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Tool - H. Song Meanings

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Maynard wrote this song for his son. It talks about how his father beat him and was mean to him so he tries to do the same things to his son, but he contains his anger and holds himself back. What he's holding up is a mirror meaning that he is becoming his father or the snake behind me hisses what my damge could have been my blood before he makes me open up my heart again, meaning that there is something inside him that makes him want to treat his son the same way his father treated him.

Submitted by: Zaq
Added: 2006-01-16 18:25:49     Rating:

The snake represent Maynard's father.
The "blood before me" represents Devo, Maynard's son.
"What's coming through is alive.
What's holding up is a mirror.
But what's singing songs is a snake
Looking to turn this piss to wine."
This means the Maynard we experience in most songs is the Maynard seen in his father's mirror, the Maynard that was shaped in his father's image. But he is trying to turn all these negatives(piss) to positives(wine).
The snake behind me reminds me, how bad I could have been.
My son in front of me begs me to let my guard down, to love, to grow again.
"Venomous voice, tempts me,
Drains me, bleeds me,
Leaves me cracked and empty.
Drags me down like some sweet gravity."
The way he was treated by his father makes him feel like shit, takes his will to live away, and he is tempted to let it drag him down(because he feels worthless). It is "Sweet gravity" because it would be easy to treat his son that way, and in a way it would feel right, because it would be a release, and because his father treated him that way.
"I am too connected to you to
Slip away, to fade away.
Days away I still feel you
Touching me, changing me,
And considerately killing me."
He loves his son too much to slip and fade into what he feels he is destined to become. Even when he isn't with his son, he can still feel his son's effects on him, can still feel his son killing the snake inside of him.
"The walls came down."
The walls he had put up to protect him emotionally have come down, allowing him to love and be loved.
"And the snake is drowned and
As I look in his eyes,
My fear begins to fade
Recalling all of those times.
I could have cried then.
I should have cried then."
The snake inside him is dead, and as he watches it die, he is no longer afraid. He was so relieved that he could have cried.
"I have died
and will die.
It's all right.
I don't mind."
The snake has died, other parts of him will die, he will change, but it's okay. I don't mind.
"And considerately killing me..."
HEY, it's a POSITIVE Tool song!!!

Submitted by: maynardmcfugget
Added: 2006-02-25 18:46:37     Rating:

I thought this song was about maynard's heroin addiction.

Submitted by: Zaq
Added: 2006-02-25 21:07:59     Rating:

Where the fuck did you hear that Maynard was a heroine addict?

Submitted by: 3Libras
Added: 2006-02-26 16:44:27     Rating:

SO I do think it is possible for H. To be about Maynard's son Devo because Devo was born in 1995 and the album was released in 1996. The song must be about Maynard's past abusive relationship with his father and the fact that he has a desire to treat Devo the same way. He is trying so hard to be a better person thatn his father, to be a real man, but he has these desires that are eating away at him. He has managed to stop himself but it isn't easy.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2006-05-03 03:19:17     Rating:

H is, at its core, a love song (perhaps one of the only by Tool). I think this song is about the power of another (or our intense devotion/connection to that other) to break down the walls we build when we are damaged and to give us the will to overcome the destructive power an abusive parent/lover has over us. Whether the abuser is a father, an ex-lover or even a part of ourselves, none of us are immune to the power of love. Love is very much alive. It flows within us, moves between us and guides us.

Consider this..

What's coming through is alive (Love breaking the barrier I create to shield myself from pain)
What's holding up is a mirror (I am all that stands in the way)
What's singing songs is a snake
Looking to turn my piss to wine (Still I, my own worst enemy, try to overcome my own misgivings)
....
Killing me just the same (The conflict consumes me)

The snake behind me hisses....
...Begs me.. open up my heart again (Standing behind me is pain.. pain of the abusive father, pain of the terrible lover incessently tempting me, but ahead of me is a passion, my own passion begging me to submit to this love)

Venomous voice..
...Sweet gravity (The past pulls me back, willing me to give in to the temptation of what is easy, what is known. It is easier to give in to the abuse than to believe in something pure and selfless)

