Changes

| album = ''[[Pretty Hate Machine]]''

| BPM = 104| versions =[[Down In It <br>Down In It (Skin)<br>Down In It (Shred)<br>Down In It (Singe)<br>Down In It (Keith LeBlanc Mix)<br>Down In It (Demo from ''Head Like A Hole'')<br>Down In It (Demo from ''Demos & Remixes'')<br>Down In It(skinBig Whole Mix)]]<br>[[Down In It(shred''[[Purest Feeling (halo)|Purest Feeling]]'')<br>[[Down In It(singe)''[[Closure]]'')<br>| live = Hate [[VIVIsectVI Tour]] through [[Wave Goodbye Tour (1990) - Present ]]<br> Uncommon[[NIN 2022]]}}[[Image:Downinitnotes.png|thumb|"Down In It" notes published on [[nin.com]] during ''[[The Fragile (halo)|The Fragile]]'' era.]]'''"Down In It"''' was the first single for the 1989 album ''[[Pretty Hate Machine]]'' and the third track on the disc. It has been stated by [[Trent Reznor]] that this song is the first he ever wrote and is a rare treat to hear live. Following the ''[[Down In It (halo)|Down In It]]'' single release, a music video was made. "[[Kinda I Want To]]" specifically uses this song's beat and drum patch in its bridge, while "[[That's What I Get]]" and "[[The Only Time]]" both use its recognizable melodic synth voice.

'''==Versions=====Down In It===This version originally appeared on the ''Down In It'' single as the "Skin" mix, and would become the version that appears on ''Pretty Hate Machine.'' was In chronological order, this is the first single for the album [[Pretty Hate MachineNine Inch Nails]] and song ever released to the third track on the discgeneral public. It is said to be A different version was originally intended for the first song that Trent ever wrote under album, but the name Nine Inch Nails and is a rare treat to hear live"Skin" mix was chosen instead.[https://www.theninhotline. Following net/archives/articles/display/530] Since the ''Down In It '' single releasehad been released ahead of the album and this substitution had not yet been made, a music video it was madenot referred to as the original or album version on the single.

In Producer Keith LeBlanc mentioned in a 1994 radio broadcast biography of Trent Reznor, it was said printed interview[https://imgur.com/gallery/bgq1z] that "Down In It " was inspired the song he got to "really put my signature on". His revisions (the "Shred", "Singe", and "Skin" mixes) draw heavily from the tracks "Mechanical Movements" and "Einstein" from his album ''Stranger Than Fiction'', released earlier the same year (1989). The fast-paced synth prominent at the beginning of "Skin" is from "Mechanical Movements", and the main drum pattern is from "Einstein". Additionally, the crowd chant [[samples]] during each chorus have appeared in other tracks associated with LeBlanc's band Tackhead, such as "Reality" by Gary Clail & Tackhead and "Stadium Rock" by a relationship that had then recently ended for Reznor with a woman named KrissyThe Barmy Army.

===Appearances===Down In The version that appears on ''Pretty Hate Machine'' is in fact the "Skin" remix, but it is not listed as such on the album. It also appears in various versions on ''Demos and Remixes'' with an unadulterated version of the "[[Terrible Lie]]" intro tacked onto the follwing releases:end, which fades out.

*[[Purest Feeling]] - non-official*[[Purest Feeling II]] - non-official*[[===Down In It (haloShred)|Down In It]]*[[Pretty Hate Machine]]===*[[Head Like a Hole (halo)| Head Like a Hole]]'''''Running Time: 6:51'''''

====Song Credits====*Down In It - appears on [[Purest Feeling]] as the last trackReproduced and remixed by Adrian Sherwood, differing from its offical counterparts as that it has an extended intro with strange screams and odd static. It also includes about 1 minute and 8 seconds of distorted clippings of the song at the end as a finish to the album. Musically it's extremely close to the (Demo) version from the [[Head Like a Hole (halo)|Head Like A Hole]] US single.Keith LeBlanc

*===Down In It (DemoSinge) - appears on [[Head Like a Hole (halo)|Head Like A Hole]] (US) as the last track, it==='''''s extremely similar to the [[Purest Feeling]] version, except that it lacks the long intro Running Time: 7:04 and all the extra layering of it7:21'''s Purest Feeling counterpart as well as the distorted outro. Most likely it's the definitive "original version" of Trent Reznor's very first song as Nine Inch Nails.

