"Lateralus" as written by Maynard James Keenan, Adam Jones, Daniel Carey and Justin Chancellor....
Black then white are all I see in my infancy.
Red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me.
Lets me see.
As below, so above and beyond, I imagine
Drawn beyond the lines of reason.
Push the envelope. Watch it bend.
Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.
Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must
Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines.
Black then white are all I see in my infancy.
Red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me.
Lets me see there is so much more
And beckons me to look through to these infinite possibilities.
As below, so above and beyond, I imagine
Drawn outside the lines of reason.
Push the envelope. Watch it bend.
Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.
Withering my intuition leaving all these opportunities behind.
Feed my will to feel this moment urging me to cross the line.
Reaching out to embrace the random.
Reaching out to embrace whatever may come.
Come embrace my desire to, come embrace my desire to,
Feel the rhythm, to feel connected
Enough to step aside and weep like a widow
To feel inspired, to fathom the power,
To witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain,
To swing on the spiral, to swing on the spiral, swing on the spiral.
Of our divinity and still be a human.
With my feet upon the ground I lose myself
Between the sounds and open wide to suck it in,
I feel it move across my skin.
I'm reaching up and reaching out,
I'm reaching for the random or what ever will bewilder me.
And following our will and wind we may just go where no one's been.
We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one's been.
Spiral out. Keep going, going
Red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me.
Lets me see.
As below, so above and beyond, I imagine
Drawn beyond the lines of reason.
Push the envelope. Watch it bend.
Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.
Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must
Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines.
Black then white are all I see in my infancy.
Red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me.
Lets me see there is so much more
And beckons me to look through to these infinite possibilities.
As below, so above and beyond, I imagine
Drawn outside the lines of reason.
Push the envelope. Watch it bend.
Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.
Withering my intuition leaving all these opportunities behind.
Feed my will to feel this moment urging me to cross the line.
Reaching out to embrace the random.
Reaching out to embrace whatever may come.
Come embrace my desire to, come embrace my desire to,
Feel the rhythm, to feel connected
Enough to step aside and weep like a widow
To feel inspired, to fathom the power,
To witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain,
To swing on the spiral, to swing on the spiral, swing on the spiral.
Of our divinity and still be a human.
With my feet upon the ground I lose myself
Between the sounds and open wide to suck it in,
I feel it move across my skin.
I'm reaching up and reaching out,
I'm reaching for the random or what ever will bewilder me.
And following our will and wind we may just go where no one's been.
We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one's been.
Spiral out. Keep going, going
Lyrics submitted by Everlong, edited by swiftau, ouzts12, GiselleFreude17
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To begin with, I wanna clear up an earlier post. Colsy said the title was pronounced "Lateral-Us" (A mistake i made too for a long time) but it's really pronounced "Ladder-alice" (say it and it makes sense, i found this in the FAQ from toolshed.net). Instead of "Side of Us", i think the song deals with lateral parts (the bigger picture, as maynard put it). Anyway, it deals with the ability to have a physical life, as well as a spiritual one (In whatever god you chose to believe in).
"Black then white are all i see in my infancy" (at birth and early on you only see what's plain to the human eye, the physical side of life)
"Red and yellow came to be, reaching out for me" (how spiritual feelings creep up after sometime, and almost seem to make you realize a new side of life)
To keep from breaking down every line in the song (like i did on "the grudge") i'll just say that the next section deals with testing spiritual life (pushin that envelope, watching it bend, almost to see how far it will go). spiritual life takes you 'beyond the lines of reason'.
Yet he retracts these statements by talking about "OVER thinking, and OVER analyzing" (saying that there is a balance in spirit and body, don't push either ot the extreme, because you'll become separate humans, leading a LATERAL life)
Then he speaks about reaching out to embrace the random.... possibly spiritual meaning saying that he holds on to a belief hoping that he can eventually find truth in it.
The next part seems to be my strongest point of backing. he speaks about how he has the desire to do all of these wonderful (spiritual and physical) things, and he sums it all up by saying
"swing on the spiral of our divinity and still be a human" (think about it... the lateral lives of body and spirit NEVER have to each other, they can stay completely separate, but he longs to bring them together, to SPIRAL them, and make such a connection to feel DIVINE but remain a HUMAN.)
Next he backs my statement again. He speaks of 'keeping his feet on the ground', yet he also talks about an enlightenment of somekind 'opening wide to suck it in and feeling it move across his skin'.
He wants that connection of body and spirit, as everyone does. He'll continue to connect the 2 to push the boundaries and enlighten himself
"Spiral out, keep going...."
