The Art of Self Destruction, Part One
Self Destruction, Part Two
Self Destruction, Part Three
Self Destruction, Final
About
Mr. Self Destruct is the first song off The Downward Spiral. It begins with a sample from the film THX 1138, and immediately picks up with a very up-tempo and aggressive first verse.
Versions
A number of remixes are available on Further Down The Spiral, and feature unused guitar work from Adrian Belew.
Appearances
Mr. Self Destruct (and its remixes) have appeared on numerous halos, as well as in popular culture.
Halo appearances
- The Downward Spiral
- Further Down The Spiral
- Closure
Films
- Man On Fire
Performed live
Often used to open shows during the later Self Destruct tours. It begins with a much faster drum beat intro than the album version and features heavy amounts of guitar feedback at various points in the song. During the Pre-Year Zero Tour (and possibly the With_Teeth tours), Alessandro Cortini joins the rest of the band at the front of the stage playing guitar only to immediately return to the back when the song is finished.
Lyrics
I am the voice inside your head And I control you
I am the lover in your bed And I control you
I am the sex that you provide And I control you
I am the hate you try to hide And I control you
I take you where you want to go
I give you all you need to know
I drag you down I use you up
Mr. Self Destruct
I speak religion’s message clear And I control you
I am denial guilt and fear And I control you
I am the prayers of the naïve And I control you
I am the lie that you believe And I control you
I take you where you want to go
I give you all you need to know
I drag you down I use you up
Mr. Self Destruct
I am the needle in your vein And I control you
I am the high you can’t sustain And I control you
I am the pusher I’m a whore And I control you
I am the need you have for more And I control you
I am the bullet in the gun And I control you
I am the truth from which you run And I control you
I am the silencing machine And I control you
I am the end of all your dreams And I control you
I take you where you want to go
I give you all you need to know
I drag you down I use you up
Mr. Self Destruct