Give it to me,
I can take it...

Make it stop...


Lyrics submitted by vapur, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Complications of the Flesh Lyrics as written by Trent Reznor

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Complications of the Flesh song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

7 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    i've never heard of this song, what album is it on?

    Soldier1288on August 01, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song can only be found on the third edition of the "We're In This Together" single. A really rare single to own. It is my opinion that the song wasn't intended to have a meaning, but I'd say it has something to do with sex if anything. The song is a collaboration of the songs "Complication" and "The New Flesh", and is mostly just an instrumental.

    Ru1neron September 06, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    well, i'm sure this isnt too deep of an interpretation, but he wants it. he "knows" he can handle it, he seriously wants it. oops, didnt work out... now it cant stop, and he doesnt like it at all... maybe "make it stop" is repeated until the end, b//c it never actually does stop. OR... by him saying "make it stop", he wants the feeling and agony to stop b//c no one believes he can actually take it. ...idk

    tenmileshighhhon July 05, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    yea its about when he was a kid he had rape problems witht the robotts of 1987 so he had to remove several ribs to suck his penis to make him self unattrackted tot the robots

    nin number oneon July 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's either about drugs or S&M

    NINirvana69on January 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Well I personally related to this song with this sort of imagined sort of actual experience.

    You know that something bad is going to happen (your girlfriend breaking up with you, etc..) Therefore, you expect it, hence, "give it to me, I can take it." You're trying to be brave in the face of fear. Stoic. Then when it actually happens you are begging for it to stop. Like I said this is a personal experience of mine that I related to this song. A different idea comes from the title. Complications of the Flesh. Flesh referring to sin/ the world in Christianity. Complications referring to the difficulty of overcoming sin. In Trent's personal life this would more than likely be referencing his substance abuse/addiction problems. "Give it to me, I can take it," meaning either give me the drug, or give me the reremedy. "Make it stop" meaning the high/comedown off the drug, or the symptoms of withdraw from not having the drug.

    Androgyneon April 19, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is a beautiful song that is a perfect example of what a Nine Inch Nails song is. This is and abstract description of pain. I feel the situation of the song puts Trent is a situation where someone is trying to break him with pain, but he can take it.... for a while. Then all you hear is pain for a broken man with nothing left.

    joeswan1on March 18, 2014   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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,
Album art
Blue
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.