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→Piggy
===Meaning===
According to the Filter biography on their official website, former live guitarist [[Richard Patrick]] reportedly received the nickname "Piggy" while in [[Nine Inch Nails]]. According to Patrick's Filter bandmate [[Brian Liesegang]], Reznor was very upset when Patrick left the band and wrote the song "Piggy" about it shortly thereafter[https://www.facebook.com/Filter/photos/a.186150516351/10155799437926352/?type=3&permPage=1]. Patrick gave the story behind his nickname in a 2013 interview[http://www.intravenousmag.co.uk/2013/09/richard-patrick-explains-origins-of.html]:
<blockquote>"One evening the day before some studio time with Trent I took a girlfriend to a [[Skinny Puppy]] gig. I was watching the sound check and Ogre was on the mic shouting 'WHITE PIGGY' over and over, I found it really funny. When I got back to the studio and we were setting up, I keep doing an impersonation of Ogre and after a few minutes Trent shouted to me 'Hey Piggy, shut up and play some chords man!', and the name stuck after that".</blockquote>
==Versions==
===Piggy===
Characterized by its very simplistic structureand quasi-jazz style, "Piggy" contains a simple set of drum and other percussion loops with only bass and organ accompaniment, joined by piano and noise loops in the latter half. Though heavily debated, the album version of "Piggy" is the first of several songs on ''The Downward Spiral'' to incorporate the famous "Downward Spiral Motif." While this version of the motif does not contain the final "five note measure" found on other songs such as "[[Closer]]" and "[[The Downward Spiral (song)|The Downward Spiral]]", the structure remains relatively the same. Played by the organs on the second verse, the notes to this short variation of the motif are as follows:
<br>
[[Image:Piggy_Organ_Motif_Tab.JPG|The motif as played by the organs on "Piggy."]]
==Live==
"Piggy" has become a popular song in Nine Inch Nails live shows, played seemingly on a nearly regular basis. During live shows Reznor will frequently venture into the crowd during this song with a microphone and invite fans to sing along. Starting on the [[Fragility]] tour, Reznor began singing "hey motherfucking pig" before the line "there's a lot of things that I hoped you could help me understand".
Reznor performed a new version of "Piggy" on piano with a string quartet at Neil Young's 2006 [[Bridge School Benefit]] concert. This was most likely the inspiration for the "Ghosts Piggy" arrangement that was used in 2008's [[Lights In The Sky Tour]]. It features [[Justin Meldal-Johnsen]] on upright bass and Reznor on tambourine shaker and marimba, usually segueing directly from "[[19 Ghosts III]]" via Reznor's tambourine shaker playing as it slows from the quicker tempo to match that of "Ghosts Piggy." Its title is sourced from tour setlists.
==Lyrics==
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[[Category:NIN Songs]]
[[Category:Songs With Unused Lyrics]]