"Metal" is the eighth track on Things Falling Apart, a cover of Gary Numan from his 1979 album The Pleasure Principle.
The end of the song features a drawn-out instrumental referencing several other Numan songs: the higher-pitched synth line is taken from "M.E." (also from The Pleasure Principle), while the piano line references "Remember I Was Vapour" (from 1980's Telekon).
An early, partial leak of the cover from The Fragile era was remixed and shared under various names, most often the "Lee Completion Mix."
Contents
Song Credits
- Writing: Gary Numan
- Published by Beggar's Banquet Music/Momentum Music Ltd. (PRS)
- Manipulation: Trent Reznor, Alan Moulder
Appearances
Halos
- Things Falling Apart
Versions
Metal
This is the only available version.
Live
"Metal" was performed live for the first time on the opening date of the NIN|JA 2009 tour and was performed frequently through the final Wave Goodbye dates.
Lyrics
We're in the building where they make us grow
And I'm frightened by the liquid engineer
Like you
My Mallory heart is sure to fail
I could crawl around the floor just like I'm real
Like you
The sound of metal I want to be you
I should learn to be a man
Like you
Plug me in and turn me on
Oh everything is moving
I need my treatment it's tomorrow they send me
Singing "I am an American"
Do you?
Picture this if I should make the change
I'd love to pull the wires from the wall
Did you?
And who are you and how can I try?
Here inside I like the metal
Don't you?
All I know is no one dies
I'm still confusing love with need