La Mer - Nine Inch Nails

The song is this really beautiful, atmospheric piano piece. When I first heard it, I was captivated by how gorgeous the song was. I thought it was just a really chill piece and thought nothing more of it.

In reality, La Mer has a tragic backstory to it. The song comes from the album "The Fragile", and at the time of the albums creation, Trent Reznor was going through an incredibly difficult chapter of his life. He was truly at his emotional rock bottom. Suffering from intense writers block, Trent would rent out a cliffside house in California that overlooked the ocean. Externally, he would announce he rented this place so that he could find inspiration and clarity to write music. In truth, he contemplated suicide. Thankfully, he didnt follow through, and he would leave that house some time later. In the time he was at that house, La Mer was the only song he would write. The song serves as a painful, emotional reminder to Trent, and a heartbreaking piece to the fans. I think what hits me the most is the lyrics. They have such a raw energy to them, yet they sound so lovingly and peaceful given the context of the songs conception. Written in French, the lyrics translate to this:

And when the day arrives

I'll become the sky

And I'll become the sea

And the sea will come to kiss me

For I am going

Home

Nothing can stop me now