Purpose of the name

[14thDosage]

I've always wondered what the words parabol/parabola had to do with the actual song. One idea I've had is that since Parabol and Parabola have similar lyrics, Parabiol is supposed to kind of be one side of a parabola and parabola (the song) is supposed to be the other side going back up. Also, I noticed that in the video the white tree the guy is touching (someone told me that it's called the "tree of life") has the shape of a parabola. Does anyone know what the story is behind the name?

[fivenichols]

That's what I've always thought.

To me, the song is about a relationship, and the parabola represents both sides of the relationship...

[amenorakumo]

parabola represents both sides of the relationship...
I like this.. I also think it has it's root in the word 'parable' : A simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson.

[fivenichols]

Bingo.

[Shantzy Boy]

I always like the interpretation that one side of a (math) parabola comes from infinity, comes down to a point, and then heads back up to infinity

swing on the parabola..

[dice5199]

Like many Tool songs, the song title and lyrics can apply to more than one thing.

Most people think that "this body" refers to the human body, and they are probably correct to think that.

However, it could also refer to a planetary body, such as Earth. The Earth is a body with a gravitational field. A parabola is the path that a projectile takes in a gravitational field. For instance, a person that jumps will leave and return to the ground in the path of a parabola. In this context, the words "this body, this body holding me" seem to make sense to me.

[iAMtheMA!]

male/female.

[Zippy]

Could it have something to do with a parabola being the graphical representation of a second order polynomial?

I like the 'parable' reference. Tool seems to like to use duality in all elements of their art - from lyrics to music to liner art to videos.

[iAMtheMA!]

"lateralus"

1. the grudge
2. eon blue apacalypse
3. the patient
4. mantra
5. schism
---> 6. parabol
7. parabola
8. ticks & leeches
9. lateralus
10. disposition
11. reflection
12. triad
13. faaip de oiad




how to count the spiral in "lateralus":

1. parabol 2. parabola
3. schism 4. ticks and leeches
5. mantra 6. lateralus
7. the patient 8. disposition
9. eon blue apocalypse 10. reflection
11. the grudge 12. triad
12. (triad @ 6:32) 13. faaip de oiad




x + y = 13 spiral:

1) 6. parabol 7. parabola
2) 5. schism 8. ticks & leeches
3) 4. mantra 9. lateralus
4) 3. the patient 10. disposition
5) 2. eon blue apocalypse 11. reflection
6) 1. the grudge 12. triad
7) 0. (triad @ 6:32) 13. faaip de oiad

seven "x + y = 13" combinations; "spiral out, keep going" was said seven times




keeping tracks together in "lateralus"?

1. the grudge

2. eon blue apacalypse
3. the patient

4. mantra
5. schism
---> 6. parabol
7. parabola
8. ticks & leeches
9. lateralus

10. disposition
11. reflection
12. triad

13. faaip de oiad




how to count the spiral (while keeping tracks together) in "lateralus":

1. parabol 2. parabola
3. schism 4. ticks and leeches
5. mantra 6. lateralus
7-8. eon blue / the patient 9-10-11. d / r / t
12. the grudge 13. faaip de oiad




new version of the spiral:

6. parabol 7. parabola
5. schism 8. ticks and leeches
4. mantra 9. lateralus
2-3. eon blue / the patient 10-11-12. d / r / t
1. the grudge 13. faaip de oiad




notice the possible "count to three"?

- parabol - parabola
- schism - ticks and leeches
0 mantra 1 lateralus
2 eon blue / the patient 3 d / r / t
? the grudge - faaip de oiad

"take what you want and then go!" may have set off the "count to three"?
and of course the "i hope you choke" would move us into the sound of "mantra"




new track listing:

1. parabol 2. parabola
3. schism 4. ticks and leeches
5. mantra 6. lateralus
7-8. eon blue / the patient 9-10-11. d / r / t
12. the grudge 13. faaip de oiad




the "holy gift" tracklisting?

