Big Man with a Gun

trent reznor seems to be making fun of men who get self-confidence from feeling powerful, and having a big gun and a big penis make many men feel powerful. i don't think he's saying he's one of those men, ninon, i think he's commenting on them. it's a great song. maybe it's disturbing, but great observations often are.

Like others have said, this song's meaning changes depending on whether it's taken on its own context or within the context of the whole album, with my favorite interpretation coming from when it's taken in the context of the album. By this point in the album the main character of the Downward Spiral has killed God (Heresy), celebrated his victory by mocking God as he stands over his corpse (Ruiner), realized the mechanical indifference and nihilism he's unleashed on the world (The Becoming), and realized this isn't what he wanted (I Do Not Want This...obviously).
Big Man With A Gun is him trying to reestablish moral and social order through force, violence, and power, with the blatantly sexual lyrics illustrating the character's psychological linking of sex and power. In the end it simply doesn't work, with all the main character's yelling and shouting being literally drowned out by the mechanical buzzing of the nihilism he's trying to destroy before it all suddenly stops; he realizes all at once that world doesn't care enough to fear him and that it's no longer worth trying. His own efforts beforehand sabotaged his efforts to replace God with himself before they even began.

Probably similar to a lot of the other interpretations posted here but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway.

can i be a cunt too?

Actually he said in an interview with U-magazine that this is mocking the misogynist attitude in hardcore gangsta rap.

http://nothing.nin.net/int30.html

I'm pretty certain this is not a literal telling of events for The Downward Spiral. There's no way we go from this god awful evil events to feeling sympathy for the protagonist in the title track and Hurt. I take this song to mean one of 2 things

1. This is a twisted power fantasy. The protagonist feels worthless and is imagining a scenario in which he has control over someone he feels wronged him

2. This song is a non-canon event. Instead, it's a song mocking the stereotypical "tough guy." Just mocking the general toxic stereotype/concept that being manly means having a big penis, sleeping with a lot of women, and having a lot of guns.

i think this song is addressing how many men occasionally feel like a "bigger" or more "masculine" man or whatever when they have a gun or a big penis, beings that these attributes are most oftenly associated with the stereotypical idea of masculinity. I think it is great that trent has made a song that in my opinion mocks this warped sense of thinking.

firstly, kurtcobain2727, you are a cunt. you're the sort of guy who thinks every song he ever hears is about kurt cobain because , of course, he is the only musician ever despite the fact that, while quite good, he is hideously overrated and trent, billy corgan, eddie vedder, perry farrel and a whole load of others piss all over him. Secondly, Nsearchoftruth, you are also a cunt. You are, in fact, everything that this songs takes the piss out of, you stupid, no-brained self-publicising bastard, 'ho's' indeed. Oooooh, you're so gangsta, mi ghetto homie. Fuck you. Finally, what a wonderfully sick, observant, brilliant song.

I've heard two different stories about this song. . .

The first story would be the infamous tale that Tori Amos and Trent Reznor (being the great friends that they are, as we all know) stumbled across the idea to make an art statement by exploring the aspects of rape. Trent made a song ("Big Man With A Gun") from the Rapist's point of view, and Tori made one ("Me and A Gun") from the victim's perspective.

The second story I heard while listening to the 1994 London Interview disc, Disturbed. Trent then says that this song is an ode to gangta rap.

I don't find this song any more offensive than "Closer" or the Queen cover "Get Down Make Love". . . Trent Reznor's talent overshadows anything offensive anyhow.

Okay, the Tori Amos and Trent Reznor meaning makes a lot of sense since the two of them are great friends. And Tori did make a song that has a lot to do with it.

At the same time, I agree with becky's comment the most. I mean her comment makes perfect sense. Trent tends to write about things he sees in the world that he thinks are stupid. I could use better words, but stupid is just the best to explain it. Usually he sticks to religion, but in this case, he's saying what's with men and needing affirmation of things, and going after it in the form of things like rape. And that still works with the Tori Amos. He's looking from the rapists point of view. This man, just your regular.. Normal.. Fan Boy.. Right? He wants to feel BIG.. Well Rape does this to men. Gives them a feeling of power. And in this case, it's not just any woman, it's a famous singer. Right? So this guy feels real good about himself, real, big. And the whole time he hid behind a gun, while raping someone.

Bet that made him feel big. Having it put into terms like that. Trent might as well just say. "Hey, doubt she cared about the size of your dick, or you. You weren't in power. The gun was. It was all the gun."

"me and my fucking gun" "shoot shoot shoot" He makes the song revolve more around the gun than the rape. Sort of takes away the "masculinity" the "power" that the rapist might have been feeling.

I thought it was a pretty general explanation of how men can really be "Pigs." (A running theme throughout the entire Album...) And that men, or humans in general, can be overtly indulgent and craving, to the point where they lose their respect for other people (Women, in particular) and forget their morals, just to get a piece of the pleasure they want.

And let's face it, it's completely true. So many people nowadays are just so lost in their craving for sex.