Tool: Swamp Song Meaning
Swamp Song Lyrics
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:It's all about drugs:
My warning meant nothing- He tried to warn someone from doing drugs but he disagreed
You're dancing in quicksand- He means that the other person is messing with dangerous shit
Why don't you watch where you are wandering/stumbling- iow Why don't you see what those drugs are doing to you
You're wading knee deep and going in- iow you've started drugs. It's too late and getting worse
This bog is thick and easy to get lost in- Drugs are a complex situation (the "bog" is "thick") and it's hard to stop (get out) once entered
'cause you're a stupid, beligrerint fucker- iow your idiocy makes you not care
I hope it sucks you down- iow You deserve your bad state for your ignorance -
Yeah I think it’s about temptation and being sucked in
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March 21st 2011 3:30
Amazing how many fanboys totally miss the point of tool.
Where their music is of a fundamentally-effective nature, these ticks/leeches prefer to discuss the mundane/inane, in place of the superior/zenithic. -
It's about his dad.
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This song is literally just about getting stuck in a swamp..
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The song is clearly about, I don't know. So my thoughts though..., I think the song's about someone being drunk around him and he gets pissed. Great song, though, regardless.
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I think in this song the "swamp" refers to the dangerous areas of a city, and in this song the narrator (maynard) is sort of like a parent telling his child not to venture out to these places.
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I always thought of this song related to a mosh pit. Summer outdoor festivals typically include the staff hosing down revelers with water to keep them cool, but creating a "swamp" in the process. Most pits include a couple of "stupid, belligerent fuckers" that seem intent on hurting others and act aggressively. I do love the way the song builds intensity over subsequent verses.
It could just be Maynard's commentary on the music industry, which seems appropriate. -
I think Maynard is talking about warning somebody not to do something and not being taken seriously.(My warning meant nothing)
Now since said person did not heed the warning, they've gotten themselves into a lot of trouble which will be very hard to get out of.(You're dancing in quicksand) But as well as disregarding the warning the person is being careless(You're wading knee deep and going in). Then he tries to tell the person again that there is danger and trouble and that the person may not be able to handle it.(This bog is thick and easy to get lost in) while also pointing out that all of the issues could have been avoided if not for the persons ignorance, stubbornness, and anger.(Cause you're a stupid, belligerent fucker). Then he finally gives up on a lost cause and hopes for the persons demise as a type of satisfaction to say "hey, you didn't listen and thats what you get".(I hope it sucks you down).
At least thats what I get from this. -
I think this song is talking about any form of alcohol Abuse he Has seen in his life. The way it seems is like a drunk in their routine drinking. Hoping it would suck them down shows obvious discontent for this person on behalf of Maynard. They might have been close friends with Maynard an he disapproved of their habits and chose to tell them in some way to stop. In ignoring, he becomes angry at the lack of cooperation and curses the person. This wouldnt therefore explain the wondering in, which could be explained by an abusive episode related to drugs or alcohol in his life.
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I am a smoker. And I smoke a lot although I do not want to. Everytime I light a sigarette I think of this song and yet I light the damn thing. (dancing in quicksand)
In my country there is a warning on every pack. -
Reportedly this song was inspired by the episode with the inebriated dumbass at the party, but like many of Maynard's poetic gifts he tends to use creative metaphors to expand upon and craftily articulate an experience to require the listener to actually think about the deepness and relevance of the words. He has explained that they always create the basic musical arrangement before he writes a single word then he is inspired by the tones, rhythms and tempos of the sounds. So, basically I theorize that he was really pissed at the drunk at the party, but that was just the catalyst for the remaining sound driven and artistically born "story" that results. Metaphors are to Maynard's lyrics and art like oxygen is to humans, vital to success.
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Hi there. Really one of my first interpretations, so trying a somewhat easy song in my opinion. Just so you know I'm a hardcore TooL fan and think iv cracked most of the songs anyway.
Lets break this down phrase by phrase.
"My warning meant nothing, your dancing in quicksand" Obviously I think he told someone not to do something, but it wasnt paid attension to and the person who he told ended up you know walking the fine line, walked along the edge bungie jumped off the empire state building if you will.
And then The next lines "Why don't you watch where your wandering why don't you watch where you are stumbling" I think its just the description of the fellow. Someone who doesn't think about his brash moves, about his aimless moves.
Then "Your waiding knee deep" I think he says it twice 1. For it being musically sound (get the pun?) and 2. For emphasis. You know how when your knee deep in something your pretty far in. Similiar to I think a later song from TooL stinkfist (my favorite) where your elbow deep in the borderline. And when your elbow deep, knee deep, you are really far in. And he's knee deep in the quicksand or swamp.
And then "You may never come back again". Which to me this steers me away from the swamp being Maynard. I mean its a stretch (thats what she said) to say that it is. To say that he will never come back from his anger or a fight. Ill come back to that point.
And when I think when he refers to bog.... I will actually get to that later.
Then Maynard proceeds to call him stupid and belligerent. Now Im sure you know what stupid is, but maybe not belligerent. Belligerence is a warlike or aggressively hostile nature, condition, or attitude.
Now this makes me think that Maynard is talking to an enemy. A person that caused that anger that is always talked about in Maynards early musical career.
I think that the enemy, might not be a personal enemy. But a general enemy. The type of person that just pisses him off. That he just extremely dislikes. That he wants to get sucked into the quicksand. The person he wants to Get away. The person that no one invited but came in anyway.
Now As to the bog. The bog might be the hardest part of this song actually. Now I have to assume that the bog is its own thing. Not related to the thing to be invited to. Or the quicksand. I think it might be the enemy's own stupidity in a sense. That his own words, his own actions are sucking him down. That he is knee deep, and Maynard is wanting it to suck him down. And all of you know, that when you say something wrong you get beat up for it right? And that's what I think it is.
And then I think the place where no one invited him, and the place Maynard wants him to get out is just a life experience. A prime example of the people he hates.
Well hope that was helpful, a little long winded but its TooL what do you expect. I know its Undertow but still! -
It's about Maynard being emotionally distant and not letting anyone into his mind.
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I think it's about people who try to get to know Maynard better like on as deeper level but he just doesn't let them.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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