I feel this coming over like a storm again (There is a breaking point, and I see it coming. I can shelter myself from it or open myself up to its power)

I am too connected to you
Slip away, fade away
Days away I still feel you
Touching me, changing me
Considerately killing me (I am powerless to ignore my love for you and my fight against you is failing. I am beginning to see what you do for me; sweetly killing the me that was a victim, the me that could have become the abuser myself)

*Note the melody and rythym change.. Signifying the approaching climax*

Without the skin
Beneath the storm
Under these tears
The walls come down (I have chosen not to shelter my heart from this storm - the storm signifying this passionate love - and I have succumbed to this thing)

And as the snake is drowned
And as I look in his eyes
My fear begins to fade
Recalling all of the times
I could have cried
I should have cried (The storm that freed me is the very storm that destroyed the abusive power that once held me, the snake. As I watch it drown, I realize that there is no need to fear, for the power it had was artificial. It is gone.)

*Here is the instrumental climax, giving this realization an epic quality*
And as the walls come down and
As I look in your eyes
My fear begins to fade
Recalling all of the times
I have died, and will die.
It's all right. I don't mind.

(As my inner defenses are finally broken, and I see into the eyes of my love, the fear I had lived with fades to nothing. My solice is in the fact that, as many times as my heart has been broken, and may even be broken still, I have hope. I have immeasurable optimism that allows me peace, because the worst parts of me are now dead.)

Submitted by: thirdeye
Added: 2006-05-12 02:02:22     Rating:

Transhumanism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Transhumanism (sometimes abbreviated >H or H+) is an international intellectual and cultural movement supporting the use of new sciences and technologies to enhance human physical and cognitive abilities and ameliorate what it regards as harsh aspects of the human condition, such as disease and aging. Transhumanism cultivates the academic study of the possibilities and consequences of developing and using human enhancement techniques and other emerging technologies for these purposes. Possible dangers, as well as benefits, of powerful new technologies that might radically change the conditions of human life are also of concern to the transhumanist movement.


A book by Aldous Huxley (brother of Julian Huxley, please expand your minds and read both of these minds!) entitled "Brave New World" was a perfect example of authority playing god and ruling while everyone adapted by taking Soma, a happy drug (most likely opiates) So...think for yourself and question authority.

Anyway, expand your minds. Everything makes sense.

Submitted by: wildbill06
Added: 2006-05-14 13:59:09     Rating:

I have a live Tool bootleg from Houston, TX in 97'. Maynard said to the crowd before H., "ever seen those Warner Bros. cartoons, where there is someone trying to make a decision and they have an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. Of course the angel is telling him to do the right thing and the devil is telling him to do what would not be right. Well sometimes we have this happen in real life, but its not always that simple, maybe its friends telling us what we should or should not do, but thier advice might not always be whats best for us...this song's called H."

I think the song is about using your own conciense, thinking for yourself and to not get "dragged down" by outside influences.

Submitted by: CleanDave
Added: 2006-06-05 03:37:34     Rating:

This song was created for open interpertation. Maynard says this song is about choices, only Maynard knows why this song was originally written, so Im going to give you my personal interpertation. When I first heard this song,I related to me and my girlfriends relationship. I see the snake as tempation, or maybe friends and family. Noone really likes her. My choice is too either stay or break up with this chick who "I am too conneted to you to fade away slip away, Days away I still feel you, touching me, holding me, and considerately killing me" Basically asociating this song with my life I hear a song written about the ups and downs of our relationship, how I love her and what not, but she drives me freaking crazy, considerately killing me. I don't know, I know that's not why the song was written, but that was my first mental relation with this song. BONG!

