Piggy

Album:The Downward Spiral

Length:4:24

Tempo:{{{BPM}}} BPM

Versions:Piggy
Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now)
Piggy (Closure)
Piggy (And All That Could Have Been)
Ghosts Piggy

Live:Further Down The Spiral Tour through present

"Piggy" is the second track on the 1994 concept album The Downward Spiral. It is the first song to feature a live drum performance by Trent Reznor, and one of the many to include the phrase "Nothing Can Stop Me Now".

The Drum Solo

The drum solo featured in the last half of the song is actually Reznor himself. Initially, it was a drum test being used as a placeholder in the song, but he liked it too much to replace it.

Song Credits

• Production: Flood and Trent Reznor
• Mixing Engineer: Alan Moulder

Halos

• The Downward Spiral
• Further Down The Spiral
• Closure
• And All That Could Have Been (CD/DVD/VHS)

Seeds

• The Definitive NIN - Deep Cuts

Versions

Piggy

Characterized by its very simplistic structure, Piggy contains a simple drum beat (the exception being the final drum solo) with only bass accompaniment and a small piano line attached to the song's end. Though heavily debated, the album version of Piggy is the first of several songs on The Downward Spiral to incorporate the famous "Downward Spiral Motif." While this version of the motif does not contain the final "five note measure" found on other songs such as Closer and The Downward Spiral, the structure remains relatively the same. Played by the organs on the second verse, the notes to this short variation of the motif are as follows:

Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now)

"Piggy" was remixed by Rick Rubin for both of the 1995 Remix albums Further Down The Spiral v1 and v2. It features Dave Navarro on guitar. This remix was also featured on 2004's 2nd CD of the Tenth Aniversary Deluxe Edition of The Downward Spiral. Played exclusively at the Dissonance tour, it is one of the only remixes ever played live.

Piggy (And All That Could Have Been)

A professionally recorded live version appears in video and audio on And All That Could Have Been.

Ghosts Piggy

This version of the song made its debut on 2008's Lights In The Sky Tour. It features Justin Meldal-Johnsen on upright bass and Reznor on tambourine and marimba.

Live

Piggy has become a popular song in Nine Inch Nails live shows, though it is not played on a regular basis. During live shows Reznor will frequently venture into the crowd during this song with a microphone and invite fans to sing along to the song.

Bridge School Benefit

Reznor performed a new version of "Piggy" on piano with a string quartet at Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit concert.

Lyrics

    Hey pig,
    Yeah you
    Hey pig piggy pig pig pig
    All of my fears came true
    Black and blue and broken bones you left me here I'm all alone
    My little piggy needed something new
    
    Nothing can stop me now
    I don't care anymore
    Nothing can stop me now
    I just don't care
    
    Hey pig
    Nothing's turning out the way I planned
    Hey pig
    There's a lot of things I hoped you could help me understand
    What am I supposed to do I lost my shit because of you
    
    Nothing can stop me now
    I don't care anymore
    Nothing can stop me now
    I just don't care
    Nothing can stop me now
    You don't need me anymore

The last two lines of the song can't be heard in the final album cut.