Difference between revisions of "Closer"

Latest revision as of 09:36, 22 April 2024

Album:The Downward Spiral

Length:6:13

Versions:Closer
Closer (Instrumental)
Closer (Clean Pussy Radio Edit)
Closer (Clean Original)
Closer To God
Closer (Precursor)
Closer (Further Away)
Closer (Deviation)
Closer (Internal)
Closer (Thrust)
Closer (Unrecalled)
Closer (And All That Could Have Been)
Closer (Beside You In Time)

Live:Self Destruct Touring Cycle through NIN 2013 Festival Tour
NIN 2014 Europe/UK Tour through present

"Closer" is the fifth track on the 1994 release The Downward Spiral and is perhaps the most well-known song by Nine Inch Nails, as it received much airplay both on radio and music video television. The subject matter seems to be about a feeling of worthlessness being quelled through control over others using sex. The song was at the number 2 position on AOL's "69 Sexiest Songs of All Time," mostly due to the explicit frankness of its chorus.

Song Credits

Production: Flood and Trent Reznor
Mixing Engineer: Alan Moulder
Special Hi-Hat Programming: Flood

Appearances

Halos

The Downward Spiral (1994)
Closer To God (1994)
Closure (Music video; 1997)
And All That Could Have Been (CD/VHS/DVD; 2002)
Beside You In Time (2007)

Seeds

Other

Films

Se7en (1995)
The Hitcher (2007)

Video Games

Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock
Rock Band 3 (available for download)

Versions

Closer

This is the original album version, found on both The Downward Spiral and Closer To God. It begins with an electronic beat. A keyboard pattern and sixteenth-note cymbal pattern join in along with the vocals. Layers are continuously added before dropping out at the end, leaving a simple chromatic piano melody to end the song and segue into "Ruiner". The version on Closer To God, however, allows the final piano note and background noise to ring out completely. The bass drum is sampled from "Nightclubbing" by Iggy Pop and the synth bass is sampled from the A Poke in the Ear With a Sharp Stick, Vol. 2 sample library by Rarefaction.[1] The track also features a reversed and heavily processed sample from "Take A Chance With Me" by Roxy Music, which is most easily heard during the ending (starting from 5:52.) The sample is also used as an intro when the song is played live. Being the third song on the album to contain the famous "Downward Spiral Motif," "Closer" plays the motif in similar structure to "The Downward Spiral," but in a different key:

The part of the motif that segues into "Ruiner" (and played by Reznor at the end of the video) is played at a higher octave:

Closer (Instrumental)

Running Time: 6:26

Released by Reznor via his remix.nin.com account, this is an unmastered and complete version of the album cut, sans his vocals.

Closer (Clean Pussy Radio Edit)

Running Time: 4:31

This version is shortened and censored for radio airplay.

Closer (Clean Original)

Running Time: 6:23

This version is full-length but censored.

Closer To God

Running Time: 5:05

This is a major reworking of "Closer," and is quite different in sound and structure. The vocals were re-recorded (with a few lines of new lyrics) to fit the sound of this song:

    You let me violate you, you let me desecrate you
    You let me penetrate you, you let me complicate you
    I broke apart my insides, I've got no soul to sell
    The only thing that works for me, help me get away
    I want to fuck you
    I want to taste you
    I want to feel you
    I want to be you
    Just like an animal
    
    You can have my isolation, you can have the hate that it brings
    You can have my absence of faith, you can have my everything
    You tear down all my reason, you see through what I hide
    You make me perfect, help me get inside
    I want to fuck you
    I want to taste you
    I want to feel you
    I want to be you

"Closer To God" is one of the only remixes that has been performed live (on the Dissonance tour).

On the DJ promo vinyl for its release, the track runs roughly 5:29, fading out at the end.

