26

Went to this show in Virginia for my 28th birthday and was in the front for David Bowie - general admission section. Absolutely amazing!!

@williamseifert169

5y↑1

I was at that show too 🤘

@douglaspresler1954

@@williamseifert169 My wife and I went a couple who were big NIN fans and they kept dropping hints about wanting to leave after their set. Incredible. This got them to change their tune!

@shadoesoul

13y↑45

Saw this tour. Bowie is a true showman. Lookin fine at 50. Brian Eno...I was a Nailhead at the time. NIN really complements the music. Trent Reznor on the sax!? Does it get any better!?

@Sindollx666x

3y↑2

Is there any instrument Trent can't play??

@danielpayne500

2y↑1

Wow IT works it shows how Trent is talented as well

@pinkwerewolf

13y↑15

Yes Trent was on sax. I was there.

@rickyrhoades4083

9y↑22

Awesome version of scary monsters. wish I could have been at that concert...

@zrockrmagazine7145

6y↑8

Somehow people seem to forget Trent plays Sax.... remember seeing this tour- Amazing!

@alysiamerdavid-wasser9165

4y↑4

Some ppl seem to not know that David did, too.

@zrockrmagazine7145

4y↑2

Alysia Mer David-Wasser TRUTH! And David was a talented sax man as well!

@skinnysnorlax1876

5y↑6

That intro really sets you up for this tune in a way I didn't expect. Nice.

@d011p4rtz

4y↑6

I'm SO jealous that my mom got to see them LIVE. I was only 3 when this happened, so I couldn't go. But I'm SO upset because I will NEVER get to see my two Favorites perform together </3 </3 </3

@davemus

8y↑12

RIP David Bowie

@vertpomme7736

7y↑9

a masterpiece... briliant!!!

@cbjames5180

5y↑29

This is just fascinating, can anyone elaborate on why Trent Reznor and David Bowie did so many collaborations. IMO this is documentary worthy.

@joakinsa

5y↑21

Well Bowie was away from concerts for some years and wanted to stay relevant as always, not a bad thing actually, so he called Trent and asked him to do this tour. Nine Inch Nails was big at the time and Bowie was a fan of him already, he was also been listening to some industrial music for that era and the album. A lovely fact about this, David Bowie made a painting of each of the Nine Inch Nails band member and gave it to them at the end of the tour as thanks gift. When he died almost all of the touring band members posted their painting online. He was a really humble guy.

@laurensullivan1522

3y↑4

They are /were different in the most tangible inappropriate way. The way you felt connected to them, but they are/ were interstellar.

@Sindollx666x

3y↑7

@Sindollx666x

https://youtu.be/smQi8nUM8AU

@SniffyPoo

3y↑4

trent said he was a fan of the heroes-era albums, bowie called him up, and the rest is history

4 More Replies...

@JoMidnight

2y↑2

I used to have a CD with David Bowie and Trent together on it. That is the only CD I played so much I literally wore it out.

@unclearthur68

13y↑5

Superb mate- many thanks- gonna go dig out my copies of 'Low' and 'Scary Monsters'

@ptothedo

2y↑1

My 1st concert :)

@jelenakrizan7052

9y↑4

Breathtaking

@cottydonquixote

12y↑10

For me, though there are loads of things I've liked, post Beatles, the only things that really stood out and made a difference were Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails. Nirvana combined melody and attitude, Trent understood how the cd had already replaced vynal and used the studio accordingly.

@mrslovvet

9y↑6

Whoa, this is fascinating.

@laurenkaitlyn6341

12w

Trent is loving this

@buseunver9580

Must be on Spotify this legendary concert pleaseee spotifyyy

@DomikDomik

13y↑4

Splendid!

@bwortham10

13y↑5

This was so fucking badass!

@KellyLeeDekay

2y↑1

I WISH SO BAD I WAS THERE

@SniffyPoo

saw this tour. excellent energy

@JoseGomez-ys3zs

Tremendous performance! Bowie and NIN at their best!

@luisortizsolorzano5109

6y↑2

Unique! awesome.

@Pusetryne

Sublime.

@danielpayne500

Icons Wow This i would love to have seen live OMG

@robmaj7

May God bless us all .........

@chrishoward3733

10w

Chills

@Sparkina

11y↑5

Pure enchantment. The beginning of Scary Monsters takes the place of the little vocal refrain toward the end of Subterraneans here. I guess The Gentleman is over Caroline by now :-) (I always thought Subterraneans was about a parting)

@V-grandraccoon

It was about a parting, between west and east Berlin.

@redplague

3y↑1

4:17 That's what I want as my desktop wallpaper.

@Sindollx666x

8y↑2

I've always loved this, found out after they came to town on this tour my boss would've taken me is she knew I loved Bowie. (also a huge nin fan)

@ryanpfeffer3842

I was at this show! With friends from high school. Remember this show, my fishes?

@Manisora

12y↑4

Wow, i would like to say it to: i was there!

