Undertow
Well I think this album is all about people caught in the "undertow" of society. Those stuck at the "bottom" if you will. What I mean by that is scum and low-lifes, those that have "crawled away" from the mainstream and the standard way of thinking. Many songs are from the viewpoint of one of these people at the bottom of society, these range from the bigot in Intolerance to the rapist in Prison Sex to the "worthless liar" of Sober. Maybe Crawl Away is from the viewpoint of the mainstream, trying to keep things in order and keeping the fringe from "slipping away." Swamp Song is a warning about the dangers of being caught in the undertow, and Undertow about the temptations of it, and 4 Degrees about opening yourself up to it. Finally Flood is from the viewpoint of a normal person at the "top" when everything crumbles as the undertow gives way and they are overcome by what they've ignored, all the shit that has added up at the bottom.
Parabolate Registered User
Posts: 6
(8/20/01 11:25 pm) Reply
Re: Undertow
Wow. Definitely an interesting way of looking at Undertow. I'd never really examined that album that deeply. The whole analogy seems to fit very well, though.
There's also several references to Maynard's time in the army, especially in Intolerance and 4 Degrees.
I often think that sober is about looking for an easy way out, looking to solve problems by ignoring them, and assuming that admitting a fault makes it go away.
One of the things I love about tool is the way we get to interpret songs for ourselves. We don't get Maynard making it obvious to us, or telling us in interviews what the songs are all about.
Re: Undertow
I don't know about you guys but I always thought undertow was about maynard's (the band?) struggle with heroin or maybe something else... but from some of the lyrics..
Gone under two times. I've been struck dumb by a voice that speaks from deep beneath the cold black water. It's twice as
clear as heaven, and twice as loud as reason. It's deep and rich like silt on a riverbed and just as undisturbing. The current's mouth
below me opens up around me. Suggests and beckons all while swallowing. It surrounds and drowns and sweeps me away. But I'm so
comfortable... Too comfortable. shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up you're saturating me.
sounds like he kicked the habit but he keeps on coming back to it, it calls him, so comfertable...
it screams from deep
beneath the endless water. and it's half as high as heavenand half as clear as reason. it's cold and and black like silt on the riverbed.
But I'm so comfortable. Far too comfortable. Why don't you kill me, I'm weak and numb and insignificant, and I'm back on my knees.
lost in euphoria. I'm back down. I'm in the undertow. I'm helpless and awake in the undertow. I'll die within your undertow. It seems
there's no other way out of this undertow. euphoria.
this, to me, suggests that now he is back in the habit, he cannot stop because of the addiction, how much he loves it and how comfertable it makes him, even though he cannot get out, he talks about how he cannot get away from the euphoria and how he is weak, the undertow has taken him...
just a thought...
"I had a friend once he took some acid Now he thinks he's a fire engine It's okay until he pisses on your
lighter Kinda smells kinda cool kinda funny anyway satan, satan, satan... I had a friend once he took some ecstasy tried to marry me
and every one in the room He was sort of loving kinda caring, kinda tried to @#%$ my lazy boy It got a bit messy all over the curtains, arm
chair covers, throw pillows, and carpeting satan, satan, satan...I'm getting bored again... "
Re: Undertow
How's this for reading between the lines:
An actual ad in the London Times:
WANTED:
A tall well-built woman with good
reputation, who can cook frogs'
legs, who appreciates a good fuc-
schia garden, classic music and tal-
king without getting too serious.
But please only read lines 1,3 and 5.
Re: Undertow
All right...while I respect your viewpoint, I have to completely disagree with you...Maynard hates society, and the songs in Undertow are about the effect that society has on an individual. In "Intolerance", Maynard is talking about destroying a bigoted society, even if it destroys him as well.The whole CD is about reinventing yourself, opening up to new things, growing as a person, not the destruction of society...
Consequences dictate our course of action. It doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate my course of action, I should play god and just shoot you myself.-TooL, "Jerk-Off", Opiate
Re: Undertow
I always believe that its up to a person to make their own interpretations of a work of art, be it music, painting, poetry, etc. while i personally dont see this album as being about the lowlives of society, i see your point. i always thought the cd to be more of an internal struggle against society. there are many things wrong with society, and i think this cd was descirbing a person's internal struggle againt those things that the person sees as wrong. thats my view anyways.
"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. 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........
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