What does Intension mean?

Tool: Intension Meaning

Album cover for Intension album cover

Intension Lyrics

Pure as we begin.
Pure as we come in.
Pure as we begin.
Ruled by will alone.

Pure as we begin.
Here we have a stone.
Gather, place, arrange so,
Shelter turns to home.

Pure as we begin.
Here we have a stone.
Throw to slay the...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 8th 2006 !⃝

    Personally, I believe that the song "Intention" is an observation on the entire human race... It is an extremely good introductory song to "Right In Two". The lines "pure as we begin" explain how our (mankind's) intentions are usually good in the begining, but then there are lines such as "smoke becomes a flame, flame becomes a fire" these lines are metephors of our intentions evolving into eventual out of control evil... That is why I think Maynard chose smoke and fire as his metaphors - because as smoke builds into flame and flame to fire, it becomes exceedingly more out of control... Anyways, that is what I think...But it would be nice if other people would give another interpretation on the song so we can compare... Thank you for your time.

  2. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Oct 10th 2018 !⃝

    Yo retards, it's called Intension, not Intention. They are two completely different words.

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jun 15th 2012 !⃝

    MJK is simply saying...."FIND THE originAL INTENTION AND WILL WE POSSESS AND THAT WILL BE WHAT WE ALL ARE ALL SEARCHING FOR". unfortunately todays civilizations will not help us.

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 22nd 2011 !⃝

    Take a look at the title, "Intension"
    From my personal memory(which may be wrong)it means;
    "The reason why actions are done."

    My interpretation is about how the human race came into this world, and messed up, multiple times.(Why there are two verses of them using what they made for evil.)

    They made something with pure "intension", but soon after someone used it for their greed and made an evil action with the same item.

    And then in the end, a new sentient race evolves and humanity has "left" or in other words DIED.

    Then the last couple lines are the story starts over again, with the new race inventing something with pure intension.

    In "Right In Two(Intension pt.2)" the people observing are not neccesarily christian angels, but the angels of whatever is right,(nobody really knows)but they wonder why they are free, why they don't share resources, why they choose to fight, and why they need to kill eachother. And why they have to fight about everything.

    Intension is in the first person, Right in Two is in third person and it appears to me Vignit Tres is in the second person of the many races who destroyed themselves in Intension and Right in Two, finding out what they were fighting for was wrong, after death, of course.

    The whole album is a concept album about human nature if you think about it...

    Thank you for reading.

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 19th 2010 !⃝

    SINCE NOONE HAS MENTIONED THIS YET, I MIGHT AS WELL.

    THERE IS A HIDDEN MESSAGE IN THE SONG "INTENSION" WHEN YOU PLAY IT BACKWARDS. IT SAYS "WORK HARD. STAY IN SCHOOL. LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER. YOUR FATHER IS RIGHT." IF YOU WANT TO CHECK IT OUT, JUST TYPE "Tool Subliminal Message" AT YOUTUBE.

  6. larsybear
    click a star to vote
    Jan 31st 2009 !⃝

    This song is saying that we have a choice, and personal responsibility.

    A stone can be used to build a home or smash someone, just as fire can be used to heat a home or forge a blade.

    It is our intention (will alone) that brings the tool to life, and creates an outcome.

    I also feel that the first poster was correct in the fire analogy, in that our intentions may start pure, but can end up corrupt.

    Its kind of analogous to the phrase "guns don't kill people, people kill people" (albeit better concieved, since the primary purpose of many guns is to kill people).

    "Leave as we begin, Pure as light, Return to one" basically means that when we die, we will be as we were when we were born, pure, unbound from our flesh, and therefore without sin as we return to the spiritual conscious. (be it god, or whatever you believe)

  7. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 3rd 2008 !⃝

    I just have a few personal interpretations to add. Also, I am Christian.

    "Pure as we begin." - When we are born, we have no personal sin and our souls are 'pure'(except for original sin). Also, our initial intentions are simply instinctive - to survive.

