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PATRON-ONLY "BIG MAN WITH A GUN" extended cut (Patreon)

Published:
2021-05-11 03:22:28
Edited:
2021-05-12 01:30:46
Imported:
2026-09
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PATREON - "BIG MAN WITH A GUN" - musical analysis (Nine Inch Nails)

TW: sexual violence, gun violence As f*cked up as this song is, I still had to analyze it for my TDS series and try to find some merit. If you can't watch the video or listen to the song, I completely understand. Over the years I've built up a wall around this song and my only way through this analysis is with a little levity. I know that many of you are really looking forward to next week's video, as am I. ♥️ ___________ PATREON - exclusive videos, sheet music, livestreams, lessons: https://www.patreon.com/iximusic BUY ME A LIPSTICK: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/iximusic FOLLOW me on Instagram: @ixi.music WATCH NIN analysis videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH036NNMYMw&list=PLn_Xar3I0ZoBekweW27w_hVQxbfHntzyB SPOTIFY: http://open.spotify.com/artist/59lLMFeXn19B8PuUBEdYKT ___________ SPECIAL BIG PIG THANK YOU to my Piggies! (Patrons):Victoria Hogg, Dario Cotti, Duncan Edwards, Zachary Stevens, Darius McCaskey, John Kirkilis, Ada Cohen, James M. Bowers, Beguile, Philip Sharp, Kevin Meyer, Eric Blum, richchupac, JTScott Gentzen, Dustin Sinkey, Justin Owens, Michael Fisher, Ste McFreeman, Shane Gartner, Davey Cadaver, Andrew Hussey, Jeff Hamm, Katie Murphy, Tyler Shaw, brandon, Tim Moore, Bradley Kemp, echothirteen, Patrick LaRue, Fernando, John Schadegg, Brian Gunn, Jake Cole, louis_ricks, Kyle Krull, Marc Jeray, Giorgio Tidei, Vesuvian, Luc De Brouwer, snettles1143, Justin Montgomery, Erik Hermansen, 5-MeO-DMT, Jerry Langwell, Andrés Fernandez, Brian Hard, Max Hodges, Travis Ames, Joseph Martin Giralt, Noah, Gaven Cornaby, Matt Shepcar, Midwinter Minis, Michael Thomas, Kent Overtreet, Devon Lee, Sid Sothoth, Victor Howard, Matt Standish, Toney Vecchio, Shane Welch, Michael Elliot, Brian, Stephen Marsh, Christophe, Simon Evans, Jonathan Tackling, wolfheart, Nick Teague, Sam, Daniel Baer, Adam Chmielowiec, Chris Power, Daniel McGauley, Matt Spurlin, Kai Ellis, Rory Wilson, Arenow, yalehneb, Forrest Karbowski, Dan Kelly, Skippityboo, Nate Beckman, Chrifis, Andrew Stimson, Joseph Souder, Kondrad P-Kala, Grant McManus, Brian Gunn, Jake Cole, Seth Startix, Etvid, Wesley Griffin, Rick Grush, Rickard Enfors, Alexander Ekman, Josh Allard, Steve Bock, dreamsaremaps, Maze, HeliosVIII, Wayne Bristol, Dluck75, Jesse Russel, Marc Résibois, Joel, Samtillac, Filip Marcinowski, Josh Nobel, Disembodied Studios, Black Magic Ti, Jerry Burch, Mark Olsen, Adam Khrystofer Hamilton, Lon Farenwald, Dr. Jeff, andrea cerini, N0UGHT, Elle Lassiter, Jan Scholtz, Thomas Rishel, HeathSoSpooky, Ted Carrol, Travis Hyde, Sean Vaske, noah yagi, and Jesse Russell.

Comments

Jathby Dredas

Absolute indulgence in the madness at the core of the spiral. The leap of faith in the phallic self-god to something that matters. Without nuance, growth, or subtlety. The absolute. After this, a warm place serves as a refractory period and the rest is self-loathing (and projection). But this is all just one perspective, I bet I'm going to learn more. I didn't realize the parts of this piece were scattered throughout the rest, presented here in a primal state.

Steve Marseille

I have to confess. I've always "gotten" what BMWAG is. I'm not dense, and the 'satire' and the place of the protagonist (if he is really a PROtagonist) has been clear. That said. I still don't like this song. I also don't agree that it is necessary. There is already plenty of imagery that conveys the essential points on the album. I do not really appreciate this piece. As cultural comment, it is clumsy to the point of boneheaded. Sledgehammer wit. As part of a journey, it has been done better by TR himself in other contexts (Gave Up frankly is a better gateway to this kind of release). I begrudge no one for their views. But I find it inessential and lame, and not even all that interesting musically - the biggest sin, IMO. Maybe that's what he wanted it to be. The uncomfortable elephant in the room. It's not the rape scene in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. No. It's the rape scene in Irreversible. Ugly, too long, you have to look away.

Steve Marseille

Thank you for your thoughtful insight. That was worthwhile.

Steve Marseille

No, the song is boneheaded, not the artist. Reading comprehension for the win. Also: when did this become the cult of Trent Can Do No Wrong?

The Critical Thinker

Calling something out sometimes involves narratively taking the point of view of the thing you're calling out (like in Satrfuckers). The phrase "doesn't just call X out, but becomes X" elides a useful distinction between i) becoming an actual example of X (which I don't think is happening in BMWAG or SF), and ii) adopting the POV of X for purposes of narrative examination. Granted, people who find X distasteful can be uncomfortable with (ii). That said, I've always liked the song, and love the analysis, as always.

ixi music

One of the many things about Trent I admire is that he is quite comfortable with making other people uncomfortable. If you're always trying to make people comfortable as an artist, there are some things you won't be able to say. Something I try to work on myself.

Kevin Meyer

Big Man With A Gun, to me, was a direct callback to Closer. Where, in Closer, we had "you let me violate you, etc," in BGWAG it's a mad, last-ditch effort to wield that power without any give and take, without consent, etc. It's dark and horrible, yes, but it still read to me as a twisted power fantasy, and not an action taken. "I can reduce you if I want." The "You let me," passages from Closer are gone now, but it's still all part of the narrative's deranged, suicidal ideation. It always felt like it had a place on the album to me. It's brief, and it's nasty, and I don't think A Warm Place would have anywhere near the impact it does if it had followed immediately after I Do Not Want This. Compare that to a similar song, Starfuckers, Inc.: That song, to me, is the one that's immature and out of place. So far as I can tell, it has no place in the greater narrative of The Fragile, and doesn't remotely fit. The Fragile would be a better album without Starfuckers in my opinion, where TDS would lose something without BMWAG.

Sam Patterson

I always skipped it. It was, lyrically, crap. Musically I liked it. I heard about the satire slant and it made more sense but fit even less. I think if the lyrics were redone, focusing on madness, mania, risky behavior, or even something like self harm it could fit, especially with A Warm Place coming after.

ixi music

I was thinking about this too - if it's just satire, then why include it on the album as part of the narrative? It can't be just that. And that quote "I'm making fun of gangsta rap", that doesn't feel like the whole story.