Characteritics{{song| title = The Becoming| album ='' [[The Downward Spiral (halo)|The Downward Spiral]]''| length = 5:31| BPM = 150| versions = The Becoming<br>The Becoming (Instrumental)<br>The Becoming (''[[Still]]'')| live = [[Dissonance]] <br> [[Performance 2007]]<br>[[Wave Goodbye Tour]]<br>[[NIN 2014 Europe/UK Tour]]<br>[[Cold And Black And Infinite Tour]] through present}}'''"The Becoming"''' is the seventh track on the 1994 album ''[[The Downward Spiral (halo)|The Downward Spiral]].'' A semi-acoustic version can be found on ''[[Still]],'' which has an accompanying performance video released at the time on [[nin.com]]. The bassline on this track was done with a prototype of the Oberheim OB---Mx synthesizer.[https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw4RM5movKf/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=jqklvyc8wfw7] [[Trent Reznor]] stated in an interview[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IwIxiovt_I] that the idea for the metaphor of a person becoming a machine was inspired by [[Shinya Tsukamoto]]'s ''Tetsuo: The Iron Man''.
===Annie===
In a 2004 interview for ''Alternative Press'', Reznor was asked about the use of the name Annie in this song.
This <blockquote><p>Oh, and "Annie" was abstractly referring to a college sweetheart/ heartbreak situation that, at the time I was writing that song , was a valid source of emotional pain to draw from. Her real name is Andrea Mulrain, and her phone number seven from the second former album, is [number deleted for privacy purposes. -Patriot Act Ed.]</p> <p>—Reznor [[The Downwad Spiral]]http://www. Its made from many loops of industrial soundstheninhotline. This song shows the hard sound from "TDS"net/archives/articles/manager/display_article.php?id=11]</p></blockquote>
The lyrics of the song are about a man who is fighting against himself trying to avoid his "becoming", transforming him into a machine without the human characteristics.===Song Credits===*Production: [[Flood]] and Trent Reznor*Mixing Engineer: [[Alan Moulder]]*Ring Mod Guitar: [[Adrian Belew]]*ARP2600: Flood
An acoustic version can be found in the second disc of the ==Appearances=====Halos===*''The Downward Spiral'' (1994)*''[[And All That Could Have Been (halo)|And All That Could Have Been]] release.'' (Deluxe Edition CD; 2002)*''Still''
Lyrics===Seeds===*''[[The Definitive NIN ----Deep Cuts]]''
I beat my ==Versions=====The Becoming===This is the original album version. It begins in a 13/8 time signature with a manipulated piano line, then bursts into drum and [[samples|sample]] loops of screams taken from the film ''Robot Jox''. The drum loop pattern is also nearly identical in "[[The Way Out Is Through]]". At the 3-minute mark, it mellows into an acoustic guitar-led passage in 6/8, with machine it-like loops and synthesized chorus pads sampled from Reznor's voice. The quiet portions of the song also contain a part backwards sample from the film ''Angel Heart'' where the character is repeatedly yelling "I know who I am!" There is a final outburst of me it's inside noise and screaming before returning to the acoustic section, which crossfades with the opening of me"[[I Do Not Want This]]".
I===The Becoming (Instrumental)==='''''Running Time: 6:24''''m stuck in this dream it's changing me I am becoming
Released by Reznor via his [[remix.nin.com]] account, this unmastered instrumental version is extended in length, as it does not fade out the ending, rather looping the acoustic guitar riff many times until stopping.
===The me that you know he had some second thoughtsBecoming (''Still'')==='''''Running Time: 4:30'''''
HeThis version appears on the 's covered with scabs 'Still'' CD, which was disc two of the Deluxe Edition CD of ''And All That Could Have Been''. Simpler in its instrumentation and without the sample loops, it transitions immediately from the end of "[[The_Fragile_%28song%29#The_Fragile_.28Still.29|The Fragile]]" and ends suddenly after the final "noisy" section. Though he is broken and soreabsent from the credits, [[Danny Lohner]] is clearly seen performing in the video.
The me that you know he doesn't come around much====Song Credits====*Performance: Trent Reznor, Jerome Dillon*Mix engineering: Alan Moulder*Engineering: Alan Moulder*Second Engineering: [[Leo Herrera]]*Programming: [[Keith Hillebrandt]]
That part ==Live==This song, played live frequently on the [[Dissonance]] Tour and relegated to rarity status until its brief return on the [[Performance 2007]] Tour, was resurrected for the [[Wave Goodbye Tour]], during which it was characterized by [[Robin Finck]]'s use of me isnan acoustic guitar throughout. However, the structure of the song stayed close to the album version, with distortion used on the acoustic guitar for the loud parts. These performances also dropped the ''Robot Jox''t here anymoresample loop.
==Lyrics==
I beat my machine it's a part of me it's inside of me
I'm stuck in this dream it's changing me I am becoming
The me that you know had some second thoughts
He's covered with scabs he is broken and sore
The me that you know doesn't come around much
That part of me isn’t here anymore
All pain disappears it's the nature of my circuitry
Drowns out all I hear no escape from this my new consciousness
The me that you know used to have feelings
But the blood has stopped pumping and he's left to decay
The me that you know is now made up of wires
And even when I'm right with you I'm so far away
I can try to get away but I've strapped myself in
I can try to scratch away the sound in my ears
I can see it killing away all my bad parts
I don't want to listen but it's all too clear
Hiding backwards inside of me I feel so unafraid
Annie, hold a little tighter I might just slip away
It won't give up it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
All pain disappears it==External Links==*[http://vimeo.com/61677369 "The Becoming" ('s 'Still'') music video]*[http://vimeo.com/5133409 "The Becoming" live from on stage at the nature of my circuitrySasquatch Festival, 5.24.09]*[https://archive.org/details/remix-nin-com-audio-02953 "The Becoming" (Instrumental) at archive.org]
Drowns out all I hear no escape from this my new consciousness<br>{{Succession box| title=[[The me that you know he used to have feelings But the blood has stopped pumping Downward Spiral (halo)#Track Listing (original release and he's left to decay DVD-A release)|The me that you know is now made up of wiresDownward Spiral]]| before=[[Ruiner]]And even when | after=[[I'm right with you I'm so far awayDo Not Want This]]| track=7}} I can try to get away but I've strapped myself in I can try to scratch away the sound in my ears I can see it killing away all of my bad parts I don't want to listen but it's all to clear Hiding backwards inside of me I feel so unafraid Annie, hold a little tighter I might just slip away It wont give up it wants me dead Goddamn this noise inside my head External Links ---- Nine Inch Nails Official Page [http[Category://www.nin.comNIN Songs]] Nine Inch Nails Official Myspace Page [http[Category://www.myspace.com/ninKnow The Score]]