*A mix that appears on both the ''Down In It (Demo II) - appears on the [[Purest Feeling II]] bootleg'' and ''Head Like a Hole'' singles. It's simply a mostly instrumental "dub" mix of the song with minimal vocals and strange warping and mixing of the beats with heavy bass emphasis. It should be noted that this mix is actually 18 seconds longer on the ''Head Like A Hole'' (SkinUS) version from [[Pretty Hate Machine]] with an unadulterated version of single than it was on the Terrible Lie intro tacked onto ''Down In It'' single. The reason for this is unknown, though it's probably due to the end which fades outtime constraints imposed on vinyl singles compared to a full sized LP Maxi Single.

====Song Credits====*Down In It (Demo III) - appears on the [[Purest Feeling II]] bootleg. Almost exactly the same as the Purest Feeling version, simply lacking the extra layering Reproduced and sound effects as well as the distorted outtroremixed by Adrian Sherwood, though it does retain the extended drumbeat intro and is probably the version the Purest Feeling version was based uponKeith LeBlanc

*===Down In It (Demo IVKeith LeBlanc Mix) - appears on the [[Purest Feeling II]] bootleg. It==='''''Running Time: 4:28'''''s an odd version with Trent whispering a good portion of his vocals an odd beat set compared to the others. It also includes faux-Oriental sounding synths which are noticably absent in any of the other versions of the song

*Down In It (Skin) - the Leaked in 2025. The leak stated: "this early mix from was included on an internal tape of ''Pretty Hate Machine'' made in the [[Down In It (halo)TVT Records|Down In ItTVT]] single and later chosen offices in 1989. As the rest of the tape contained final mixes, it is thought to be the originally intended version to appear on the album, referred to by Trent Reznor as the 'original mix ' in a March 1990 ''Alternative Press'' interview." This seems to line up with a 1995 article from ''Musician'' magazine[https://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/display/614] which states that appeared LeBlanc had done pre-production work on [[Pretty Hate Machine]]"Down In It" before it was handed over to Adrian Sherwood.

*Down In It (Shred) - This version begins with a mix that appears on both short beat containing the [[Down In It (halo)|Down In It]] hi-hat and [[Head Like kick drum with a Hole (halo)|Head Like A Hole]] singles. It's basically retains bit of synth work before the original song kick drum continues on, with an extended intro and the main synth melody beginning the album version. This is then followed by a long instrumental area that makes up stripped-back first verse similar to the entire latter half of demo version from the song"Head Like a Hole" single, considered before progressing similarly to the final/"Skin"extended single version" of the song by some.

*===Down In It (Singe) - a mix that appears on both the [[Down In It (halo)|Down In It]] and [[Head Like a Hole (halo)|Demo from ''Head Like A Hole]] singles. It's a mostly instrumental "dub" mix of the song with minimal vocals and strange warping and mixing of the beats with heavy bass emphasis. It should be noted that this mix is actually 18 seconds longer on the Head Like A Hole (US') single than it was on the Down In It single. The reason for this is unknown, though it==='''''Running Time: 3:55'''''s probably due to the time constraints imposed on Vinyl singles compared to a full sized LP Maxi Single.

As This version is stripped down and begins with two hits of [[Fragility 2.0]], Reznor had stated that he didn't like the song as much as he used tosnare before going into the first verse, but during the later legs of without the [[With Teeth Tour]], it seemed as if he's changed his mind song, playing it more as heavy synth work beginning the tour progressedalbum/"Skin" version.

==The Video==Song Credits===="Down In It" was the first Nine Inch Nails video. It was directed by Eric Zimmerman and Benjamin Stokes*Writing, who also directed "Head Like A Hole." The video depicts performance, production, mixing: Trent Reznor running through downtown Cleveland and climbing to the roof of a building, where he falls to his death. Bandmates Richard Patrick and Chris Vrenna discover the body days later.

