Sledgehammer vs. Closer

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Two BIG songs that occupy the same place in my imagination. Lust assumes a tempo, and a religious dimension; "I wanna..." goes the chorus. Which is better?

Poll Results

OptionVotes
Sledgehammer 18
Closer 16


geoffreyess, Thursday, 1 June 2017 20:28 (eight years ago)

damn

I have to think about this one

("Closer" vs "Big Time" is a no-brainer decision for Gabriel)

PJD PDJ DPJ (DJP), Thursday, 1 June 2017 20:44 (eight years ago)

Yeah I don't know if I'll be able to vote here. I'm asking from a place of genuine uncertainty!

Search reveals that "Sledgehammer" has previously been pitted against "Big Time" and "Steam." This is Gabriel's first time taking on Reznor I guess.

geoffreyess, Thursday, 1 June 2017 21:32 (eight years ago)

Sledgehammer by a mile. They're both pretty earwormy in their respective ways, but these days Closer feels kinda ploddy and dull to me, while the brightness and joy of "Sledgehammer" remain just as fresh.

﴿→ ☺ (Doctor Casino), Thursday, 1 June 2017 22:02 (eight years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymeUS0DVNa4

vs.

https://youtu.be/C0g_LYOFJ1I?t=1m31s

Trockasturm Hoar The Ramming Battle Ceraton (Old Lunch), Thursday, 1 June 2017 22:38 (eight years ago)

Now imagine David Bowie covering "Sledgehammer."

the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 1 June 2017 22:48 (eight years ago)

Sledgehammer rocks, a big dumb soul hammer with flashing lights... It's all about that coda with the call-response stuff and Gabriel acting all ecstatic.. super powerful and intense

brimstead, Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:08 (eight years ago)

Closer is pretty good! I'm trying NIN again

brimstead, Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:10 (eight years ago)

The "Sledgehammer" coda is amazing.

the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:12 (eight years ago)

does closer have tony baldguy playing bass with giant qtips on his fingies?? i do not think so!

kurt schwitterz, Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:14 (eight years ago)

hey show the funk fingers some respect

sexualing healing (crüt), Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:25 (eight years ago)

I want to fuck you like a honey bee
I want to feel your fruitcage from the inside

Beetle Juice continued to spit all over our drinks (contenderizer), Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:30 (eight years ago)

Closer feels kinda cheap. Everyone otm about the Sledgehammer coda.

gospodin simmel, Friday, 2 June 2017 01:18 (eight years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Wednesday, 7 June 2017 00:01 (eight years ago)

They both have an incredible coda.

chap, Wednesday, 7 June 2017 09:45 (eight years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1_gzwg8Tmo

vs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrXMx62SWYc

how's life, Wednesday, 7 June 2017 11:49 (eight years ago)

^ Why I subscribe to ILX.

pplains, Wednesday, 7 June 2017 12:32 (eight years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Thursday, 8 June 2017 00:01 (eight years ago)

I'm surprised. Thought these results would be farther apart.

how's life, Thursday, 8 June 2017 00:14 (eight years ago)

three years pass...

Reading history O’ prog rock book....

Forcing self to listen to Peter Gabriel solo for first tyme

It’s Fairlight Nine inch Nails !

— Stephen malkmus (@dronecoma) December 26, 2020

swing out sister: live in new donk city (geoffreyess), Monday, 28 December 2020 17:57 (four years ago)

The third and fourth albums always seemed a bit proto-industrial to me and no doubt Reznor listened to them, cf. The Wall, Moving Pictures.

Marconi plays the mamba (Sund4r), Monday, 28 December 2020 18:06 (four years ago)

Maybe that means NIN is digital prog rock?

Marconi plays the mamba (Sund4r), Monday, 28 December 2020 18:10 (four years ago)

i can def see the line connecting the two

like most NIN, listening to "Closer" has always been a bummer to me due to the dissonance btw the amazing instrumental vs lyrics so excruciatingly bad that i get embarrassed for him as he sings them

nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Monday, 28 December 2020 18:21 (four years ago)

I definitely appreciated them much better once I focused less on the lyrics (which are Reznor's own primary focus, acc to Song Exploder!).

Marconi plays the mamba (Sund4r), Monday, 28 December 2020 18:29 (four years ago)

"NIN is digital prog rock" well he did have Adrian Belew on the Downward Spiral (and invited him, then disinvited him, from joining the live band)

akm, Monday, 28 December 2020 21:43 (four years ago)

"I want to fuck you like an animal" is a fine lyric

akm, Monday, 28 December 2020 21:44 (four years ago)

"my whole existence is flawed" is, however, not

american primitive stylophone (zchyrs), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 13:28 (four years ago)

"NIN is digital prog rock" well he did have Adrian Belew on the Downward Spiral (and invited him, then disinvited him, from joining the live band)

And Mike Garson (from David Bowie's mid-70s band) plays piano on several tracks from The Fragile.

but also fuck you (unperson), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 13:41 (four years ago)

"I want to fuck you like an animal" is a fine lyric

― akm, Monday, December 28, 2020

if sung by Peter Gabriel

Patriotic Goiter (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 13:42 (four years ago)

Digging in the Dirt vs. Closer might be a better match here

Doctor Casino, Tuesday, 29 December 2020 14:16 (four years ago)

(which are Reznor's own primary focus, acc to Song Exploder!).

― Marconi plays the mamba (Sund4r), Monday, December 28, 2020 11:29 AM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

he works hard on them, of course there’s no guarantee theyll be good even if you put the work in. i’ve prob claimed otherwise on this board i’m at the point in my life where i think his lyrics are effective and work in their context even if they’re often beholden to my least favorite rhyme schemes. and i’m not sure nin as a concept would work for me with a better lyricist

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 15:20 (four years ago)

I know we've discussed it to varying degrees on ilx, but it generally seems like good lyrics can make a good song better, but bad lyrics won't make a good song appreciably worse.

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 29 December 2020 19:08 (four years ago)

when i hear closer i always think that if it had banal lyrics about rocking til the break of dawn or something it would be a masterpiece

nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 20:15 (four years ago)

What if it had lyrics about 10,000 fireflies?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytYJBxmpGb8

MarkoP, Tuesday, 29 December 2020 21:32 (four years ago)

"I want to fuck you like an animal" is a fine lyric

― akm, Monday, December 28, 2020

if sung by Peter Gabriel

I can 100% hear that in my head and now I feel dirty

Soz (Not Soz) (Vast Halo), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 21:43 (four years ago)

when i hear closer i always think that if it had banal lyrics about rocking til the break of dawn or something it would be a masterpiece

― nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Tuesday, December 29, 2020 2:15 PM (three hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

i want to rock you til the auroral
i want to get down til the sun shines
i want to rock you til the auroral
the caffeination is on
you get me closer to dawn

swing out sister: live in new donk city (geoffreyess), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 23:31 (four years ago)


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