Song Credits

Manipulation: Trent Reznor, Sean Beavan, Brian Pollack

Closer (Precursor)

Running Time: 7:16

This is an atmospheric remix, made up of heavily distorted synth and percussion loops that sound like machinery. The line "I want to fuck you like an animal" is repeated heavily in the last half. When the song reaches its ending, it changes from the mechanical sound of the rest of the remix to a stripped down form, consisting of only the first verse lyrics, a piano, and the synth drone from the beginning and end of the original song. It also samples multiple sounds from the A Poke in the Ear With a Sharp Stick, Vol. 1 sample library by Rarefaction. A special edit was used in the credits of David Fincher's Se7en.

Song Credits

Manipulation: Coil, Danny Hyde

Closer (Deviation)

Running Time: 6:15

This is one of the lesser reworked remixes of "Closer." It adds an interesting loop in the background the consists of what appears to be a bass guitar and a high-pitched drone. At the end it repeats the two lines "Help me get away from myself" and "You get me closer to God". The track also contains slowed-down samples from "Mountain of Needles" by Brian Eno and David Byrne, and from the intro of "Pinch" by Can.

Song Credits

Manipulation: Jack Dangers, Craig Silvey

Closer (Internal)

Running Time: 4:15

This remix uses stereo panning in which the phrases "You get me closer to god" and "I want to fuck you like an animal" switch between left and right speaker.

Song Credits

Manipulation: Bill Kennedy, Scott Humphrey, John "Geetus" Aguto, Paul Decarli, Eric Caudieux

Closer (Further Away)

Running Time: 5:45

This remix begins with a significantly modified drumbeat, similar to the drums heard in "A Violet Fluid." Slowly the song picks up and a sound similar to a lion's roar is heard with the cry "I want to fuck you like an animal." Lyrics are then whispered and vocoded. A loud drum solo features, backed by the looped synth whine from the end of the original, and then the lyrics from the choruses are heard.

Song Credits

Manipulation: Bill Kennedy, Scott Humphrey, John "Geetus" Aguto, Paul Decarli, Eric Caudieux

Closer (Thrust)

Running Time: 5:54

This remix didn't make it onto the Closer To God EP, but was available from remix.nin.com. This is essentially a variation on "Closer (Internal)".

Song Credits

Manipulation: Paul de Carli

Closer (Unrecalled)

Running Time: 7:41

Released on the semi-official Recoiled EP. A variation on Coil's "Precursor" mix.

Closer (And All That Could Have Been)

This live version uses the swirling synthesizers prominent at the end of the original song for an introduction. Its ending segues into "Head Like A Hole" much like the transition between "Closer" and "Ruiner" on The Downward Spiral.

Closer (Beside You In Time)

On this live version, the instrumental bridge of "The Only Time" is incorporated into the song's bridge. The accompanying lyrics are sung in a manner different from past tours, and the final outro is much shorter than on the album version.

Music Video

Screenshot from the "Closer" video

In April 1994, a music video for "Closer" was filmed. It was directed by Mark Romanek, who also directed "The Perfect Drug" in 1997 and Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt" in 2003. The concept to the video is that it's an old stag reel recently uncovered.

The aesthetic, atmosphere, and images in the video were inspired by the works of Man Ray, Francis Bacon, George Tooker, the Quay brothers, James Van Der Zee, Giorgio de Chirico, Rudolf Hausner, and, most notably, Joel-Peter Witkin.[2][3][4] It was filmed using three-color film and hand-cranked cameras, to make it look much older. Additionally, there were more modern devices included in the video, such as a television.

Romanek has said that Reznor was pretty much tortured throughout the shoot, yet he never once complained. Reznor seemed to know that what they were making would be phenomenal and would push the proverbial envelope of the music video format.

