Survivalism (song)
Survivalism (Radio Edit)
About
"Survivalism" is the third track on the 2007 release Year Zero.
Survivalism is the belief that one must be prepared to survive a major catastrophe by stocking up on food and weapons. A survivalist therefore is a person who anticipates and prepares for a future disruption in local, regional or worldwide social or political order. Survivalists often prepare for this anticipated disruption by learning skills (e.g., emergency medical training), stockpiling food and water, or building structures that will help them to survive (e.g., an underground shelter).
Appearances
Versions
Survivalism
Found on the Year Zero album as well as the Survivalism promo.
Survivalism (Radio Edit)
A radio-friendly edited version that is found on the Survivalism promo. The word "whore" is edited out.
Survivalism (Tardusted Mix)
Yet to be released. Included on the Survivalism single.
Leak
An mp3 "leak" of the song appeared on Feb 16th, 2007, courtesy of KROQ:
- NIN_Survivalism.mp3 (another mirror of the "CD Quality version")
- Survivalism.mp3 (mirror of the above)
Music Video
Filming for the "Survivalism" video began on February 5, 2007. The video was "leaked" to the internet via flash drives given to people attending the Nine Inch Nails concert in London on March 7, 2007.
SPOILERS BEGIN
A wall of surveillance monitors details the activities of several people. A group of rebels is creating stencils and spray-painting the "Art Is Resistance" logo on walls. In an apartment, a pair of gay lovers share an intimate moment. In another dwelling, a young woman stands topless at her mirror doing her hair and applying make-up. Elsewhere someone is high on drugs, while a couple just sits on their couch in their home. A man is seen on a computer with several photos and news clippingsbehind him. Another man is seen on camera eating his dinner. Seen on several monitors is Nine Inch Nails playing the song in what is assumed to be their practice space. Intercut with these scenes is footage of armed soldiers, dressed like swat members, moving in on one of the buildings and one of the places in the video.
At the end of the video the people in the other monitors seem to respond to an ado in one of the spaces seen on the monitor wall. The space where NIN was playing has its door busted in and a pool of blood leading out, while all of the other cameras trained on the band have gone to static. At the very end a body is seen being dragged around a corner, leaving a trail of blood. Presumably the body is that of Trent Reznor, as it wears the same scarf that he is seen wearing throughout the video.
END SPOLIERS
Notes
- The picture of Jesus in the "TV Room" has "John 19:34" written on it. The biblical verse for this is: "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water."
- "Exodus 7:21" is visible in the room with the man on the computer. The biblical verse for this is: "And the fish that [was] in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt."
- The door knocked in has "Rev 18.3.4" painted on its exterior. The biblical verses Revelation 18:3 and 18:4 are: "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies," and "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
- One room shows a couple injecting opal
Download Links
- Low resolution (26MB):
- High resolution (164MB):
Live
"Survivalism was played live for the first time at the Razzmatazz in Barcelona, Spain, on February 19, 2007. [1]
Here is a video of the performance.
Lyrics
I should have listened to her
So hard to keep control
We kept on eating but
Our bloated belly's still not full
She gave us all she had but
We went and took some more
Can't seem to shut her legs
Our mother nature is a whore
I got my propaganda
I got revisionism
I got my violence
In high-def ultra-realism
All a part of this great nation
I got my fist
I got my plan
I got survivalism
Hypnotic sound of siren
Echoing through the street
The cocking of the rifles
The marching of the feet
You see your world on fire
Don't try to act surprised
We did just what you told us
Lost our faith along the way and found ourselves believing your lies
I got my propaganda
I got revisionism
I got my violence
In high-def ultra-realism
All a part of this great nation
I got my fist
I got my plan
I got survivalism
All bruised and broken, bleeding
She asked to take my hand
I turned, just keep on walking
But you'd do the same thing in this circumstance I'm sure you'll understand
I got my propaganda
I got revisionism
I got my violence
In high-def ultra-realism
All a part of this great nation
I got my fist
I got my plan
I got survivalism
You've got your pacifism, I've got survivalism