This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Well you've got me working so hard lately
Working my hands until they bleed
If I was twice the man I could be
I'd still be half of what you need
Still you lead me and I follow
Anything you ask you know I'll do
This one act of consecration
Is what I ask of you
A promise carved in stone
Deeper than the sea
Severed flesh and blood
Offer it to me
Well you just leave me nailed here
Hanging like jesus on this cross
I'm just dying for your sins
And aiding to the cause
A promise carved in stone
Deeper than the sea
Severed flesh and bone
Offer it to me
Wrap my eyes in bandages
Confessions I see through
I get everything I want
When I get part of you
A promise carved in stone
Its deeper than the sea
Sever flesh and bone
And offer it to me
A promise carved in stone
Deeper than the sea
Devils flesh and bone
Do something for me
Working my hands until they bleed
If I was twice the man I could be
I'd still be half of what you need
Still you lead me and I follow
Anything you ask you know I'll do
This one act of consecration
Is what I ask of you
A promise carved in stone
Deeper than the sea
Severed flesh and blood
Offer it to me
Well you just leave me nailed here
Hanging like jesus on this cross
I'm just dying for your sins
And aiding to the cause
A promise carved in stone
Deeper than the sea
Severed flesh and bone
Offer it to me
Wrap my eyes in bandages
Confessions I see through
I get everything I want
When I get part of you
A promise carved in stone
Its deeper than the sea
Sever flesh and bone
And offer it to me
A promise carved in stone
Deeper than the sea
Devils flesh and bone
Do something for me
Lyrics submitted by kare, edited by NINja94, SEDREG, SMUSER17506205
Ringfinger Lyrics as written by Trent Reznor
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
It´s really about not being able to please the one you love
he's very desparate to please the person he wants to marry but she wont give in.
Okay, these lyrics are actually part of the version of the song that is called "Twist" and is from a bootleg called "Purest Feeling". I've not actually heard that version yet, but will now be hunting it down. However I did find these lyrics when I was looking for the actual lyrics for "Ringfinger".
Lyrics for "Twist":
Well you've got me working so hard lately Working my hands until they bleed If I was twice the man I could be I'd still be half of what you need Still you lead me and I follow All of your back up to your chin Over to the tip of your switchblade As you pull it out and you stick it in
(Twist twist twist) it can go a little deeper (Twist twist twist) I'm wearing these chains (Twist twist twist) you make it hurt real good (Twist twist twist) I love the pain
Well you just leave me nailed here Hanging like Jesus on this cross I'm just dying for your sins And aiding to the cause
(Twist twist twist) it can go a little deeper (Twist twist twist) I'm wearing these chains (Twist twist twist) you make it hurt real good (Twist twist twist) I love the pain
Wrap my soul in bandages I'm tired of this war Go ahead and cut me I can't even feel it anymore
(Twist twist twist) it can go a little deeper (Twist twist twist) I'm wearing these chains (Twist twist twist) you make it hurt real good (Twist twist twist) but I love, love the pain (Twist twist twist) it can go a little deeper (Twist twist twist) I'm wearing these chains (Twist twist twist) make it hurt, make it hurt (Twist twist twist) I love the pain (Twist twist twist)
And for "Ringfinger":
Well you've got me working so hard lately Working my hands until they bleed If I was twice the man I could be I'd still be half of what you need Still you lead me and I follow Anything you ask you know I'll do But this one act of consecration is what I ask of you
Those last 4 lines are not actually in the song at all, but he listed them in the lyrics booklet for Pretty Hate Machine. So....quite obviously a very personal message meant for someone specific. At least in my opinion. I did not officially correct the lyrics because the ones listed are kinda from 2 different versions of the song. I thought that anyone else who is huge on NIN would appreciate. And I will add that if you can find a live version of "Ringfinger", you will hear that instead of "This one act of consecration...." he says "This one act of masturbation is what I ask of you".