Initially, there was a plan to film two versions of the video: an uncensored director's cut, and an edited version for MTV. This idea would save money on editing because of the costs of editing the film that was used. Reznor objected to shooting a censored version, stating that he didn't care whether or not MTV would show the video. MTV would show the video, but not before edits were made. The network censors objected to imagery they felt was blasphemous (a crucified monkey and a crucifix on a nude woman's blindfold), too risqué (Reznor gagged in front of a wall covered with sado-masochistic paraphernalia and writhing from a chain while blindfolded), or too overtly sexual in nature (the nude woman and a diagram of a vulva). Ultimately, the video was edited for MTV, with offending images either blurred or blacked out, zoomed in to avoid objectionable content, or replaced by a screen reading SCENE MISSING. Some innuendo did make it past the censors, such as the shape of the microphone in some scenes, and what the hanging beef carcass appeared to resemble in addition to wings. Despite the heavy editing on MTV, "Closer" would go on to become one of the network's most popular videos in 1994 and 1995.

The uncensored director's cut can be seen on the Closure video as well as the DualDisc re-issue of The Downward Spiral. It can also be found on a compilation DVD of Mark Romanek's work (Director's Series Vol. 4: The Work of Director Mark Romanek) along with footage from the making of the video. Over four hours of additional behind-the-scenes footage eventually surfaced on eBay and was liberated and spread around freely by the NIN fanbase.

Over the years, "Closer" has been included on many greatest video lists. In 2006, it was voted the greatest video on VH1 Classics' "20 Greatest Music Videos of All Time." It has also been placed in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Credits

Director: Mark Romanek
Producer: Krista Montagna
Cameraman: Harris Savides
Editor: Robert Duffy
Production Design: Tom Foden

Live

"Closer" has been regularly performed live since 1994. Starting from Live: With Teeth tour, the instrumental breakdown of "The Only Time" was incorporated into the breakdown of "Closer". Also, the second to last line of the song has been sung as "I am the honey inside your hive" instead of "I drink the honey inside your hive." An example of this can be seen on Beside You In Time.

After being in setlist rotation for 14 years, Reznor stated in a web interview that the song is "nowhere on the setlist" for the Wave Goodbye Tour, despite it later being played a handful of times on that tour, with Trent playing the breakdown from "The Only Time" instead of Alessandro Cortini. During the Tension 2013 Tour, "Closer" was referenced during some live performances of "All Time Low".

Covers

"Closer" has been covered by a variety of artists. More information can be found here.

Lyrics

    You let me violate you, you let me desecrate you
    You let me penetrate you, you let me complicate you
    Help me I broke apart my insides, help me I've got no soul to sell
    Help me the only thing that works for me, help me get away from myself

    I want to fuck you like an animal
    I want to feel you from the inside
    I want to fuck you like an animal
    My whole existence is flawed
    You get me closer to God

    You can have my isolation, you can have the hate that it brings
    You can have my absence of faith, you can have my everything
    Help me tear down my reason, help me it's your sex I can smell
    Help me you make me perfect, help me become somebody else

    I want to fuck you like an animal
    I want to feel you from the inside
    I want to fuck you like an animal
    My whole existence is flawed
    You get me closer to God

    Through every forest, above the trees
    Within my stomach, scraped off my knees
    I drink the honey inside your hive
    You are the reason I stay alive

External Links

"Closer" (uncensored) music video (NSFW)
"Closer" (censored) music video
The making of the "Closer" music video
"Closer" live from Beside You In Time
"Closer" (Thrust Remix) at archive.org
"Closer" (Instrumental) at archive.org
Interview disc mentioning the source of the bass drum sample
Sound On Sound article about "Closer" and The Downward Spiral

Previous track - "March Of The Pigs"

Track 5 from The Downward Spiral

Next track - "Ruiner"

