In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
What's coming through is alive.
What's holding up is a mirror.
But what's singing songs is a snake, it is,
Looking to turn my piss to wine.
They're both totally void of hate, and,
Killing me just the same.
The snake behind me hisses,
What my damage could have been.
My blood before me begs me,
Open up my heart again.
And I feel this coming over like a storm again, considerately...
Venomous voice tempts me,
And drains me, bleeds me,
Leaves me cracked and empty,
Drags me down like some sweet gravity.
The snake behind me hisses,
What my damage could have been.
My blood before me begs me,
Open up my heart again.
And I feel this coming over like a storm again, now.
And I feel this coming over like a storm again, now...
I am too connected to you to slip away, fade away.
Days away I still feel you touching me, changing me and considerately killing me.
Considerately killing me.
Considerately killing me.
Considerately killing me.
Without the skin here,
Beneath the storm.
Under these tears now,
The walls came down.
Once the snake is drowned and as I look in his eyes,
My fear begins to fade,
Recalling all of the times I could have cried then.
I should have cried then.
As the walls come down and as I look in your eyes,
My fear begins to fade,
Recalling all of the times I have died, and will die.
It's alright.
I don't mind.
I don't mind.
I don't mind.
I am too connected to you to slip away, fade away.
Days away I still feel you touching me, changing me and considerately killing me.
Considerately killing me, yeah.
Considerately killing me.
What's holding up is a mirror.
But what's singing songs is a snake, it is,
Looking to turn my piss to wine.
They're both totally void of hate, and,
Killing me just the same.
The snake behind me hisses,
What my damage could have been.
My blood before me begs me,
Open up my heart again.
And I feel this coming over like a storm again, considerately...
Venomous voice tempts me,
And drains me, bleeds me,
Leaves me cracked and empty,
Drags me down like some sweet gravity.
The snake behind me hisses,
What my damage could have been.
My blood before me begs me,
Open up my heart again.
And I feel this coming over like a storm again, now.
And I feel this coming over like a storm again, now...
I am too connected to you to slip away, fade away.
Days away I still feel you touching me, changing me and considerately killing me.
Considerately killing me.
Considerately killing me.
Considerately killing me.
Without the skin here,
Beneath the storm.
Under these tears now,
The walls came down.
Once the snake is drowned and as I look in his eyes,
My fear begins to fade,
Recalling all of the times I could have cried then.
I should have cried then.
As the walls come down and as I look in your eyes,
My fear begins to fade,
Recalling all of the times I have died, and will die.
It's alright.
I don't mind.
I don't mind.
I don't mind.
I am too connected to you to slip away, fade away.
Days away I still feel you touching me, changing me and considerately killing me.
Considerately killing me, yeah.
Considerately killing me.
Lyrics submitted by implode, edited by AnthraxPrincess, AdamArtz
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
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Okay guys, I'm pretty positive on this meaning. This isn't my own interpretation, therefore I do not take credit for it, but I do agree with it. Okay, about the meaning from toolshed.down.net... it's partly true, but not completely. Ya ever wonder why they just DO NOT play that song on tour, like hardly at all, even though it's so popular? Well it's because this song has a special meaning to Maynard. Devo Keenan, his son, has the middle name of H... not anything extra... just H. The song isn't about any person at all, it's about his son... think about the song. Maynard had a bad relationship with his father when he was young, constantly being abused. Even though he loves Devo, sometimes he has a problem, and wants to hurt him. He gets it from his father... and it causes him to want to lash out at his wife and his child. that's why when he says they're "void of hate, but killing him just the same"... he means that Devo loves him, but he's still hurting Maynard because of Maynard's past.... When he talks about "snake behind me hisses, what my damage could have been", he's talkin about how what his father did to him wants to resurge through him and onto Devo. then the next verse "my blood before me begs me, open up my heart again"... he's sayin that the blood before him (his children, future grandchildren, etc.) is begging him to forget the past and start over... Infer the rest of the song for yourself. I think this is the best explanation possible. Thanks for botherin to read this.
Maynard was definitely a sick mofo back in the day....but I dunno if I agree that I think he was thinking about beating his 1 year old son so much that he made a song about it....just my opinion, (He has a son named Devo H. Keenan (born 1995), Aenima released in 1996)
This interpretation is perfect. I don't even care if you copied it, what I just read was the best interpretation I have read, I got raw information at it's fullest. This interpretation made me think of my past as well. I thank you for bringing the light to my eyes good sir.
I don't think its about actually wanting to abuse his son I think its the fear that he will be like his father someday. That he is doomed to that fate because people who abuse their children were more often then not, abused themselves. Hes talking about the love he has for his son and how it has killed the person he used to be. I myself have a son and I completely understand him saying "considerately killing me". He has changed everything I ever was and ever thought I could be. He killed the old me and made me better, "as I look in his eyes my fear begins to fade". He was scared to have a child until he saw him and fell in love. He is also saying he is no longer afraid to die, he has a legacy now and no matter where he is he lives on in his child.
DEAR TOOL FRIEND, thanks a lot for your great psychologic parenting explanation for the song H from Tool. Well and you know this world it is full of opressive governments, abusive concentration of wealth and power in a few, and the police fascism against people. I think that the oligarchic dictatorial governments that the world has had for the last 3000 years has an impact on the family dictatorship at home of parents verbally and morally abusing their children. So in this case parents are like the oppressive governments and the children are the working class. However I want to say something related to this, i admit that I have had many verbal fights with my father, and my father has had sometimes an oppressive dictatorial way of treating me and my brothers and sisters. But I think that this is ingrained in the capitalist system.<br /> <br /> I think that the only solution for this is a mental, spiritual, socialist, christian revolution in this world(Not the Republican Party type of christianity), i mean the liberating socialist-christianity.<br /> <br /> And many simplistic people in this world are very wrong in blaming all their personal failures in life on Obama and the capitalist ruling class. But the dictatorial abusive parenting is also to blame. However that dictatorial way of treating children is really rooted in the capitalist oligarchic dictatorial political system we have in USA and in many many other nations.<br /> <br /> Only a political revolution toward workers socialism can be a solution for this male-supremacist system and dictatorial system of abusive parents, abusive husbands, abusive teachers, abusive institutions etc.<br /> <br /> thanks<br /> <br /> <br /> .
thanks for this, it explains a lot.
I think when he says "killing me just the same" he means the part of himself that will be let go once his son is born. It sounds to me like Maynard wasnt ready to be a father when his son was conceived and didnt really have any say in whether or not we was going to be born.
Makes some sense since I did see them in 1997 at Lolapolza and Tool did share the stage with Devo and Tool did play this song.<br />
@madson4562 That is how I feel the song, for my own personal story, It goes too deep for just being about drugs, as so many claim. I do not have an aenima tattoo with the capital A... (first name of my children) on my arm to relate to just a song about drugs !!!
RE: "Devo. then the next verse "my blood before me begs me, open up my heart again"... he's sayin that the blood before him (his children, future grandchildren, etc.) is begging him to forget the past and start over... "<br /> <br /> You got your tenses mixed up, bro. Blood before would have been his father, grandfather, etc.. and not his future children, grandchildren, etc..<br /> <br /> Otherwise I agree you are on the right path with the rest of your interpretation.<br /> <br />