No One Talks About This Song

[mjkajdcjc]

Why? This is obviously a "forgotten" track by many fans, because many of you guys don't seem to care about this song.

Personally, I can't add anything to the discussion, but I just wanted to know why this song is so ignored.

[Progression]

It's one of my favorites on Undertow, right behind "Intolerance" and "Sober."

I think the Henry Rollins part is atmospherically cool.

[resonance.]

What's left to talk about? I hear Henry Rollins has a gambling problem...

[mr. nikki jensen]

its one of my less favourite tool songs. every tool song (to me) is a favourite song.

Omg! where am i going with this??

[herarety]

least*

[mr. nikki jensen]

least*

yea, you're right.

[PShepherd11]

Maybe a lot of people just like the songs that are or were played on the radio; but this song is great just as all their songs are (to me, anyway). I've never heard anything much about 4 degrees or Undertow or Flood, but they all kick ass.

[base metal]

I always liked this song, I just don't really listen to Unertow a whole lot anymore.

[AlltheteainChina]

I feel like this is probably my favorite song off Undertow...good beginning, then they switch into a foreboding beat with a great spoken word part by HR, then just start jamming straight the fuck down at the end. Bottom FTW

[mjkajdcjc]

Maybe a lot of people just like the songs that are or were played on the radio; but this song is great just as all their songs are (to me, anyway). I've never heard anything much about 4 degrees or Undertow or Flood, but they all kick ass.

"4 Degrees" is my second favorite song from Undertow behind "Prison Sex", then followed by "Undertow" and "Flood".

I guess we've got similar musical taste, that's cool.

[stardragonii]

This song is about an enemy that lies within, but I'm still uncertain about this part:

"I'm on my knees and burning.
My piss and moans are the fuel that set my head on fire.
So smell my soul burning."

That kinda sounds like the dude is having prostate problems... :\

[Yoxodo]

I don't know about any prostate problems mr. keenan might have been or
might still be having, but "bottom" is definitely one of my all time favorite
Tool songs...period. It's helped me get through alot of rough times and always
pushed me to keep going, no matter how bad a situation might seem...because
it taught me that even at the bottom there are certain things that keep me alive...
emotions everyone usually tries to avoid like : hatred, weakness, and guilt. So yeah, I guess we could start a coupla posts about this song...

[mjkajdcjc]

Glad people are talking about this song.

Keep it up, I'm tired of this song being ignored by Tool fans.

[TEST]

Bottom rules!!!
especialy that it can be heard in three versions!

[Zlerf]

I love this song, the henry rollins part is possibly my quite favorite.

I tend to keep my lyrical opinion to myself tho...

[slamminsalmon]

bottom isnt really one of my favorites, it just seems to slow down the momentum in the album, i will admit to skipping this track more often than others

[Vecromatica]

The part that always grabs me is when Maynard comes back in after Rollins' speech (which was also powerful and mood-setting). The vocals, the concept, it all fit together well. I've also noticed this song is pretty criminally underrated, but then I'm sure someone reading this right now is saying I'm overrating the song, so..

[mjkajdcjc]

The part that always grabs me is when Maynard comes back in after Rollins' speech (which was also powerful and mood-setting). The vocals, the concept, it all fit together well. I've also noticed this song is pretty criminally underrated, but then I'm sure someone reading this right now is saying I'm overrating the song, so..

I wouldn't and I think that all Tool fans, whether or not they like the song, would agree that it is underrated in atleast one way compared to the songs of Tool's relatively short catalogue, as well as to the songs on Undertow.

[fateless]

I wouldn't say it is ignored, but it seems to be one of those songs where you either love it or hate it. I personally love it.

[There is no spoon]

Bottom is awesome. IMO, Henry Rollins kinda ruins the song. It would be much better if MJK was doing the talking

[Solaris]

Why? This is obviously a "forgotten" track by many fans, because many of you guys don't seem to care about this song.

Personally, I can't add anything to the discussion, but I just wanted to know why this song is so ignored.

This song is not ignored. It's not even the song from Undertow the fewest people on this page talk about (which is the Swamp Song).

[There is no spoon]

I still love this song. It relly adds to the darkness of the album. Great screams at the end, some of his best vocals

[SMEPman]

Bottom rules!!!
especialy that it can be heard in three versions!

Which would those be?

I really like "Bottom" and think HR is a nice addition to the track. It's got a cool 'pop like' rhythem to it .

[Bodhi]

I can't listen to too much of this song because I end wanting to kick the shit out of something!...That goes for much of the Undertow album. Pure aggression around every corner.

[base metal]

^Haha...yeah, undertow has always had that ability to get the blood pumpin'. It's the rawest most energetic Tool album, imo. I don't need an aggresive song to make me go off though, I pretty much wake up every morning ready to ruckus.

Let me just reinforce the fact that I have always loved this song and still do. They get right to it in this one, no long intro, just right to the grind. I like the Henry Rollins bit in the middle too, it doesn't bother me at all.....this song jams.

[seemyshadowchanging]

Maybe a lot of people just like the songs that are or were played on the radio; but this song is great just as all their songs are (to me, anyway). I've never heard anything much about 4 degrees or Undertow or Flood, but they all kick ass.

I agree with u on that one.bottom 4 degrees and flood are some of the best songs on undertow imo.

[Gently]

this song makes me feel tough

[Polish_Rides_The_Spiral]

it is indeed underrated.

