a new meaning of this song

[Kastuko]

Yo. I'm new here, and this is my favorite Tool song ever, and I'd like to explain what I think it means, and what Maynard may even mean by this(I am not certain of course, I am not Maynard, so I wouldn't know...lol.). He says during one concert that this song is about better living through irrigation (I have the MP3 of Aenima live, where he says that). For all those who don't know what irrigation is, it's like flooding the cropfields so they are saturated with water. This song is basically about the end of the world, and how he wants it to come, because society is so messed up these days. When he talks about flushing it away, that's the flood. Towards the end of the song, when he says "Mom, please flush it all away", I believe he is referring to Mother Nature. When he's tellin everyone to learn to swim, it's because...well...he wants a flood to sweep the EARTH!!! Lol. That's obvious. The part where he is talking about fretting over various things, is where he is talking about how we worry about stupid crap. Where he goes fuck this and fuck that...he's saying basically the same thing...I especially agree with him on the idea of clones...because too many people these days are trying to play God, thinking they can create everything, when all they make is an entire freak show. It's pretty much obvious what he's trying to say to me, and I think I agree with him on it. Well, that's what I think. God bless all you guys, and peace out. ^_^

[eek]

Allow me to suggest that he's referring to bowel irrigation. Its hinted at with the dual title (anima / enema) and is the flushing of the bowel with liquid to clean it out i.e. flushing out all the nasty shit ;)

[jpmanson]

your definition of irrigation is inaccurate. irrigation is the process of bringing water to areas where water wouldnt naturally be.

i live in a desert, but this desert has become a fertile agricultural area.

here is a link that explains how the irrigation system here works:
http://users.owt.com/chubbard/gcdam/html/irrigate.html

[Cronos]

eek is right, and then again jp knows his irrigation.

I think bowels here, would be LA obviously. Flushing out all that nasty shit from the bowels of LA. Such as the people Maynard has so thoughtfully told to fuck off.

If we gave LA an enema, bowel irrigation, flushed all that shit away, there would be better living. So I'll stick to the fact that, THAT is what he means.

But Maynard WOULD tell us it's about better living through irrigation. He's always trying to make everything so vague, so it could mean just about everything! Why Maynard!? Why won't you just tell us what the goddamn songs mean!?

But seriously though, that's just his way of tooling around with you, he honestly doesn't give a shit if we misinterpret his songs or not, and he's not about to spoonfeed you anything. He's hinted at it enough. He's a funny guy isn't he? About better means of living through irrigation...pfft...that's rich.

Oh yes, and he's saying Fuck L Ron Hubbard, and Fuck all HIS clones. He doesn't mean that L Ron Hubbard cloned himself literally. He's talking about his little wannabes running around. He founded the church of Scientology. Which was LA based, but there's also a Scientology center on clearwater beach that I've seen. Other clones of his are John Travolta, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidmann, and other famous actors.

Maynard isn't to big on religion, as this will become apparent to you on Opiate, but God Bless you too buddy. So his opinions on the actual scientifical theory of cloning someone else, and the whole Sci-Fi scenario of the possibilities has nothing to do with any of the religious discontent with it.

[Mamasita]

Let me guess too.... :o)

My interpretation of the song is that they are referring to planet X, or Nibiru as the Sumerians called the planet.

Before I ever heard the song, my thoughts were, that the coming of PX would be the ultimate chance for our planet to start over again. So, when I heard AEnima, it was a relieve to hear that other people thought the same thing as me. Perhaps he is not singing about PX at all, but to me, he is.

Fret for your bullshit and fuck all this fake happyness. When PX passes, it will cause some serieus tidal waves. These could flush all this crap away. Good chance that I will be flushed aswell, but I think it's worth it. We humans are making a mess of our planet. Give the earth (MOM) a chance to start over again!

In the mean while, I'm learning to swim. hehehe.... ;o)

[Fruitbar11]

The song is in no way about him wanting the world to end. Well it could be, and that seems obvious. However the reference to learn to swin has a slightly different meaning that I cannot explain because I don't have a definite opinion.

I'm not here to completely debunk your opinion that would be wrong I'm merely letting my opinion being that you're off base completely to the real meaning of some of the lyrics.

[Mamasita]

I'm not offended in any way. That's why I sad that "to me" he is singing that, but to someone else it could mean something completly different. I guess...

But I have to say, it seems a bit strange to me that you contradict my words, but give me no explanation what so ever.

I'm not saying that I want the world to end, but just to give it a chance to start over again.

If you could find the energie to explain to me, the true meaning of the lyrics, i would be a happy mamasita. This because you said, that i am completely off base. Maybe it's the fact that i 'm from europe, that i don't understand these lyrics? But i always thought my knowledge of the english language was enough to translate.

[Fruitbar11]

I think you still misunderstood what I was trying to get across and I am sorry if I have insulted you. I was merely saying that this is far fromt he way I would have interpreted. But also that I send my congrats for thinking outside the lines, and doing what I have not done, think about what the meaning of the song as explained. That is also an answer to your second point that if I am going to contradict something I should give an opposing point. However in the case I don't really hold an opinion on this song.

