I'm going to get so high
You'll never get inside
I swore I'd never turn into you
I'm closer all the time

I made it ten miles high
Can't tell my truth from my lies
I swore to god I would never turn into you
I'm getting closer... all the time

Tear it all down
Tear it all down
Tear it all down
Tear it all down
Tear it all -



Lyrics submitted by trills

Track duration: 05:10

"10 Miles High" as written by Trent Reznor

Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY

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10 Miles High song meanings
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26 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think this song is based off of becoming someone that you hate, but I don't think it's actually a literal person.
    I think he means someone you imagined as a bad person in a past. An idea. "I swore I'd never turn into you" meaning "I know that way isn't the right way, so I'm not going to travel down that road." And then over time, he realizes, he's somehow turned into this person. He's lost perception of what he actually is made of and what he's tried so hard to be and lied to himself that he is. (Can't tell my truth from my lies)

    "I'm getting closer, all the time" basically meaning that he's starting to turn it around. He's starting to become higher than his lies.

    His fears came true, and now they're spreading into things that are actually happening. "My nightmares are everywhere but inside, a living indication of every situation"
    "But it seems I've got neglected complications, hindered my salvation" He's completely neglected the voice screaming inside him telling him that he was going to fall.
    "But I try, and I try, and I try..." He keeps trying to pull it back together. Trying to find safety.

    "I'm gonna get so high,
    You'll never get inside,"

    He's running away from the mess he made, to try and repair what's left of himself.

    "I swore I'd never turn into you,
    I'm closer all the time"

    He's realized that he's becoming that someone he said he never would.

    "I made it 10 miles high,
    Can't tell my truths from my lies"

    He can't see what's really a part of who he is, and what's changed inside of him to fit the someone he hates. He doesn't know which flaws are his flaws, and which good traits are his traits.

    "I swore to god I would never turn into you,
    I'm getting closer,
    All the time."

    He's so angry that he let himself become this person that he hates so much.

    "Tear it all down" basically means he's going to rip himself apart, just to see what's left of him.

    This interpretation is kind of personal, because it's kind of what I'm going through right now, but music is entirely personal in my opinion. People form relationships with different songs, and no two relationships are the same.
    *shrug*
    Flag dripdroptikson July 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I LOVE IT... epic.
    Whoooa, never noticed the pink floyd thing! I thought maybe he's try to quit drugs awhile, and some shit happened and he did them again. Who do you think "you" is?
    Dude, I thought the lyrics were "Oh baby, ten miles high" haha sounded good. Of course it was cut from the fragile, it's from things falling apart which "contains various manipulations of songs recorded from the fragile sessions"
    Flag DJgifon April 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Perfect beat, creepy, fucked up self-realization hate song
    Flag ThingsFallingAparton January 28, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This would've fit in fucking PERFECTLY on the Downward Spiral. Probably between Reptile and The Downward Spiral (song) or TDS or Hurt
    Flag NINirvana69on January 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The instruments in here... dhgdifugdsf so good.
    I do think this song is kinda related to Closer, and the whole issue with the character in TDS needing to be closer to god, etc.
    Flag Rhiannaaaon October 18, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is pretty basic its about trent reznor becoming a person he never wanted to become which is a bad person. he saying im gonna get so high meaning he is trying to get to heaven and that he got 10 miles high but of coarse he was rejected and never got to heaven
    Flag sse7on April 18, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:OK JUST GO WITH ME ON THIS ONE...

    I don't know if anyone else has notice this, but every time i listen to this song i think its a sequel to closer. anyone else agree?

    Of course there is the lyrics "I'm getting Closer"

    Then the whole concept of "10 Miles High"
    And the song closer lyrics "Closer to god"

    I don't know... I haven't seen this idea anywhere else online..so what do you guy's think?
    Flag Fatman2008on February 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Has anyone noticed that "The Mark Has Been Made" from The Fragile trails perfectly into this song? Seriously, queue them up together and listen. The lyrics heard at the end of TMHBM even match these. I'm kind of curious about whether or not this song was cut from The Fragile...
    Flag Governatoron February 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I noticed some almost inaudible lyrics coming from the right side of my headphones and I looked online to find out if anyone figured it out. Heres what they got.

    "My nightmare's everywhere but inside, a living indication of every situation.
    But it seems I've got neglected complications, hindered my salvation.
    But I try, and I try, and I try..."

    After cranking up the volume and re-listening to that section, I think that these are most likely the correct lyrics.
    Flag Lazo89on December 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:haha kinda funny that sinistercontrivance said :

    You are an idiot, egb. As a matter of fact Trent isn't into drugs Apparently, Trent lacks the weakness necessary to enjoy drugs.

    and he just said a few years ago that he had a big drug problem and need to rehab

    you shouldn't be talking on shit that you dont know enough about mr sinistercontrivance,and you are no one to call another an idiot

    you are the biggest one of them all
    Flag israel51on November 22, 2007   Link

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