The Background World

Album:Add Violence

Length:11:44

Tempo:79 BPM

Versions:The Background World

Live:I Can't Seem To Wake Up 2017 through present

"The Background World" is the fifth track on the 2017 EP Add Violence.

Appearances

• Add Violence

Versions

The Background World

This is the only known version. To date it is the longest original song (remixes not included) on an official Nine Inch Nails release.

Live

"The Background World" made its live debut at the Riot Fest show of the I Can't Seem To Wake Up 2017 tour.

Trivia

The song was featured on Season 3, Episode 7 of TNT's "Animal Kingdom" on July 10, 2018. A portion of the lyrics are sung during a final scene, with the looped outro segueing into the credits.

Lyrics

  You left me here 
  What am I supposed to do? 
  I never dared to look inside 
  Just like you told me to 
  I'm going into you again 
  And I know you saw it too 
  And I will keep myself awake 
  I know what’s coming
  I feel it reaching through 
  There is no moving past 
  There is no better place 
  There is no future point in time 
  We will not get away 
  
  The world is bleeding out 
  It folds itself in two  
  Behind the background world 
  Is always bleeding through 

  Are you sure this is what you want?
  As hard as you try not to see it

Further lyrics are printed on the physical component:

  The Floating Shadow of Thought
  all The Dead smell of perfume whispers
  secrets surges maybe I will just stay awake
  
  Red swine eyelids
  You shut up, you saw him too, you see The Curse 
  The Mirror
  
  If you could see inside
  If you were here to see
  My dreams are showing through
  Maybe this is what it appears to be

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