Tool: H. Meaning
Song Released: 1997
H. Lyrics
What's holding up is a mirror.
But what's singing songs is a snake
Looking to turn my piss to wine.
They're both totally void of hate,
But killing me just the same.
The snake behind me hisses
What my...
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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.
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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 -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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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 -
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.
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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. -
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!
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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. -
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. -
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.
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I thought this song was about maynard's heroin addiction.
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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.
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