Songs & Lyrics
The Background World
“The Background World” appears on Add Violence (2017) and has returned in setlists across multiple touring eras.
- Record type
- Lyrics available
- Classification
- Official NIN composition
- First record
- Halo 31 · Add Violence
- Known versions
- 4
Song details
About This Song
Four titled versions are documented.
- Classification
- Official NIN composition
- First documented release
- Halo 31 · Add Violence
- Release date
- July 21, 2017
- Track position
- 5
- Running time
- 11:44
- Tempo
- 79 BPM
- Known versions
- 4
Live History
- Performance span
- I Can't Seem To Wake Up 2017 through Cold And Black And Infinite Tour
Versions
- The Background World
- The Background World (Main)
- The Background World (Instrumental)
- The Background World (Acapella)
Related Records
- Official multitracks available
Sources: NIN Wiki — The Background World, revision 68211 (reviewed September 28, 2026). NIN Wiki song record
Words
Lyrics
What am I supposed to do?
I never dared to look inside
Just like you told me to
I'm going into you again
And I know you saw it too
And I will keep myself awake
I know what’s coming
I feel it reaching through
There is no moving past
There is no better place
There is no future point in time
We will not get away
The world is bleeding out
It folds itself in two
Behind the background world
Is always bleeding through
Are you sure this is what you want?
As hard as you try not to see it
The Floating Shadow of Thought
all The Dead smell of perfume whispers
secrets surges maybe I will just stay awake
Red swine eyelids
You shut up, you saw him too, you see The Curse
The Mirror
If you could see inside
If you were here to see
My dreams are showing through
Maybe this is what it appears to be
Lyrics reproduced with permission for non-profit educational use.
Where it appears