And interpretation is now done, thanks for botherin to read this terribly long post (as are all of mine, sorry bout that). Anyway, continue writin posts, i love to read em, and again this is only my opinion. Later...
i think "over thinking over analyzing seperates the body from the mind" could mean that as we grow and become more exposed to the logical scientific side of things we lose touch of our spiritual side
also i think " swing on the spiral of our divinity and still be a human" could refer to drunvalo mechizedeks theory of chromosones, we have 44&2 at the moment but as we become more intouch with our spiritual side we gain another 2 chromosones which makes us 46&2 like the other Tool song forty six & 2. these extra 2 cromosones make us divine but the other 44 chromosones are still there which are what makes us human.
youtube.com/…
Basically keep who you are, who you aren't, and where you want to go in your mind and you'll get there. If some things about you need to change, change them. If life was easy it wouldn't be worth living.
My interpretation of that passage is as follows: I think "Spiral out, keep going" may be talking about our DNA as humans and to keep growing (or evolving) to "go where no ones been". So as has been said, don't be 2 dimensional. Make your own decisions from within, not what other people tell you to believe, and to keep growing on what you've learned. If everyone believed the same thing, then we wouldn't be any different than robots, which is what the future could hold for us humans unless we can keep evolving.
The "Red and Yellow" may link to something. Recently I have been looking into Blue Oyster Cult and their song ETI. They mention something along the lines of "King in Yellow, Queen in Red." I researched this and came up with that the Queen in red is from a Lewis Carol book. Those of you that don't know, he wrote Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. The Queen In Red was from Through the Looking Glass, her environment around her was always moving, and she had to run in order to keep up with it. This represents the ideology of Evolution and keeping up with the proceeding times. The King in Yellow I read myself, it's a collection of mysterious stories that end up relating to religion and/or social tenancies that are still relevant today. In short, the Red represents ideologies of science and some religion in terms of logic; while the Yellow may represent society and religious influence on a person's personality.
And I would something about this part :
With my feet upon the ground I lose myself
Between the sounds and open wide to suck it in
I feel it move across my skin
I think this part talks about the music itself (not the song, but music in general)... I think it means that music is a good way to push you spiritual side, how powerful it can be if you open your mind and really enters into it. All the emotions you can feel while listening music... in this moments you will totally leave your body and enter into a spiral which could bring you where no one else has been
Now, the lyrics reinforce this theme on a few ways. The song starts out: "Black then white are all I see in my infancy, red and yellow then came to be reaching out to me, let's me see." On a very literal level this is exactly how vision evolves in each human. Babies see in black and white, with their ability to distinguish colors arising as they age. But this is also true of the human species in a philosophical and spiritual sense. Edward O. Wilson has written about how the most primitive tribes have words only for black and white; the next most advanced tribes have words for red and yellow, on up to the point where we recognize there is a near infinite color spectrum, which the most advanced cultures recognize. Thus, the most morally developed beings recognize that issues can never be easily divided into black and white; that's much too simplistic. There are, of course, people who still see moral issues in black and white, but they are throwbacks to our primitive heritage. So as technology advances, if we do not evolve morally too, we lose our connection to nature more and more and become little more than machines. Computers too view things in simplistic black and white terms (or bits and bytes if you prefer).
Thus, in that context the song is about personal growth--spiritually, morally, and philosophically speaking. when Maynard sings about pushing the envelope, he is saying that he is attempting to push beyond the 2-dimensional mores and prudish religious nonsense that still holds us back as a culture. True spiritual growth cannot come from without; it must come from within, and no one else can define what is right or wrong for you. In that sense this sing is kind of a companion piece to Hermann Hesse's novel 'Demian.'
As the song approaches its denouement, Maynard approaches something on the order of mystical ecstasy and again the music reinforces the lyrics. Note how the pitch of Maynard's voice, moving up and down rhythmically, compliments the "spiral out" he's singing about. He leaves the rest ambiguous. What lies beyond the simplistic black & white world we live in? Who knows? But the point is, we must push ahead anyway, no matter what, because the alternative is that we're no better than the machines we build to labor for us. We MUST stop looking at the world as if it can be divided into easy categories. The truth is never that simple. We may not like what we find as we move on; nevertheless, we advance or we die, spiritually speaking.