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 | album = ''[[The Downward Spiral (halo)|The Downward Spiral]]''
 | length = 6:13
-| versions = Closer<br>Closer To God<br>Closer (Precursor)<br>Closer (Further Away)<br>Closer (Deviation)<br>Closer (Internal)<br>Closer (Thrust)<br>Closer (''[[And All That Could Have Been (halo)|And All That Could Have Been]]'')<br>Closer (''[[Beside You In Time (halo)|Beside You In Time]]'')
+| BPM = 90
-| live = [[Self-Destruct Tour]] through present
+| versions = Closer<br>Closer (Instrumental)<br>Closer (Clean Pussy Radio Edit)<br>Closer (Clean Original)<br>Closer To God<br>Closer (Precursor)<br>Closer (Further Away)<br>Closer (Deviation)<br>Closer (Internal)<br>Closer (Thrust)<br>Closer (Unrecalled)<br>Closer (''[[And All That Could Have Been (halo)|And All That Could Have Been]]'')<br>Closer (''[[Beside You In Time (halo)|Beside You In Time]]'')
-}}'''"Closer"''' is the fifth track on the 1994 release ''[[The Downward Spiral (halo)|The Downward Spiral]].'' It begins with an electronic beat that is reminiscent of a heartbeat for eight bars. A keyboard pattern and sixteenth-note beat join in along with the vocals. Layers are continuously added before dropping out at the end, leaving a simple chromatic piano melody to end the song.
+| live = [[Self Destruct Touring Cycle]] through [[NIN 2013 Festival Tour]]<br>[[NIN 2014 Europe/UK Tour]] through present
+}}'''"Closer"''' is the fifth track on the 1994 release ''[[The Downward Spiral (halo)|The Downward Spiral]]'' and is perhaps the most well-known song by [[Nine Inch Nails]], as it received much airplay both on radio and music video television. The subject matter seems to be about a feeling of worthlessness being quelled through control over others using sex. The song was at the number 2 position on AOL's "69 Sexiest Songs of All Time," mostly due to the explicit frankness of its chorus.
-"Closer" is perhaps the most well-known song from [[Nine Inch Nails]], maybe more so for its video. The subject matter is clearly about sex, but it's not just sex. Instead, it's a feeling of worthlessness and trying to quell that feeling through sex. The song was at the number 2 position on AOL's "69 Sexiest Songs of All Time," mostly due to the explicit frankness of its chorus.
 ===Song Credits===
@@ Line 21: / Line 20: @@
 *''[[And All That Could Have Been (halo)|And All That Could Have Been]]'' (CD/VHS/DVD; 2002)
 *''[[Beside You In Time (halo)|Beside You In Time]]'' (2007)
 ===Seeds===
 *''[[Collected]]''
 *''[[The Definitive NIN - The Singles]]''
 *''[[The Definitive NIN - Quiet Tracks]]''
+===Other===
+====Films====
+*''[[In_pop_culture#Film|Se7en]]'' (1995)
+*''[[In_pop_culture#Film|The Hitcher]]'' (2007)
+====Video Games====
+*''[[Use in Video Games#Guitar_Hero:_Warriors_of_Rock|Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock]]''
+*''[[Use in Video Games#Rock_Band|Rock Band 3]]'' (available for download)
 ==Versions==
 ===Closer===
-This is the original album version, found on both ''The Downward Spiral'' and ''Closer To God.'' The version on ''Closer to God,'' however, does not segue into "[[Ruiner]]," instead allowing the final piano note to ring out and playing the background noise for a few more seconds. Being the third song on the album to contain the famous "Downward Spiral Motif," "Closer" plays the motif in similar structure to "[[The Downward Spiral (song)|The Downward Spiral]]" (albeit in a different key):
