the lyrics

[jones20004]

stare at the transmittal, sing to the death rattle. it's that easy, it makes sense.

[iAMtheMA!]

care to explain yourself?

[redjenova]

trans·mit·tal (trāns-mĭt'l, trānz-)
n. The act or process of transmitting; a transmission.

Stare at the transmission, i.e. the television.

Sing to the death rattle, which means the gasping sound people sometimes make when they die.

It does make sense, and that's what I hear. I've been able to hear other people's lyrical corrections in other songs but I can't hear anything else except "transmittal/death rattle" in this one.

[iAMtheMA!]

right on, thank you.

[Inner_Eulogy]

stare at the transmittal, sing to the death rattle. it's that easy, it makes sense.

You randomly wasted a thread on this one line becauussee???


Oh, by the way, there's another post designated specifically for the people still trying to figure out the words. It's right above Vicarious, called "What's He Saying"

[iAMtheMA!]

it didn't, and still (based on the response) doesn't, make sense to me. so, well, thank you ("he had a lot of nothing to say").

[redjenova]

I don't understand how this can't make sense. We watch TV (Stare like a junkie/Into the TV), where we vicariously experience deaths, blah blah blah. Sing to the death rattle, I mean, I can't exactly explain a pretty obvious metaphor to you. Sorry.

[jevons]

Where the fuck is this being heard?

[Cheesegreater]

I don't understand how this can't make sense. We watch TV (Stare like a junkie/Into the TV), where we vicariously experience deaths, blah blah blah. Sing to the death rattle, I mean, I can't exactly explain a pretty obvious metaphor to you. Sorry.

I hear ya man. I hear "transmitter" though. By the way, singers hardly ever annuciate "r's" at the end of words... They replace it with an "a" sound most of the time. So it sounds like "transmitta". If there were an "l" at the end you could probably hear it clearly. But transmitter is the T.V. all the same as transmittal could be. We're really splitting hairs right now though. Two words that mean and sound almost exactly the same, and from what I've read I 100% agree with the message you've extrapulated.

Peace.

[jevons]

''Transmittal! Sink to the death rattle.'' Back to the water themes of Undatow, any takers?

It's sink.

+10

[iAMtheMA!]

could be (i take).



two times in i've been struck dumb by a voice
that speaks from deep beneath the endless water

it's twice as clear as heaven twice as loud as reason
even rich like silt on a riverbed and just as neverending
the current's mouth below me (yeah) opens up around me
suggests and beckons all while swallowing
surrounds and drowns and washed me away

oh but i'm so comfortable so comfortable

shut up shut up shut up shut up you're saturating me
how could i let this bring me back to my knees

third time in i've been baptized by a voice
that screams from deep beneath the cold black water

it's half as high as heaven half as clear as reason
cold and black like silt on a riverbed and just as neverending
the current's mouth below me (yeah) opens up around me
suggests and beckons all while swallowing
surrounds and drowns and washed me away

oh but i'm so comfortable so comfortable

shut up shut up shut up shut up you're saturating me
how could i let it happen again
why don't you kill me i am weak and numb and insignificant
how could i let this bring me back to my knees

euphoria euphoria euphoria euphoria

i'm back down i'm in the undertow
i'm hopeless and on the way i'm in the undertow
lie dead beneath the undertow
there doesn't seem no other way out of the undertow

euphoria

[the midas touch]

Stare at the Transmittor = television, movies, the media?

Sing to the death rattle: la la la la la la la lai. la la la la la la la lie....
We all sing to it.

[iAMtheMA!]

i heart semi-homophones

[the midas touch]

i heart semi-homophones

I heart semi-homosexuals (http://www.dailysins.com/_pics/chicks_making_out51.jpg)

[iAMtheMA!]

...fucking christ.

[jevons]

Dude, this is pretty fucked up right here.

[Inner_Eulogy]

''Transmittal! Sink to the death rattle.'' Back to the water themes of Undatow, any takers?

It's sink.

+10

Nah, I'm pretty sure it's sing to the death rattle

[iAMtheMA!]

maybe you could bring both along until you're more than the less emphatic "pretty sure"? just a suggestion.

