Music Sunday: Was Trent Reznor a Teaparty prophet?
August 8, 2010
One of the few things I vividly remember from my youth is discovering Nine Inch Nails in high school. I thought I found my personal poet laureate in Trent Reznor’s dark lyrics of inexplicable angst and self-pity. You think I’m dark now?
Jump to yesterday, Head Like a Hole came on the radio in my SUV as I was driving home from running some errands which included picking durable, neutral, budget-friendly floor for my kitchen, seizing rollbacks at Walmart and scoring a sweet dollhouse for my daughter at Value Village (why does that place smell like decomp? Nevermind). The lyrics rings as true for me today as they did in ’93, yet the message I get is the exact opposite.
God money i’ll do anything for you.
God money just tell me what you want me to.
God money nail me up against the wall.
God money don’t want everything he wants it all.
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take that away from me
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take that away from me
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
God money’s not looking for the cure.
God money’s not concerned with the sick among the pure.
God money let’s go dancing on the backs of the bruised.
God money’s not one to choose
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take that away from me
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take that away from me
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
You know who you are.
Don’t tell that lefty drone Reznor, but he wrote the tea party anthem. LOL!!!!!!! And don’t tell that anti-capitalist do-gooder about this post, he’ll sue the pants of me. (Like I even have pants)
God money just tell me what you want me to.
God money nail me up against the wall.
God money don’t want everything he wants it all.
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take that away from me
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take that away from me
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
God money’s not looking for the cure.
God money’s not concerned with the sick among the pure.
God money let’s go dancing on the backs of the bruised.
God money’s not one to choose
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take that away from me
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take it
No you can’t take that away from me
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I’d rather die than give you control.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You’re going to get what you deserve.
You know who you are.
Don’t tell that lefty drone Reznor, but he wrote the tea party anthem. LOL!!!!!!! And don’t tell that anti-capitalist do-gooder about this post, he’ll sue the pants of me. (Like I even have pants)
4 Comments
leave one →
Jenny
Lori Ziganto
somegit
Snark And Boobs 
Dude:
We`ve come a long way baby. Just consider Mozart, Beethoven, etc. then go down the line to Carmichael, Porter, and Gershwin, then on to Lennon-McCartney. Always downward movement to match the rotting culture and declining morality of society. I think we are just about done.
You are SO right on… Why do so few people see this decline and the Rock and Roll culture for what it is?
Don’t forget “member of PETA,” that’s about as sad as it gets. I hate politics in music, so it’s probably just as well this could be interpreted either way. Still, pretty banal “lyrics.” It’s a misuse of art (IMO) to proselytize to the immature.