Changes

| 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 (Demofrom ''Head Like A Hole'')<br>Down In It (Demo IIfrom ''Demos & Remixes'')<br>Down In It (Demo IIIBig Whole Mix)<br>Down In It (Demo IV''[[Purest Feeling (halo)|Purest Feeling]]'')<br>Down In It (live, ''[[Closure]]'')<br>| live = Pre-Hate (1988) - Present [[VIVIsectVI Tour]] through [[Wave Goodbye Tour]]<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.

'''''<blockquote>"Down In It"... That was probably... that was the first song I''''' d ever written. And I sat down, I took a very experimental approach to it. And the original version I did was about half speed of the first single for one on the 1989 album ''record. And it was a total rip-off of "Dig It" by [[Pretty Hate MachineSkinny Puppy]]. I'll admit that now. But, um, lyrically, I was just experimenting with just kind of a train-of-thought, writing down whatever I thought and all it was was a kind of... I hate to say what I' and the third track on the discm talking about, but I'll do it now, since it's so old I just like to think about it now. It is said was just this feeling of, like, at an earlier stage of my life I thought I had my act together, I thought I knew what I wanted to be the first song do. I thought, and thought I had pride in myself, and as I'd gotten older, and realized that [[Trent Reznor]] ever wrote under certain things don't work out the name [[Nine Inch Nails]] way you hoped they would at a certain stage and is a rare treat lot of the illusions you had been led to hear livebelieve growing up in a fairly sheltered environment.. Following the "Down In It" single release. Just, I dunno, a music video I was madekind of coming of age, realizing that, you know, things might not work out sort of feeling. That's kind of the bridge of the song.</blockquote>

===Inspiration===In At some point in the early 90s, a 1994 radio broadcast biography of Reznor, it Gatorade commercial was said that using a "Down In It" was inspired by a relationship that had then recently ended for him with a woman named Krissy. soundalike song, and Reznor has openly admited that this song is basically his version looked into the possibility of suing them.[[Skinny Puppy]]'s "Dig It" ===Song Credits===*Productionhttps: Trent Reznor, [[Adrian Sherwood//www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/display/598]], [[Keith LeBlanc]]*Engineering: Trent Reznor, Adrian Sherwood, Keith LeBlanc, [[Kennan Keating]]*Mix: Adrian Sherwood

*''[[Down In It (halo)|Down In It]]''

*''[[Head Like a A Hole (halo)| Head Like a A Hole]]''

*''[[Purest Feeling (halo)|Purest Feeling]]'' (unofficial)*''[[Purest Feeling IIDemos & Remixes]]'' (unofficial)

Appears This version originally appeared on the ''[[Purest Feeling]]Down In It'' single as the last track"Skin" mix, differing from its offical counterparts as and would become the version that it has an extended intro with strange screams and odd staticappears on ''Pretty Hate Machine. It also includes about 1 minute and 8 seconds of distorted clippings of '' In chronological order, this is the first [[Nine Inch Nails]] song at ever released to the end as a finish to general public. A different version was originally intended for the album. Musically it's extremely close to , but the "(Demo)Skin" version from mix was chosen instead.[https://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/display/530] Since the ''Head Like a HoleDown In It'' US single had been released ahead of the album and this substitution had not yet been made, it was not referred to as the original or album version on the single.

===Producer Keith LeBlanc mentioned in a printed interview[https://imgur.com/gallery/bgq1z] that "Down In It (Demo)===Appears " was the song he got to "really put my signature on ''Head Like a Hole'' ". His revisions (US) as the last track"Shred", it's extremely similar to "Singe", and "Skin" mixes) draw heavily from the tracks "Mechanical Movements" and "Einstein" from his album ''Purest FeelingStranger Than Fiction'' version, except that it lacks released earlier the long intro and all same year (1989). The fast-paced synth prominent at the extra layering beginning of it's ''Purest Feeling'' counterpart as well as "Skin" is from "Mechanical Movements", and the distorted outromain drum pattern is from "Einstein". Most likely itAdditionally, the crowd chant [[samples]] during each chorus have appeared in other tracks associated with LeBlanc's the definitive band Tackhead, such as "Reality" by Gary Clail & Tackhead and "original versionStadium Rock" of Reznor's very first song as Nine Inch Nailsby The Barmy Army.