Moreover, you misunderstand my point. I am not saying the song justifies an 'anything goes for everyone' society; I certainly don't. What the song is saying, I think (and I agree with this), is that everyone must find his own path to inner balance and enlightenment. There is no one-size-fits-all spirituality or morality, and the fact that we still have all these organized religions telling us we have to live such-and-such a way and tons of stupid laws against victimless crimes demonstrates that we ARE still being held back. Not everyone can use drugs without becoming addicted, but some people can and can find enlightenment that way. And too many people are still judgmental about alternative sexualities, lifestyles, etc. That social judgment and cultural disapproval does hold some people back, because believe it or not, not everyone is apathetic enough not to care what society thinks of them and thus sadly never reach their full potential.
Perhaps I am speaking out of my "skinny arse" and perhaps not. This site solicits opinions about the meanings of song lyrics. I gave mine. That you replied so obnoxiously is precisely what I've come to expect from so-called religious people and merely reinforces my point about who is truly enlightened and who isn't.
P.S. conjurinistic isn't a word, but sure sounds nice...LOL.
We cannot find all the answers in one source or another, one philosophy, one kind of thinking or belief system. That is why this song remains purposely ambiguous. There are no easy answers, and in the process of exploration and change we may destroy ourselves, or become something other than human, but we must press on, because to become stagnant as a culture (or as an individual) is a kind of death. We cannot allow simplistic or oppressive ideologies or philosophies to hold us back.
Red(1 syl.) then(1) white are(2) all I see(3) in my infancy(5) red and yellow then came to be(8) reaching out to me(5) let's me see(3)
There are also other instances throughout the song, regarding math references to the Fibonacci sequence. Mainly, they are referenced through time signatures.
Just for thought. I thought that was pretty amazing.
In my humble opinion it is certainly the best overall song ever written (not including classical music which doesn't count).
Ultimate matching of lyrics and transcendental message with ascending riffs that send shivers down my spine every time. As for it being mathematically correct, with Fibonacci sequence etc, well jesus christ, i didn't know that, but it makes sense.
As below, so above and beyond, I imagine (13)
Drawn outside the lines of reason (8)
Push the envelope, (5) watch it bend (3)
Maynard was a true genius, and This song is merely one example of it.
Understand that and read the rest of the song and its message will become alot clearer.
"Black then white are all I see in my infancy.
red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me.
lets me see."
Anyone else notice that the colors mentioned are the traditional "skin tones?" What does that have to do with it? I'm not sure.
"As below, so above and beyond, I imagine
drawn beyond the lines of reason.
Push the envelope. Watch it bend."
In other words, open your eyes to other possibilities... what you don't see. What you can't see.
"Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.
Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must
Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines."
Don't think... feel. Don't stay within the boundaries of society. This song means a LOT to me... so much that I can't put it into words.
"Feed my will to feel this moment urging me to cross the line.
Reaching out to embrace the random.
Reaching out to embrace whatever may come"
Take things as they are.
"I embrace my desire to
feel the rhythm, to feel connected
enough to step aside and weep like a widow
to feel inspired, to fathom the power,
to witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain,
to swing on the spiral
of our divinity and still be a human."
Like I said... its about appriciating life.
"With my feet upon the ground I lose myself
between the sounds and open wide to suck it in,
I feel it move across my skin.
I'm reaching up and reaching out,
I'm reaching for the random or what ever will bewilder me.
And following our will and wind we may just go where no one's been.
We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one's been."
Extra sensory... senses. Sense your enviornment. Simple, yet so very complex. Branch out... SPIRAL out.
red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me.
lets me see."
You may wish to consider this in terms of the development of the primate visual processing systems.
Black and white (no color)
Red and yellow (the earliest colors we monkeys could see)
scientificamerican.com/…
The "infinite possibilities" would be a reference to the entire light spectrum.
"Black then white are all I see in my infancy.
Red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me.
Lets me see."
As infants, we are only capable of seeing black and white before we become capable of seeing color. Likewise, as we mature spiritually we become capable of perceiving different aspects of reality that were previously completely unknown and unimaginable to us. A mystical experience is so alien to the everyday experiences of most people that describing it analogous to describing color to a colorblind person. Even if they can intellectually understand it, they can never truly "know" color without direct experience. Neither can anyone truly "know" divinity with a mere intellectual understanding of it.
"As below, so above and beyond, I imagine
Drawn beyond the lines of reason.
Push the envelope. Watch it bend."
In esoteric traditions "As above, so below" is an extremely famous phrase referring to the concept that the microcosm of the human is a representation of the macrocosm of the universe and vice versa; therefore through understanding one you understand the other. This is not a concept that can be rationally understood, hence it is "drawn beyond the lines of reason." It can only be accurately perceived when the rational mind is pushed to its breaking point, when it can be transcended.
"Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.
Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must
Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines."
The rational mind can only exist in a dualistic world, i.e. a world where subject and object, or the knower and the known, are separated. This duality is an illusion that is fooling the narrator, who must strengthen his will to see through the illusion.
"Feed my will to feel this moment urging me to cross the line.
Reaching out to embrace the random.
Reaching out to embrace whatever may come."
It takes a tremendous amount of willpower to cross the line from duality to unity. The individual never really knows what to expect when their ego becomes purified and they can perceive the infinite.
"I embrace my desire to
Feel the rhythm, to feel connected
Enough to step aside and weep like a widow
To feel inspired, to fathom the power,
To witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain,
To swing on the spiral
Of our divinity and still be a human."
This is the desire for liberation from the chains of worldly existence, or to experience the Mystical unity of the universe. The joy of this unity is enough to make the narrator cry. "The power," "the beauty," "the fountain," and "the spiral" are descriptions of divinity. "The fountain" probably refers to the fountain of life, while spirals are filled with esoteric significance relating to the golden ratio and DNA.
"With my feet upon the ground I lose myself
Between the sounds and open wide to suck it in,
I feel it move across my skin.
I'm reaching up and reaching out,
I'm reaching for the random or what ever will bewilder me.
And following our will and wind we may just go where no one's been.
We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one's been."
After this mystical experience, the narrator's desire to reach even further into to fabric of reality is intensified and they assert their intention to continue their spiritual evolution to its conclusion.
but the title is LateralUs ... it was a printing mistake.
I read it at toolband.com several weeks ago.
"Black then white are all I see in my infancy": I saw things in a simple, inaccurate way, thanks partly to my society favouring the use of the right hemisphere of the brain.
"Red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me, lets me see": I began to see subtlety and complexity in life after I began to use my left hemisphere more.
"As below so above and beyond I Imagine": a reference the Hermetic philosophy, patterns we notice on Earth can be extrapolated to apply to higher dimensions
"Drawn beyond the lines of reason ...": Rational thinking has its own limits, for example logic can't justify the use of logic or give you a purpose for living. Life with only logic is empty, cold and meaningless.
"Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind": Over use of the right hemisphere of the brain weakens your connection to the left hemisphere.
"Withering my intuition": If you can't use your left hemisphere then you don't have access to intuition and creativity.
"And I must feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines": Will power probably comes from the left hemisphere, it is the "Master" and the right hemisphere is its "Emissary" because only the left hemisphere can answer the question "Why?", to the right hemisphere everything is just a task to complete.
"There is so much more, and beckons me to look through to these infinite possibilities": There's alot of life experience I'm missing out on by not using my left hemisphere enough.
"Feed my will to feel this moment urging me to cross the line.": Staying in the same old thinking patterns isn't going to lead me to new experiences.
"Reaching out to embrace the random. Reaching out to embrace whatever may come.": Emotions, intuition and new experiences are random, I have to be okay with that if I want to live life to the fullest.
And the rest of the song is how he feels once he has embraced his left hemisphere, his life feels more meaningful and less monotonous.
@Ganondox: you're right, I mixed up left and right, wow that was silly of me. Thanks for pointing it out.
Below the surface is a surprising amount of metaphors and concepts adding much deeper meaning. These include the use of the Fibonacci sequence and references to alchemy as summarised below:
1. The fibonacci sequence
- Lyrics are introduced at 1.61... minutes - the golden/divine ration used by part of the Fibonacci sequence and divine proportions.
- The time signatures of the song switch between 9/8, 8/8 and 7/8 - 987 being the 16th step of the Fibonacci sequences.
- The chorus is sung in the pattern of the Fibonacci squence (i.e. 1-1-2-3-5-8-13 and back), noting at times steps are missed - implying some thing is missing.
2. Alchemy (Jung)
The "Magnum Opus" is the alchemy process for creating the philospher's stone, a substance that can turn lead into gold (ref. to The Grudge). This required both chemical and spiritual aspects. Carl Jung drew on some of these ideas to explain the concept of the individuation process. The colours used in the chorus draw on following Jung concepts:
- Nigredo (black) - Encoutering the unconcious mind
- Albedo (white) - Purification of the unconcious thoughts
- Critrinitas (yellow) - Confronting the Wise old man archetype.
- Rubedo (red) - Discovering the true self
When reviewing these details against the lyrics song adds much more meaning. There is not one meaning to this song, the abstract lyrics will have a personal meaning to each individual. This song simply put is encouraging the listener to strive towards being to being a better person.