hyeboy
11-22-2002, 11:15 PM
First off, let me just say a few thoughts come to mind when I hear this song and that the test I will give you at the end is not necessarily what I believe this song is about. In fact, something startling happened shortly after Lateralus was released that fulfilled my hunch as to what the song was about. I was watching some religious cult entertainment (MTV), and there was a program on. The basis was 2 people who had used acid. One, a girl who's life it ruined and killed her best friend that took it with her. The other, a boy who use to be incredibly shy and had self-esteem issues before "acid greatly improved" his life. What sent chills down my spine was listening to him speak about his first experience. Some familiar phrases like "you feel like you're just in this body holding you", and "it makes you realize that you're an eternal spirit" and so on. I mean this guy was almost matching Parabola word for word! It freaked me out. I know he wasn't doing it on purpose because it had to have been taped long before Lateralus even came out.
I think it's safe to say that Maynard, whether he recommends it to others or not, believes that acid and drugs to that nature have "squeegeed his third eye". You see life from a whole new perspective and totally shatter the barriers that cultures, society, authorities, gender, and reality as we know it in general have imprisoned us with for so long. You feel the connectedness with other humans and realize that anything is possible while you're here on earth. (Um…I never needed drugs to think like this, but to each his/her own I guess)
That being said, here's the test. I want to show you how you can twist words around to fit any meaning you want. I want everyone to go back and listen to Parabol/Parabola and look at it from a different perspective. I want you to imagine Maynard is singing from Christ's point of view during the crucifixion! Show me one part of this song that doesn’t fit this context. "We barely remember who or what came before the precious moment". This is THE moment if you have belief in a higher being. When Christ looked up into the sky and screamed for his father, "why have you forsaken me?", the realization came to him that he was CHOOSING to be here right now inside this body holding him. He could let go at any time and leave that body at anytime because we are eternal, all this pain is an illusion (cause being beaten on the cross would hurt, and stuff;) It's really kind of frieghtening how well it fits. Without "trying to decifer Maynard's meaning", this is the first thing that came to my mind when I heard the songs. If anyone can find a line that doesn’t work from this angle, please share! Should be interesting……..
I think it's safe to say that Maynard, whether he recommends it to others or not, believes that acid and drugs to that nature have "squeegeed his third eye". You see life from a whole new perspective and totally shatter the barriers that cultures, society, authorities, gender, and reality as we know it in general have imprisoned us with for so long. You feel the connectedness with other humans and realize that anything is possible while you're here on earth. (Um…I never needed drugs to think like this, but to each his/her own I guess)
That being said, here's the test. I want to show you how you can twist words around to fit any meaning you want. I want everyone to go back and listen to Parabol/Parabola and look at it from a different perspective. I want you to imagine Maynard is singing from Christ's point of view during the crucifixion! Show me one part of this song that doesn’t fit this context. "We barely remember who or what came before the precious moment". This is THE moment if you have belief in a higher being. When Christ looked up into the sky and screamed for his father, "why have you forsaken me?", the realization came to him that he was CHOOSING to be here right now inside this body holding him. He could let go at any time and leave that body at anytime because we are eternal, all this pain is an illusion (cause being beaten on the cross would hurt, and stuff;) It's really kind of frieghtening how well it fits. Without "trying to decifer Maynard's meaning", this is the first thing that came to my mind when I heard the songs. If anyone can find a line that doesn’t work from this angle, please share! Should be interesting……..