Nine Inch Nails – Ruiner

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You had all of them on your side didn't you?
You believe in all your lies didn't you?
The ruiner's got a lot to prove he's got nothing to lose and now he
Made you believe
The ruiner's your only friend well he's the living end to the cattle
He deceives
The raping of the innocent you know the ruiner ruins everything he
Sees
Now the only pure thing left in my fucking world is wearing your disease
How did you get so big?
How did you get so strong?
How did you get so hard?
How did you get so long?
You had to give them all a sign, didn't you?
You had to covet what was mine, didn't you?
The ruiner's a collector he's an infector serving his shit to his flies
Maybe there will come a day when those that you keep blind will
Suddenly realize
Maybe it's a part of me you took to a place I hoped it would never go
And maybe that fucked me up so much more than you'll ever know
How did you get so big?
How did you get so strong?
How did you get so hard?
How did you get so long?
What you gave to me
My perfect ring of scars
You know I can see what you really are
You didn't hurt me nothing can hurt me
You didn't hurt me nothing can stop me now

Send "Ruiner" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by implode, edited by madpoet

Track duration: 04:56

"Ruiner" as written by Trent Reznor

Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY

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Ruiner song meanings
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91 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:I feel like this song is Trent talking to his future self. Further proof is in the lyrics: "How'd you get so big.. how'd you get so strong.. how'd it get so hard.. how'd it get so long." In the 90's, Trent was involved with alcoholism and substance abuse. By the time The Downward Spiral was released, he was 31. Today, Trent has gone through rehab to become a better, healthier person and lifts weights and is currently 47.

    Just my two cents.
    Flag catwmusikon January 24, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think you have to take the whole album in context when interpreting any song on this album.
    To me it sounds like the song is sung from the perspective of the girl from Closer. In Closer it sounds like the main character becomes obsessed with and rapes or abuses her, Ruiner is sung from her perspective in a mocking and sarcastic tone.
    "How'd you get so big/How'd you get so strong, How'd you so hard/How'd you get so long"
    Maybe she was a virgin and that is her, "perfect ring of scars"
    Now she has stood up so him an unmasked him for what he really is, the Ruiner, and she is above him.
    "You know I can see what you really are
    You didn't hurt me nothing can hurt me
    You didn't hurt me nothing can stop me now"

    This also sets up The Becoming, where after being unmasked, the main character now realizes what a piece of shit he is and is struggling with himself in a final attempt to keep his humanity.
    Flag 5leafcloveron December 02, 2012   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:This has nothing to do with sexual abuse. What he describes is ultimately the most profane way of calling someone a dick. Unfortunqtely, dicks are ever so present every which way you turn; it's inescapable in all fascets of life. Hm. Everywhere...even, "the only pure thing left in my fucking world is wearing your disease," as an archangel spawn of satan lurking and invading her/his life. However, "you didn't hurt me, nothing can hurt me" solidifies the notion that the Ruiner is null and voild never having affected her at all, now that she sees throug the shit. Perhaps within the guise of being someone he/she actually cared about emotions were evoked, but now they mean absolutely Nothing at all.
    Flag AdLibLibbyon February 03, 2012   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:If you search "The Downward Spiral" on Wikipedia, the following is listed in the "Notes" section:







    "The theme of the song 'Ruiner' is autobiographical, describing Reznor's experience of being raped by a homosexual dominatrix in 1991."







    Not sure what else to say...reznor is an (albeit troubled) musical genius of our time and if this is true, that's just horrible. Who knows what the circumstances were, but I'm glad it appears as though he's been able to move on from it when you look at his career as a whole.
    Flag colcal12on October 21, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I am the ruiner. I get satisfaction in destroying things because I cannot be satisfied. I want more. Then when I get more, I don't want to share it because I really want everything. When I see people suffering and in pain, seeking for my help, I just laugh and tell them to help their selves.
    Flag kmaxaaon October 15, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:While I do think it alludes to things like a sociopath and religion and abuse of power, I also think it plays a significant role in the story of the album. The Ruiner is Mr. Self Destruct, the mechanical voice inside his head who was introduced in the first song on the album. The way I see it, this song is almost like an ominous prelude to what the Ruiner is going to do to our protagonist, almost like a preparation. You get a feel for what the Ruiner does to people, and nothing can stop him. Though everybody has this voice inside their head, the Ruiner cashs in on depressed, desperate people, like our main character. So when his self-esteem and mental defenses begin to crumble, the Ruiner becomes more powerful, and nothing can stop him. Then in the next song, The Becoming, the Ruiner begins to take over.
    Flag HammerFloydon August 24, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think it's about a sociopath who convinces everyone that he is the leader/a god and Trent is the only one who knows that he is a sociopath ("you know I can see
    what you really are"). This is what I think because I heard the song when I was dealing with a sociopath and the lyrics described my situation perfectly.
    Flag mmhmm121on July 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:The subject of the song, the "Ruiner", is a priest who molests his altar boys, and the song is written from the perspective of one of his victims. The "cattle he deceives" are the congregation, who at the time of writing were still more likely to believe the priest than the victim. Those who act contrary to the dogma they believe in often rationalize their behaviour, thus "you believed in all your lies." The lines "how'd you get so big?/how'd you get so strong?" refer to a common tactic used by pederasts, who compliment their victims to make them more open and trusting.
    Flag tinestramon April 17, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:The Ruiner could be himself, God, someone else or the character's penis.
    Flag JinxMoodyon April 08, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Well IDK. Song reminds me of my dad, "Ruiner".


    I don't think it's about penis' at all....what's the plural form for penis? Peni? Penix?
    Flag LoveAngelMusicon February 13, 2011   Link

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