two thoughts

[disposition8]

The song always seemed to point out how much we accept in the name of humor. its ok as long as you say just kidding at the end, but if someone actually takes a stand on something then it's offensive. from a couple of interviews with maynard and tori amos (speaking about maynard) the idea of hiding behind "it's just a joke" is a real cop out. take the I'm just kidding part and put it at the end of one of tool's other songs....

[ragna16]

That would mean, that Tool was actually telling us, the listener to (fuck ourselves),(kill ourselves),and calls us A Piece of Shit. I doubt that at the time Tool wanted to call us fans that. So naturally he has to tell us that he doesn't want us to kill ourselves.

Seriously, and you wanted to give Maynard the guilt of Tool-suicides....

Besides, if you take 'just kidding' out of this song, there are no songs to put it onto. Which song would you tack 'just kidding' to?

[disposition8]

I mean, for example, could you possibly consider putting a just kidding after say prison sex? hey i was just joking about it. parts of the song were edited out on the radio because they were considered offensive. it's a serious song about serious material but it still gets edited so as not to "offend".
also I dont think the rest of the song is literal, go kill yourself, its there to contrast the ending. go kill yourself, oh hey i didnt meant that, i was jsut kidding.
anyway The way i took it was that it's saying go one way or another, make a stand and say something worth saying no matter who it offends or don't say anything at all, but don't hide what your saying behind I was just kidding.

[ragna16]

Yes, that makes sense. It does seem rather timid to actually say what you feel than tack on a, just kidding.

[cantfindawayout]

i dont think maynard directed the "go kill yourself" to tool listeners, but to those who try and "Hush" him. i think the "just kidding" is there to give justification to the "go kill yourself," for if he isn't serious about the "go kill yourself," fewer people would try to "hush" him. I do agree that the "just kidding" was purposely placed there to represent the idea that if your just joking around, everything is alright and no harm is done.

[Stinkarm]

the song is about censorship guys..
didnt u guys see the video of the song?

[Vincent]

I saw the video, I have it downloaded. It has them all naked with "Explicit Parts" signs over their genitals/asses. In it they also have cloth "X"s over their mouths. That suggests that the song is about censorship....but do any of Tool's other videos have ANYTHING to do with the song involved? Well, then again, this is an Opiate song (not much thinking to do here.....)...I don't know. It's probably me just thinking too much. heh.....

[disposition8]

I didnt say that the song wasnt about censorship... I think that serious ideas are often censored because they are considered dangerous, because they are presented as serious ideas. but so long as you make it appear as a joke, it's no longer dangerous. But I also think the song is showing just how much of a cop out it is to hide behind the "im just joking". it's like saying "with all due respect", its a safety phrase. there are always going tobe those who dont want you to say waht you want to say, play what you want to play , or have you thiink what you want to think, it's no good trying to avoid those peopel by trying to hide and say it's just a joke. if what you have to say is important then stand up for it and present it as the serious idea that it deserves to be treated as.

[Mark D]

i love their attitude in this song. They totally get their point across. You can choose to spread your opinion or you can just make your song all poppy and mainstream. But in the end is has to be censored. Tool repents to the easilly offende by claiming that theyre just kidding.