Terrible Lie

Album:Pretty Hate Machine

Length:4:39

Tempo:{{{BPM}}} BPM

Versions:Terrible Lie
Terrible Lie (Sympathetic Mix)
Terrible Lie (Empathetic Mix)

Live:Hate Tour (1990) - Present
Set Staple

About

Terrible Lie is the second song off of Pretty Hate Machine and begins directly at the end of Head Like A Hole (the end of the latter bleeding into the beginning of the former).

Meaning

The song is about having a belief in God while wondering about all the suffering (mostly personal/internal suffering) that one goes through in life, about wanting to believe and wanting to be hopeful but being constantly proved wrong by events in one's life. It's "everyman" subject matter and distinct melody make it one of Nine Inch Nails' better known songs and a staple of the live concerts.

Song Credits

• Production: Flood, Trent Reznor
• Engineering: Flood,John Fryer, Doug de Angelis
• Mix: John Fryer, Trent Reznor

Appearances

Halos

• Pretty Hate Machine
• Head Like A Hole (remixes)
• Closure (live)
• And All That Could Have Been (live)
• Beside You In Time (live)

Versions

• Terrible Lie
• Terrible Lie (Sympathetic Mix)
• Terrible Lie (Empathetic Mix)

Performed live

Terrible Lie is often the opening song of Nine Inch Nails shows following the intro tape. The ending of the song is extended when performed live and is often concluded with Trent screaming "you promised me". During the With_Teeth tours, Aaron North plays a short solo during the last few moments of the song. This is a short, three note repeating solo.

Aaron North solo tab

Standard tuning

e|-----------------------------
B|-----------------------------
G|-----------------------------
D|-13-15-16--13-15-16--13-15-16
A|-----------------------------
E|-----------------------------

Lyrics

    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
    
    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
    
    Don’t take it away from me
    I need someone to hold on to
    Don’t take it away from me
    I need someone to hold on to
    
    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, the promises and lies
    
    Terrible lie
    
    You made me throw it all away
    My morals left to decay
    How many you betray
    You’ve taken everything
    
    Terrible lie
    
    My head is filled with disease
    My skin is begging you please
    I’m on my hands and knees
    I want so much to believe
    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 give you everything
    My sweet everything
    
    Hey God, I really don’t know who I am
    In this world of piss