+This is the original album version, found on both ''The Downward Spiral'' and ''Closer To God.'' It begins with an electronic beat. A keyboard pattern and sixteenth-note cymbal pattern join in along with the vocals. Layers are continuously added before dropping out at the end, leaving a simple chromatic piano melody to end the song and segue into "[[Ruiner]]". The version on ''Closer To God,'' however, allows the final piano note and background noise to ring out completely. The bass drum is [[samples|sampled]] from "[[Nightclubbing]]" by Iggy Pop and the synth bass is sampled from the ''A Poke in the Ear With a Sharp Stick, Vol. 2'' sample library by Rarefaction.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwnbjv9e-Ms] The track also features a reversed and heavily processed sample from "Take A Chance With Me" by Roxy Music, which is most easily heard during the ending (starting from 5:52.) The sample is also used as an intro when the song is played live. Being the third song on the album to contain the famous "Downward Spiral Motif," "Closer" plays the motif in similar structure to "[[The Downward Spiral (song)|The Downward Spiral]]," but in a different key:
 [[Image:Closer_(Lower)_Motif_Tab.JPG‎|The Downward Spiral Motif, found in the cacophony of sound in the closing seconds of "Closer."]]
@@ Line 36: / Line 42: @@
 [[Image:Closer_(Higher)_Motif_Tab.JPG‎|The higher part of the motif, found on the very last seconds on "Closer."]]
+===Closer (Instrumental)===
+'''''Running Time: 6:26'''''
+Released by Reznor via his [[remix.nin.com]] account, this is an unmastered and complete version of the album cut, sans his vocals.
+===Closer (Clean Pussy Radio Edit)===
+'''''Running Time: 4:31'''''
+This version is shortened and censored for radio airplay.
+===Closer (Clean Original)===
+'''''Running Time: 6:23'''''
+This version is full-length but censored.
 ===Closer To God===
+'''''Running Time: 5:05'''''
 This is a major reworking of "Closer," and is quite different in sound and structure. The vocals were re-recorded (with a few lines of new lyrics) to fit the sound of this song:
       You let me violate you, you let me desecrate you
@@ Line 50: / Line 73: @@
       You can have my isolation, you can have the hate that it brings
-      You can have absence of faith, you can have my everything
+      You can have my absence of faith, you can have my everything
       You tear down all my reason, you see through what I hide
       You make me perfect, help me get inside
@@ Line 58: / Line 81: @@
       I want to be you
-"Closer To God" is one of the only remixes that has been performed live.
+"Closer To God" is one of the only remixes that has been performed live (on the [[Dissonance]] tour).
+On the DJ promo vinyl for its release, the track runs roughly 5:29, fading out at the end.
 ====Song Credits====
 * Manipulation: Trent Reznor, [[Sean Beavan]], [[Brian Pollack]]
 ===Closer (Precursor)===
-This remix was featured in the opening credits for the [[David Fincher]] film, ''Se7en.''
+'''''Running Time: 7:16'''''
+This is an atmospheric remix, made up of heavily distorted synth and percussion loops that sound like machinery. The line "I want to fuck you like an animal" is repeated heavily in the last half. When the song reaches its ending, it changes from the mechanical sound of the rest of the remix to a stripped down form, consisting of only the first verse lyrics, a piano, and the synth drone from the beginning and end of the original song. It also [[samples]] multiple sounds from the ''A Poke in the Ear With a Sharp Stick, Vol. 1'' sample library by Rarefaction. A special edit was used in the credits of [[David Fincher]]'s ''Se7en''.
 ====Song Credits====
-* Manipulation: [[Coil]], [[Danny Hyde]]
+* Manipulation: [[Coil]], Danny Hyde
 ===Closer (Deviation)===
-This is one of the lesser reworked remixes of "Closer." It adds an interesting loop in the background the consists of what appears to be a bass guitar and a high-pitched drone. At the end it repeats the two lines "Help me get away from myself" and "You get me closer to God".
+'''''Running Time: 6:15'''''
+This is one of the lesser reworked remixes of "Closer." It adds an interesting loop in the background the consists of what appears to be a bass guitar and a high-pitched drone. At the end it repeats the two lines "Help me get away from myself" and "You get me closer to God". The track also contains slowed-down samples from "Mountain of Needles" by Brian Eno and David Byrne, and from the intro of "Pinch" by Can.
 ====Song Credits====
 * Manipulation: [[Meat Beat Manifesto|Jack Dangers]], Craig Silvey