Submitted by: Thelowend5stringer
Added: 2006-07-27 16:33:59     Rating:

Well... I came here because I had some thoughts on this song... It appears that I maybe way wrong. I could tell that it was about a battle inside of maynard... Or whoever wrote it... But I thought it was between christ, the blood, and the snake, the devil. However it seems to me that the metaphor of his son seems more plausable with tool.
I do feel however that when it talks about the snake 'turning my piss into wine' it is talking abaout how his father, the snake, is trying to make him 'better.' it would seem to me that maynard's father encouraged him to hold in his emotions and 'be a man.' however, with the birth of his son, Maynard feels the need to open up, but his father has taught him never to let his guard down emotionally. Maynard fights and fights, but eventually, the snake is drowned and Maynard realizes that it is ok to cry and has always been. 'the wall came down' refers to his emotional guard coming down. I am not certain on this... But I guess it is just my opinion.. Thanks to those of you with the information about maynard's son in regards to this song. This I guess is how I interpreted what you had already deciphered.

Submitted by: keepgoingspiralout
Added: 2006-07-31 21:41:17     Rating:

I think this song is about MJK's inate craving to control his anger (or abuse in general), much like he was abused as a child (as someone has already pointed out). I think he realizes he can't help the way he feels, and is doing everything in his power to control this demon.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2006-10-08 15:25:13     Rating:

I belive this song is about a haroin addict, thus the name "h". The "venomous voice" he speaks of that is tempting him and draging him down like gravity is this aweful addiction. Then he gives in, "I feel this coming over like a storm again". "and the snake is drowned and
as I look in his eyes,
my fear begins to fade
recalling all of those times." this is beating the addiction and the fear fading. Being a former addict I can really understand what this feels like. I have no idea whether Maynard has ever been an addict, but I really belieave in order to wright such complex, and beautiful words, a man must be clear of mind, which makes me believe this song is about one of the many friends Maynard has had with problems like this. Sweet lady h

Submitted by: FinalOblation
Added: 2006-11-25 04:53:17     Rating:

I believe that this song is very open to interpretation just as any art is. I have mixed ideas of how I think this song should be interpreted. It could be one, the other, or even both.
I believe this song is about a third wheel, to a degree. It is kind of a narrative of the thoughts that a guy or girl has on the outside of a relationship. It could be an ex that he/she is still very attached to or an infatuation that the person secretly holds. And there is very obviously a battle of conscience.

"I am too connected to you to
Slip away, to fade away.
Days away I still feel you
Touching me, changing me,
And considerately killing me."
There is a connection between the narrator and something. It can be assumed that this is about another person.

"They're both totally void of hate,
But killing me just the same."
This could be observed as the view of the couple that the narrator is referring to. They are completely in love and it is killing him/her.

"The snake behind me hisses
What my damage could have been.
My blood before me begs me
Open up my heart again. "
I see this as the Angel and Devil on his shoulder. This is a conflict of conscience. There is obviously either an issue of right and wrong or an issue of past and present, hence the snake "behind" him and the blood "before" him. The relative position of the snake and blood could be meant as time orientation or good/evil alignment.

These could be the battle of what he/she should do about this situation. Choose the honorable choice of the blood before him, the painful option where he/she just deals with the anguish of not being with this person that has such power and connection to them. Or they could make a move; give into the evil side, the lure of the snake.

"Without the skin,
Beneath the storm,
Under these tears
The walls came down."
I see this as the person describing a collapse of their emotional and mental defenses. Under the skin = not of the body. Beneath the storm = the affect of the conflict. Under these tears = build up of anguish. The walls come down = feelings breaking free or thoughts breaking in.

"And the snake is drowned and
As I look in his eyes,
My fear begins to fade
Recalling all of those times.

I could have cried then.
I should have cried then.

And as the walls come down and
As I look in your eyes
My fear begins to fade
Recalling all of the times
I have died
and will die.
It's all right.
I don't mind."
This is where I try to make my theory concrete. The first part “And the snake is drowned and As I look in his eyes, My fear begins to fade” this part shows the snake did not win, which means the painful path was chosen. When the walls come down and he/she looks in "their" eyes he/she realizes "My fear begins to fade Recalling all of the times I have died and will die. It's all right. I don't mind." he/she has dealt with this pain before and over and over come through it, so why not bite the bullet, deal with the pain. They have for so long and yet they haven't shown a care so far...so why should they mind now?

