Link to full synced video:
When making Not The Actual Events, Add Violence, and Bad Witch, I’m convinced that Trent Reznor had the idea in mind for it to sink to The Wizard of Oz. Playing it through is just too perfect and there are alot of movement syncs, lyric parallels, and overall tonal compliments.
Trent has said in an interview “I like the depth. With the new EPs, I liked world-building, and writing music that can sit in that world. I was always the guy who desperately wanted the Dark Side of the Moon to line up with The Wizard of Oz. I wanted to believe somebody was so far out of their mind that they figured that out. Fuck, I got goose bumps just thinking about that possibility right now — the idea that someone could be thinking so hard about an album.”
So is it beyond the realm of possibility he did that with the Trilogy? Only Trent knows.
NOTE: The sync starts when Dorothy’s house lands in Oz. It just seems fitting that it already starts when she’s in an unknown, unfamiliar world and already “asleep”.
I did some breakdowns of the first EP, but didn’t go into detail on the rest, but it all works so freakin well. How can you listen to She’s Gone Away syncing with the death of the Wicked Witch of the East and not get a little suspicious?
Decide for yourself.
00:00:00 - BRACNCHES/BONES The first note of The Trilogy starts the moment dorothy’s house lands in Oz.
00:00:56 - As Dorothy steps out of the house and into Oz, Trent sings “Feels like I’ve been here before, but I don’t know anymore”. This has been a place Dorothy has dreamed and sang about, but now feels strange to actually be here.
00:01:56 - DEAR WORLD “Yes, everyone seems to be asleep”. Dorothy looks around to see nobody, but something is rustling in the bushes.
00:02:16 - When Dorothy turns around to see Glinda the Good Witch’s bubble coming towards here, a soft little synth effect chimes.
00:04:03 - The “Dear World” that comes after the short pause aligns when Glinda finally asks the munchkins to come out.
00:06:04 - SHE’S GONE AWAY - This is the moment Glinda announces the Witch of the East is dead. The munchkins celebrate
00:06:29 - Slow drum machine kicks in - the munchkin army is marching triumphantly
00:07:34 - The coroner shows the declaration that the witch is dead. Trent sings here for the first time “She’s gone, she’s gone, she’s gone away”
00:07:57 - Trent’s first emotional moan is aligned with the munchkin town cheering
00:12:02 - THE IDEA OF YOU - Wicked Witch of the West has just vanished. Dorothy now knows her mission and must go to the emerald city to go back to her idea of her.
00:13:23 - second verse kicks off when Glina leaves.
00:13:47 - The second chorus “WAIT NONE OF THIS IS HAPPENING” starts when Dorothy steps on the Yellow Brick Road. And she’s right, none of this is happening.
00:15:10 - Trent sings “it gets so lonely in here”. This is the first time that Dorothy has not been with anyone else. She’s not with the munchkins and she still hasn’t met the scarecrow.
00:15:31 - BURNING BRIGHT (FIELD OF FIRE) - This starts the first time Dorothy actually sees the Scarecrow move.
00:16:29 - As they’re talking Trent is singing “Look at this pathetic place I made With little bits of sticks and hair, and anything I found along the way”. The scarecrow has been stuck on his post, with sticks and hay, and will finally get down with Dorothy’s help, and back to who he “really was”.
00:17:38 - When the scarecrow realizes he is free and stands up, Trent sings ”I am forgiven, I am Free, I am a field on fire”
00:21:20 - LESS THAN - The trees begin throwing apples stirring up a little violence
00:24:52 - THE LOVERS - The Tin Man reveals that he wants a heart and wants Dorothy and he Scarecrow to “take him” to the wizard.
00:29:00 - THIS ISN’T THE PLACE - The three of them are frightened of the woods, and encounter the Lion.
00:33:46 - NOT ANYMORE - The Four begin their journey to the Wizard, but the Witch through her crystal ball has other plans. [The “I can’t seem to wake up” occurs when they fall asleep in the flowers]
00:36:50 - THE BACKGROUND WORLD - Dorothy and the Lion fall asleep, but Gilda wakes them up. [‘Are you sure this is what you want’ occurs when they knock on the emerald city doors. Just listen to that drum machine sounding just like bells and knocks on a door]]
00:48:35 - SHIT MIRROR - The guard closes the door on Dorothy to the wizard’s chamber, but eventually lets them in. [New World, New Times kicks in when they finally step in]
00:51:42 - AHEAD OF OURSELVES - Dorothy and the rest are terrified, maybe even possibly regretting their decision to come by thinking “they were ahead of ourselves”. They need the wizards help, because they can’t help themselves. The Wizard tasks them on their quest to the witch.
00:55:13 - PLAY THE GODDAMNED PART - The Four are in the haunted woods and the Tin Man gets swooped up. The Witch intervenes now and attempts to stop them.
01:00:04 - GOD BREAK DOWN THE DOOR - Song kicks in when Dorothy goes to the crystal ball, but the Witch appears in it. These are not the answers she was looking for. Tin Man, Lion, and Scarecrow now must break down the castle doors to save Dorothy.
01:04:22 - IM NOT FROM THIS WORLD - Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion finally get inside to save Dorothy and stop the Witch so they can return to the World they knew.
01:11:04 - OVER AND OUT - They return the wizard, but they discover who he really is. The song starts when he starts delivering to the group what they asked for. The song ends, not when Dorothy wakes up, but when she learns that she could have left at any time.