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song: big man with a gun
band: nine inch nails
here's big man with a gun. it's a fairly short song, so the
transcription is short as well. the first line below is the
basic keyboard line, tabbed to bass.
G|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|
A|------------------------------5--|
E|--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-6------|
E|------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------------|
D|--7------8------9-9-9-9---------7--8---9-9-9-9--|
A|--5------6------7-7-7-7------5--5--6---7-7-7-7--|
E|-------------------------0-6---------0----------|
i appoligize in advance for anyone trying to learn
this, as the timing is really weird, and very hard
for me to transcribe. i guess the only thing that
i can suggest would be to practice by playing along
with the tape/CD.
transcribed by: darkelf@netcom.com
Taken from The BassMasta -- http://www.bassmasta.net
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
|
No Picture
Chris Wanna Be |
#1 by Chris at Mar 8, 1973 at 2:47 PM EST |
| can i be a cunt too? | |
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No Picture
Georg Average |
#2 by Georg Åström at Dec 26, 1973 at 12:42 PM EST |
| this song is disturbing. more so than other NIN songs. i think trent needs some sort of affirmation of his masculinity. | |
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No Picture
Jerad Wanna Be |
#3 by Jerad at May 21, 1977 at 10:27 AM EST |
| 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. | |
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No Picture
Tanner Average |
#4 by Tanner Rudnick at Aug 9, 1978 at 2:50 PM EST |
| i think its about kurt cobain......courtney love used to go out with trent.....maybe even married him.....he could have been jelous | |
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No Picture
I BAKE YOU MUFF Average |
#5 by I BAKE YOU MUFFIN at Jan 5, 1979 at 4:52 AM EST |
| LittleUrantiaGirl has it completely right and also he is bashing the need for male society to constantly assert their 'masculinity' | |
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No Picture
Eric Wanna Be |
#6 by Eric Falter at Apr 26, 1979 at 5:45 AM EST |
| I read an article a while back that said some girl wrote a letter of complaint about this song and sent it to Interscope records. | |
|
No Picture
A Lead Player |
#7 by A J at Dec 16, 1980 at 12:37 AM EST |
| this song is really making fun of gangster rap, trent even said it himself. Hes making fun of how they all talk about their penises and all that shit, so he's making fun of it | |
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No Picture
Kevin Wanna Be |
#8 by Kevin White at Dec 28, 1981 at 5:53 AM EST |
| it's about guys like NSoT. you know? the self involved fuckwads that need affirmation of there masculinity, they are the guys that are totally fucking rude in public, and you just want to crack their skulls open like a melon. *** and yeah, i agree it is real disturbing, and makes me rather uncomfortably for some reason. i usually skip over it if i am listening to TDS. | |
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No Picture
Pat Lead Player |
#9 by Pat O'Shea at Dec 24, 1986 at 7:14 PM EST |
| It's kinda a confusing song. Is it about mens' penises or is he commenting on the fact that guns are legal in America. Men buy their guns to compensate other parts of their lives because they feel tough and manly. Half of it sounds like his dick and the other half about literal guns. | |
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No Picture
Ben Average |
#10 by Ben at Jun 20, 1988 at 4:02 AM EST |
| Yeah, Spittle! Which IS he talking about? I think this song is kind of.. exciting in a really special way... it makes me feel.. excited. | |
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No Picture
Austin Wanna Be |
#11 by Austin at Sep 21, 1988 at 10:56 PM EST |
| no matter if reznor believed in this or not, i believe it is definitely addressing the "issue" of male supremacy. this song makes me feel slightly uncomfortable, but i have to admit its extremely powerful and still an awesome song. | |
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No Picture
Randy Wanna Be |
#12 by Randy Honey at Oct 22, 1989 at 3:01 PM EST |
| Think of the song in the context of the album. Each song is related and in this song the character is obsessed with fucking and power. You see later that it leads to his downfall with disease and eventual suicide. | |
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No Picture
Eskil Oscar Average |
#13 by Eskil Oscar Svendsen at Dec 24, 1989 at 1:27 AM EST |