 ===Closer (Internal)===
-This remix uses techniques in which the phrases "You get me closer to god" and "I want to fuck you like an animal" switch between left and right speaker.
+'''''Running Time: 4:15'''''
+This remix uses stereo panning in which the phrases "You get me closer to god" and "I want to fuck you like an animal" switch between left and right speaker.
 ====Song Credits====
-* Manipulation: Bill Kennedy, Scott Humphrey, John "Geetus" Aguto, Paul Decarli, Eric Claudiex
+* Manipulation: Bill Kennedy, Scott Humphrey, John "Geetus" Aguto, Paul Decarli, Eric Caudieux
 ===Closer (Further Away)===
-This remix begins with a significantly modified drumbeat, similar to the drums heard in "[[A Violet Fluid]]." Slowly the song picks up and a sound similar to a lion's roar is heard with the cry "I want to fuck you like an animal." Lyrics are then whispered then eventually, vocoded. A loud drum solo is then heard on top of the famous "Closer drone" and then the lyrics from the choruses are heard. Various lyrics are chopped up with a drum solo.
+'''''Running Time: 5:45'''''
+This remix begins with a significantly modified drumbeat, similar to the drums heard in "[[A Violet Fluid]]." Slowly the song picks up and a sound similar to a lion's roar is heard with the cry "I want to fuck you like an animal." Lyrics are then whispered and vocoded. A loud drum solo features, backed by the looped synth whine from the end of the original, and then the lyrics from the choruses are heard.
 ====Song Credits====
-* Manipulation: Bill Kennedy, Scott Humphrey, John "Geetus" Aguto, Paul Decarli, Eric Claudiex
+* Manipulation: Bill Kennedy, Scott Humphrey, John "Geetus" Aguto, Paul Decarli, Eric Caudieux
 ===Closer (Thrust)===
-This remix didn't make it onto the ''Closer To God'' EP. It sounds like "Closer (Internal)" by Bill Kennedy, Scott Humphrey, John "Geetus" Aguto, Paul Decarli and Eric Claudiex. It can be found and downloaded from [[remix.nin.com]].
+'''''Running Time: 5:54'''''
+This remix didn't make it onto the ''Closer To God'' EP, but was available from remix.nin.com. This is essentially a variation on "Closer (Internal)".
 ====Song Credits====
-* Manipulation: Bill Kennedy, Scott Humphrey, John "Geetus" Aguto, Paul Decarli, Eric Claudiex (unconfirmed)
+* Manipulation: Paul de Carli
+===Closer (Unrecalled)===
+'''''Running Time: 7:41'''''
+Released on the semi-official ''[[Recoiled]]'' EP. A variation on Coil's "Precursor" mix.
 ===Closer (''And All That Could Have Been'')===
-This live version features a longer intro than the album version. In addition, Reznor can be seen briefly playing a keyboard during the final half of the song on the VHS and DVD versions of ''And All That Could Have Been.''
+This live version uses the swirling synthesizers prominent at the end of the original song for an introduction. Its ending segues into "[[Head Like A Hole (song)|Head Like A Hole]]" much like the transition between "Closer" and "Ruiner" on ''The Downward Spiral.''
 ===Closer (''Beside You In Time'')===
-On this live version, the instrumental breakdown of "[[The Only Time]]" is incorporated into the song's breakdown. The interlude lyrics are sung in a manner different from past tours. The final outro is much shorter than on the album version and is close to the music video edit in terms of length.
+On this live version, the instrumental bridge of "[[The Only Time]]" is incorporated into the song's bridge. The accompanying lyrics are sung in a manner different from past tours, and the final outro is much shorter than on the album version.
 ==Music Video==
-In April 1994, a video for "Closer" was filmed. It was directed by [[Mark Romanek]], who also directed "[[The Perfect Drug (song)|The Perfect Drug]]" in 1997 and [[Johnny Cash]]'s cover of "[[Hurt (song)|Hurt]]" in 2003. The concept to the video is that it's an old stag reel recently uncovered. The aesthetic, atmosphere, and images in the video were inspired by the works of Man Ray, Francis Bacon, and, most notably, Joel-Peter Witkin. It was filmed using three-color film and hand-cranked cameras, to make it look much older. Additionally, there were more modern devices included in the video, such as a television.
