Something I Can Never Have

Album: Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
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  • I still recall the taste of your tears
    Echoing your voice just like the ringing in my ears
    My favorite dreams of you still wash ashore
    Scraping through my head 'till I don't want to sleep anymore

    You make this all go away
    You make this all go away
    I'm down to just one thing, and I'm starting to scare myself
    You make this all go away
    You make this all go away
    I just want something
    I just want something I can never have

    You always were the one to show me how
    Back then I couldn't do the things that I can do now
    This thing is slowly take me apart
    Grey would be the color if I had a heart

    Come on and tell me, you make this all go away
    You make this all go away
    I'm down to just one thing, and I'm starting to scare myself
    You make this all go away
    You make this all go away
    I just want something
    I just want something I can never have

    In this place it seems like such a shame
    Though it all looks different now,
    I know it's still the same
    Everywhere I look you're all I see
    Just a fading fucking reminder of who I used to be

    Come on tell me you make this all go away
    You make this all go away
    I'm down to just one thing, and I'm starting to scare myself
    You make this all go away
    You make it all go away
    I just want something,
    I just want something I can never have
    I just want something I can never have Writer/s: Trent Reznor
    Publisher: CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 12

  • Dover236 from ArkansasI have screamed , cried, belted, every word to this song more times than I can count, over different wemen, sat many nights explaining every feeling as it poured out to me every emphasis like the hard P in "tell I dont wanna sleeP anymore."
    RECENTLY November 24 2025 I lost my mom held her hand as she passed, it crushed me she was the only one I could count count on to believe in me have my back no matter what or how much it pissed her off. I had a rshe is something i can never havrocky childhood, I am now 49 I have a kick ass 17 year old daughter 1 of many things that back then I couldnt do the things I can do now, my favorite dreams of her every night wash ashore I really dont wanna sleeP anymore... and so on . I want her back but she is something I can never have
  • Jesse from Omaha, NeI think this is a song about an obviously poorly ended relationship, the push and pull of the letting go process mixed with dependency, and the admission of what that means internally for the person doing the leaving.
  • Eric from Slc, UtTrent Reznor is a lyrical genius
  • Amanda from Richmond, Vaapparently a lot of the songs from 'pretty hate machine' were from trents personal journal that he kept while in college.
  • Cody from Grafton, OhBrilliant song, best NiN song by far. Widly overlooked
  • Gerardo from Irving, TxThis song is one of his coolest songs his lyrics always seem to have a deeper meaning thats why nin is so freakin awsome
  • David from Lakeview, NcNo, Sara from Crack Springs, NY. The last verse is on the lyric sheet, but it isn't on the recording.
  • Courtney from Pahrump, NvThis song is amazingly depressing but it means so much trent has Deep Seep lyrics Hes Awesome!!!
  • Sara from Crack Springs, Wythis is a NIN classic i love this song so much! i love them....absolutely the best band EVER! but he does indeed say " I KNOW WHAT YOU MEANT THAT NIGHT ON MY BED" sorry but true story
  • Chris from Buffalo, NyThis song is depressing. But he never says i think i know what you meant on my bed. . .
  • Emily from Charleston, ScThis song made me cry when my best friend and I were in a fight.
  • Sean from Mokena, IlThis is my life in a nutshell... I love this song
see more comments

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