The Collector Lyrics
I pick things up, I am a collector
And things, well things, they tend to accumulate
I have this net, it drags behind me
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 wanna know
[Chorus]
I'm tryin' to fit it all inside
I'm tryin' to open my mouth wide
I'm tryin' not to choke and swallow it all, swallow it all
Swallow it all, swallow it all
[Verse 2]
I am the plague, I am the swarm
All your hurt sticks on me, and I keep it warm
They will make me stay, they won't let me leave
There are so goddamn many of them, it gets hard to breathe
[Chorus]
I'm tryin' to fit it all inside
I'm tryin' to open my mouth wide
I'm tryin' not to choke inside
I am a good boy and I will swallow it all, swallow it all
Swallow it all, swallow it all
About
The Collector is the third track on the 2005 release With Teeth. It is characterized by a very odd time signature, with the verses in a ¾-¾-¾-4/4 pattern and the chorus in a 4/4-4/4-6/4 pattern. Opening with Dave Grohl’s live drumming and soon joined by the verse bassline, Reznor’s vocal delivery is coarse and loud through the verses. Abrasive guitars enter for the yelled choruses, playing a fast rhythm in 16th notes. The repeated line “swallow it all” accompanied only by loud, intense drumming forms a bridge from chorus back to the second verse, then from the second chorus to the final verse, which builds upon the drumming and bassline with the mantra “every last one” and chromatic piano improvisation. The introductory percussion loop of “The Hand That Feeds” begins immediately beneath the decay of the final drum and cymbal hits of this song.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
In a fan interview, Reznor stated that this was initially his favorite song on the record.
- 1.Echoplex
- 2.All Time Low
- 3.Sunspots
- 4.Heresy
- 5.Metal
- 6.The Fragile
- 9.Disappointed
- 10.Head Down
- 11.Sanctified
- 12.The Frail
- 13.The Wretched
- 15.The Collector
- 19.No, You Don’t
- 21.Home
- 23.The Becoming
- 24.Gave Up
- 25.Reptile
- 26.Getting Smaller
- 27.Demon Seed
- 28.Me, I’m Not
- 29.Vessel
- 30.In This Twilight