---> 1. parabol
2. parabola
3. schism
4. ticks and leeches
5. mantra
6. lateralus
7-8. eon blue / the patient
9-10-11. d / r / t
12. the grudge
13. faaip de oiad

why does parabol and parabola head off the x and y columns respectively? is it to define the beginning AND show that it's a "x + y = 13" situation?

[14thDosage]

I thought Maynard debunked that whole "Holy Gift Tracklisting" theory?

Anyways, does anyone know what the significance of this thing is? I imagine it has alot to do with the song, since it's a parabola.


http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/3512/parabolacv9.jpg

[mjkajdcjc]

"lateralus"

1. the grudge
2. eon blue apacalypse
3. the patient
4. mantra
5. schism
---> 6. parabol
7. parabola
8. ticks & leeches
9. lateralus
10. disposition
11. reflection
12. triad
13. faaip de oiad




how to count the spiral in "lateralus":

1. parabol 2. parabola
3. schism 4. ticks and leeches
5. mantra 6. lateralus
7. the patient 8. disposition
9. eon blue apocalypse 10. reflection
11. the grudge 12. triad
12. (triad @ 6:32) 13. faaip de oiad




x + y = 13 spiral:

1) 6. parabol 7. parabola
2) 5. schism 8. ticks & leeches
3) 4. mantra 9. lateralus
4) 3. the patient 10. disposition
5) 2. eon blue apocalypse 11. reflection
6) 1. the grudge 12. triad
7) 0. (triad @ 6:32) 13. faaip de oiad

seven "x + y = 13" combinations; "spiral out, keep going" was said seven times




keeping tracks together in "lateralus"?

1. the grudge

2. eon blue apacalypse
3. the patient

4. mantra
5. schism
---> 6. parabol
7. parabola
8. ticks & leeches
9. lateralus

10. disposition
11. reflection
12. triad

13. faaip de oiad




how to count the spiral (while keeping tracks together) in "lateralus":

1. parabol 2. parabola
3. schism 4. ticks and leeches
5. mantra 6. lateralus
7-8. eon blue / the patient 9-10-11. d / r / t
12. the grudge 13. faaip de oiad




new version of the spiral:

6. parabol 7. parabola
5. schism 8. ticks and leeches
4. mantra 9. lateralus
2-3. eon blue / the patient 10-11-12. d / r / t
1. the grudge 13. faaip de oiad




notice the possible "count to three"?

- parabol - parabola
- schism - ticks and leeches
0 mantra 1 lateralus
2 eon blue / the patient 3 d / r / t
? the grudge - faaip de oiad

"take what you want and then go!" may have set off the "count to three"?
and of course the "i hope you choke" would move us into the sound of "mantra"




new track listing:

1. parabol 2. parabola
3. schism 4. ticks and leeches
5. mantra 6. lateralus
7-8. eon blue / the patient 9-10-11. d / r / t
12. the grudge 13. faaip de oiad




the "holy gift" tracklisting?

---> 1. parabol
2. parabola
3. schism
4. ticks and leeches
5. mantra
6. lateralus
7-8. eon blue / the patient
9-10-11. d / r / t
12. the grudge
13. faaip de oiad

why does parabol and parabola head off the x and y columns respectively? is it to define the beginning AND show that it's a "x + y = 13" situation?

Wow, someone had way too much time on their hands and decided to sound smarter than everyone else by posting this. Way to go to whoever created this in the first place!

[iAMtheMA!]

it was in my files... i've kept thoughts together and organized for years now. and if you've seen any of my other posts, you'd've known that these lil' and "out there" tidbits probably came from me.

[The Tower That Ate People]

Read somewhere in an interview with Maynard, that the feeling and vision he got from this song, was like climbing dunes. That was when making the song, not after.

Don't know how that fits your theories, since I haven't thought about this song for a long time.