| I think this song was written about Tori Amos getting raped by a fan of hers. Well it is about rape and a gun, it reminds me of the story of her getting raped. Its got a good tune this song, I dont think in anyways this song is politcal, the Nine Inch Nails was the least politcal band I ever known. | |
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No Picture
anthony Wanna Be |
#14 by anthony barter at Feb 3, 1990 at 1:49 AM EST |
| I think this song is great. In some parts of the song it actually makes you think twice about what he is talking about the gun? or the Penis? | |
|
No Picture
mik Average |
#15 by mik at Nov 1, 1991 at 5:20 AM EST |
| "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." Quite right you are... First of all, I have more musicians I could add to that list-Warrell Dane, Mikeal Akerfeld, Jonathan Davis, Otep Shamaya, Layne Staley, Maynard James Keenan, Zach De Larocha, etc. And second of all, Kurt was never good. | |
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No Picture
The Major Rajor Rhythm Player |
#16 by The Major Rajor . at Jan 17, 1993 at 6:46 AM EST |
| 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. | |
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No Picture
Jordan Average |
#17 by Jordan at Aug 24, 1994 at 5:34 AM EST |
| It's funny that something like Emininem comes out what 5 years ago and people are blown away by how offensive his lyrics are. Well I'll bet anyone will agree that these lyrics are much more extreme than anything that eminem has ever written and this came out almost 10 years ago now. | |
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No Picture
owain Wanna Be |
#18 by owain pole at May 20, 1995 at 1:19 AM EST |
| trent reznor is a genius in every respect. "the downward spiral" is one of the best albums ever made and this song is definitely one of its highlights. no affirmation of reznor's masculinity or intelligence is needed. | |
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No Picture
Bert Wanna Be |
#19 by Bert Hastings at Sep 14, 1998 at 1:36 PM EST |
| 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. | |
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No Picture
Wanna Be |
#20 by at May 10, 2002 at 2:23 PM EST |
| 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. | |
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No Picture
mathis Wanna Be |
#21 by mathis jacobs at Feb 11, 2004 at 7:10 PM EST |
| Ok I thought the Song was about just him feeling powerfull horny whatever like how guys can get that way i never even thought he wuz ripping on rappers or anything, yeah i do get a little cunfused if its about a gun or a penis too As for it being about kurt or tori No its not so shut up | |
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No Picture
Adam Wanna Be |
#22 by Adam Martinez at Apr 12, 2005 at 7:47 AM EST |
| I'm not sure what Trant was thinking, but f**king a ho comes to mind whenever I hear this song. It's almost as though he is singing to a ho (groupie) and that he can get her to do almost anything. The first 4 lines are to stroke (no pun intended) his male ego. The next 4 lines are just crazy old Trent. And the next 8 lines are exactly what I feel whenever I get a ho to do whatever I want her to. And I don't force her to because I am man enough to where I can simply say do it and she will because she wants to make me happy. | |
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No Picture
Mike Wanna Be |
#23 by Mike Manning at Aug 4, 2006 at 2:58 PM EST |
| 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. | |
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No Picture
Adam Wanna Be |
#24 by Adam Martinez at Aug 29, 2006 at 1:00 AM EST |
| Well I think this song is meant to be uncertain about the word "Gun". I definitely agree that he is painting the picture of a testosterone filled males who think they are better because of their large penis and weapon that they can make people cower with. I agree with what Fred39 said, but I would have put it in more intellectual language. Trent Reznor, is not like this (I hope at least...) and I believe it quite likely that he is bashing on the low intelligence and integrity of gangsters (stereotypically speaking). I love the tune of this song and the lyrics are, well, interesting. | |
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No Picture
Jesus Wanna Be |
#25 by Jesus at Sep 8, 2007 at 11:36 PM EST |
| I fuckin' LOVE this song! It gives me an adrenalene rush! I love to listen to it when I'm pissed! I don't know exactly what Trent is trying to convey, but this is excellent anger music, man! | |
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