===Down In It (Demo from ''Demos & Remixes'')==='''''Running Time: 4:35''''' Appears on the ''Demos & Remixes'' bootleg. Almost exactly the same as what is heard on ''Purest Feeling'', simply lacking the extra layering and sound effects as well as the distorted outro, though it does retain the extended drumbeat intro. There also exists a version (with a running time of 4:26) from a cassette tape handed out by Reznor to important figures. One of these cassettes is in the possession of [[Martin Atkins]], who has allowed fans to hear playbacks. Based on what fans have heard, this is the same demo. ===Down In It (Big Whole Mix)==='''''Running Time: 4:09''''' Appears on the ''Demos & Remixes'' bootleg. It's an odd version with Reznor whispering a good portion of his vocals under an odd beat. It also includes faux-Oriental sounding synths which are noticeably absent in any of the other versions of the song. ===Down In It (''Purest Feeling'')==='''''Running Time: 6:20''''' Appears on ''Purest Feeling'' as the last track, differing from its official counterparts as that it has an extended intro with strange screams and odd static. It also includes about one minute and eight seconds of distorted clippings of the song at the end as a finish to the album. Musically it's extremely close to the "(Demo)" version from the ''Head Like a Hole'' US single. ===Down In It (''Closure'')===This is a live version found on the ''Closure'' home video. It was filmed on the [[Self-Destruct Tour]] between 1994 and 1996 and cut to include different footage and accompanying audio from different performances. ==Live==As of [[Fragility 2.0]], Reznor had stated that he didn't like the song as much as he used to, but during the later legs of the [[Live: With Teeth]] tour, it seemed as if he's changed his mind about the song, playing it more as the tour progressed. The song usually features a lot of destruction from Reznor towards the end. While the song was not performed by Nine Inch Nails during the [[Peel It Back Tour]], [[Boys Noize]] would play the "Boys Noize Dubwerk" remix of the song (a shortened version of the "Singe" remix) in his opening set. ==Music Video==[[Image:Downinitstill.jpg|thumb|Screenshot from the "Down In It" video]]"Down In It" was the first Nine Inch Nails [[Nine Inch Nails music videos|music video]], completed in September 1989 to accompany the single release. [https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/iiif/p16014coll5/39203/full/full/0/default.jpg] It was directed by Eric Zimmerman and Benjamin Stokes for H-Gun, who also directed "[[Head Like A Hole (song)|Head Like A Hole]]". The video depicts Reznor running through downtown Chicago and climbing to the roof of a building, where he slips and falls to his death. Bandmates Richard Patrick and [[Chris Vrenna]] discover the body days later. An extended version of the video also exists, which is set to the "Shred" mix. This was the first video to be met with controversy. To film the shots of lifeless Reznor, he was covered with cornstarch to create the illusion of decay and cameras were tied to heavy-duty ballons balloons that were tied down. During the filming of these scenes, one of the balloons broke free and took the camera with it, drifting some 200 miles before being found by a farmerin Michigan. The camera was turned over to local police who, upon seeing the raw video footage, assumed it was a snuff film and the FBI was called in to investigate. The incident was even reported on "''Hard Copy" '' and recalled in an interview for ''SPIN '' magazine. Because MTV and its US affiliates were uncomfortable with the video's subject matter, all scenes that depict Reznor's body lying on the ground behind the building were deleted. ===Credits===*Director: Eric Zimmerman & Benjamin Stokes*Producer: Jim Deloye*Cameraman: Eric Zimmerman, Benjamin Stokes, Eric Koziol & Eric Matthies*Editor: Eric Zimmerman & Benjamin Stokes

Kinda like a could cloud I was up way up in the sky and I was feeling some feelings you wouldn’t wouldn't believe Sometimes I can’t can't believe them myself and I decided I was never coming down

Now I’m I'm down in it

Try to laugh about it now but isn’t isn't it funny how everything works out (“I "I guess the joke’s joke's on me,” " she said)

Now I’m I'm down in it

Now just this hole that’s that's open wide

I’ll I'll cross my heart and hope to die but the needle’s needle's already in my eye And all the world’s world's weight is on my back and I don’t don't even know why

I looked him right in the eye and said “goodbye”"goodbye"

Now I’m I'm down in it The second line is changed on the final recording to:  Sometimes I don't believe them myself and I decided I was never coming down The fourth line is changed on the final recording to:  But I watched it way too long, it was pulling me down Backing vocals in ''Pretty Hate Machine'' version:  Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day During live performances, the last line of the third verse is often changed to:  I looked him right in the eye and waved goodbye ==External Links==*[https://vimeo.com/17071944 "Down In It" music video (Remastered)]*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkphW38WyYo "Down In It" live in Europe 2000]*[https://vimeo.com/17037838 ''Hard Copy'' segment about the FBI investigation] <BR>{{succession box | title=[[Pretty Hate Machine#Track Listing|Pretty Hate Machine]] | before= [[Terrible Lie]] | after= [[Sanctified]] | track= 3}}[[Category:NIN Songs]][[Category:Music Videos]]