Nine Inch Nails – Hurt

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I hurt myself today,
To see if I still feel,
I focus on the pain,
The only thing that's real,

The needle tears a hole,
The old familiar sting,
Try to kill it all away,
But I remember everything,

[Chorus]
What have I become,
My sweetest friend,
Everyone I know,
Goes away in the end,

And you could have it all,
My empire of dirt,
I will let you down,
I will make you hurt,

I wear this crown of thorns,
Upon my liars chair,
Full of broken thoughts,
I cannot repair,

Beneath the stains of time,
The feelings disappear,
You are someone else,
I am still right here,

[Chorus]

And you could have it all,
My empire of dirt,
I will let you down,
I will make you hurt,

If I could start again,
A million miles away,
I will keep myself,
I would find a way,

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Lyrics submitted by implode, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Track duration: 06:14

"Hurt" as written by Perry/aguilera/ronson

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY

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Hurt song meanings
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501 Comments

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  • 0
    My Opinion:I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
    For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
    But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
    O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

    Rom7, KJV
    Flag bizmarkieon May 09, 2013   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:What a great song. The answer is in the history and teachings of the Babylonian Empire. My empire of dirt is the earth.

    The over meaning is about drug addiction but the under meaning is about myth, time and appreciation.
    Flag Catherine9on January 01, 2013   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    My Interpretation:To me : "Hurt " is Johnny Cash singing his musical epitaph
    I saw the movie :"walk the line"
    the ultimate love story Johnny Cash/June Carter Cash
    He passed just 4 months after his wife June did

    "I hurt myself today,To see if I still feel,
    I focus on the pain,The only thing that's real . ."

    when people close to you or dear to you die
    it somewhat feels like a dream
    you cant believe there gone
    you expect you pick up the phone add hear their voice
    or you expect them to come walking through the door
    so you pinch your self to see if its real

    [Chorus]
    What have I become,My sweetest friend,
    Everyone I know,Goes away in the end

    It feels like hes talking to his dear departed wife
    he saying with age everyone you know passes away

    And you could have it all, My empire of dirt,
    I will let you down,I will make you hurt,

    i look at "the empire of dirt "as the dirt that fills the grave
    when someone dies in a way they let you down ,they make you hurt
    your left grieving when there gone

    Beneath the stains of time,The feelings disappear,
    You are someone else,I am still right here,

    after someone has been gone for sometime
    you may not forget them,but you dont feel their presence in the same way
    now there a heartfelt memory, a spirit, there someone something else
    but you are still here,in the flesh
    Flag KNG347on November 18, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:johnny cash says: I wear this crown of thorns
    nine inch nails says: I wear this crown of shit
    Flag citoyenneon November 08, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:What makes this song so powerful is that when Johnny Cash sings it I think it is about his addictions of which he had many- and the regrets he had in his life of the choices he made that if he had the chance he would live his life differently- he hurts because he hurt so many- especially his family and those close to him. I think Johnny Cash really related to this song although he did not write it.
    His daughter Roseanne also sings of her pain and her addictions in songs she has written- I think Roseanne and Johnny Cash shared a deep pain as father and daughter
    Flag Valentine7on November 03, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think it's about a guy who had a drug problem, had someone help him through it.. something happens, he uses again (the needle tears a hole, that old familiar sting) to try to feel numb -

    "I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel"

    He goes through the high hoping to forget his problem (Try to kill it all away,
    But I remember everything), knowing shortly after that he basically just ruined himself all over again. He starts to feel tremendous guilt.

    He would gladly give up every bit of himself and his wealth, possessions etc not to feel so horrible, and goes on to say that he isn't worth saving, but if he could start over, he wouldn't change the circumstances that brought him to the misery, he would instead try to be better through the adversity.

    just my take on it.
    Flag thedude22on September 10, 2012   Link
  • -2
    My Interpretation:It's about a junky taking a hit and then regretting it and wanting to go start a new life.
    Flag lokicannonon May 09, 2012   Link
  • -2
    General Comment:It could be about many things, including mental illness. Don't bother wasting your time...just run. They gave up on themselves long ago and will only bring you down. Leave them to their short-term relationships until they are too old to be desirerable and have to spend their time alone listening to music in their dark apartments with their booze and whatever toothless prostitute they can afford. Here's a good article that goes with the song: (How to End a Relationship with a Borderline Personality Disorder Sufferer)

    www (dot) ehow (dot) com/how_2154562_end-relationship-borderline-personality-disorder.html
    Flagged StayOUTOFMYLIFEon March 25, 2012   Link
  • +4
    General Comment:The song lyrics seem to be from a heroin addict/dealers perspective. The references to the needle and killing pain. Dirt is a street term for heroin so his Empire of Dirt could symbolize his drug business or all the dope hes wasted money on and done. He talks about his crown of thorns and liars chair which could symbolize all the mental and physical pain hes afflicted on other people and himself because of the drug.
    Flag SaintPsilocybinon February 23, 2012   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation:I dont know but this song talks loads to me. I broke up with this girl that I still really like about 6 months ago after briefly being together. I haven't been in another relationship since then because I simply think about her constantly. Since then I started doing all sorts of stuff that she wouldn't approve of, but it helps me. She's moved on and found someone else. I'm nothing special for sure, but I'd do anything for her. "you could have it all, my empire of dirt" "you are someone else, I am still right here."

    I know this might be a silly interpretation, I just wanted to share it with people.
    Flag Ved1989on February 19, 2012   Link
    • 2 Replies

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