anonymous July 6th, 2008 09:46AM  
I always thought this was about a negative view on abortion, because its such a hot topic in the states.

the "I am a world before I am a man" is saying that there's life before birth.

wear you like a stain, yet I'm the one whos obscene >> pregnant teeager ? you is the child ?

and the whole slow section is about it being a choice to kill the child and have it aborted or keep it

ambigu February 14th, 2009 03:17AM  
Great lyrics. He doesn't suffer he's life(bizzare but right at home) but he remembers that he's more powerful than that (,,i will remember before i forget'',,i was a creature before i could stand'').Great lyrics.

ambigu February 14th, 2009 03:19AM  
It's sort of a anti-suicide song but he has very much meanings.Pozitive lyrics.

RedXDeath February 28th, 2009 03:38PM  
I'm probably wrong on this, but here's my opinion: It's basically about how the past still existed, no matter if it's 1 day ago or 10,000 years. "I'm smeared across the page, and doused in gasoline" - You're born, you're "smeared" through your lifespan, and you die, or are "doused in gasoline". "Gasoline", is refering to how death may be painful. "I wear you like a stain, yet I'm the one who's obscene" - You're defined by your past, and your family's past. If they did something wrong, you may also be branded crazy. "I was the world before I am a man" - Possibly refering to how before you were born, there were decades before you of generations, and everyone (in a religious view) is related to you. Considering that, the human race covers the earth. "I was a creature before I could stand" - We were all babies 9and young children) at one point. Heck, people the world fears the most were once babies, and no one knew what effect they'd have on the future. "I will remember before I forget" - Before you forget something, you remember. Much events of the past were lost, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. I would interpret the rest, but you get the jist of it. A lot of the remaining lines also may seem the same. But that's just my opinion.

RedXDeath February 28th, 2009 03:40PM  
I'm probably wrong on this, but here's my opinion: It's basically about how the past still existed, no matter if it's 1 day ago or 10,000 years. "I'm smeared across the page, and doused in gasoline" - You're born, you're "smeared" through your lifespan, and you die, or are "doused in gasoline". "Gasoline", is refering to how death may be painful. "I wear you like a stain, yet I'm the one who's obscene" - You're defined by your past, and your family's past. If they did something wrong, you may also be branded crazy. "I was the world before I am a man" - Possibly refering to how before you were born, there were decades before you of generations, and everyone (in a religious view) is related to you. Considering that, the human race covers the earth. "I was a creature before I could stand" - We were all babies 9and young children) at one point. Heck, people the world fears the most were once babies, and no one knew what effect they'd have on the future. "I will remember before I forget" - Before you forget something, you remember. Much events of the past were lost, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. I would interpret the rest, but you get the jist of it. A lot of the remaining lines also may seem the same. But that's just my opinion.

shadowmagwai April 4th, 2009 10:30PM  
I believe he is saying that sometimes we need to always rely on our instincts and even if your actions are wrong they can be justified by the reasons that caused you to do them

anonymous April 6th, 2009 04:58AM  
Whoever said lead singer's father should go and die, it's Corey Taylor.

I think that it's about life before birth as well, he is saying 'i was a creature before I could stand,' gives a hint about evolution, from primates to humans.

All I can be asked to say, fuck you all who don't like slipknot.

anonymous April 23rd, 2009 05:31PM  
This song isn't about anything specific. It is slipknot. They don't ever write songs that have meaning, it's just about energy. That's one of their biggest criticisms as a band.

