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endlesswater
10-29-2004, 12:19 PM
My interpretation of H.

Disclaimer.. yadda, yadda, yadda.. doesn't mean Maynard.. yadda yadda yadda..

Although buried in metaphor that could be taken to mean any number of things, for me this song also seems to be about relationship dynamics, as most of Maynard's songs are.

When I listen to H. I get the same feeling I get from Pushit. The same emotion is there, the same struggle.
I believe H. is about a damaging relationship, as is Pushit.

Maynard has said that H. is a song about choices, and that goes with what I feel about it too. It is about choosing to remain in a relationship that hurts you, uses you, abuses you.

The other side of the relationship may not mean to hurt you- 'They're both totally void of hate, But killing me just the same.'- but that doesn't change what is happening. In this case I think the damage caused to him is emotional.

'The snake behind me hisses What my damage could have been. My blood before me begs me Open up my heart again. And I feel this coming over like a storm again. Considerately.

What has happened before in this relationship, the pain that he has taken already, warns him not to come back or go on in it. But inside he wants to.

Although I don't feel that this song is about drugs, it IS about addiction. Being addicted to somebody to the point where you don't care what they do to you as long as they love you. Because the feelings are that strong.

'Venomous voice, tempts me, Drains me, bleeds me, Leaves me cracked and empty. Drags me down like some sweet gravity.' And so he gives in to the tempation and finds himself back where he was before, drained, cracked and empty. Used.

'I am too connected to you to Slip away, fade away. Days away I still feel you Touching me, changing me, And considerately killing me.'

And yet it is where he needs to be, because he is connected to them so deeply. They touch him, change him, and they kill him with their love.

'Without the skin, Beneath the storm, Under these tears The walls came down.'
This is one of the most powerful parts in the song. Everything is stripped away, leaving him defenseless without his walls, his skin. The storm of emotion is on him again.

'And the snake is drowned and As I look in his eyes, My fear begins to fade Recalling all of those times.'

He is open and willing. His resistance is gone as he remembers all the times this has happened before.

'I could have cried then. I should have cried then.' He should have cried, because he isn't fighting it any more. And yet he knows what will happen.

'And as the walls come down and As I look in your eyes My fear begins to fade Recalling all of the times I have died and will die. It's all right. I don't mind.'

And then he realizes that it's all right. He knows what this is doing to him and what it will do to him, but it's all right.

He doesn't mind. He is willing to be killed considerately for them.

God, what a love song.

ThIrdEyeCarrots46
10-08-2005, 07:05 PM
wow

pathological2
10-09-2005, 06:36 AM
Love song huh? Wow. I think I'll stop visiting this site.

varg
10-11-2005, 10:21 AM
I don't know man. I... just don't know.

pathological2
10-12-2005, 05:03 PM
"It's all about relationships, all of it"..........If you're interested in songs about girly shit, a great band is The Backstreet Boys, or maybe even Insync.

marshall888
10-12-2005, 10:39 PM
"It's all about relationships, all of it"..........If you're interested in songs about girly shit, a great band is The Backstreet Boys, or maybe even Insync.

Although I disagree with endlesswater's interpretation, I don't see any huge flaws offhand. And if I did, I wouldn't attack it on the merit that "Tool doesn't write girly stuff."

Endlesswater- nice interpretation. Personally, I don't think that's what H is about, but that's just my gut feeling. What you said makes a lot of sense, though, and it's certainly an original idea. That combination is rare.

Akashic Scribe
10-19-2005, 03:12 PM
I've heard that this song was more about his son; from the time he found out about the pregnancy until he finally comes to terms with this monumental life changing event. The theme is about choices and things that may influence those choices whether it be friends or family giving advice, thinking they know whats best for him. The advice, be it good, bad, or indifferent definatelty influences his decision. Their advice is conflicting him with what he feels in his gut to be the right decision. They may be telling him to walk away who knows? These could be the snakes he refers to. which is why they are totally void of hate. they are trying to help with what they feel is best thing for him to do. The Blood before him is literally his son. once he sees him for the first time or possibly after he comes to his own decision, which may have incidentally destroyed a few of those relationships pointing him the other way, all his doubts, fears, and anxieties about this decision fall away and he is left with the stunning realization that this was the right decision, the only decision that was possible. He knows that he would give everything up for this one moment. But he also knows that even if he wanted to leave he is stil l connected and he can't escape that fact. He turns that into a strength as well once he makes his decision to stay he knows as long as he is away he will always think of him and perhaps that is why it is considerately killing him. It is know ones fault that he is away but it stilll tears him up inside..

I could just be insane but that is my interpretation of the song. My opinion, But we all know those are like a**-holes, Everyone's got 'em.

Shaz
10-19-2005, 07:14 PM
"When I listen to H. I get the same feeling I get from Pushit. The same emotion is there, the same struggle.
I believe H. is about a damaging relationship, as is Pushit.

Maynard has said that H. is a song about choices, and that goes with what I feel about it too. It is about choosing to remain in a relationship that hurts you, uses you, abuses you."

Yeah. In it. Right now. Drowning badly. Trying to find some sort of ladder or rope to climb out of it. But the good seems too god damn good to leave. or maybe just the memories... i dont know... Some people act fast. Some people have the reflex to bounce back easily from the point of no fucking return. maybe im just now gaining it... Its one of those things that i never thought would happen to me. Just like the crash. H. the song... I've been listening to very carefully for the past month. Its relating to the listener way too well its erie... And here i thought it was just a goddamn song that i didnt care for much because i didn't understand what the hell the nard was talkin about. outta nowhere it hits me and I feel like an idiot yet i still feel normal. Emotions for another object/person can be expressed in a non-girly way and still mean a whole fucking lot when it comes to the words in this 6 minute tune.

You ask yourself why enough you start answering it in odd ways.

but then again... it is just a tool song...


Reading this again, i wanna add to the possibility of it being 1 of many things.
(Drugs, abuse, greed, jealosy, hate, love, change, a girl, a guy, a habit, an overwhelming need for something you can never have....to the point of animalistic ways but trying to convert it to HBF or "human brain format" if anyone understands that shvit... reply... heh)

paraflux
10-20-2005, 06:26 AM
"It's all about relationships, all of it"..........If you're interested in songs about girly shit, a great band is The Backstreet Boys, or maybe even Insync.


For years, I have been observing bands and pop groups trying desperately to convey that they know all about relationships, and it has mostly been such girly shit. Your examples do fall into that category.
However, here is a band capable of describing the actual relationships and not simply using puppy love as a way to get it across. I see relationship topics in Tool songs all the time, the relationship between us and our shadows, the relationship between overstimulation and decay, the relationship between belief and destruction. If this song means the relationship between two people, one of which seems to be in a co-dependant cycle, what the hell is wrong with that?

This section is about to be in order. Flames will be drowned.

moneyisevil
10-29-2005, 02:32 PM
<deleted post>

hey hey hey