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| title = The Becoming
| album = [[The Downward Spiral]]
| length = 5 min :31 s| versions = The Becoming<br>The Becoming ([[Still]])
| live = [[Dissonance]] tour <br> [[Year Zero Warm-Up Tour]]
}}
==LyricsAbout== 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 he had some second thoughts He's covered with scabs he is broken and sore The me that you know he doesn't come around much That part of me isnBecoming'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 he 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 from many loops 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 industrial sounds, showcasing the hard sound in my ears I from [[The Downward Spiral]]. A more acoustic version (with [[Trent Reznor]] on piano, [[Danny Lohner]] on guitar, [[Jerome Dillon]] on drums, with drum machine and samples) 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 Anniebe found on [[Still]], hold a little tighter I might just slip away It wont give up it wants me dead Goddamn this noise inside my headwith an accompanying video on [[nin.com]] ([http://youtube.com/watch?v=eaX4Ac2-Fww YouTube upload]).
=== Meaning ===
The lyrics describe a man fighting against himself, trying to avoid his "becoming,", transforming him into a machine without human characteristics and feelings.
This is a rare example of [[Trent]] directly referencing a name ("Annie") in his lyrics. Usually, he uses ambiguous pronouns. This expresses the need for attachment, the need to interact intimately with another human despite the narrator's extreme attempts to detach himself from the world.
The song begins with industrial noises such as those from a drum machine and what appears to be distorted screams. At the 3-minute mark it mellows into swooshy sounds with ''ahh''ing from more emotive voices. There is a final outburst of noise and screaming before fading out with the ''ahh''s again. This song structure is indicative of the struggle between the narrator and the noise/machine.
===Appearances===
*The Downward Spiral
*Still
===Versions===
*The Becoming
*The Becoming (Still)
===Song Credits===
*Production: [[Flood]] and Trent Reznor
*Mixing Engineer: [[Alan Moulder]]
*Ring Mod Guitar:[[ Adrian Belew]]
*ARP2600: Flood
==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 he 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
[[Category:NIN Songs]]