paja713 2007-11-28 11:52:33    

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This is definitely one of my favorite TOOL songs. and I think the lyrics in this one are probably its best. I think that this song has more than one meaning. like almost the whole song is a constant metaphor for two things. I think its a lot about heroine addiction. when the song says, "once the snake is drowned, there lies a looks in its eyes, my fear begins to fade..." I always thought this was about overcoming addiction and realizing all that's happened during your time of addiction. but the next part I feel is more directed to his son, "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, I will die, its alright..." so maybe I think this song is keeping addiction away to take better care of his son. He says, "I will die, its alright, I don't mind." which I think he means he knows he will someday die but it won't be from drugs, despite the fact its hard to stay away from heroine (days away I still feel you, touching me, changing me). oh and then about the verse, "without the skin, beneath the storm, under these tears, the walls came down," I think it means that during very harsh withdrawal he managed to not use which brought "the walls down." its pretty scattered but that's my interpretation.

newparadigmplants 2008-01-20 13:35:47    

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Turn this piss to wine could be symbolic of the vedic Soma cult and their practice of consuming Amanita muscaria AKA Manna, The holy Grail, The Round Table, The Blood of Christ, The Tree of Knowledge. Prolly not but the songs are here for us to experience the divine. No absolute only transfinite understanding.

anonymous 2008-04-02 17:15:40    

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This song is about his evil ways and his cruelty towards others.
this is the literal meaning of the song in order.

his past is true, he's looking at what he has become, the snake is his soul, which turns his sins and bad things to good or at least makes them better. His soul says what could have happened if he were different, his future begs him to love and care again, he feels his caring, loving soul coming back again. His soul also says how easy being evil and cruel is and that being caring takes effort. It makes him think to the point of depression. He's connected with being cruel and evil, he can't escape it. The temptation to return to his old ways is killing him. His soul is giving up, he stops fearing the evil, he recalls all the time of him being evil and cruel. He should have showed love. His evil subsides as he stares into his heart, he doesn't fear evil anymore. He remembers all of the evil times that could have been good. His soul has died, he will die, he doesn't care because he knows he's ruined others lives so his shouldn't be spared.

anonymous 2008-04-20 01:22:07    

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I agree that this song most likely has multiple meanings. I liked the Medusa and Wuthering Heights posts. Many of you interpreted this song with a positive ending and I did not. Anyway, here is how my interpretation changed over time:

-when I first heard it (and loved it) I thought it was about a person tempted to return to a toxic relationship and eventually gives in.

-then I noticed Maynard says "As I look in HIS eyes my fear begins to fade" and I thought maybe he was gay, but then heard the song was about heroin and in the end he gives in and begins using again.

-then I heard the song Prison Sex and read that it's suspected that Maynard was sexually abused by his step-father and that is what Prison Sex is about, but the end of that song suggests that the person who was once abused later became the abuser. I thought about h in this sense as well, and maybe the song is about someone who was once abused being tempted to abuse another child ("his eyes") and in the end he gives in even though it kills him in a sense. Anyway once I came to that conclusion I was totally weirded out and stopped listening to Tool pretty much completely because I thought Maynard was a child rapist (but I do love Schism). What do you think??

evilsauron88 2008-05-08 02:59:23    

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Some interpretations are very close but since I am telling you Maynard's interpretation from his own mouth this is the right one. The song is indeed about Devo his son whose middle initial is H. I have heard from many people that this is about heroin which is way wrong listen to the lyrics. The song is not about a desire to treat his son as he was treated by his father but about a fear of being a bad father, because of a lack of knowledge of how to be a good father, based on his own childhood with a lousy father. "What's coming through is alive" (He is writing what he is feeling while watching the birth of his son) "And what it's holding up is a mirror" (He is fully realizing that this creature is a part of himself) "But whats singing songs is a snake, that's, been looking to turn my piss to wine" (Instead of feeling joy, the fear of being like his father is all he feels. His father was military and was constantly trying to make Maynard change to what he thought was right, hence looking to turn my piss to wine) "They're both totally void of hate but killing me just the same." (Though he didn't have a great father he knows his father wanted what was best for him, the baby is completely innocent so they are both void of hate, but this is killing him) "The snake behind me hisses what my damage could've been." (The phrase every father says at least once to his son "You don't know how good you had it, The are a lot of people that were worse off than us" His father is the past (behind him)) "My blood before me begs me open up my heart again" (His child is his blood and his future (hence before him) "And I, feel this coming over like a storm again......Considerately" (He feels this fear engulfing him ...... But it's not as though his son means to make him panic). That the basic idea I have to go but I'll try to get back on soon and break down the rest of the lyrics. If I don't get back just want to say that I believe MJK to be the greatest song writer in the world with his ability to turn ordinary situations and thoughts into extrordinary poetry and this song is a prime example.

ArKonIte 2008-06-06 01:00:12    

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To me, this song is about getting so close to something or someone that you yourself turn into them. Even if you are days away, you can still feel them touching you and changing you. Even when you killed the temptation (symbolism of the snake) to be like them, you still feel connected to them. You don't mind that you're like that person but really, it's considerately "killing" you.

Killing the person you used to be.

anonymous 2008-06-16 11:54:47    

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Uhhh I dunno what deep thinking accomplishes except obviously getting your head stuck up your own ass. I really truly deeply believe that the song H is about the H bomb. Everything he says in it refers exactly to heroin from the feeling you have on it then the feeling when its over. Shit even the song is climactic like right after you kick that shit. Its the same way with Stinkfist. Just place your bets on heroin for the DEEP SPIRITUAL meaning you were looking for. Don't make Maynard sound like one of you "tools". I'm pretty sure he knows whats going on. You think people just up and make awesome records without heroin??? WAKE UP!