anonymous November 30th, 2008 04:14AM  
Good to see a lot of deep minds out here. As stated earlier, Maynard's lyrics tend to be metaphoric and layered. This attempt is just to look at one slice that hasn't been addressed...

Following the picture in the AEnima album of the guy sucking his dick... or... doing a yoga pose... The lyrics of progression (from finger, to knuckle, to elbow, to shoulder) sound disgustingly painfulon the physical level... or... They paint a picture of kundalini rising, from 1st to 2nd to 3rd to 4th chakra, as the arm location matches each chakra (for those unfamiliar with kundalini and chakras, a nice intro is actually the last minute or so of the Parabola video).

This would mirror the yogic/layered theme of AEnima and the words Maynard has given many-a-time before performing the song live: "This song is about choosing compassion over fear."

anonymous December 29th, 2008 02:47AM  
Wow... I think you guys are too serious.

It's a song that talks about over stimulation leading to being desensitized, but he's being a smart ass and equating it with being fisted - probably anally.

I mean, the lyrics out of context sound like a love song. "Show me that you love me and that we belong together. Relax, turn around, and take my hand." *snicker*

And then, how the penetrating body part gets bigger - knuckle to elbow... That's funny! He does intermix it with some interesting lines "How could this mean anything to me when I can't feel a thing at all... " sung in a sort of high pitched falsetto moving into a more declarative "I'll keep on digging 'til I feel something".

All in all, it's a serious concept - over stimulation leading to desensitization leading to people being the hell out of themselves to feel anything instead of just being still - juxtaposed with toilet humor - anal knuckling/fingering/fisting/elbowing.

And it's genius.

Pillsberry January 3rd, 2009 06:15PM  
While this song appears to be about anal fisting, I think that it is something much, much deeper. Listen to they lyrics: "I can help you change tired moments into pleasure. Say the word and we'll be well upon our way." "Relaxe. Come Around and take my hand" All can be seen as something a person trying to convert someone to a religon would say. Religon is a quick outbreak to realization. The last line of the song especially resembles this. The people who say this song is about anal fisting are too lazy to look beyond the obvious. Read these lyrics: "It's not enough, I need more. Nothing seems to satisfy, I don't want it, I just need it to breath to feel to know I'm alive." When people begin to realize that their religon could be false, they begin to want more. It's like a drug. This song is meant to help people not fall subject to the addiction of spiritual leadership.

anonymous January 8th, 2009 09:01PM  
Yeah... I think this song is really just about drug addicts. makes perfect sense.

anonymous January 12th, 2009 05:39AM  
"Stinkfist" is about our inability to connect to one another emotionally and substituting ever more intense physical acts in order to feel some sort of connection.

anonymous February 5th, 2009 05:54AM  
This song is about sticking your fist in people's bums.

rhinoskater30 February 18th, 2009 11:32PM  
I think this song does of course deal with fisting. I also believe it goes deeper than just that, though. I believe it deals with the Anima AND Enema side. I think the "I don't want it, I just need it" part refers to the fact that no one wants change but it's necessary for survival. (In the aspect of gaining those extra two chromosomes as mentioned in the song 46 and 2.) I think the "turn around and take my hand" part means like Maynard (or whoever) was fisting him now he needs to do it to whoever. I'm not sure about the whole "numbing" part though. It seems as if this Stinkfist phenomena would hurt unless it means it's numbing the pain until the step from 44 & 2 to 46 & 2. I also like how Maynard goes from finger to shoulder. I think that just means how we get addicted to anything that can takes pain away and how we abuse it. One of my fave's!!!...Plus covering the guitar part is fun to :)

anonymous March 5th, 2009 01:41AM  
I haven't tried to develop this theory too much but it seems to make sense to me. Maybe that's because I'm crazy. Ok - So this entire album should probably be looked at as 1 song. Rather than breaking the songs up, since all of them relate to each other through Maynard's (or the "poet's") voice/struggle. The whole of this album I think is devoted to becoming schizophrenic, or at least dealing with schizoid thoughts and feelings.

In the beginning of the song, the speaker is obviously dealing with something troubling. His desensitization to society. Ok, that points been hit hard already on this forum. The speaker knows he is numb to everything and needs something more,
"I can help you change
Tired moments into pleasure.
Say the word and we'll be
Well upon our way.

Blend and balance
Pain and comfort
Deep within you
Till you will not have me any other way."

These two stanzas I believe are the first of the second voice of the album. Intertwining another view with his own.

The next song, called Eulogy, I think is the "death" of the first speaker, where the second speaker mourns in a mocking way.

Anyways, this is just a loose interpretation. But if you head to toolshed dot com and look at all the lyrics in a row, you will be surprised to find that this ideal holds through most of the album. Also, a lot of the artwork has schizotypal indications. (one eye with two eyeballs in it, etc.)

anonymous April 4th, 2009 11:03PM  
It can they are talking about how man in general is being ran by the "id" and not the ego or super ego. Creating an addiction to life's pleasures(i don't want it i just need it)to the point of numbness(to feel to know I'm alive).

crush April 23rd, 2009 06:42AM  
I'm gonna keep it short and sweet.....ITS ABOUT SEX AND DRUGS...

Songreader May 19th, 2009 06:51PM  
The song is simply about how deep America gets in it's problems. Read the lyrics,and if the song wasn't called Stinkfist,you would never even think it was about fisting.

boobah July 25th, 2009 05:25AM  
Same as 46&2, metaphorically. Finding enlightenment (satisfaction)through the darkest route. Where "the sun don't shine".

anonymous August 24th, 2009 03:02PM  
I don't understand why everyone is missing the real interpretation. It's pretty clear, the song is about a recipe for lobster bisque.

anonymous October 16th, 2009 01:16PM  
Maynard mentions the word "borderline". I am a borderliner, I can identify with the song ,and also with the video.

dani37 October 16th, 2009 01:31PM  
The main word of this song is "borderline". I am a borderliner, the "undiniable dilemma", "boredeom", "overstimulation", feeling "numb","desensitized", all these are just a few of my many many symptoms.

I constantly need to be told,that I am loved by my partner. And of course, this can also be an interpretation of our sick society. The video and the lyrics of this song touch me deeply.

anonymous October 26th, 2009 02:25PM  
I see it as being desensitization and is using fisting as a metaphor for the fact that we get used to something and have to have more and more until it is at an extreme.

anonymous November 24th, 2009 10:51AM  
After listening to the song many times repeatedly, I've found many different meanings, honestly. The first one is a message / appeal for change when you are stuck into something - for example, a gray boring everyday housecleaning, or something similar. Boredom, as he says. That's why he needs to be alive, to feel, and desperately seeks the change, one way or another - purely positive song.
On the other hand, I can even go further and stick a "drug addiction" label to the song. Think about it :)

sketchykid628 November 26th, 2009 09:43PM  
this song is about drug addiction. U could only understand it if u have been a drug addict. To all the addicts who listen to this song listen to the lyrics, listen clearly and it will relate to ure life. "Not enough i need more to breathe to feel to know im alive". Thats wat an addiction makes u feel like and u keep getting deeper and deeper into ure addiction.U barley feel a thing at all but u keep pumping the drugs to relax and bring u back to sanity. Once again only addicts, especially opiate addicts can relate.