Wish (Nine Inch Nails song)

Nine Inch Nails song
"Wish"
Promotional single by Nine Inch Nails
from the EP Broken
Released1992
Genre
  • Alternative metal[1][2]
  • industrial metal[3]
Length3:46
Label
  • Nothing
  • TVT
  • Interscope
  • Atlantic
Songwriter(s)Trent Reznor
Producer(s)
  • Trent Reznor
  • Flood
Nine Inch Nails singles chronology
"Happiness in Slavery"
(1992) 		"Wish"
(1992) 		"March of the Pigs"
(1994)
Music video
"Nine Inch Nails - Wish" on YouTube

"Wish" is a song by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from their debut EP Broken (1992). It was released in 1992 as a promotional single from the EP. The drumming on the track was performed by Martin Atkins.[4]

"Wish" was remixed twice for the companion disc to the EP, Fixed, as "Wish (Remix)" and "Fist Fuck". Both remixes were produced by J. G. Thirlwell.[5]

"Wish" won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1993. Referencing a lyric from the song, Trent Reznor later joked that his epitaph should read: "REZNOR: Died. Said 'fist fuck' and won a Grammy."[6][7] In 2020, Kerrang and Billboard ranked the song number one and number four, respectively, on their lists of the greatest Nine Inch Nails songs.[8][9]

Music video

Nine Inch Nails playing inside of a cage in the "Wish" music video

The music video for "Wish" was directed by Peter Christopherson, who also directed the music video for "March of the Pigs" and Broken's eponymous film.[10] The video shows Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor on vocals, Chris Vrenna on drums, Richard Patrick on guitar and James Woolley on keyboards) playing inside high, caged walls while hordes of angry men assault the exterior of the cage. The band is eventually accosted: Woolley is lifted off his feet by a suspended man, Vrenna is lifted off by a crane hook and Patrick is grabbed through the sides of the cage. The video ends with a brief scene of men breaking open the gate of the cage and storming into the cage with bats and clubs.[11] MTV felt that the ending scene was too violent and alternate footage was used for network airplay.

A second video is a live performance filmed by Simon Maxwell in 1995 and was released on Closure in 1997.[12] This performance was taken from a concert film originally intended for release in 1996, but was subsequently shelved because Reznor was not satisfied with the final product.

Track listings

  • US promotional CD single[13]
  1. "Wish" (No Bad Words Mix) – 3:37
  • US promotional 12" single[14]
A1. "Wish" (Fixed version) – 9:08
A2. "Wish" (Broken version) – 3:47
B1. "Wish" (Fixed version) – 9:08
B2. "Wish" (Broken version) – 3:47
  • UK promotional CD-R single[15]
  1. "Wish" (radio version) – 3:51
  • UK promotional 7" single[16]
A. "Wish" (radio edit) – 3:37

Charts

Chart (1993) Peak
position
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[17] 25

Cover versions

  • Silverstein covered the song in 2010 for their EP Transitions.[18]
  • The Dillinger Escape Plan covered the song on their EP Plagiarism[19] and were asked to join Nine Inch Nails in performing the song during two stops of the 2009 Australian Soundwave Festival and later at Bonaroo 2009 and also on September 10, 2009 in Los Angeles.[20]
  • The song can be found on German Beatsteaks 2002 Wohnzimmer EP.[21]
  • Behemoth also covered "Wish" on their 2003 EP, Conjuration.[22]
  • Linkin Park performed the song live on their spring 2004 tour.[23] It was also covered on that year's Projekt Revolution tour where one recording was later released on the Linkin Park Underground 4.0 fanclub CD.
  • STEMM covered the song on their 2008 album Blood Scent.[24]
  • Brand New covered the song live during their spring 2011 tour.[25]
  • Device covered the song on the deluxe edition of their 2013 debut album Device.[26]

Appearance in other media

The song was featured on an episode of Beavis & Butthead.[27] While most music videos are typically made fun of, the animated duo ultimately approved of "Wish".

The song is used and heard on the debut trailer of the first-person shooter by Electronic Arts and People Can Fly, Bulletstorm.[28]

The song is featured as a playable track in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, although incorrectly listed with a 2002 release date.[29]

The O'Keefe Music Foundation produced a video with a band composed of children covering the song. The lyric "fist fuck" is replaced by "fist bump."[30]

References

  1. ^ Ramirez, AJ (November 12, 2014). "Caught in the Machine: Nine Inch Nails - "Pinion" and "Wish"". PopMatters. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  2. ^ Terich, Jeff; Blyweiss, Adam (October 3, 2012). "10 Essential Alternative Metal Singles". Treblezine. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  3. ^ Nettleton, Chris (March 5, 2007). "Nine Inch Nails - Live: Beside You In Time (DVD)". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  4. ^ Atkins, Martin (2007). Tour:Smart: And Break the Band. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978-1556529740. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  5. ^ "J.G. Thirlwell Discography - Credits - Remix". Discogs. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  6. ^ *Huxley, Martin (September 1997). Nine Inch Nails: Self Destruct. St. Martin's Press. p. 65. ISBN 0-312-15612-X.
  7. ^ Taylor, Steve (2006). The A to X of Alternative Music. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 165. ISBN 0826482171. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  8. ^ Law, Sam (August 7, 2020). "The 20 greatest Nine Inch Nails songs – ranked". Kerrang. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  9. ^ Unterberger, Andrew (November 5, 2020). "The 25 Best Nine Inch Nails Songs: Staff Picks". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  10. ^ "Broken (Video 1992)". IMDb. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  11. ^ new sweat to drown me in: wish
  12. ^ "Simon Maxwell". IMDb. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  13. ^ "Wish" (US promotional CD single). Nine Inch Nails. Interscope Records. 1992. PRCD 4893-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ "Wish" (US promotional 12" single). Nine Inch Nails. Interscope Records. 1992. DMD 1947.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ "Wish" (UK promotional CD-R single). Nine Inch Nails. Island Records. 1992. IS 552 DJ.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ "Wish" (UK promotional 7" single). Nine Inch Nails. Island Records. 1992. IS 552 DJ.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  18. ^ "Silverstein – Transitions". Discogs. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  19. ^ "Dillinger Escape Plan, The – Plagiarism". Discogs. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  20. ^ "NIN: Wish live w/ Dillinger Escape Plan, Perth 3.02.09 [HD]". YouTube. 8 March 2009. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  21. ^ "Beatsteaks – Die Wohnzimmer-EP". Discogs. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  22. ^ Sciaretto, Amy (April 18, 2011). "Behemoth Reissuing Out of Print EPs, Nine Inch Nails and Danzig Covers". Noisecreep. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  23. ^ "Linkin Park Live @ Rock A.M Ring Concert". YouTube. 21 February 2006. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  24. ^ Ruhlmann, Williams. "Stemm - Blood Scent". AllMusic. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  25. ^ "Brand New - Wish (Nine Inch Nails Cover) (LIVE HD)". YouTube. 29 April 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  26. ^ "DAVID DRAIMAN en Twitter: @joshconnelly614 COVER". Archived from the original on 2014-08-25. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  27. ^ "Beavis and Butt-Head Season 2 Episode 4 - Baby Makes Uh, Three". TV.com. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  28. ^ Bulletstorm Video Game, Debut Gameplay Trailer HD | Video Clip | Game Trailers & Videos | GameTrailers.com
  29. ^ "Nine Inch Nails, A Day To Remember Added To Guitar Hero". Ultimate-Guitar. January 13, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  30. ^ "Kids DESTROY "Wish" by NIN / O'Keefe Music Foundation". YouTube. 20 March 2024.
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