God Given

Album:Year Zero

Length:3:51

Tempo:106 BPM

Versions:God Given
God Given (Instrumental)
God Given: Stephen Morris & Gillian Gilbert

Live:Lights In The Sky Tour

"God Given" is the tenth track on the 2007 release Year Zero. Multitracks for this song were released in raw WAV, GarageBand, and Ableton Live formats via remix.nin.com.

Theories

According to the lyrics, this song is most likely written from the perspective of the Evangelical Church.

Appearances

Halos

• Year Zero
• Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D

Versions

God Given

This is the original album version. It uses a drum pattern very similar to that of "Zero-Sum", though it is slowed down dramatically on that song. The pattern is also very similar to that of "My Violent Heart". These beats are sampled from Atom Heart's Rather Interesting World Of Digital Drums sample library by Atomizer™.

God Given (Instrumental)

Running Time: 3:56

This unmastered vocal-less mix was released by Trent Reznor through his remix.nin.com account.

God Given: Stephen Morris & Gillian Gilbert

Running Time: 4:27

This remix appears on Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D. It begins with a synth melody and some of the original sound elements below it. Vocals come in over them along with some other sound effects.

Song Credits

• Remix by Stephen Morris & Gillian Gilbert

Live

"God Given" made its live debut on July 25, 2008 and was played at about half of the shows on 2008's Lights In The Sky Tour, primarily in the encore. The quickly spoken/whispered lines after the chorus were spoken by Robin Finck instead of Reznor. The live version also featured a new, funk-influenced bassline by Justin Meldal-Johnsen, added guitar by Reznor and a guitar solo by Finck.

Lyrics

    Hey man
    Please don't make a sound
    Take a look around
    Can't you see what's right in front of you?
    Aah
    Have a little taste
    No more time to waste
    You don't wanna get left behind, because it's all coming down right now
    Now—how
    Hard is it to see?
    Put your faith in me
    I sure wouldn't want to be
    Praying to the wrong piece of wood
    You should
    Get where you belong
    Everything you know is wrong
    Come on, sing along everybody now
    
    (God Given)
    And He gives us sight
    And we see the light
    And it burns so bright
    Now we know we're right
    When His kingdom come
    And Thy will be done
    We have just begun
    We're the chosen ones
    
    I would never tell you anything that wasn't absolutely true that hadn't come right from
    His mouth and He wants me to tell you
    
    Wait
    Step into the light
    How can this be right?
    I'm afraid we're going to ask you to leave
    Guess you can not win
    With the color of your skin
    You won't be getting in to the Promised Land
    Besides
    This is just another case
    You people still don't know your place
    Step aside, out the way, wipe that look off your face
    We are the divine
    Separated from the swine
    Come on, sing along everybody now
    
    (God Given)
    And He gives us sight
    And we see the light
    And it burns so bright
    Now we know we're right
    When His kingdom come
    And Thy will be done
    We have just begun
    We're the chosen ones
    And He gives us sight
    And we see the light
    And it burns so bright
    Now we know we're right
    When His kingdom come
    And Thy will be done
    And the Father and the Holy Son
    We're the chosen ones
    
    I would never tell you anything that wasn't absolutely true that hadn't come right from
    His mouth and He wants me to tell you

External Links

• "God Given" Official Video Concept Treatment
• "God Given" (Instrumental) at archive.org

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