Songs & Lyrics
The Collector
“The Collector” appears on With Teeth (2005) and was performed from Live: With Teeth through the Wave Goodbye tour.
- Record type
- Lyrics available
- Classification
- Official NIN composition
- First record
- Halo 19 · With Teeth
- Known versions
- 3
Song details
About This Song
Available on two Halo releases in 3 titled versions.
- Classification
- Official NIN composition
- First documented release
- Halo 19 · With Teeth
- Release date
- May 3, 2005
- Track position
- 3
- Running time
- 3:07
- Tempo
- 138 BPM
- Known versions
- 3
Track Credits
- Live Drums
- Dave Grohl
Live History
- Performance span
- Live: With Teeth through Wave Goodbye Tour
- Live debut
- March 23, 2005 · Fresno, CA
Versions
- The Collector
- The Collector (Instrumental)
- The Collector (Live At Rehearsals)
Sources: NIN Wiki — The Collector, revision 67512 (reviewed September 28, 2026). NIN Wiki song record
Words
Lyrics
I am a collector
And things, well things
They tend to accumulate
I have this net
It drags behind me
And it picks up feelings
For me to feed upon
There are times, plenty of times
I wish I could let it go
But they start to breathe
And they start to grow inside me
There are times, plenty of times
I wish I could let it go
But they start to make me think
Things I don't want to know
I'm trying to fit it all inside
I'm trying to open my mouth wide
I'm trying not to choke and
Swallow it all
Swallow it all
Swallow it all
Swallow it all
I am the plague
I am the swarm
All your hurt sticks on me
And I keep it warm
They make me stay
They won't let me leave
There are so God damned many of them
It gets hard to breathe
I'm trying to fit it all inside
I'm trying to open my mouth wide
I'm trying not to choke inside
I am a good boy and I will
Swallow it all
Swallow it all
Swallow it all
Swallow it all
Every last one
Every last one
Every last one
Every last one
Are you listening?
Yes I am building
Something bigger than the world
Something terrible
With all of this
Lyrics reproduced with permission for non-profit educational use.
Where it appears