This world rejects me
This world threw me away
This world never gave me a chance
This world gonna have to pay

Well I don't believe in your institutions
I did what you wanted me to
I'm like the cancer in your system
I've got a little surprise for you

Something inside of me
Has opened up its eyes
Why did you put it there?
Did you not realize
This thing inside of me
It screams the loudest sound
Sometimes I think I could

Burn

I look down from at where you're standing
Flock of sheep out on display
With all your lies bumped up around you
I can take it all away

Something inside of me
Has opened up its eyes
Why did you put it there?
Did you not realize
Something inside of me
It screams the loudest sound
Sometimes I think I could

I'm gonna burn this whole world down

I never was a part of you

Burn

I was a soldier
I am corruption
I am the agent
Of your destruction
I am perversion
Sick with desire
I am your future
Swallowed up in fire



Lyrics submitted by me109cito, edited by Sean19a7x, TheBronze

Track duration: 05:00

"Burn" as written by Kenny O'dell

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Burn song meanings
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51 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I like this song, its a song that can help someone who is depressed a lil bit
    Flag shyleeon November 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:This was the first NIN song I heard introduced by a friend who was an avid fan. He said this song reminded him of me so I gave it a shot. I had never had someone capture my emotions so well. It felt like I was singing the song. When he screams "I'M GONNA BURN THIS WHOLE WORLD DOWWWWWWWWWWWWWN" I am overtaken by emotions every single hair on my body stands on end no matter how many times I hear it.

    i don't believe in your institutions
    i did what you wanted me to
    like cancer in the system
    i've got a little suprise for you

    "i dont believe in your institutions" I have ben institutionalized five times in psych wards and twice in drug rehabs. Every time I come out worse than before. He is saying he doesn't believe in them but he did what they wanted (I did what you wanted me to)he follwed the steps but despite that he is who he is and will not conform to the "norms" of this world. (like the cancer in the system)
    I've got a little suprise for you is obvious he is going to do something about it.

    something inside of me has opened up its eyes
    why did you put it there did you not realize
    this thing inside of me it screams the loudest sound
    sometimes i think i could

    As time goes on the resentment grows. Failure at trying to conform and being institutionalized has driven more resentment. Some can't turn away from the true nature of this world and society no matter how many times they try. The thing inside of him is his pure raw undying hatred for all men all society. Society placed it there that is who he is refrencing in why did you put it there did you not realize.

    i look down there where you're standing
    flock of sheep out on display
    saw your lives burned up around you
    i can take it all away

    He is observing society "I look down there where you're standing flock of sheep out on display" He knows that they are just pawns in a greater scheme thats honestly even greater than they could themselves imagine. Sheep. Cattle. Slaves. "Saw your lives burned up around you." He isn't literally talking about fire here but that he sees them living pointless lives void of the true nature of living on this planet. He saw their lives fading without meaning through there surrondings...society. "I can take it all away" He is talking about destroying it all.

    I understand totally.
    If I just had one wish it would take me just a millisecond to decide.... it would be to just burn this motherfucker down....all of it.


    Flag solominusoneon October 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love the video too.
    Flag Celtic_FCon September 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:In my top 10 work out songs.
    Flag Celtic_FCon September 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think its about a guy in a mental asylum...i cant really explain why i think this, but a video of trent singing this song in a straight jacket would seem so fitting wouldnt it?
    Flag heronothingon July 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:but I think the song has some different meanings from the movie. The song seems to be angrier and more "reasonable" while in the movie Micky and Mallory sometimes kill people for no reason and they JUST DONT CARE about the rules in the world.
    anyway its a great song and I extremely wish it was in the movie,not just OST.
    Flag juyaoon July 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Great song! "i gonna burn this whole world down"and the scream later just send shivers down my spine...
    I love Natural Born Killers
    Flag juyaoon July 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The songs means that a man was pissed out in his autonomous life..he doesn't find the essence of these by obying the rules that have been given by the society..the song wants to negate, and opposed the universality of life in able to find his own existence, thus by doing his essence will follow, the song doesn't care if he will be an angel or a devil..because there is no such as good and evil..but only the existent and non-existent was that matters..to make it simple..NIN..uses the natural born killers, because living life was all about survival of the fittest...the strong shall lived and the weak will die
    Flag ratanapateron December 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:A lot of songs can be open to interpretation, but no, Burn is pretty straight-forward . . . created for Natural Burn Killers, and about wanting to kill people.

    I agree about all the stuff said about society and sociopathism and outcasts and such. But, more specifically, I think this is a song that simply aims to express the point of view of a guy everyone knows of, but knows nothing ABOUT - the thoughts and feelings in the head of an absolute psychopath.

    There's tons of gangsta songs about life in the streets and shooting people. But Burn is so different - it's the point of view of a genuine psychopath. And a pyromaniac, at that. Like if they made a song about Ren, from Ren & Stimpy, but a pyromaniac.
    Flag barakao1on August 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is just about not belonging and how the shit we are fed can just make us snap one day.
    Flag trents_mindon August 26, 2007   Link

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