[toolninapc]

Maybe a lot of people just like the songs that are or were played on the radio; but this song is great just as all their songs are (to me, anyway). I've never heard anything much about 4 degrees or Undertow or Flood, but they all kick ass.

all those songs kick ass!!!!!!

& bottom is one of my fav TOOL songs ever!!!!




SHIT ADDS UP AT THE BOTTOM!!!

HAHAH how can u not love it?!?!

[tomisatool]

Bottom rules!!!
especialy that it can be heard in three versions!

Explain that one to me.

And this is my favorite Tool song. Undertow is my favorite Tool CD. I guess for me, I love this CD because its all about emotion.


aaand, Flood is fucking amazing.

[Arkham Asylum]

It seems to me that "Bottom" isn't talked about too much because it's such a crushing song. I always get this feeling of being OVERWHELMED whenever I listen to this song. I love "Bottom", it is an awesome song and I think people don't talk about it because it thinking about it might just be too much for some people.

[Biznatch]

I fucking love this song probably currently my favorite tool song

[Elgyn]

Explain that one to me.
All I can think of is a live version that's floating around on net with Zak de la Rocha doing the Henry Rollins part... I don't know of a third version though...

[Alex in Chains]

All I can think of is a live version that's floating around on net with Zak de la Rocha doing the Henry Rollins part... I don't know of a third version though...

You can also find versions with Maynard doing the spoken part, and it includes the "I will make weapons out of my imperfections" line from the Undertow liner notes. The way I heard it, Rollins just cut the line out when he modified Maynard's oringinal lyrics for that part of the song.

I've heard of the de la Rocha version, but I've never heard it. Anyone have an mp3?

[Arkham Asylum]

The Rocha version is pretty fucking awesome. You can easily find an mp3 of it online, legally. I think it's illegal for me to post the link though. Sorry, bro.

[Elgyn]

Already taken care of...

[chiller]

could some one PM that zack de la rocha version?? pleasy

[beached_whale]

same here please. "It leaves me dead inside!!!"

[zoetic]

I dont think its forgotten, or not one of the favorites... i just think a lot of people may (personally) view the track as more of a vehicle to lash out at any of their various inner demons, or otherwise whatever may be fucking them over at the time of listening.

[polly wants a cracker]

I was listening to Undertow today and Bottom felt like the best song on the whole album.

[ToolKlouD]

yea can i get that too please?

[a-groan-of-tedium]

bottom isnt really one of my favorites, it just seems to slow down the momentum in the album, i will admit to skipping this track more often than others

This is actually my favorite song of Undertow, I skip Prison Sex and Sober to get to this. My 3 favorite would have to be Bottom, Intolerance, and Sober.

I can't listen to too much of this song because I end wanting to kick the shit out of something!...That goes for much of the Undertow album. Pure aggression around every corner.

In another topic somebody complained about Opiate being too much "metal", rather than melodic like the others, but look at a lot of songs on this album, including Bottom.

[base metal]

The more I go back and listen to Undertow, the more I dig this song. I always liked it, but now I think it's my favorite song on the album, just behind intolerance and prison sex.

[Topher]

I found a very old live performance of Tool, a very small club in Philly in May of 92. The version of Bottom is one I have never heard before, it is more up tempo than any version I've heard and the lyrics seem to be quite different. And, of course, the "Rollins part" is different as well. The uploader has the entire performance available, and is suprisingly pretty good audio quality. Please forgive me if this has already been discussed here. You'll have to excuse my lack of html skills as well, but here is the URL...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1hICIpnSz4

[Arkham Asylum]

I found a very old live performance of Tool, a very small club in Philly in May of 92. The version of Bottom is one I have never heard before, it is more up tempo than any version I've heard and the lyrics seem to be quite different. And, of course, the "Rollins part" is different as well. The uploader has the entire performance available, and is suprisingly pretty good audio quality. Please forgive me if this has already been discussed here. You'll have to excuse my lack of html skills as well, but here is the URL...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1hICIpnSz4

Either you were joking or the link has changed.

The URL provided goes to some Panic at the Disco video.

[Topher]

Dear God!!!! My apologies, that link was still in my clipboard from the thread of "Bad Cover songs". Here is the correct link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jraEH_Grs0

[Arkham Asylum]

Haha no sweat. Sweet video.

[chaotic_confusion]

this song still means more to me than some of their more recent works (don't get me wrong, i'm a huge fan of both lateralus and 10,000 days, but the fact of the matter is, undertow has had a little more time to become a "part of me" haha...), one of the things i feel few people mention is the variability of this song... back in the early opiate days this song was performed live quite often, with maynard taking on what Rolins took on for the studio version and a couple of live performances, that eventually became a semi-regular part for Zach De La Rocha(sp? it's been a while) during the 1994 days of the undertow tour, which eventually birthed the D'Amour demos.
The evolution of this song went from raging sped up insanity, from what sounded like the only way to strengthen one's will to stay on top, was to fall all the way to the bottom, to the battle between one's self, and one's "better half" and how people can endlessly drag eachother down without much intention or effort involved, to a sort of resolution of being okay with being on the bottom, because in a way the top isn't always the place to be, or worth fighting for (a majority of this is on a metaphorical level).
Another reason why this song is still a personal favorite of mine is because of the refferences to a conflict with oneself, that only the person/people involved could either fully understand, or ignore entirely. This is definitely one of the more complex songs on the Undertow album. A fear of the bottom is usually how we end up there, and we take it and make it something much worse than it actually is, a fear of the unknown heavily affects our perception of reality, this very message is fully expressed through every aspect through-out the entirety of the undertow album.