[redjenova]

maybe you could bring both along until you're more than the less emphatic "pretty sure"? just a suggestion.

Alright. I'm DAMN sure that it's not 'sink'.

You know, considering it doesn't fit at ALL with the entire album's more literal, in-the-now theme to hearken back to albums done and done... and that "sink to the death rattle" doesn't make any sense. How exactly is that possible? I know you're prah-lly thinkin', "well, sing to the death rattle, ya can't do that neither!" But paired with the "la la lie" sequence afterwards, it matches perfectly as a metaphor, whereas "sink" is superfluous to the rest of the song. Also, singing tends to arouse an emotional high in people, especially when singing about something that brings out emotion in them in the first place. Considering that this whole song is about thriving on the deaths in our society, something else that (apparently) gives us an emotional high, "death rattle" and "sing" go very well together.

I don't think you can get far grasping at the rather thin straw of "Well, this song has a line that you could associate with 'sinking' in it. Then, the line in this new song has a word that could possible be construed as 'sink'." zOMGconnectionFTW!!!1

[iAMtheMA!]

it is my current belief that the album's actual theme hasn't really been presented, or maybe i'm just not comfortable with these interpretations (and then that's my problem). it [i]could[/] fit against the lyrics within undertow. i seriously doubt that anyone can make the distinction between hearing "sing" and "sink", though. hey, up until jevons submitted "sink" as a possibility, i was thinking that it was "sing". i like where it could lead, but i'm not absolutely certain either way. more possibilities are always fun. this puzzle can't get big enough for me.

[Cheesegreater]

it is my current belief that the album's actual theme hasn't really been presented, or maybe i'm just not comfortable with these interpretations (and then that's my problem). it [i]could[/] fit against the lyrics within undertow. i seriously doubt that anyone can make the distinction between hearing "sing" and "sink", though. hey, up until jevons submitted "sink" as a possibility, i was thinking that it was "sing". i like where it could lead, but i'm not absolutely certain either way. more possibilities are always fun. this puzzle can't get big enough for me.

All personal feelings about the lyrics aside: consider this. Firstly, I consider this word to be "sing."

Why? Not only beacause strongly feel I hear it, but the fact that his next lines are "la la la la la lie ect..." Nah when people do "la las" and "nah nahs" in their song its kind of the epidome of "just-a-singin'-along.", not "sinking along."

Sinking along is profound in it's own right; don't get me wrong, but "SING to the death rattle. la la la la la lie...." futher expresses the point he's making. "Sink to the death rattle" implies a depressive state, but we're not so depressed if "we all feed on tragedy" now are we? That said, I think he's stressing that we are all-to-oblivious to this fact for the most part, just skipping to our lou, singin to the death rattle: (ei watching all these "forensic files shows, CSI, cold case files, the war in Iraq, violent, brainless action movies, for satisfying our own morbid couriousities." But as we all know... NO one wants to come to terms with this, but it's self-evident. "So, why can't just admit it!?" Why do we lie to ourselves? "la la la la la lie"

Hope this helps to explain my piont.

Later guys.

[iAMtheMA!]

"Today a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there's no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves."

sing to it. death is a lie. then realize: "I have died and will die. It's all right. I don't mind." check out the (so-called) "book of the dead", and, if we're to think of it this way, then i expect a count of 49 somewhere within the music.



a quick idea (that's probably wrong)...either way: "sing/sink to the death rattle", i get the feeling that it hasta do with dmt?

[Inner_Eulogy]

I get the feeling that you have no clue what a "death rattle" is therefore making your inaccurate statement of it being sink, which in no way shape or form makes any sense. This of course is aside from the fact that you can clearly hear the "ing" sound as opposed to "inK". In both threads you are truly outnumbered here my friend, it seems it's time you investment in a hearing aide.