+[[Image:Closerstill.jpg|thumb|Screenshot from the "Closer" video]]
+In April 1994, a [[Nine Inch Nails music videos|music video]] for "Closer" was filmed. It was directed by [[Mark Romanek]], who also directed "[[The Perfect Drug (song)|The Perfect Drug]]" in 1997 and [[Johnny Cash]]'s cover of "[[Hurt (song)|Hurt]]" in 2003. The concept to the video is that it's an old stag reel recently uncovered.
+The aesthetic, atmosphere, and images in the video were inspired by the works of Man Ray, Francis Bacon, George Tooker, the Quay brothers, James Van Der Zee, Giorgio de Chirico, Rudolf Hausner, and, most notably, Joel-Peter Witkin.[https://www.kerrang.com/a-deep-dive-into-nine-inch-nails-nsfw-video-for-closer][https://thequietus.com/articles/28355-into-the-never-nine-inch-nails-and-the-creation-of-the-downward-spiral-adam-steiner-playlist][https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUhDywzfkQM] It was filmed using three-color film and hand-cranked cameras, to make it look much older. Additionally, there were more modern devices included in the video, such as a television.
 Romanek has said that Reznor was pretty much tortured throughout the shoot, yet he never once complained. Reznor seemed to know that what they were making would be phenomenal and would push the proverbial envelope of the music video format.
-Initially, there was a plan to film two versions of the video: an uncensored director's cut, and an edited version for MTV. This idea would save money on editing because of the costs of editing the film that was used. Reznor objected to shooting a censored version, stating that he didn't care whether or not MTV would show the video. MTV would show the video, but not before edits were made. The network censors objected to imagery they felt was blasphemous (a crucified monkey and a crucifix on a nude woman's blindfold), too risqué (Reznor gagged in front of a wall covered with sado-masochistic paraphernalia and writhing from a chain while blindfolded), or too overtly sexual in nature (the nude woman and a diagram of a vulva). Ultimately, the video was edited for MTV, with offending images either blurred or blacked out, zoomed in to avoid objectionable content, or replaced by a screen reading SCENE MISSING. Some innuendo did make it past the censors, such as the shape of the microphone in some scenes, and what the hanging beef carcass appeared to resemble in addition to wings. Despite the heavy editing on MTV, "Closer" would go on to become one of the network's most popular videos in 1994 and 1995. The uncensored director's cut can be seen on the ''Closure'' video as well as the DualDisc re-issue of ''The Downward Spiral.''
+Initially, there was a plan to film two versions of the video: an uncensored director's cut, and an edited version for MTV. This idea would save money on editing because of the costs of editing the film that was used. Reznor objected to shooting a censored version, stating that he didn't care whether or not MTV would show the video. MTV would show the video, but not before edits were made. The network censors objected to imagery they felt was blasphemous (a crucified monkey and a crucifix on a nude woman's blindfold), too risqué (Reznor gagged in front of a wall covered with sado-masochistic paraphernalia and writhing from a chain while blindfolded), or too overtly sexual in nature (the nude woman and a diagram of a vulva). Ultimately, the video was edited for MTV, with offending images either blurred or blacked out, zoomed in to avoid objectionable content, or replaced by a screen reading SCENE MISSING. Some innuendo did make it past the censors, such as the shape of the microphone in some scenes, and what the hanging beef carcass appeared to resemble in addition to wings. Despite the heavy editing on MTV, "Closer" would go on to become one of the network's most popular videos in 1994 and 1995.
