Tourniquet Man

How can you not like this song its soooo creepy.

I think its about Goliath talking to them. "Before you lay your question down There's a matter of the payment"

least fave off this album. neat vocal effects though.

Wish he could pronounce tourniquet...

i actually hold this song in pretty high regard, its short and reallly eerie sounding. the vocal effects are maddd cool.

This song is definitely about the contact the band experienced with "Goliath" or "Tourniquet Man" as the board often wrote to them.

"When I hear your fingers, they will spell my name as I trade the faces of the holders."

In this lyric I see a mental image of the "Tourniquet Man" communicating with the band, disambiuating amongst them.

But this song, like many others on all of their albums, reminds me of Christ... who is sometimes referred to as Tourniquet. "Let me keep you as a favor" reminds me of the reaping of souls.

didn't say i didn't like it it's just my least favorite off of this album

ok hears what i think.... this line goes.

theres a matter of payment
to you i slipped on crooked sores
in conclaves that you bothered

.it makes more sense read like that and thats how you hear it in the song

conclaves-1. A secret or confidential meeting.

2. Roman Catholic Church a. The private rooms in which the cardinals meet to elect a new pope. b. The meeting held to elect a new pope. (i dont think the religious meaning is significant in this specific song but i do know religion is heavily referenced by TMV)

in case you didnt know this songs is about the oiuji board (obviously. the whole album is!)

payment obv means theres consequence for using this board

to you i slipped on crooked sores i think symbolizes that reaching him was not easy

in conclaves that you bothered means the meeting in which this communication was made i also think

the changing in vocal effects is significant symbolizing how something that started good has ended evil

those are my thoughts please criticize

least favorite mars volta song, but still better than 90 percent of music i listen to, haha. thats why i love this band

Easily my least favorite Volta song. Although I enjoyed the album, I find this song too straight forward and almost unnecessary.

i think they are talking to Goliath. the phrase "I've seen the only living traces flicker in the sulphur" is a reference to this theory that sulphur and this combination created the universe so it could be saying the Goliath has existed since the beginning of time.