====Song Credits====*Reproduced and remixed by Adrian Sherwood, Keith LeBlanc ===Down In It (Demo IISkin)====Appears on the ''Purest Feeling II'' bootleg. It's simply the "(Skin)" version from Running Time: 3:46'''Pretty Hate Machine'' with an unadulterated version of the "Terrible Lie" intro tacked onto the end which fades out.

====(Demo III)====Appears The version that appears on the ''Purest Feeling IIPretty Hate Machine'' bootleg. Almost exactly is in fact the same "Skin" remix, but it is not listed as such on the album. It also appears on ''Purest FeelingDemos and Remixes'' with an unadulterated version, simply lacking of the extra layering and sound effects as well as "[[Terrible Lie]]" intro tacked onto the distorted outtroend, though it does retain the extended drumbeat intro and is probably the version the ''Purest Feeling'' version was based uponwhich fades out.

====Down In It (Demo IVShred)====Appears on the ''Purest Feeling II'' bootleg. It's an odd version with Reznor 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 songRunning Time: 6:51'''''

===Down In It (Skin)===The A mix from that appears on both the ''Down In It'' single and later chosen to be the mix that appeared on ''Pretty Hate Machine.Head Like a Hole''singles. It basically retains the original song with an extended intro and a long instrumental area that makes up the entire latter half of the song.

===Down In It (Shred)=Song Credits====A mix that appears on both the ''Down In It'' *Reproduced and ''Head Like a Hole'' singles. It's basically retains the original song with an extended intro and a long instrumental area that makes up the entire latter half of the songremixed by Adrian Sherwood, considered the "extended single version" of the song by some.Keith LeBlanc

'''''Running Time: 7:04 and 7:21''''' A mix that appears on both the ''Down In It'' and ''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's probably due to the time constraints imposed on Vinyl vinyl singles compared to a full sized LP Maxi Single.

===Down In It (live, ''Closure'')=Song Credits====This is a live version found on the ''Closure'' home video. It was filmed on the [[Self-Destruct tour]] between 1994 *Reproduced and 1997.remixed by Adrian Sherwood, Keith LeBlanc

==Music Video=Down In It (Keith LeBlanc Mix)==='''''Running Time: 4:28''''' Leaked in 2025. The leak stated: "this early mix was included on an internal tape of ''Pretty Hate Machine'' made in the [[TVT Records|TVT]] 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 LeBlanc had done pre-production work on "Down In It" before it was handed over to Adrian Sherwood. This version begins with a short beat containing the hi-hat and kick drum with a bit of synth work before the kick drum continues on, with the main synth melody beginning the album version. This is then followed by a stripped-back first Nine Inch Nails videoverse similar to the demo version from the "Head Like a Hole" single, before progressing similarly to the final/"Skin" version.  ===Down In It was directed by [[Eric Zimmerman]] (Demo from ''Head Like A Hole'')==='''''Running Time: 3:55''''' Appears on ''Head Like a Hole'' (US) as the last track. Also appears on the ''Demos and Remixes'' and ''Purest Feeling II'' [[Benjamin Stokesbootlegs]]. On the UK ''Down In It'' single, who also directed "the [[Untitled (from Head Like A Hole (song)|unlisted track]] from ''Head Like A Hole]]'' is appended to this track. This version is stripped down and begins with two hits of the snare before going into the first verse, without the heavy synth work beginning the album/"Skin" The video depicts version. ====Song Credits====*Writing, performance, production, mixing: Trent Reznor running through downtown Cleveland  ===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 climbing to sound effects as well as the distorted outro, though it does retain the roof extended drumbeat intro. There also exists a version (with a running time of 4:26) from a building, where he falls cassette tape handed out by Reznor to his deathimportant figures. Bandmates One of these cassettes is in the possession of [[Richard PatrickMartin 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 [[Chris Vrenna]] discover 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 body days later''Head Like a Hole'' US single.

===Down In It (''Closure'')===This was is a live version found on the first ''Closure'' home video to be met with controversy. To film the shots of lifeless Reznor, he It was covered with cornstarch to create filmed on the illusion of decay [[Self-Destruct Tour]] between 1994 and cameras were tied to heavy-duty ballons that were tied down. During the filming of these scenes, one of the balloons broke free 1996 and took the camera with it, drifting some 200 miles before being found by a farmer. The camera was turned over cut to local police who, upon seeing the raw video include different 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 deletedaccompanying audio from different performances.

Kinda like a 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]]