After all he/she is still too connected to slip away or risk the loss, so they just let it go on with the person of their infatuation considerately killing them.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-01-22 16:13:05     Rating:

I have an interesting interpretation...

if you have ever heard of the greek story of perseus and medusa (im sure that you have)

(medusa has the snakes on her head and whoever she looks at turns to stone....anyway perseus wants to kill her so he comes into her cave with a mirror shield and so medusa actually looks at herself and turns herself into stone)

with the lyrics

whats coming through is alive (not stone)
what's holding up is a mirror (shield)
but whats singing songs is a snake (on her head)
looking to turn this piss to wine (perseus claiming medusa)

the snake behind me hisses (on her head)


other than that I can't really come to any other connections but if you think about it you can see how this fits


but idk.....think for yourself

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-03-13 21:06:53     Rating:

The song does not have one specific meaning to every person. It has one meaning relating to Maynard himself, but it was created to be open to interpretation and, therefore, would have a separate meaning to any person listening to it. To Maynard himself, the song is about his relationship with his son, Devo, whom he had to overcome becoming abusive towards and become a better person than his father (the snake), who was abusive towards Maynard when he was a child. So, the blood is beckoning upon Maynard to open up his heart to change, and when he finally does and destroys the abusive temptations that he had inherited from his father, he doesn't mind because of the better person he is for it. But, to a fan or any other listener, the song can just as easily transition to a relationship between two people in which a person is having an internal plight between submitting to what they're already familiar with and allowing hesitation rule their judgment, thus preventing them from opening up their heart to the other person, or they could decide to launch themselves into something that's unknown to them, and possibly more meaningful and benevolent, which is how the song relates to me currently in my life.

Submitted by: OldNo7
Added: 2007-03-20 21:48:20     Rating:

I actually interpreted this song sort of strangely. When I first heard it, which means the first 30 times, I did think it was about his son, like Jambi. However, as I listened to it more, I found it as more of a broad picture than that.

The title H to me refers to the book Wuthering Heights, in which the main character, the infamous Heathcliff, is referred to by his lover as H. The boom is about the consuming destructive relationship of Heathcliff and Catherine. They love each other based on the fact that they are almost the same souls, which is referred to in the image of the mirror. The love is so deep it becomes overwhelming, aided by the abuse suffered by Heathcliff, which is also alluded to often in the song.

Basically Heathcliffe and Catherine feel so connected that their seperation caused a rift in Heathcliff that created a destructive dark person, making him bitter without recompense. A venomous snake is born from the idea of love. When Catherine dies, the connection felt by Heathcliff is still felt but he is more bitter than ever. The legacy left from Heathcliff and Catherine, which was basically their children, created a union of healthy love. The snake of their twisted overzealous and passionate relationship split and created a seed for healthy growth.

So, what that has to do with the overall meaning... well, it's about a relationship so strong it becomes volatile if threatened and just the thought alone spawns venomous thoughts and actions. It kills both of the lovers but the venom is sweet and they don't mind.

Yes, this is probably wrong, but hey, Tool is all about interpretation.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-04-20 20:43:37     Rating:

somewhere I heared the song name "H." is meant to mean half full/half empty" but however you read it I guess

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-07-16 19:30:20     Rating:

It looks like no one has been on for while so this might be pointless. The great thing about Tool is that you can listen to a song a thousand times and get something different each time, and have them mean somthing different This song though h - and I beleive it is in lowercase for a reason, definitely goes along with the theme of the Aenima CD in that is about cleansing and that sometimes you got to get past all the $hit that gets in the way. I feel and have always felt that this song is definitely about the birth of his son Devo and the mixed emotions that come in when something so pure, holy, and beautiful as a child has chosen you to be their parent, when on the inside we feel so underserving and unworthy for such a gift.

Another great thing about Tool is all parts are crucial to the life of each song. As h starts the guitar is dark, distorted, and dirty, representing him, then it comes into a pure and beautiful sound representing the baby. The guitar also resonates this later in the song sounding like a baby. The music is as important as the lyrics....

