Terrible Lie

Album: Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
Play Video
  • (Hey god) why are you doing this to me?
    Am I not living up to what I'm supposed to be?
    Why am I seething with this animosity?
    (Hey god) I think you owe me a great big apology

    Terrible lie
    Terrible lie
    Terrible lie
    Terrible lie

    (Hey god) I really don't know what you mean
    Seems like salvation comes only in our dreams
    I feel my hatred grow all the more extreme
    (Hey god) can this world really be as sad as it seems?

    Terrible lie
    Terrible lie
    Terrible lie
    Terrible lie

    Don't take it away from me, I need you to hold on to
    Don't take it away from me, I need you to hold on to
    Don't take it away from me, I need you to hold on to
    Don't take it away from me, I need someone to hold on to
    Don't tear it away from me, I need you to hold on to
    Don't tear it away from me, I need you to someone on to
    Don't tear it away from me, I need you to hold on to
    Don't tear it, don't tear it, don't tear it, don't tear it, don't

    (Hey god) there's nothing left for me to hide
    I lost my ignorance, security and pride
    I'm all alone in a world you must despise
    (Hey god) I believed the promises, your promises and lies

    Terrible lie
    Terrible lie
    Terrible lie
    Terrible lie
    Terrible lie

    You made me throw it all away
    My morals left to decay (terrible lie)
    How many you betray you've taken everything (terrible lie)
    My head is filled with disease
    My skin is begging you please (terrible lie)
    I'm on my hands and knees, I want so much to believe

    (I give you everything)
    (My sweet everything)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)

    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to)
    (I need someone to hold on to) Writer/s: Trent Reznor
    Publisher: CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 4

  • Connor from Albany, NyYea seriously, trent wrote this song due to emotions of feeling betrayed by everything he loved, imagine the hate rushing through his veins. Trent was a drug addict, but that doesnt mean that he writes every song about drug abuse.
  • William from Rochester, NySee again I read these comments and I can?t help but to think how hopeless the human race is. You really think that it is all about drugs and all this other stuff when it is more a matter of life and death. He is trying to describe the feeling of being ?mentally fried? (as I like to put it) by a person who is so pissed off at everyone and everything including god himself that he found braking peoples minds is his mission in life. It is comparable to having gotten AIDS and being in a severe depression and coming to the conclusion that you need to give AIDS to everyone. And about the being raped mentally, ill let you use you imagination.
  • Jeff from Atlanta, GaTrent's Hatred expressed vividly to God!
    i mean thats what i get, if it is drug related, it still makes a good point. What i like about it is that you can use as a release to damn near anything!
  • Marius from LüneburgIn their Lollapalooza concert in '91 Trent Reznor added an intro called "Now I'm Nothing" which surely expresses the deepest feeling Reznor had while his cocain addiction this time. It goes like "I smashed myself to pieces, I am gonna f***myself up, I'm sifting through the ashes, Oh what I have become, I gave myself away - now I'm nothing..."
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."

Hardy

HardySongwriter Interviews

The country hitmaker talks about his debut album, A Rock, and how a nursery rhyme inspired his hit single "One Beer."

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" Album

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" AlbumSong Writing

In the summer of 1990, you could get arrested for selling a 2 Live Crew album or performing their songs in Southern Florida. And that's exactly what happened.

Weird Al Yankovic

Weird Al YankovicFact or Fiction

Did Al play on a Beach Boys record? Did he have beef with George Lucas and Coolio? See if you can spot weird but true stories.

The Truth Is Out There: A History of Alien Songs

The Truth Is Out There: A History of Alien SongsSong Writing

The trail runs from flying saucer songs in the '50s, through Bowie, blink-182 and Katy Perry.

Michelle Branch

Michelle BranchSongwriter Interviews

Michelle Branch talks about "Everywhere," "The Game Of Love," and her run-in with a Christian broadcasting network.