[iAMtheMA!]

outnumbered, as if i care. how often is popular belief accurate? all the time? why don't you ask a devoted fox news viewer if the war in iraq is justified. and i'm not against anyone on this one. i know what a death rattle is, and i'm also aware of the (more accurate) undertow lyrics. so, i'm considering both before prematurely jumping to conclusions. both could make sense. absolutely. especially since this is art, not a fucking research paper.


inner, you should read my posts first. what exactly gave you the "feeling" that i don't know what a death rattle is? because i consider "sink" in addition to "sing"? is it because i'm don't necessarily agree with your ideas? and it's "sing" because he's saying "lalalalaaa..."? maybe, but maybe not. btw, the guy's singing throughout the entire album. lalalaa.


personally, i can't distinguish, that's all.

[Esurient4Truth]

Transmitter & Sing. OMG! It's called f'in TREBLE! TURN IT UP!

Stare at the transmitter...sing to the death rattle.

TREBLE! (I must be losing my mind...)

[iAMtheMA!]

transmitter doesn't equate to television. send across. hmmmmmmmm... TELEVISION!@!!f!!#tw

[the midas touch]

Here's my question: So MJK is bitchin' at us because 'we like to watch things die from a good safe distance' and all that jazz. What's the alternative? Kill yourself? What action would make him happy? (I don't mean this in the sense I want to please MJK, but you know what I mean)


It seems like this album (which is possibly my personal favorite Tool album--sonically) is just him chastising our species while he sits there and sips his wine and promotes his restaurant.
"Oh you humans fight...oh you all watch TV...you guys waste your free will"

I say to you, Maynard James Keenan, who are you to wave your finger?

(If MJK is currently in Africa single-handedly battling HIV and Malaria with his own two fists then I look like an idiot, but...)

[Inner_Eulogy]

outnumbered, as if i care. how often is popular belief accurate? all the time? why don't you ask a devoted fox news viewer if the war in iraq is justified. and i'm not against anyone on this one. i know what a death rattle is, and i'm also aware of the (more accurate) undertow lyrics. so, i'm considering both before prematurely jumping to conclusions. both could make sense. absolutely. especially since this is art, not a fucking research paper.


inner, you should read my posts first. what exactly gave you the "feeling" that i don't know what a death rattle is? because i consider "sink" in addition to "sing"? is it because i'm don't necessarily agree with your ideas? and it's "sing" because he's saying "lalalalaaa..."? maybe, but maybe not. btw, the guy's singing throughout the entire album. lalalaa.


personally, i can't distinguish, that's all.

Well, I myself never considered it to be sing simply because of the lala part, I don't find that logical. What I DON'T find logical is you thinking it's SINK to the death rattle, that's why I said you must not know what one is otherwise you would know that statement doesn't make any grammatical sense. And as I have already seen on the other thread that you caved in and cried for forgiveness after you realized we were all right to begin with, you will surely succumb to your own lack of logic and history will repeat itself once again on this one.

[Jod231]

I

[SLVJAM]

I hear "transmittal" and my headphones are really good for vocals. There is a definite "tull" sound at the end of the word. And it's not "sink to the death rattle" because he starts "singing" a little tune right after. Hence the word "sing". BTW I also hear "I own the T.V." not "Eye on the T.V." I can't imagine anyone arguing "eye on" after really listening closely.

[SLVJAM]

Here's my question: So MJK is bitchin' at us because 'we like to watch things die from a good safe distance' and all that jazz. What's the alternative? Kill yourself? What action would make him happy? (I don't mean this in the sense I want to please MJK, but you know what I mean)


It seems like this album (which is possibly my personal favorite Tool album--sonically) is just him chastising our species while he sits there and sips his wine and promotes his restaurant.
"Oh you humans fight...oh you all watch TV...you guys waste your free will"

I say to you, Maynard James Keenan, who are you to wave your finger?

(If MJK is currently in Africa single-handedly battling HIV and Malaria with his own two fists then I look like an idiot, but...)

He tells you what he wants from you in the song. He says "why can't we just admit it". All he is doing is trippin' on the ways of man to which he is also guilty. He likes to reflect. It's not necessarily judgement. There is an answer to the problem in all his songs. In "Right in Two" he says "repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here" He offers optimism with his cynicism.