Whats coming through is alive - the baby
whats holding up is a mirror - a pure reflections of himself
Whats singing songs is a snake, looking to turn my piss to wine. - obviously he had dark issues at this time and is facing that with his son.

Their both totally void of hating - if you have a child you would understand.
Killing me just the same - understanding the responsibility and the future that is ultimately leading to death.

Snake behind me hisses what my damage could have been - what if he let darkness from his past rule the choices in his present.
My blood before begs me open up my hear again - The babies purity and holy connection is pulling at his inner purity.

And I feel this coming over like a storm again - emotions fromt he past, everything confronting him.

Considerately killing me- we are all dying and he realizes this, and even though we are all dying we have the chance to love in this life.

Venoumous voice, tempts me, drains me, leaves me cracked and empty, drags me down like some sweet gravity. (my fav line) - Satan, the darkside, whatever is a snake using things we want, dressed in sheeps clothing to tempt us from our destinies, and only leaves us broken.

Snake behind me hisses what my damage could have been, but my blood before me begs me to open up my heart again, and I feel this coming over like a storm again now, and I feel this coming over like a storm again now.

Well I am too connected to you to slip away, fade away, days away I still feel you, touching me, changing me, considerately killing me. - pretty self explanatory here. The connection with our children is eternal, in blood, and in a way draining us of life as we give our lives to them.

Without the skin here - No ego
Beneath the storm - the chaos of life
under these tears now - even beyond my own emotions
the walls came down - Everything we put up to guard our emotions and our selves.

And as the snake is drowned - defeating the past the voice in our head
And as I look in his eyes - the gateway to heaven - peace
My fear begins to fade - everythings gonna be allright
Recalling all of the times. - all the hurt,

I could have cried then - Overwhelmed with love
I should have cried then - remembering he was overwhelmed with love.

And as the walls come down and - all the barriers we build
As I look in your eyes - in the present, still the same
My fear begins to fade - peace and understanding come with pure love
Recalling all of the times I have died - We have many deaths to who we think we are in our lives
and will die - and who we will be
It's all right - nothing else matters now
I don't mind - nothing else matters now

I am too connected to you to - eternal and true
Slip away, to fade away - To slip into the darkness of our minds
Days away I still feel you
Touching me, changing me, - as our children grow, we grow

And considerately killing me - and no matter what we are all on the path to death, are you enjoying yours??

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-08-15 15:03:58     Rating:

Devo, Maynard's son's middle name is "H", the song is about his son, but he gave his son that strange middle name to remind him how much Heroin effected his life. I am a piece of shit Heroin addict myself, and when I first heard the song I too thought it was about Heroin. For any of you who have had the misfortune of trying Heroin, you'll know that whats "coming through" that needle "is alive." Gravity does feel sweet. (in fact it seems to be the only thing keeping you from floating off into the clouds). And if your trying to quit or going through withdrawals the mere thought of H makes you "feel it coming over like a storm again." It is quite obvious why people think the song is about H.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-11-04 17:08:16     Rating:

Well hell, I guess it is about his son. Coulda fooled me, I thought for sure it was about heroin. and to me that's what it will always be about, when I was struggling with H this song is one of the things I'd look to when I needed help. So many aspects of heroin addiction are addressed and nailed right on the head. I always thought it was interesting how Maynard could explain addiction when he has never been hooked. maybe that's not what he was trying to do but that's what I got out of it.

"My blood before me begs meopen up my heart again. And I feel this coming over like a storm again. considerately"

my blood before me is like watching the blood come out of your arm on the draw back, comin over like a storm again is that awesome rush when you slam it in, "venomous voice, tempts me, drains me, bleeds me, leaves me cracked and empty, Drags me down like some sweet gravity" exactly what heroin does to you.
"As the walls come down there's a look in your eye my fear begins to fade recallin all the times I have died, and will die, its alright"
This would be the realization of your addiction and the fucked up things you've done and will continue to do if you don't quit the shit...sick song I get the chills every time I hear that last part. I got two years off that bull shit and I give a lot of credit to tool for their awesome songs which when interpreted can pretty much be made to address any problem.

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