I am really too young at 14 to have experienced half of what MJK and his older listeners have. Therefore really I can't come up with any opinion I feel confident with sharing because a lot of his writings as I read opinions have to do with life experiences, advanced physics (a subject I'm interested in but have never bothered to research further), advanced biology (again something I'm interested in but have never taken time to study outside what my teachers will tell me), advanced math (you guessed it), and Maynard's life again something I am not an expert on.

And I only said that you were "completely off base" on the meaning of the lyric learn to swim. I personally agree with you on the fact that it's about the worlds needs for a true cleansing of these "dumbfounded dipshits". And that he wouldn't really care if a comet fell from the sky just so he could escape from this "three ring circus sideshow".

If my memory serves me correctly from the faq Bill Hicks had a tape called "Arizona Bay" and I remember that being referenced to in the song. Perhaps that ties into the learn to swim. Although your meaning seems to be there MJK never has been that straight forward.


My apologies, and thanks for the lesson I think next time before I speak down on someones opinion I will have my own thesis to use as not to come across as a total ass.


*Edit* ohh by the way my message wasn't directed toward you mamasita... rather the poster heh. Anyway you should probably disregard my first post, both of you. It wasn't too well thought out if you can't tell because I have just debunked half of my own post hehe. Let's just pretend it was never made.

[Mamasita]

Ok Fruitbar, got your message. :)

But, as you could've seen in my first sentence, I was not offended by your words, just curious about what you had to say about it.

If you really are a 14 year old, then i'm impressed by your abilaty to say you were wrong, or off base in a way. ;)

[ignore-reality]

"People in L.A. have lost touch with what really matters. Sometimes it seems like a big fucking enema would be the best thing for everybody. It would be the most violentand terrifying way to start over, I wonder if it wouldn't be for the best." -MJK

*I think this sums up the song's concept pretty well.

[Convoy_X]

Originally posted by Cronos
But Maynard WOULD tell us it's about better living through irrigation. He's always trying to make everything so vague, so it could mean just about everything! Why Maynard!? Why won't you just tell us what the goddamn songs mean!?

if he did that it would loose its meaning for you and every one els who has an opinion art in any form is ment to mean something difrent to every one is a work of art meanes something to you and only you its deeper thatn if the artest tells you that it meanse the compleet opisit of what you thought that it runed for you for all time. damn that sucks

[Cronos]

I kind of get what you're saying, but I was kind of joking in my post as well.

[Convoy_X]

yeah well thats ok i just was not sure but i wanted to say something because if i dont who will.

[ObviousParadox]

wrong.

[Hogpile]

Living in the L.A. area myself(Long Beach) heres my inturpretation of the song: This song, like Hooker with a penis, is a very cut and dry song to me. All the bullshit, all the petty drama, all the fake shallow assholes in hollywood, and all the "gangstas" in this fucking place can really wear down on you sometimes. (Especially when it seems nobody really represents anything anymore.) I think Maynard just took a look around and said fuck this shit. Fuck all these idiotic drama-queens and these fake ass gangsters and these know-it-all self proclaimed messiahs. Fuck worrying about money, and how you look, and if your on the A-list or not. Fuck being about nothing and just wasting space. The whole song reaks of scarcasm. Not that he really wants L.A. to fall into the ocean, but simply stating that it sure sounds like it would be nice sometimes.

[eonblueapocalyp]

Hogpile, very well said. I think you were pretty much right on all of that. There may be a touch more han cut and dry, like the whole irrigation things interesting. But i think you summed it up well, and i must say i agree with the ideals here"Fuckit all" Spiral out....

[grohl]

well I am not a native speaker(czech republic)so please be kind to my English.
I personally think that MJK wanted to say that the doom of cities like LA has to come,that the situation in LA-like cities is untenable and he´s waiting for some change.One suggestion: the LA can be also a new Sodom and Gomorra from Bible-God destroyed it with meteors and comets, because it was a city where people lived in sin.
"Some say a comet will fall from the sky. Followed by meteor showers "
This was the first way the God changed people.
The flood which is flushing it all away could refer to flood in Bible from which was saved only Noah with his family and animals-MJK says that we should learn to swim to survive as Noah.
I m not any religious fanatic,but I thiink the bible is a book where you can find many answers and it is a good source for inspiration.

Grohl
P.S. please write me if you disagree,but I think Im pretty close.Thanx

[GregoryWohlwend]

check the cd art, california falls into the ocean, learn to swim? you'd have to if california is under water. better living through irrigation? twould be a better life if LA was flooded. fuck all these...? everyone inhabiting LA would be fucked. so there it is, i don't really see any other way of honestly looking at this song, but then again i could be wrong for there is no right nor wrong when it comes to interpreting metaphors.

[Lachrymologist]

In one of the articles in the article section, maynard says that in addition to it being about the physical "learning to swim", he also means that people should "learn to swim" or learn to live without everything that he says we "fret" about, these things aren't what are important in life.

