Parabola

[yed19]

Okay so whoever says that this song is about sex, has missed the entire point I think.

First of all, most of the sex songs were done earlier in Tool's time during Undertow and Opiate. Why would he go back and sing another about it. It just doesn't seem that important to him in this stage of his life to where he would devote a song to the subject.

Second, the real idea of this song is based upon life and death. The parabola of life. If you are to take the derivative of a parabola, you get a linear variable which leads to a constant change. In other words, life is constantly changing in a linear pattern. Think of life as an upside down parabola with y=0 being death. So as you grow older your life increases. However, you will eventually start to die. The downward slope of the parabola. And then when you die, you reach zero. However, the song is sang from a standpoint that life is a dream. (from third eye). A clear reference to this is brough up in the video at the end where the man's third eye is shown on his dead corpse.

Also, the man in the video is living in confines, making a reference to shelter from something. But only when he leaves this shelter does he gain his Third eye. This fact is seen throughout history, where a quest or a adventure is needed to become something.

This video does however make an excellent reference to a higher being (the ball thingy). It takes something from him so he is mad at it (lose faith). When he leaves it follows him around. Knows eveything he does. Hwever, it could mean that when he loses faith that is he free to explore the idea of his third eye and eventually obtain the 6th sense. Believe what you will, but these conclusions can be easily made and seem to fit very well.

In conclusion, Parabola is the key to life (in Maynard's mind).

[supersonic2006]

that's a very good translation.

I especially like how you explained the title of the song.

[Fink]

I doubt that the title has anything to do with the second derivative of a parabola.

[Mr. Zebra]

yed19, there are quite a few flaws in your logic.
First of all, your'e deriving the entire meaning of a song from it's title and the video. You don't once mention the lyrics or the music.

Second, the songs about sex early in Tool's career use sex as a METAPHOR, usually for negative-to-positive or painful processes. There is a good chance, considering the lyrical content, that this song incorporates the concept of perfect, meaningful, connected sex involving a complete state of love and trust, or at least the idea of physical affection with the same depth. I've always felt, when listening, that Parabol/Parabola is about love, real love. Your ideas concerning the title and video are enlightening, but don't you think you might be "overthinking/overanalyzing"? Be careful to just let the music wash over you and experience the emotion involved- Tool seems to enjoy playing mind games with people like you.

And what do you mean, "it just doesn't seem important to him at this stage of his life?" Maynard is married, so a state of love and trust (the "trust" derived from the fact that in the lyrics, "this body holding me" apparently makes the speaker feel safe) would probably be important to him, and the man presumambly still has testicles. I think warm, emotional experience should be valued over cold, mathematical analysis when experiencing art like Tool. Try listening to the song instead of analyzing the title and the video. Better yet, try making love to your girlfeind with this song/songs blasting on surround at high volume. I did. It was a pretty fucking elevational experience for both of us, and one of the most incredible emotional highs I've ever acheived.

In addition, your ideas about the title and video and their meanings are, in my opinion, very astute, and they could easily fit/coexist with the "state of complete love and trust" concept that I felt as the emotional core of the song, but in conclusion, you should be very careful about asserting "this meaning is the correct meaning" when talking about Tool. You began a sentence "the REAL meaning of this song..." you don't know that. This is music that should be open to interpretation and application. Stop assuming your own omniscience.

[aphex]

I don't think that Maynard believes in God, but I don't think that when we die, we "reach zero" either. Something is is after death spiratually but we don't know what and it can't be explained. This is about life basically, and it need not be over analysed.

[Metamorphosis]

yed19 have you ever considered you might be wrong? when i come up with theories and interpretaitions for songs i always keep in my mind the fact that, first of all, there might be no right and wrong theory, and that i may be wrong-simple as that. some songs may have multiple meanings. some songs may be so flexible that you can put just about any theory to it. try to keep this in mind at all times. keep your mind exposed to new ideas. this is what the speech at the beginning of third eye live is getting at.

[Chodoboy]

I feel that what Mr. Zebra has alot of merrit but im not saying that he is right, nobody is right when it comes to interpreting tool and that is something which i happen to like.

[INNER_STRUGGLE]

I love thsi song and love the interpretation. Very nice.

[Talonwulf]

Why do people seem to think the thrid eye gives a 6th sense? Its not an ability in a sense. Its more of an acomplishment