Cold and Ugly

I see it as a girl who is maybe beautiful on the outside hides much of her true self on the inside. As with many of Tool's songs, a person should learn to wade in that dark side of themselves; all the things that they refuse to accept and fear from themselves.

Whenever this girl tries to look on the inside, she is scared to understand who she really is. I think almost everyone suffers some sort of abuse within their life -- whether it be emotional, physical, directed from someone else, or even at that person's own hands. It's just the way this world is built and therefore we must learn to expose that darkness that we bury so deep and so often in our life. Before this person can truly be beautiful (hence cold and ugly refers to her inner untouched self), she must expose all this.

this song is so fuckin cool. its the first too; spng i ever heard and it is also my faavorite.

This song is about a young girl who has been hurt deeply (most likely sexual or emotional abuse from a family member or friend) and now will no longer open herself up to others. He sees this in her and wants her to know that he is just like her, he is cold and ugly too.

I thinks it's the reality that people can dress however they want- but you cant hide that core thats cold and ugly. It talkes about underneath her skin and jewelry. There locked away where she thought no one could see. and she's so scared that it must have scared other people.

"Underneath the skin and jewellery, Hidden in their words and eyes Is a wall that's cold and ugly It's a skeleton." This is what I thought the lyrics were. If you looked at it like this it can be a song about people that are so obsessed with their image that inside they're empty. So speaking from their viewpoint: "Wide awake and Keeping distance from my soul." And because of this he is scared like them--they are scared because they are empty inside.

Just my interpretation

this is such a great song i love it to death

People put up facades and they are terrified people will see inside. This girl puts up a front of beauty and strength but inside shes ugly and scared. He's just telling her she's not the only one that does it. Many of Maynard's lyrics teach lessons. I think the lesson in this one is that we all do this to some extent. It's ok, everyone is scared.

i think this song is about an adolescent girl who everyone loves and adores and admires because or her outer beauty and personality etc etc. she has gotten so used to that kind of stuff that she doesnt show her true emotions all the time and she has learned to not let herself get worked up about hardly anything. she hardly cries or gets mad about things that most people would react to. "the wall thats cold and ugly" doesnt exactly mean that she is a bad ugly person inside, its just that she doesnt really know how to open it up anymore.

this song fits perfectly with my current predicament. to me its about a girl who this person cares for deeply, but she has been hurt in the past or has hurt others and is afraid to open up and love again for fear of someone getting hurt. :\

My first impression: The song is from the viewpoint of a rapist/stalker. It keeps switching from the past (nothing seems to penetrate her) to present (trembling at the thought of feeling.)

Now though I can see where it can be about a girl who is wearing a mask for everyone around her, including herself. Baaaaaaa!