anonymous July 18th, 2007 11:01AM  

Severing whats keeping you from being whole, pure, well again. Take your pick. Umbilical cord being what ties you to that affliction. Interesting way to put it:)

Ender September 21st, 2007 11:44AM  

I think this song is about Maynard trying to make the decision to pull the plug for his mother (although I have no clue to whether this actually happened or not it is just what I hear when I listen to the song)

i think he want to cut the umbilical cord (pull the plug to end her suffering) his link to his mother he is pulling her in and he can almost hear her scream because she want to end her pain

he is giving her one more medicated moment before he essentially kills her but he doesn't see it as that he is saying goodbye and giving her one last moment without pain before she dies and leaves him

anonymous February 14th, 2008 06:13AM  

I believe it's more about his mother's death. The umbilical cord is his connection to her, being the son. He just can't "cut the cord" and let her die.

anonymous July 16th, 2008 05:53AM  

Its a metaphor based on the story of Orestes. Orestes has to make the ultimate choice. The Oracle basically says that he has to avenge his fathers murder. One of the conspirators against his father being his mother, whom Orestes still loves. If Orestes kills her then he will forever be tormented by Inres which were demons that punished those that committed the sin of matricide in Greek mythology. If he doesn't fulfill his destiny, Orestes must face the wrath of the God's for not completing the task fate they set for him. In other words, he's damned either way. That's the "overwhelming hostility" because he's pressured from all sides. He needs a "medicated peaceful moment" to escape the constant pressure. Further he doesn't want to kill his mother because its his mom, that link is also making him hesitate. It's a situation many have to face in that damned if you do and damned if you don't scenario. It's lose/lose. Thats how I always interpreted it.

madmatt92 March 29th, 2009 10:02AM  

orestes is an old play in greek the theme is that Orestes is forced by the Gods to kill his mother, and this deed tortures him. Therefore, the line "Gotta cut away, clear away, snip away and sever this umbilical residue keeping me from killing you..." He's attempting to forget she is his mother so it easier for him to kill her. so it has connection to maynard and his mother because she is paralyzed and knows she is going to die.

MattyP August 4th, 2009 06:14PM  

I'm not entirely sure of the song's meaning, but I read an interview a few years back wherein Billy Howerdel said that he named the band after a lyric in this song before Maynard was involved. Also, the acoustic demo version is sung by Billy, leading me to believe that he probably wrote it. The lyrics seem to point to a link with the story of Orestes (hence the title, haha) the 'snip away and sever this umbilical resadue, keeping me from killing you' being the obvious reference.

anonymous September 4th, 2009 09:41AM  

The myth of Orestes is that he has to kill his mother. We all have that set, don't we? The "umbilical residue" is what's connecting him to his mother. "Gotta cut away, clear away, snip away and sever this umbilical residue" means he has to forget that it's his MOM he's killing and just do it. Maynard IS Orestes in the interpretation.

anonymous September 12th, 2009 06:45PM  

From my point of view, it could mean multitudes of things, like....giving birth to a bastard child. But honestly, I think he's talking about from the moment of conception to the moment of birth, Pull me in to your perfect circle...Conception One womb one shame one resolve could mean born out of wedlock OR possibly getting the baby aborted. Gotta get away clear away, snip away and sever this umbilical residue that keeping me from killing you..could refer to women who would conceive but then would die after birth, so they wouldn't have the chance to see their baby. And from pulling you down with me in here, I can almost hear you scream..Basically (This may sound crazy..) But when the woman pushes the baby, th baby pulls back in, also referring to when she dies the last thing that baby will hear is his or her mothers scream. Give me one more medicated peaceful moment...3 times?! O_O Well, MORPHINE MORPHINE MORPHINE! Lol. and I dont wanna feel this overwhelming hostility,..Could mean that her family is watching out of shame, curiousity. Etc etc. Well I think ive disected this song enough. Now you know my point of view on the lyrics of this awesome song. ^-^