Samples In NIN Songs

Nine Inch Nails has sampled numerous parts of songs, movies, and other audio into its songs. This page will attempt to catalog each usage.

Purest Feeling

"Down In It" samples:

The film Angel Heart http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEUUS_kjI4k&hd=1 (until about :23)

"Maybe Just Once" samples:

The film Diner with Mickey Rourke in the opening dialogue

Pretty Hate Machine

"Head Like A Hole" samples:

"Samburu Warriors' initiation (Kenya)" performed by the Samburu Tribe of Kenya and recorded by David Fanshawe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G08Wvtspmjo

"Sanctified" samples:

The film Midnight Express, the dialog that begins at about 3:20 and also the screaming that can be heard right before it segues into "Something I Can Never Have". This sample is not present on the version from 2010 remaster.

"Something I Can Never Have" samples:

The atmospheric keyboards from an unused This Mortal Coil session.

"Something I Can Never Have (Natural Born Killers Version)" samples:

A thunderclap (at the very beginning)
Nocturnal birds (during the fade off of the thunderclap)
A movie sample of the two main characters (Mickey and Mallory) arguing (just after the piano starts)
A rattlesnake (during the movie sample after the man speaks the second time)
Fire crackling and hissing (towards the end)
Native American chanting (just after the fire sounds)

"Sin" samples:

"Paid In Full" by Eric B. & Rakim, which samples the last few seconds of "Change The Beat" by Fab 5 Freddy (feat. Beside)

"Ringfinger" samples:

"Alphabet St." by Prince
"Had A Dad" by Jane's Addiction

Head Like A Hole

"Head Like A Hole (Copper)" samples:

"Body Language" by Queen

"Head Like A Hole (Opal)" samples:

"Tamborine" by Prince
"Release It" by Prince

Track 11 samples:

"Let's hear it for Nine Inch Nails— woo, they're good!" cheered by Heather "Princess" Day on an episode of Dance Party USA

Sin

"Get Down, Make Love" samples:

Moaning and breathing from Japanese pornography films
"News of the World" by Queen
"We Will Rock You" by Queen
The intro is an extract from 1962's The Cabinet Of Caligari

Broken

"Pinion" (live) samples:

"It's No Game" by David Bowie

"Physical" samples:

Recordings of Trent Reznor's dog Maise barking
"Ow!...fucker!" said by Sean Beavan after Maise bit him

"Help Me I Am In Hell" samples:

Ambient noises from The Empire Strikes Back (When the Tie Fighters are sending bombs into the asteroid where Han and Leia are hiding)

Fixed

"Fist Fuck" samples:

"I could feel that way too... I bet you will someday" from the film Showboat
Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out by Dr. Timothy Leary

The Downward Spiral

"Mr. Self Destruct" samples:

Begins with a sample from the film THX 1138 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GysyU8sCdlM&hd=1

"Closer" samples:

"Nightclubbing" by Iggy Pop
"Take A Chance With Me" by Roxy Music

"The Becoming" samples:

Screams in the background from the film Robot Jox http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjRPiBGVFIE (starting at :33)
"I know who I am" from the film Angel Heart (backwards) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTC9Lt3hiWo&t=2m6s (starting at 2:06)

"Reptile" samples:

Intro machine sounds from the film Leviathan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUk4bvrFY2A (at :13)
Looping female voice ("Kirk, help") from the film Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

"The Downward Spiral"