Songs & Lyrics
The Only Time
“The Only Time” appears on Pretty Hate Machine (1989) and was performed from the VIVIsectVI tour through the Further Down the Spiral tour.
- Record type
- Lyrics available
- Classification
- Official NIN composition
- First record
- Halo 02 · Pretty Hate Machine
- 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 02 · Pretty Hate Machine
- Release date
- October 20, 1989
- Track position
- 9
- Running time
- 4:47
- Tempo
- 94 BPM
- Known versions
- 3
Track Credits
- Production
- Trent Reznor, Keith LeBlanc, John Fryer
- Engineering
- John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Kennan Keating, Ken Quartarone
- Mix
- Keith LeBlanc
Live History
- Performance span
- VIVIsectVI Tour through Further Down The Spiral Tour
Versions
- The Only Time
- The Only Time (Purest Feeling)
- The Only Time (Closure)
Sources: NIN Wiki — The Only Time, revision 67449 (reviewed September 28, 2026). NIN Wiki song record
Words
Lyrics
And right now I'm so in love with you
And I don't want to think too much about what we should or shouldn't do
Lay my hands on Heaven and the sun and the moon and the stars
While the Devil wants to fuck me in the back of his car
Nothing quite like the feel of something new
Maybe I'm all messed up
Maybe I'm all messed up in you
But this is the only time I really feel alive
This is the only time I really feel alive
I swear
I just found everything I need
The sweat in your eyes the blood in your veins are listening to me
Well I want to drink it up and swim in it until I drown
My moral standing is lying down
Nothing quite like the feel of something new
Maybe I'm all messed up
Maybe I'm all messed up in you
But this is the only time I really feel alive
This is the only time I really feel alive
I can't help thinking Christ never had it like this
Well I want to drink it up and swim in it until I drown
Well I want to rip it up and swim in it until I drown
Lyrics reproduced with permission for non-profit educational use.
Where it appears