Sex

[endorphins]

I keep coming across references that Parabol/Parabola are related to sex. I'm really confused about this. Can anyone explain this? It seems to be over my head or, as I think, maybe not there at all.

[McGoo]

uhhh, Im not too sure what you mean. In my opinion I think parabol is the prelude to the intensity of Parabola. They convey same thoughts. just being born and here we are, now lets realize that and LIVE. sex hasnt come across my mind when i hear parabol(a). The video could help you understand more, but tool videos are difficult to analyze. Just a few thoughts.....

[XiPHiaS]

I'm still not sure if it is about being together (with someone, so could be sex) and feeling alive, or just being and feeling alive. Both interpretations make some sense.


Notice that Maynard sings

'This body holding me, reminding me that I am not alone in
This body makes me feel eternal. All this pain is an illusion.'

at the end of parabol and ends parabola with

'This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality.
Embrace this moment. Remember. We are eternal.
All this pain is an illusion.'

As if something happened that made him realize that he has to be together with someone else to feel eternal.


In general i think the parabol/a combination is something like a jin-jang. Parabol is gentle, parabola has a lot more energy. The lyrics tie it together. There is always a little bit of the jin in the jang...
But anyway, jin and jang represent eachothers opposites, for example male and female. A jin-jang would be their interaction, them being together and complete.


So, i think it is about being to gether with someone you love and feeling alive because of that. But it could still be about feeling alive and glad to be human on it's own. But then again: isn't being together with someone you love an important part of being human.

[Himself]

the first time i heard this song i immediately thought of physical connection with another human being. But then my friend told me its about the experience of living and your soul occupying a body. I'm not sure but the opening line of parabola really dispelled the sex thing. no one remembers what came before life. its the ultimate mystery. but i think the song is sort of an assurance that there is something after our bodies die. we are all eternal beings. and who is to say we won't come back again.

[FlamingEye]

Originally posted by Himself
. But then my friend told me its about the experience of living and your soul occupying a body.

That's what I have always thought the song was about. Just being alive, and life.

[hbynoe]

i think that i listened to this song for months and one night some while ago me and my girl was lying on the bed listening to it and she leaned over, and started singing.before it meant that my body and my soul were limited, and that inspiration will come only from releasing all the negativity, after that however, it all became her and her loving arms,....another human being in the mix to love and to offer company to this body, soul and mind.

[poet]

The first time i heard this song (listening post in virgin whilst desperatly waiting for payday) and ever since then, the closeness within the song and the closeness between the music and the listener has always been what makes this song (and this band) something special. i think the song in both its words and its energy is about *sharing* an experiance with someone. i think it speaks really beautifully of those moments when the world just stops (without wanting to get graphic about it) its moments like this that you feel eternal, that none of the shit in your life matters, that you realise (if only for a few minutes) what exactly it means to be human.
but then i guess that doesnt have to be about sex, its about whatever takes you back to basics. love, music, art, as much as i hate to say it drugs, running a marathon; whatever.

[XiPHiaS]

Maybe it can be interpretted both wayd because we share moments with others all the time. That's what makes us human.

[soberwithapenis]

Originally posted by mstajduh
I don't think its original intent was sex...

I see it as "not being alone" as the main theme.... whatever that entails.... that's what this song is about.

I think of it as even if you are the only person there, your mind always has your body.. so you aren't truly alone.

ah yes rudimentary philosophy, i think therefore i am kinda shit. the keyword there rudimentary.

poet, what is wrong with drugs? Do i need you to listen to Bill Hicks on third eye?

As for the song, its meanings are many, yet singular. It just depends on how you portray them and how you put them to use. The guy with his girlfriend, now thats beutiful. Live life today because that is what matters. those who look to the past too much dont see the future coming. Take it all in stride.

Just read the quote on the Opinion Homepage.

[supersonic2006]

I imagine it could be interpereted both ways.

I've always seen it as being something like Parabol as before birth and Parabola as being life.
Parabol feels incredibly comforting and smooth and the way the lyrics are similar it's as if it's a preview to what's to come. Parabola then is life and cherishing life, Celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing. and that life isn't about pain, and pain is not to be dwelled upon because it is only an illusion to distract us from the beauty of life.
In this interpretation "we" could mean one person (mind and body) or people as a whole.

On the other side "this body" could be the body of the other person holding you, reminding you that you're not alone, there's someone there for you. and in that case the we would of course be the two people. and the basic "we are eternal, all this pain is an illusion" being the couple encouraging and supporting each other through life.
I do not believe that this interpretation necessarily means sex. It does not make any blatant sexual connections.

It really doesn't matter how you see it, both translations are fine and good. Though I do believe that the video supports the "Life" theory. I think that depending on how you may be feeling, Parabola can be interpereted however you wish. and I think that's just fine.

But that's just
my opinion.

[Mr. Zebra]

Whenever I listen to the song, let go of analysis, and let it soak in, I can't help feeling that the song is about LOVE. Pure, unconditional, surrendering, inspirational love; nothing more, nothing less. Interestingly, every single one of your interpretations seem to fit into this concept. What is life without love, and how, without love, can we fully experience being human- both its temporalness and its eternality? If you've ever looked into somone's eyes at that moment when you both decide in favor of unconditional love, no matter what the cost, no matter "what came before", then you know exactly what this song is about. I really connect to that guy's story about his girlfreind; I had a similar experience. (by the way, soberwithapenis, I think the message at the beginning of Third Eye is placed there to advocate personal freedom and open-mindedness, not necessarily drug use. Maynard all but said as much when I saw them live, and then he proceded to change the intro when they played the song. I'm sure you know what "Sober" is about.)

[nothing, no one, no more]

To me the meaning of the song is represented in the climax:

'This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality, embrace this moment remember, we are eternal all this pain is an illusion...'

This is beautiful to me as I think maynard is saying, don't be dragged down by whats happening now, it pain isn't real so don't be concerned with what doesn't matter, eventually we will all find what we seek, contentment, happiness whatever...

[eulogy508]

Whenever I listen to the song, let go of analysis, and let it soak in, I can't help feeling that the song is about LOVE. Pure, unconditional, surrendering, inspirational love; nothing more, nothing less. Interestingly, every single one of your interpretations seem to fit into this concept. What is life without love, and how, without love, can we fully experience being human- both its temporalness and its eternality? If you've ever looked into somone's eyes at that moment when you both decide in favor of unconditional love, no matter what the cost, no matter "what came before", then you know exactly what this song is about. I really connect to that guy's story about his girlfreind; I had a similar experience. (by the way, soberwithapenis, I think the message at the beginning of Third Eye is placed there to advocate personal freedom and open-mindedness, not necessarily drug use. Maynard all but said as much when I saw them live, and then he proceded to change the intro when they played the song. I'm sure you know what "Sober" is about.)

I get that feeling when I sit down and listen to Parabola, soaking in the music...

[Talonwulf]

Yes. Its about sex. The whole video etc. is all about sex. You see that man loves the trees, and wants to fuck that leaf he picks up.

Shut up. Its not about sex. I know people can have their opinion but believe me, it is NOT about sex. Just because when u fuck while listening to this song it feels "better" does not mean thats what its about. Anyone who thinks this needs to get their brain harder, not their dick. Tool are clever, but they cant make sex better by making a sex song. They make it better cos its a song. You like the song, you like sex, u add em together what do u get? Uh... sumthin u like but better.

Like if you like popcorn, u like movies, u combine em and it gets better.

ITS NOT ABOUT SEX! DAAAAAMN!