In 'Listen,' Trent Reznor confronts the struggles of taking control of one's life amidst external advice. The track encapsulates the struggle of asserting independence and comes from a place of understanding toward others while firmly establishing personal boundaries.
Verse 1:
I know you mean well, that's what you say,
But I've been caught in your words, too many times today.
You think you have the answer, a clearer view,
But every step I take must come from what I'm going through.
Chorus:
Listen to the silence, hear my heart’s call,
I’m done believing that you know it all.
You’ve got opinions, oh so many to share,
But when the dust settles, will you really care?
Verse 2:
Advice is a river, it flows like a stream,
But it’s my own reflection where I find my dream.
You’re quick to offer choices, paint my sky blue,
But at the end of the day, it’s my life to pursue.
Chorus:
Listen to the silence, hear my heart’s call,
I’m done believing that you know it all.
You’ve got opinions, oh so many to share,
But when the dust settles, will you really care?
Bridge:
I appreciate the thought, but it's time I take the lead,
Your path isn’t mine, it’s my soul I need to feed.
I won’t be persuaded by the words that you dispense,
Those decisions are shadows, and I need to make them dense.
Verse 3:
So here’s my declaration, as clear as day,
I’m shutting out the voices that try to sway.
I’ll bear my own burdens, and rise or fall,
The life I’m living is my own call.
Chorus:
Listen to the silence, hear my heart’s call,
I’m done believing that you know it all.
You’ve got opinions, oh so many to share,
But when the dust settles, will you really care?
Outro:
It’s done, it’s decided, I’m taking my stand,
With or without you, I’ll carve out my own land.
Hear me when I say, I’m breaking your hold,
This is my life, and I’ll be bold.
Chords not available
Beat not available
Listen. I know you mean well, but I'm done believing that you have got a better grasp on the situation or are otherwise any better equipped to make decisions about what we're doing than I do, and at the end of the day it's me that has to live with my decisions - not you. You've always got so much advice to throw at me, but if things go south, experience has proven that you're not going to be there to do anything to help me out of a sticky situation that listening to you might cause me. I earnestly don't mean to sound stubborn here, because I do appreciate that you mean well, but I will promptly be disregarding everything you've told me to do here.
Trent Reznor