Songreader May 19th, 2009 07:06PM  
I would say this song is all about not forgetting where you came from. Slipknot is huge and successful now,but they all came from the same place: starting out as a helpless baby. The lines "stapled shut,inside an outside world" references being in your mother before birth,as does "sealed in tight,bizzare but right at home". It is only obscurely referencing life before birth,using it as something of a metaphor for the bands rise to fame. So what they're saying is,"we're loving fame,but anybody can end up like us,because we all start at being nothing,in a life before life,and we won't forget that".

anonymous May 28th, 2009 08:40PM  
First of all.. everyone has their own meaning in songs there is no right or wrong, if you say that someone is wrong then your not a real slipknot fan nor a fan of music. (Stapled shut, inside and ouside would and I'm Sealed in tight, bizarre but right at home) I personaly think that they are talking about our society today.. That everyone is "bizarr" and "weird" for diffrend reasons but wont admit it, that we cant be ourselfs we are following everyone elses example. We cant break out and be ourselfs because then we are weird eventhough everyone else are weird in their own way. (I've got no time to lose, and I'm just caught up in all the cattle) (I am a world before I am a man I was a creature before I could stand I will remember before I forget BEFORE I FORGET THAT!) In this they are saying that we where animals from the beginning. We were bizarr and weird but that didnt matter then. We could be ourselfs and dont care about what others think. We should remember that passed eventhough we have forgotten it. (My end It justifies my means All I ever do is delay My every attempt to evade The end of the road is my end It justifies my means All I ever do is delay My every attempt to evade) That we are trying to evade being ourselfs and show our "bizarr" side to others.

anonymous July 6th, 2009 04:32PM  
i think the line " i was a creature before i could stand" is just very very umm tolerant. all creatures have to be respected. even if they're weak, impaired, don't fit into any ideal or if they are animals or plants. not beeing able to stand means not being fully and perfectly evolved.

anonymous September 19th, 2009 04:20AM  
I interpret the song as being about a 2 parts of the journey for transendence, and forgiving those who are caught up in life and arent being themsleves for some reason. Everyone has to figure out the world for themselves before they become a man. Everyone acts as an animal before they become civilized. We have to understand and accept that as people we all get caught up in the herd, the battles, and obscenity that is life. We know that is a part of becoming a man so when were feeling trapped inside an outside world or witnessing someone going trough it, remember, before you forget.

~Ændrew

comments....tool1pc@hotmail.com

anonymous October 5th, 2009 10:12AM  
i think is about his feelings about himself and how he's here and how he feels trapped unable to free himself from himself.

anonymous October 12th, 2009 12:43PM  
The lyrics on this site are incorrect, its not "I am a world before I am a man" the correct line is "I am a worm before I am a man" you can double check that anywhere, remember that slipknot fans are often referred to as "maggots" this song is about not forgetting where you come from, hence the song name

anonymous October 21st, 2009 11:35AM  
This song is more about evilution and how we were part of the world before we were man and we were a creature before we could stand and that they wear religion like a stain and that they are the one who's insane but they are right.

anonymous October 21st, 2009 01:50PM  
I think this song is about atheism and evolution because I was a world before I was a man is saying we were all a part of the world and that I was a creature before I could stand is about us well its self explanatory when it says I wear you like a stain its talking about him being associated with religion and saying that we call him crazy even thogh he thinks he's right but when he says he's just caught up in all the cattle that he isn't trying to be like everyone eles

DarknessRend November 10th, 2009 08:30PM  
The albums throwback to regrets. It's about in trying to make themselves known they lost a little of themselves in sheer professionalism. Also, I think is about how Corey was still so young and confused when they and him where thrown into their own little spotlight...and he is saying that he never really had a chance to work things out with himself and he won't forget that...even though the face he wears onstage was spawned faster than he was inside..and that all the choices he makes determine how his life is and he tries to avoid the stopping point...he wants to keep on going.

anonymous November 26th, 2009 06:15PM  
My interpretation of the song is trying to avoid the end of their lives.......and not forgetting where they came from. But then again, that's just what I think. However we interpret it.......we still relate to it. And if you don't understand it, but like it anyway.......then you probably have an idea of what the song is about, but you can't really put it in words.

anonymous February 3rd, 2010 09:04PM  
Not every song has a meaning behind it. So maybe this is one of those songs. Where you can get your own meaning from it. With a sing like that you can reach tons of people. Each persons meaning can make them a stronger/better person. So I think there's no intended meaning for this song.