    "Gather, place, arrange so,
    Shelter turns to home...
    ...Here we have a stone.
    Throw to slay the stranger.
    Swarm to crush his bones."
    - Once we establish a life in society, which doesn't require much fitness to survive, our focus turns to
    making life luxurious and we can become greedy and hostile towards others.

    "Leave as we come in." - This is the only line that I can just not understand. I would very much appreciate it if someone else could clarify this.

  8. Tooligan
    click a star to vote
    Sep 1st 2008 !⃝

    Well... This is definitely an into for "Right in Two", which is obviously about angels watching the human race in bewilderment at their choices. He mentions the humans are given free will... I think this song is explained by Right in Two being that as we evolve we choose to "beat our brothers down"

    Spark becomes a flame
    Flame becomes a fire
    Forge a blade to slay the stranger
    Take whatever we desire

    Move by will alone

    we are mis-using our god given free will.

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 11th 2008 !⃝

    Anonymous puts:
    "This song does talk about human race, but it also talks about how we grow and learn and die etc."

    Basically I myself agree with the second part of him/her statement.

    It's about how we grow and learn.....its about our lifetime.

  10. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jun 29th 2008 !⃝

    After reading the various interpretations on this site, I thought I'd submit an alternative one. I fully agree with what the others have said so far, and believe this song is first of all about the true nature of human beings.

    However, after listening to the song a bit, it made me thing about another thing. A quote goes; I do not know what weapons World War 3 will be fought with, but I do know that World War 4 will be fought with sticks and stones.
    The song might therefore also work as a sort of a warning. I we do not stop fucking up now we'll be back to the basic; back to where we started.

    However since the name of the song is "Intention", I must say I agree with the others on this one; I think the song is about the true nature of human kind. We act in god intention, but as smoke turns to fire we lose control.

  11. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 26th 2007 !⃝

    This song does talk about human race, but it also talks about how we grow and learn and die ect.

  12. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 30th 2007 !⃝

    'Intension' is commonly defined as 'intensification'; however, it may also mean "a strenuous exertion of the mind or will". In logic, it means "the sum of all possible attributes in a term". In the study of evolution, it can refer to the process of interbreeding. In language, words lose all meaning unless 'intension' of some sort is applied.

  13. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 15th 2007 !⃝

    This song is like the "disposition" of Ten Thousand Days. I can't get enough. Of course disposition and intension have 2 total different purposes, but they both make me feel the same way. Great for meditation. I'd explain what it means to me, but it's pretty much exactly as what has been said. How our will drives us in which direction we choose. BREATHE IN UNION.

  14. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 28th 2006 !⃝

    I think it's a representation of humankind being born without knowing fault, without knowing wrong, without knowing what is right. The human nature to desire what isn't ours and "move by will alone" rather than parental or religious guidance. It also speaks about how humans can use something "a stone" for both good and evil. Build a home, or throw at the stranger and swear to crush his bones. The same goes for fire...Use it for warmth, to light the way or to forge a blade to kill the stranger.
    It also speaks about coming together with light at the end. Could the light mean something divine? Pure and light as one, and we become pure again? Is it being reborn spiritually? I think so, at least I feel that way, whether or not Maynard feels that way. I think the entire cd is loaded with faith and god, I love it.
    I think the way people interpret music is what defines the music for us, whether it is the intended definition or not.


More Tool songs »


 


Latest Articles

 


Submit Your Interpretation

[ want a different song? ]




Just Posted

Happy? anonymous
Rock Show anonymous
Don't Go anonymous
Tek It anonymous
Don't Leave Me anonymous
Chop Suey anonymous
Taking Over Me anonymous
All The Good Girls Go To Hell anonymous
Wingriddenangel anonymous
I Spoke to The Devil in Miami anonymous
This Woman's Work anonymous
Action! Not Words anonymous
Everybody Loves Me, Baby anonymous
Fall in to Sleep anonymous
Lemon Boy anonymous

(We won't give out your email)