another view

[bass_dude]

Ok, many people believe this song is about Masturbation/monsters etc, but my idea is slightly different. I was listening to it yesterday, and this is what popped into my head:

Its about an obsessive Fan, and his relationship to MJK. It's written from both the perspectives, and sort-of tells a story. here goes:

it starts off from the fan's perspective:

"I know you well.
you are a part of me."

This is a fan who has researched into MJK's life, trying to find out anything and everything about him. the amount of information he has is comprable to the amount he knows about his own life.

"I know you better than I know myself.
I know you best,
better than anyone.
I know you better than I know myself."

This is the extent of the obsession. This person has refused to learn about themselves, to develop( i.e., like sitting on the internet searching rather than going out with friends etc) They now consider themselves the one with the most information on him.

We now switch to MJK's view:

"You don't judge.
You can't speak.
You can't leave.
You can't hurt me.
You're just here for me to use."

This is where MJK is answering the person, and telling him what he thinks about him and his obsession. He [MJK] sees himself as safe from the person [you can't hurt me], and the opinion of him is therefore, void. "You're just here for me to use" could refer to the way he could use the fan for stories/ego boost/ take legal action/even take inspiration for a song (like he has for this) for his own gain.

-Now back to the fan-



"I know you best,
better than one might think.
I know you better than I know myself.
It's time for you
to make a sacrifice.
It's time to die a little.
Give it up."

This is his retalliation to MJK, and he is getting desperate. he's revealing the extent of his knowledge (without directly telling him- moreover hinting at it), and he want's something in return for his "efforts"- Money, fame, we do not know.

MJK:
"You are a part of me."

He isn't listening at all. the guy doesn't matter to him anymore, so he is just ignoring his comments and repeating his thoughts to the guy.

Thats what i was thinking of, i don't know if anyone will agree, but i don't really mind- Every song is open to a million interpretations, this is just one.

Alex

[Big Fat Matt]

i see what you mean, but i highly doubt its what 'Nard meant. Tool was [as i understand] 'just another california band' when the '91 demo was released. and god knows how long teh song had been written for before that.

i understand your point of view, but the circumstances just werent right in the early '90s.

nice observation though

[mr. nikki jensen]

interesting thought, i never thought about that.

[Polish_Rides_The_Spiral]

yes, i get the vibes of someone obsessed with another human. my first thought was like a petofile or stalker of some sort, but this fits

[rudyyyy5]

I see what you mean but I would definatly have to agree with Big Fat Matt. This is a very good interpretation, but I don't think that it's what the song was written about.

[Esurient4Truth]

Personally, I just use to think this song was an obsession over, perhaps, a girlfriend (I really haven't listened to the track that much to define a true meaning.) Despite other arguments, actually, I kind of like this interpretation better than what I've heard yet.

Hey, it's the people who actually think outside of the box that actually get somewhere in life (no offense to other argumentees). Good job bass_dude.

[Mr. Electric Ocean]

I have to agree with Big Fat Matt on the situation of there was no one obsessing over Maynard in those days.

I believe the song is about some form of abuse where someone is so connected to someone perhaps an adult figure that they don't know right from wrong and is only a pawn in the abuser's cruel game. They are just going to keep clinging on to the abuser becasue they know nothing better and are for the most part defenseless. The abuser doesn't know what makes them do what they do in the terms of abuse but knows exactly how to make it so the one being abused doesnt know any better and cannot run.

[jevons]

Couldn't that apply to a chronic masturbator? If you obsess over anything, you disappear to an extent, but so does the object/organ/whatever. I said this somewhere else, but the fact that a chronic masturbator is kind of a microcausm for a dysfunctional interhuman relationship, and the fact that almost every tool song can have this process (micro, macro, multiple possibilities leading to a universal ground) applied to it makes the songs timeless. and so on.
So, unless you a stupid head, the song really is about "what it means to me," or maybe how it feels to me, and not just in yon hallow caves of t.d.n

So, i'm the son of God, Maynard came down and chose me, you are all just hands to pet my fuzzy Ego. Trust me.

[hobblegobble]

Ok, many people believe this song is about Masturbation/monsters etc, but my idea is slightly different. I was listening to it yesterday, and this is what popped into my head:

Its about an obsessive Fan, and his relationship to MJK. It's written from both the perspectives, and sort-of tells a story. here goes:

it starts off from the fan's perspective:

"I know you well.
you are a part of me."

This is a fan who has researched into MJK's life, trying to find out anything and everything about him. the amount of information he has is comprable to the amount he knows about his own life.

"I know you better than I know myself.
I know you best,
better than anyone.
I know you better than I know myself."

This is the extent of the obsession. This person has refused to learn about themselves, to develop( i.e., like sitting on the internet searching rather than going out with friends etc) They now consider themselves the one with the most information on him.

We now switch to MJK's view:

"You don't judge.
You can't speak.
You can't leave.
You can't hurt me.
You're just here for me to use."

This is where MJK is answering the person, and telling him what he thinks about him and his obsession. He [MJK] sees himself as safe from the person [you can't hurt me], and the opinion of him is therefore, void. "You're just here for me to use" could refer to the way he could use the fan for stories/ego boost/ take legal action/even take inspiration for a song (like he has for this) for his own gain.

-Now back to the fan-



"I know you best,
better than one might think.
I know you better than I know myself.
It's time for you
to make a sacrifice.
It's time to die a little.
Give it up."

This is his retalliation to MJK, and he is getting desperate. he's revealing the extent of his knowledge (without directly telling him- moreover hinting at it), and he want's something in return for his "efforts"- Money, fame, we do not know.

MJK:
"You are a part of me."

He isn't listening at all. the guy doesn't matter to him anymore, so he is just ignoring his comments and repeating his thoughts to the guy.

Thats what i was thinking of, i don't know if anyone will agree, but i don't really mind- Every song is open to a million interpretations, this is just one.

Alex

Ahh..I see where you're going. Maybe it has nothing to do with someone obbsessing over Maynard. But, maybe just a general idolizing of "celebrities" in general.....which is great..because it's a big fucking issue...and the words go great with the idea...

[ZzsdkzZ]

in terms of the "obsessive fan". This song was written pre-1992, and I doubt there were any people 'obsessing' over a pre-EP Tool enough to write a song about. The celebrity route seems to be a more logical choice

[HelenA]

I don't know - Maynard has been known to be delusional at times.