The Collector
The Collector (Live At Rehearsals)
"The Collector" is the third track on the 2005 release With Teeth.
Lyrically, the song seems to address Trent Reznor's insecurities leading up to writing the With Teeth album in regards to him questioning if he would ever write music again, or be able to write sober. In a fan interview, Reznor stated that this was initially his favourite song on the record.
Contents
Song Credits
- Live Drums: Dave Grohl
Appearances
Versions
The Collector
This is the original album version. It is characterized by a very odd time signature, with the verses in a 3/4-3/4-3/4-4/4 pattern and the chorus in a 4/4-4/4-6/4 pattern. Opening with Dave Grohl's live drumming and soon joined by the verse bassline, Reznor's vocal delivery is coarse and loud through the verses. Abrasive guitars enter for the yelled choruses, playing a fast rhythm in 16th notes. The repeated line "swallow it all" accompanied only by loud, intense drumming forms a bridge from chorus back to the second verse, then from the second chorus to the final verse, which builds upon the drumming and bassline with the mantra "every last one" and chromatic piano improvisation. The introductory percussion loop of "The Hand That Feeds" begins immediately beneath the decay of the final drum and cymbal hits of this song.
The Collector (Live At Rehearsals)
This video appears as additional footage on Beside You In Time. It is set similar to "The Hand That Feeds" video, with Reznor donning a white dress shirt and everyone else wearing dark clothing.
Live
"The Collector" was played live primarily on the Live: With Teeth tour, becoming a rarity in the setlist as the tour went on. It was played once on the Lights In The Sky Tour and on the Wave Goodbye Tour.
Lyrics
I pick things up
I am a collector
And things, well things
They tend to accumulate
I have this net
It drags behind me
And it picks up feelings
For me to feed upon
There are times, plenty of times
I wish I could let it go
But they start to breathe
And they start to grow inside me
There are times, plenty of times
I wish I could let it go
But they start to make me think
Things I don't want to know
I'm trying to fit it all inside
I'm trying to open my mouth wide
I'm trying not to choke and
Swallow it all
Swallow it all
Swallow it all
Swallow it all
I am the plague
I am the swarm
All your hurt sticks on me
And I keep it warm
They make me stay
They won't let me leave
There are so God damned many of them
It gets hard to breathe
I'm trying to fit it all inside
I'm trying to open my mouth wide
I'm trying not to choke inside
I am a good boy and
Will swallow it all
Swallow it all
Swallow it all
Swallow it all
Every last one
Every last one
Every last one
Every last one
Additional lyrics printed in the With Teeth PDF booklet, but not appearing in the song itself
Are you listening?
Yes I am building
Something bigger than the world
Something terrible
With all of this
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