It doesn't have to be about what Maynard thinks..

[memmin]

Hee hee hello! First of all I'm new here so I somewhat feel as though I'm barging in.. but anywho!
I was browsing a bit through the sections of posts and comments.. about people's ideas of what Maynard may or may not mean in his lyrics.
First of all.. I find it absolutely wonderful that so many feel the need to analyze and involve themselves with this beautiful music and heavenly voice.. But mostly.. I'm curious.
Why the need to define the music beyond what your heart desires it to be? I know I have several interpretations for each of the songs.. and they all mean something.. but those interpretations are my own.. and I wouldn't ever dare to confine the infinite beauty and utter joy in the music to words, let alone assume they were the meanings Maynard intended.
It's like trying to tell someone how much you love them... Every word seems inaccurate and lacking.. Everything falls so short of the perfect formation of love and devotion you have in your mind.
Tool means so many things to me.. And I was very excited to read the article clip posted in the opening of the Opinion section. I use Tool to create!! It makes me so proud to listen to his music and have it inspire me! Countless hours of drawing, sketching, and creating have been inspired by Tool alone. I could never, EVER describe how much this music means to me. It's in my head everyday and always on the tip of my tongue. I wear the cds down to skipping and when it happens, I buy more.
In any case, I've gotten off my point.. but I just had to share what it means to me.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that however nice it would be to someday read from Maynard himself what the lyrics mean to him.. why not just let them mean what they mean to you?
As an artist I have a personal intention with my drawings.. whether it be to convey pain, sadness, or utter joy.. Though the specific cause or reason for those feelings I would never confess because not everyone has the same experiences I do.
Get my point? :D
We can't experience everything Maynard has.. and that could possibly be the only way to ever find out the "true" intention of the lyrics. :P
Blehhh!
I love Tool! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[inane]

I don't think the interpretations are so much trying to figure out exactly what Maynard was trying to say, but a means of sparking intelligent debate. To me, reading these posts allow you to gain some perspective and undertanding of how Tool affects others.

[WrpdConscience]

I agree with both of you. It might be nice to know what the band thinks of when they play these songs (perhaps they don't even agree on one interpretation), but it doesn't mean having a different interpretation is wrong. What really pisses me off is when people say they know exactly what is meant by a song and there is no other way to see it.

[4th Eye]

Originally posted by WrpdConscience
What really pisses me off is when people say they know exactly what is meant by a song and there is no other way to see it.

Agreed. We should think for ourselves and if Maynard in some interview tells the meaning of a song he still might be lying. We should just think what Tool's music and lyrics mean to us because we won't get the 'real' answers.
For me, Tool is an inspiration for art and they have good thoughts for life too. I listen to any music for the music itself but Tool is the only band that I've been 'studying' more.

[seeker]

You all make good points, and I agree. When I create art, I rarely share my own feelings about it. It's amazing to see how much people can get from your work, often something completely opposite the intentions. I wonder if you have to be an artist of some sort to know the feeling, because there are still a lot of folks out there presuming themselves right (and I suppose in the reality of their individual existences, they are). Now I'm just rambling.

[Sora]

It ticks me off, too, when people say, "this is how it is, and there is no other way around it." That, to me, is losing the essence of TOOL.Think for yourself, but don't try to think for everyoe else.

Keep that in mind at all times, thank you...

[4th Eye]

Originally posted by Sora
Keep that in mind at all times, thank you...

I will...

It's just fun to interpret and maybe overanalyze these songs because you really can get alot out of them. Or maybe I just don't have enough other things to do... My brains hurt, i've been overthinking again...

[pilar649]

"Tool means so many things to me.. . I use Tool to create!! It makes me so proud to listen to his music and have it inspire me! Countless hours of drawing, sketching, and creating have been inspired by Tool alone. I could never, EVER describe how much this music means to me.
As an artist I have a personal intention with my drawings.. whether it be to convey pain, sadness, or utter joy.. Though the specific cause or reason for those feelings I would never confess because not everyone has the same experiences I do."

I LOVE TOOL "I KNOW THE PIECES FIT"

HOLY SHIT i am not trying to be like"me too" but wow i do the same fucking thing . I am a singer, but i live in this world of fine arts and i just started a new project, it's kind of an abstract piece it's basically designs and designs on charcoal paper using a very nice wet ink pen. Where ever the music takes me is where ever i go on the paper and ever since i found out about Tool which was just like 6 mths ago i have used them (hee, hee) to the fullest extent. I love how much they inspire me. Also i don't think i could ever share my emotions about all these songs either, i feel so deeply and they are so intimite for me.\