Sin (Long)
Sin (Dub)
Sin (Short)
Common
About
Sin is the seventh track on the 1989 release Pretty Hate Machine. Obviously, this song is about sex, visceral desires, lust and guilt. Remixes were featured on the Sin single along with a B-side (a cover of Queen's "Get Down, Make Love"). The song is often amped up live to a more danceable version of the song.
Song Credits
- Production: Trent Reznor, John Fryer
- Remix: Keith LeBlanc
- Engineering: John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Kennan Keating, Ken Quartarone
- Mix: Keith LeBlanc, Trent Reznor
Appearances
Halos
- Pretty Hate Machine
- Sin (remixes)
- Closure (video)
- And All That Could Have Been (live)
Other
- Purest Feeling II (fake demo)
Versions
Sin
This is the original album version
Sin (Dub)
This remix is almost completely stripped of lyrics, save for the words "sin," "control," and "lies" scattered throughout the track.
Sin (Long)
At nearly six minutes long, this remix has extended instrumentals.
Sin (Short)
This remix incorporates some of the elements of the "Long" and "Dub" remixes, but it has a more drawn-out outro. This version is used in the music video.
Live
Coming soon.
Music Video
A video was released in 1990, using the "(Short)" remix of the song. It was directed by Brett Turnbull. The video features featured two girls dancing with each other at the beginning before cutting to the main focus of the video. A woman, nude except for what looks like straps to spelunking gear and a halogen lamp, walking a shirtless, wrist-bound Trent Reznor with a bag over his head through what looks like an industrial warehouse complex. He is then strapped into a large rotary harness where she spins him throughout the remainder of the video. These scenes are intercut with two young gay lovers who eventually fight and make up, a man and woman wearing ritualistic dressings and dancing, as well as visuals of a pierced penis and clitoris, all reflecting the song's dark, sexual aspects.
The video was banned from MTV and most major outlets. A partial version of the video can be found on Closure. There were reports that the complete video was shown at dance clubs in the early 1990s and can now be found on the NINternet.
Lyrics
You give me the reason
You give me control
I gave you my Purity
My Purity you stole
Did you think I wouldn’t recognize this compromise
Am I just to stupid to realize
Stale incense old sweat and lies lies lies
It comes down to this
Your kiss
Your fist
And your strain
It gets under my skin
Within
Take in
The extent of my sin
You give me the anger
You give me the nerve
Carry out my sentence
I get what I deserve
I’m just an effigy to be defaced
To be disgraced
Your need for me has been replaced
And if I can’t have everything well then just give me a taste
It comes down to this
Your kiss
Your fist
And your strain
It gets under my skin
Within
Take in
The extent of my sin