[spiralion]

plus think back to the songs Flood and disgustipated and what he said makes perfect sense, at least to me.....

[Yiakovos]

I don't know, Maynard isn't a real fan of religion. I think he just thinks that all the useless shit in LA(and other urban centers) needs to get flushed away. He just wants change, I suppose.

[grohl]

well I still think, that MJK could be inspired by The Holy Bible, why comets and why the flood????- I think that is not only coincidence .I have the cd and know about California falling into the sea......maybe I´m looking at this in too much general way.

[spiralion]

in my mind the bible is just a pseudo-historical literary work anyways. I don't understand when people attack someone else just because they say they don't believe in something treating it like it is a crime for that person to have anything to do with it.

[grohl]

I do not believe in God, but I have read Bible......I agree with you that there is NO good religion and I hate this aggressive side of any religion (Islam - Jihad, Christianity - Inquisition) there is no apology for those fanatics........

[nenagh]

Revelation anyone?

Revelation, the last chapter of the New Tesatment, was never meant to be taken literally. It was writen in code because when it was writen Christians were being persecuted. The lamb represents Jesus, the eye represents knowledge, the horns - power. What Revelation is about is Rome, the empire and the city. The "whore on the river bank", thats Rome on the Tibers. The corruption, filth, sin, etc, etc, was obvious in Rome to all people. I think that Aenema is an attempt to modernize the story of Revelation centred on Los Angeles and Hollywood, which is the metropolous of our society. How can someone defend the politics, the "sexual deviancy", the fabrications of Hollywood. Aenema is a violent song, just like Revelation. In the movie Batman, when the Joker is standing on a float in his parade he is quoted as saying "this town needs an enima" (speaking of Gotham city). The song could have just used the metaphore of the dish washer, but the writer is trying to relate L.A. to an asshole, quite a astute observation I might add.

[no_eye_or_third]

I do believe this song is avout LA being flushed away (the lyrics, on a base level, do kinda give this away) but knowing MJk, it could be about something more intracate than that. I think the line "learn to swim" could mean save yourself, noone is going to help.

[Amidamaru]

I think a lot of you guys are readding too much into this song. I think when it was written it was intended as a "fuck all this phony shit" kind of song, nothing any deeper than that. He was saying sarcasticly that he wanted the world to end (the fact that the world ends in a flood is inconsequential).

[soul tapp]

I believe this song is about changing this earth. Not ending it. Even in the song i think MJK sort of says think about this song. As in try and read between the lines? I am not possitive but maybe. MJK says flush it all away as in this shithole. All these people that are trying to be cool. These wannabes. These actresses. Pretty much everyone. Trying to tell all of us to change. Like in almost everyone of Tool's songs, is a reference of change. In my opinion.

[FUCK THE EYE]

the annunaki..2012...nefilim returning causing another flood.......this is what it's about

[FUCK THE EYE]

learn to swim, build shit like noah did, a big ark and take some dna of animals so you can bring them back

[nenagh]

If you flush the shit from a toilet bowl, its still a toilet isn't it? Nothing is being destroyed, no slate is being cleared, things are just being cleansed. Not everybody who dies deserves to die, not everybody who lives deserves to live. There are rotten people in the world and everyone knows it, but we're not allowed to do anything about it because its "mean". If one did do something about it then they would be labled the asshole. Rappists, pedophiles, murderers...our society nurtures these people, and at who wish - theirs?

[Kid B]

This song makes reference to the Bill Hicks CD 'Arizona Bay'. In it Hicks says he wants LA 'flushed away like the turd city it is'- this is the enema reference. Hicks goes on and describes LA after the flood- 'It will leave a calm, beutiful serenity called Arizona Bay'- lyrics to Aenima-'See you down in Arizona Bay'. The flood is also symbolic of a new beginning. Both Tool and Hicks want the people who worry about their 'lattes' and 'haircuts' gone so the rest of us can evolve spiritually. The sinking of LA is really the sinking of all the people focused on their own ego. Bill Hicks Arizona Bay is recommended!

[Cylith]

The following is my OPINION.

Maybe someone already said this but, the song is a satire. When Maynard says he wants mother nature to flush it all away in a big tidal wave...he's saying this for effect. Want he really wants is for us to change for the better (so the tidal wave won't be necessary). He doesn't want us to take the tidal wave part literally.

"Time to bring it down again.
Don't just call me pessimist.
Try and read between the lines."

I think this shows what I'm trying to say (about the not taking the tidal wave part literally).

[engineer]

I do not believe in God, but I have read Bible......I agree with you that there is NO good religion and I hate this aggressive side of any religion (Islam - Jihad, Christianity - Inquisition) there is no apology for those fanatics........



Catholicism-Inquisition; Christianity- Crusades; Islam-Jihad (although to certian muslims jihad is not about the act of war on another being but more of a holy war between "good" and "evil" within oneself, a "crucifixtion" of the "ego" if you like)

[AllforUnity]

Jews...killing Jesus.