+The uncensored director's cut can be seen on the ''Closure'' video as well as the DualDisc re-issue of ''The Downward Spiral.''  It can also be found on a compilation DVD of Mark Romanek's work (''Director's Series Vol. 4: The Work of Director Mark Romanek'') along with footage from the making of the video. Over four hours of additional behind-the-scenes footage eventually surfaced on eBay and was liberated and spread around freely by the NIN fanbase.
+Over the years, "Closer" has been included on many greatest video lists. In 2006, it was voted the greatest video on VH1 Classics' "20 Greatest Music Videos of All Time."  It has also been placed in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
-Since then, "Closer" had been included on many Greatest-Video lists. In 2006, it was voted the greatest video on VH1 Classics' "20 Greatest Music Videos of All Time."
+===Credits===
+*Director: Mark Romanek
+*Producer: Krista Montagna
+*Cameraman: Harris Savides
+*Editor: Robert Duffy
+*Production Design: Tom Foden
 ==Live==
-"Closer" had been regularly performed live since 1994. Starting from [[Live: With Teeth]] tour, the instrumental breakdown of "The Only Time" was incorporated into "Closer's" breakdown.
+"Closer" has been regularly performed live since 1994. Starting from [[Live: With Teeth]] tour, the instrumental breakdown of "The Only Time" was incorporated into the breakdown of "Closer". Also, the second to last line of the song has been sung as "I am the honey inside your hive" instead of "I drink the honey inside your hive." An example of this can be seen on ''Beside You In Time.''
+After being in setlist rotation for 14 years, Reznor stated in a web interview that the song is "nowhere on the setlist" for the [[Wave Goodbye Tour]], despite it later being played a handful of times on that tour, with Trent playing the breakdown from "The Only Time" instead of [[Alessandro Cortini]]. During the [[Tension 2013 Tour]], "Closer" was referenced during some live performances of "[[All Time Low]]".
-Also, the second to last line of the song has been sung as "I am the honey inside your hive" instead of "I drink the honey inside your hive." An example of this can be seen on ''Beside You In Time.''
+==Covers==
+"Closer" has been covered by a variety of artists. More information can be found [[Covers Of NIN|here]].
 ==Lyrics==
@@ Line 142: / Line 192: @@
 ==External Links==
-*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWq2apkftgg ''Beside You In Time'' performance (edited)]
+*[http://vimeo.com/3554226 "Closer" (uncensored) music video (NSFW)]
+*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8F_KaILW6g "Closer" (censored) music video]
+*[http://vimeo.com/3704806 The making of the "Closer" music video]
+*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdXaR0dnH-M "Closer" live from ''Beside You In Time'']
+*[http://archive.org/details/remix-nin-com-audio-00139 "Closer" (Thrust Remix) at archive.org]
+*[https://archive.org/details/remix-nin-com-audio-02897 "Closer" (Instrumental) at archive.org]
+*[http://ninlive.com/audio/NiNterviews%20Set%201/1995_02_09%2006%20Recording%20Process.mp3 Interview] disc mentioning the source of the bass drum sample
+*[http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep12/articles/classic-tracks-0912.htm Sound On Sound article about "Closer" and ''The Downward Spiral'']
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Difference between revisions of "Closer"

Latest revision as of 09:36, 22 April 2024

Contents

Song Credits

Appearances

Halos

Seeds

Other

Films

Video Games

Versions

Closer

Closer (Instrumental)

Closer (Clean Pussy Radio Edit)

Closer (Clean Original)

Closer To God

Song Credits

Closer (Precursor)

Song Credits

Closer (Deviation)

Song Credits

Closer (Internal)

Song Credits

Closer (Further Away)

Song Credits

Closer (Thrust)

Song Credits

Closer (Unrecalled)

Closer (And All That Could Have Been)

Closer (Beside You In Time)

Music Video

Credits

Live

Covers

Lyrics

External Links