Everyone has spoken about the lyrics but how about that awesome breakdown from 4:00 to 7:10? To me it sounds like a progression of battle music from primitive times to the industrial war machine of now. Here me out. The music goes through stages.
The sound begins with sticks drumming. Imagine mankind in its infancy and small groups of men battling. As the drums beat faster around 4:40 we are now in an age of larger tribes warring. At 5:24 mankind has progressed into full on organized warfare. The sound here is heavier, more complex. The guitar screeching at 6:02-6:04 transitions to a new era of battle music. The guitar is the sound of a new battle cry, more aggressive and dangerous. The sound from here on out is more industrial, the drums hit harder like artillery rounds. The guitars scream like assault rifles. At 6:45 is another transition. The industrial war machine now marches forward melodically, with calculated moves, set out to destroy everything in its path.
Anyways, that's my interpretation of the sound and I'm sticking to it. The sound from 4:00 minutes out progresses from monkeys marching to the sound of sticks hitting coconuts to the sounds of the industrial war machine of today. Tool is a band that speaks with more than just it's lyrics.
Right on man. I was reading other posts when the song started....then I came to your post just as the industrial part you described was progressing. What you were decribeing made a whole lot of sense. never thought of it in that way
Right on man. I was reading other posts when the song started....then I came to your post just as the industrial part you described was progressing. What you were decribeing made a whole lot of sense. never thought of it in that way
I love what you said and kind of agree but have a slightly different interpretation:
I love what you said and kind of agree but have a slightly different interpretation:
I actually imagine the beginning (around 4:00) is the rising of tension, that existed before humans started using violence as a resource. Then the first human killed his brother over some superfluous reason.
Now this becomes a way of solving things, and pretty soon everyone's fighting over everything and nothing (Fight over the clouds, over wind, over sky and fight over life, over blood, over air and light, over love, over sun, over another).
And after these lines, when the song is really exploding, is probably where...
I actually imagine the beginning (around 4:00) is the rising of tension, that existed before humans started using violence as a resource. Then the first human killed his brother over some superfluous reason.
Now this becomes a way of solving things, and pretty soon everyone's fighting over everything and nothing (Fight over the clouds, over wind, over sky and fight over life, over blood, over air and light, over love, over sun, over another).
And after these lines, when the song is really exploding, is probably where we just started using violence as a first resource, without thinking logically about the best solution for any problem.
And all this time Angels right beside us have had no other option but to wait on the sidelines, for the stupid mindless violence to end (which will probably never happen), unable to act.
@CAdventurer i know u posted this like 7 years ago, but duuuuuuuude... i've always known the popular tool songs, but i'm just now getting into more of their songs, so i listened to this and checked out this interpretation.. spot on! blows my damn mind!
@CAdventurer i know u posted this like 7 years ago, but duuuuuuuude... i've always known the popular tool songs, but i'm just now getting into more of their songs, so i listened to this and checked out this interpretation.. spot on! blows my damn mind!
I don't know why, but I'm now interpreting this same section from the Angels point of view. They reflect, think about it, grow with it, then arm and give us (monkeys) more reasons to fight. First we fought only for ground and fruit. Now, were they so innocent? I say they came off the bench and gave us way more reasons to fight, abstract stuff like sky, love, over time. We're spilling blood over your same timeline. Angels can watch on the sidelines again. Enjoy us fighting like thirsty fans at a cockfight. I've even wondered...
I don't know why, but I'm now interpreting this same section from the Angels point of view. They reflect, think about it, grow with it, then arm and give us (monkeys) more reasons to fight. First we fought only for ground and fruit. Now, were they so innocent? I say they came off the bench and gave us way more reasons to fight, abstract stuff like sky, love, over time. We're spilling blood over your same timeline. Angels can watch on the sidelines again. Enjoy us fighting like thirsty fans at a cockfight. I've even wondered if the Angels wanted to cut us monkeys right in two.
Learn to swim, right?
I know it doesn't resolve well to that interpretation, but I wanted to share getting lost in that imagery.
I don't know why, but I'm now interpreting this same section from the Angels point of view. They reflect, think about it, grow with it, then arm and give us (monkeys) more reasons to fight. First we fought only for ground and fruit. Now, were they so innocent? I say they came off the bench and gave us way more reasons to fight, abstract stuff like sky, love, over time. We're spilling blood over your same timeline. Angels can watch on the sidelines again. Enjoy us fighting like thirsty fans at a cockfight. I've even wondered...
I don't know why, but I'm now interpreting this same section from the Angels point of view. They reflect, think about it, grow with it, then arm and give us (monkeys) more reasons to fight. First we fought only for ground and fruit. Now, were they so innocent? I say they came off the bench and gave us way more reasons to fight, abstract stuff like sky, love, over time. We're spilling blood over your same timeline. Angels can watch on the sidelines again. Enjoy us fighting like thirsty fans at a cockfight. I've even wondered if the Angels wanted to cut us monkeys right in two.
Learn to swim, right?
I know it doesn't resolve well to that interpretation, but I wanted to share getting lost in that imagery.
Everyone has spoken about the lyrics but how about that awesome breakdown from 4:00 to 7:10? To me it sounds like a progression of battle music from primitive times to the industrial war machine of now. Here me out. The music goes through stages.