@Belle47 If you're huge on NIИ, you'll be interested to know that the 'you' in Pretty Hate Machine is a girl Trent was close to at band camp. She's done an interview, if you want to go digging.<br /> <br /> Regarding twist - I bet you were disappointed when you found it! It's just an early, worse version of ringfinger, missing all the atmosphere in the chorus!<br /> <br /> The 'I'm so tired' part probably is in the song - just sampled and filtered so much, it sounds more like a drum hit or the like, knowing Trent's approach in this album (he sampled a ton of artists, editing the sampled to the point that they were totally unrecogniseable.)<br /> <br /> There are similar 'hidden' lyrics in other parts of the album.... Sanctified ("As surely as the blade's course is run, Maybe my kingdom's finally come") and Kinda I want to (I'll take my chance tonight), then there's the lyrics you clearly hear, but people seems to miss, like Terrible Lie's 'I give you everything, my sweet everything'.<br /> <br /> It's such a heartwrenching album. Makes you just want to give him a bit hug and ask 'who hurt you?'. I don't think Trent likes that though - he never expected Hate Machine to sell well, so left it personal like a diary. When he realised the audience for his music, he stopped singing so personally about relationships. :)
@Belle47 To add - it's likely "Andrea Mulrain", the same 'Annie' mentioned in "The Becoming". You can find a few comments in various articles if you do a bit of googling.
Being asked for someones hand in marriage.
Shows how he'll always come back to the one he loves, even after she did all this to him. And, of course, the above.
I always thought opposite.. a few things point to sheer sexual frustration. "Still you lead me and I follow, anything you ask you know I'll do, just one act of consecration, is all I ask of you..." I mean, I thought that it might be something to do with sex. She's leading him through... maybe even married him, and he still, quite simply, isnt getting any. "DO SOMETHING FOR ME"... "Sever flesh and bone, and OFFER IT TO ME"... Things like that... you know as well as I that trent isnt exactly conservative when it comes to sexual issues. Just a thought. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems that way...
@Nollykin I think those parts are more to do with BDSM, tease and denial etc.
I just had to analyze this one...
Well you've got me working so heard lately Working my hands until they bleed He's back with her, but he feels like she is in control and he doesnt want to do anything wrong, so hes working harder than usual, and he's humbled If i was twice the man I could be I'd still be half of what you need Yet he still can't live up to her standards, because even if he really tried, he still wouldnt be enough Still you lead me and I follow Anything you ask you know I'll do But this one act of consecration is what I ask of you Yet, he still wants her and will do anything she asks. And he is ok with it, but he just wants one thing in return from her...marriage. (Consecration in this sense means to make their relationship sacred by going through a religious and permamnent ceremony or rite) Ringfinger Promise carved in stone Deeper than the sea Here, he's comparing the marriage vows and the symbol of the ring as something that can never be broken again, (cause he wants to feel secure in the knowledge that she will never leave him again) Ringfinger Sever flesh and bone And offer it to me Here he just doesn't care about how she treats him, all he wants is marriage...at any cost. He'll take it even if she cut's her ringfinger off and gave it to him You just left me nailed here Hanging like Jesus on the cross I'll be dying for your sins And aiding to the cause I think hes saying he feels crucified by her cause shes getting away with a lot of things and hes letting her Wrap my eyes in bandages Confessions I see through I get everything I want When I get part of you he doesnt want to see or believe how she really is as long as he gets to have her
Sorry about my explanation being so long, but this is just how I see it.
Here is another more cryptic meaning, in some sects of satanism it is considered a mark of ulimate devotion to satan to cutt off the ring finger of your left hand and offer it as a sacrifice.
papaear: interesting thought...but knowing trent, I'd say he knew that but put it in the context of something more along the lines of love or relational symbology.
very cool, though, didn't know that.
a very, very good nin song. surprisingly (unlike a few other pretty hate machine songs) it stands the test of time, especially when faced to fragile songs...
I enjoy the original-- "Twist" much better