@GarionOrb

2y↑1

Trent looks so fucked up. But he still brings it! I saw this show live. One of my greatest concert memories!

@Auntkekebaby

8y↑3

yes

@cynthiacurrie5589

Just a note. It was impossible for David to not be beautiful. (This got to the point that in later years, David would stand up and tell the interviewer to "Get out! And don't ever come back!" Shouting!)
Lol

@Ckom-Tunes

Talk about hitting it out of the park!

@wahyaohni

8y↑12

trent is hardcore here ;-)

@tomt6142

6y↑5

when isn't he??

@Sindollx666x

3y↑2

He was so hardcore back in the day. You should see him kill keyboards onstage and exit signs backstage (with beer bottles).

@waynenorthspacebuoy3529

My mum told me all about David and their escapades .... seem only fitting to connect with him by covering a few songs on YT ... I suppose Space Boy is my name.

@spikedart

6y↑9

Carlos Alomar.

@thevoid99

5y↑2

him playing "scary monsters" felt right.

@havanakim

5y↑1

respect.....…...

@tomlilywhitetenderbeat1823

42w

💯❣🤘

@Juanvez

FAK YEEEEEZ FINALLY FAKING FAMILY, LOVIU ALL. <3

@milanalexich2116

Rocking out1

@ojendiz

3y↑1

6:01 when the song hasn't ended

@michaelreidperry3256

Fucking very nice!

@zool3986

F**k this is good

@mwjw14

kenny g on ketamine. wait.. why charlie clouser suddenly moved from synth to drums??

@natid.6619

8y↑2

reznor, so "lächerling"!

@KabbalahTJ

10y↑5

why diss Mike Garson?! passage rpentage thx loveugodbless tj kabbalah matthewshepard madonnalicious

@thevisitortjn2

9y↑3

TJ BD 1 year ago i wasn't !. I was comparing to Trent on keyboards
Filip Haman2 months ago trent is hardcore here ;-)
R.I.P.David Bowie, A true innovator.

@jungleismasiv4426

4y↑6

Where are the JoJo fans?

@yowieyahoo

4y↑4

im a jojo fan, david bowie fan and a trent reznor simp so this ticks off a lot of boxes for me

@andrewmartensen2390

NYO HO!

@solarsunne4950

DIEGO!

@Fink-id6yg

Dude David Bowie is objectively a terrible singer. Hes so lucky the times accepted him and his... Sounds, other wise the weirdo woulda been lost to time. Nothing like Trent.

@theminotaurs

1y↑3

Wrong. Watch the analysis of his isolated vocal tracks on Space Oddity, before Autotune. Spot on. Excellent range. Facts are facts, opinions are free.

@consulentecomunicazionestr3072

14w

Bowie is one of the best singers of entire rock music history. Period.

@user-ng2qx4xd1b

50w

1995/10/14 Austin, TX

best night of my life

@ArcanEntropy

50w

i hope those people at the concert knew how lucky they were to be there.

@utube2010ocio

16w

Pinchi desvergue se armó 🖤🖤

@cyberjake2020

4y↑4

i respect that trent was a bowie fan, but its hard to really watch bowie fight to stay relevant during this era, pretty much using trents fame to try and do it.

@raulduke6394

4y↑8

I can see where you would think that. However If you watch interviews with them, there's one with Kurt Loader in particular, their chemistry and understanding of one another was so natural and casual. It was anything but forced. He was trying to stay relevant, he just always was, and this is just the headspace he was in, musically at the time, and it's the natural outcome of that. Trent couldn't have possibly been anymore on board, but there was absolutely a mutual respect and both artists really put in an equal share, and honestly I think Trent really benefited the most from the project; bot artistically and emotionally. As a HUGE NIN fan, and an admirer of Howie (I cherry pick from hos works), I couldn't be happier that this happened.

@raulduke6394

4y↑11

He wasn't* trying to stay relevant, he just never stopped being relevant.

@bigguy1164

4y↑9

I think it was a mutual exchange between the two. Reznor reignited Bowie's sagging career, and Bowie taught Trent to pace himself. Reznor could have easily fallen into the 90's rockstar self destruction cliche and died, or worse, become a relic of the 90's like what happened to Manson. Instead Reznor learned to evolve and grow from Bowie.

@raulduke6394

4y↑5

@@bigguy1164 absolute. I think it was not only an extremely artistically fulfilling project for the both of them (not to mention a fan-boys dream come true for Reznor), but it was a very shrewd, clever move career wise for the both of them. And absolutely do I agree and believe Reznor needed the influence of someone who had been through the ringer of rock and roll and came out alive on the other side.

@terrypussypower

2y↑2

David f*cking Bowie….”fighting to stay relevant”??? Hahahaha! That’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard! If anything, it was Reznor feeding off Bowie’s reputation.
Only an ignoramus of epic proportions could say what you said.

2 More Replies...

More Comments

just now