The sound begins with sticks drumming. Imagine mankind in its infancy and small groups of men battling. As the drums beat faster around 4:40 we are now in an age of larger tribes warring. At 5:24 mankind has progressed into full on organized warfare. The sound here is heavier, more complex. The guitar screeching at 6:02-6:04 transitions to a new era of battle music. The guitar is the sound of a new battle cry, more aggressive and dangerous. The sound from here on out is more industrial, the drums hit harder like artillery rounds. The guitars scream like assault rifles. At 6:45 is another transition. The industrial war machine now marches forward melodically, with calculated moves, set out to destroy everything in its path.
Anyways, that's my interpretation of the sound and I'm sticking to it. The sound from 4:00 minutes out progresses from monkeys marching to the sound of sticks hitting coconuts to the sounds of the industrial war machine of today. Tool is a band that speaks with more than just it's lyrics.
Right on man. I was reading other posts when the song started....then I came to your post just as the industrial part you described was progressing. What you were decribeing made a whole lot of sense. never thought of it in that way
Right on man. I was reading other posts when the song started....then I came to your post just as the industrial part you described was progressing. What you were decribeing made a whole lot of sense. never thought of it in that way
I love what you said and kind of agree but have a slightly different interpretation:
I love what you said and kind of agree but have a slightly different interpretation:
I actually imagine the beginning (around 4:00) is the rising of tension, that existed before humans started using violence as a resource. Then the first human killed his brother over some superfluous reason. Now this becomes a way of solving things, and pretty soon everyone's fighting over everything and nothing (Fight over the clouds, over wind, over sky and fight over life, over blood, over air and light, over love, over sun, over another). And after these lines, when the song is really exploding, is probably where...
I actually imagine the beginning (around 4:00) is the rising of tension, that existed before humans started using violence as a resource. Then the first human killed his brother over some superfluous reason. Now this becomes a way of solving things, and pretty soon everyone's fighting over everything and nothing (Fight over the clouds, over wind, over sky and fight over life, over blood, over air and light, over love, over sun, over another). And after these lines, when the song is really exploding, is probably where we just started using violence as a first resource, without thinking logically about the best solution for any problem.
And all this time Angels right beside us have had no other option but to wait on the sidelines, for the stupid mindless violence to end (which will probably never happen), unable to act.
Someone has watched the music video....
Someone has watched the music video....
If you haven't seen yet... That's pretty scary how dead on you are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdwYGu1o8gs
If you haven't seen yet... That's pretty scary how dead on you are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdwYGu1o8gs
@CAdventurer i know u posted this like 7 years ago, but duuuuuuuude... i've always known the popular tool songs, but i'm just now getting into more of their songs, so i listened to this and checked out this interpretation.. spot on! blows my damn mind!
@CAdventurer i know u posted this like 7 years ago, but duuuuuuuude... i've always known the popular tool songs, but i'm just now getting into more of their songs, so i listened to this and checked out this interpretation.. spot on! blows my damn mind!
@CAdventurer Thats deep, you are a true professional of tool, and im just 15 and I love them!!!
@CAdventurer Thats deep, you are a true professional of tool, and im just 15 and I love them!!!
@CAdventurer Love this.
@CAdventurer Love this.
I don't know why, but I'm now interpreting this same section from the Angels point of view. They reflect, think about it, grow with it, then arm and give us (monkeys) more reasons to fight. First we fought only for ground and fruit. Now, were they so innocent? I say they came off the bench and gave us way more reasons to fight, abstract stuff like sky, love, over time. We're spilling blood over your same timeline. Angels can watch on the sidelines again. Enjoy us fighting like thirsty fans at a cockfight. I've even wondered...
I don't know why, but I'm now interpreting this same section from the Angels point of view. They reflect, think about it, grow with it, then arm and give us (monkeys) more reasons to fight. First we fought only for ground and fruit. Now, were they so innocent? I say they came off the bench and gave us way more reasons to fight, abstract stuff like sky, love, over time. We're spilling blood over your same timeline. Angels can watch on the sidelines again. Enjoy us fighting like thirsty fans at a cockfight. I've even wondered if the Angels wanted to cut us monkeys right in two.
Learn to swim, right?
I know it doesn't resolve well to that interpretation, but I wanted to share getting lost in that imagery.
@CAdventurer Love this.
@CAdventurer Love this.
I don't know why, but I'm now interpreting this same section from the Angels point of view. They reflect, think about it, grow with it, then arm and give us (monkeys) more reasons to fight. First we fought only for ground and fruit. Now, were they so innocent? I say they came off the bench and gave us way more reasons to fight, abstract stuff like sky, love, over time. We're spilling blood over your same timeline. Angels can watch on the sidelines again. Enjoy us fighting like thirsty fans at a cockfight. I've even wondered...
I don't know why, but I'm now interpreting this same section from the Angels point of view. They reflect, think about it, grow with it, then arm and give us (monkeys) more reasons to fight. First we fought only for ground and fruit. Now, were they so innocent? I say they came off the bench and gave us way more reasons to fight, abstract stuff like sky, love, over time. We're spilling blood over your same timeline. Angels can watch on the sidelines again. Enjoy us fighting like thirsty fans at a cockfight. I've even wondered if the Angels wanted to cut us monkeys right in two.
Learn to swim, right?
I know it doesn't resolve well to that interpretation, but I wanted to share getting lost in that imagery.