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{{song
| title = La Mer
| album = ''[[The Fragile (halo)|The Fragile]]''(Left)
| length = 4:37
| BPM = 93| versions = La Mer<br>La Mer (Alternate Version)<br>La Mer (Version)<br>La Mer (''[[And All That Could Have Been (halo)|And All That Could Have Been]]'')—DVD/VHS| live = [[Fragility v1.0]] through present[[NIN 2013 Festival Tour]]
}}'''"La Mer"''' is the eleventh track from the Left disc of ''[[The Fragile (halo)|The Fragile]].'' Its main melodic elements and bassline are taken in a different direction with "[[Into The Void (song)|Into The Void]]."
===Influences===
It can be argued that the song is heavily infuenced by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Mer_(Debussy) Debussy piece of the same name]. Both songs build up to create a sonic atmosphere, and both are (obviously) titled the same.
When asked about any classical composers who have inspired him, Trent said in a Yahoo! Chat in December 1999:
<blockquote>"Debussey. I was sitting in Big Sur, losing my mind. His contribution was that you need to be regimented, with whatever you decide to do. When I was sitting there, Debussey and I had a mind meld for a second. I felt the need to plagiarize the title, 'La Mer'. He revolutionized the Mozart bullshit world of everything was rigid and stabilized."</blockquote>
===Song Credits===
*Vocals: Denise Milfort
*Drums: [[Bill Rieflin]]*Cello: [[Willie]]
==Appearances==
===Halos===
*''The Fragile''
*''[[The Fragile: Deviations 1]]''
*''[[And All That Could Have Been (halo)|And All That Could Have Been]]'' (DVD/VHS)
==Versions==
===La Mer===
This is the original album version. It begins with piano chords accompanied by standup bass and is then accentuated by drums playing a jazz rhythm and e-bow guitar. This is one of the few songs by [[Nine Inch Nails]] that is played with almost all acoustic instruments. It consists of a 3/4 time signature superimposed over a 4/4 time signature. Its piano theme is also used at the end of "[[We're In This Together (song)|We're in This Together]]." On ''The Fragile'' vinyland 2017 DE download, the introductory piano chords and standup bass are repeated one extra time before the solo begins over top, and the ending denouement is slightly longer, featuring more spoken samples. Because of this, the transition into "[[The Great Below]]" is also slightly different than the original CD version. ===La Mer (Alternate Version)==='''''Running Time: 4:54''''' Released on ''The Fragile: Deviations 1''. Also known as "La Mer" (Alt) when it was originally released on Apple Music as part of ''The Fragile Instrumental'', where it appeared to be marred with brief noise during the intro, potentially caused by a poor DAT transfer. This is a significantly different mix of the album arrangement, with a very different drum sound and more pronounced standup bass. The ending does not fade out or crossfade with "The Great Below."
===La Mer (Version)===
'''''Running Time: 5:16''''' An nin.com exclusive from ''The Fragile'' era, this remix by [[Jerome Dillon]] and [[Keith Hillebrandt]] features much more percussion-oriented loops, using atmospheric and base elements from the original. The track is currently available for download at the [[remix.nin.com]] website.
===La Mer (''And All That Could Have Been'')===
This live version does not feature the speech samples, backs the piano line with bass synth, and [[Robin Finck]] plays the introductory melody normally played on piano with a Martin Backpacker acoustic guitar.
==Live==
On ''And All That Could Have Been,'' "La Mer" is performed live against the backdrop of three visual screens that display images of the sea. Towards the end of the song, Reznor presses against the screen on the center and moves his hands across the panel, as the blurry image of a woman is revealed before the screen fades to black. The imagery was provided by Bill Viola.
Frequently since the [[With Teeth: Summer Amphitheater Tour]], Reznor has played a piano-only version of "La Mer," including an initial improvisation, before playing "Into the Void," and it is sometimes confused with "Adrift And At Peace." The band have recently begun playing "La Mer" in full again.
==Lyrics==
===Creole French===
Et il est un quand le jour arrivé Marteler Map touné le ciel Et marteler map touné la mer
Et la mer avait va embrassé moi Et délivré moi lakay An rien peut arrêter moi konin la French equivalent : Et quand le jour arrivera Je retournerai au ciel Et je retournerai à la mer Et la délivré mer va m'embrasser Et me délivrer chez moi de ma caille
Rien ne peut m'arrêter maintenant
There is an alternate, more literal translation of the lyrics:
And when the day has arrivedarrives To thresh I'll return to the sky And I'll return to thresh the sea
And the sea has embraced will embrace me And it has dispensed deliver me from my cellhome
Nothing can stop me now
==External Links==
*[http://archive.org/details/remix-nin-com-audio-00124 "La Mer" (Version) at archive.org]*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95jbTEb9mD0 Reznor discloses the origins of "La Mer's" origins]
{{Succession box
| title=[[The Fragile (halo)|The Fragile]] Left (CD), Side C (Vinyl)