Reason for inclusion?

[remember_forget]

Lateralus seems to be an entirely spiritually oriented album, with the exception of this song. Everything on the album seems to preach reuinification and harmony, but this sort of breaks it. Any ideas why it might be there?

One thought of mine was that Lateralus is the story of a person moving from The Grudge to a sort of resolution in the final three songs, and this song might represent a relapse of his earlier anger.

[parables in the world]

i see it as a warning for people who doubt him and try and maniuplate him to their standards. He is basically telling them to accept whats about to be, something they didn't expect.

[remember_forget]

it does sound like that... which is what confuses me. I'm thinking that that's not a very spiritual statement, doesn't fit with the album's theme.

[benjamin]

IMO, this whole song is a sort of spiritual road-block or warning sign; "To all who follow in my footsteps realize this. If you are not ready-willing-&-able to take your own steps, then the fruitage of my personal experiences will surely poison your intensions."

My take on it, if it doesn't "worry" you inside, like "shit does this guy just hate all his fans", then it wont affect your journey. But, just like some voo doo shit, if you take them/their message for granted, or in mockery, ...I'll bet it'd haunt you...!

Yeah, Nards fuckin serious in this song. Damn, listening to it now (cuz i'm posting bout it) this song is fuckin feirce, peace.

[Lan]

This song is very well placed. Coming right after Parabola, which is a song that revolves around the notion of tapping human potential, it serves as a grim reminder to those of us who do not contribute to the global life nexus that unites us all. Lateralus appropriately follows by providing the listener with a sense of encouragement and hope and that one day our true potential will be recognized and we will learn to use meditation and/or natural hallucinogens as tools for enlightenment.

[Kbob]

Its a break song, one that doesnt really fit in with the rest (lyrically) on the album. Like Hooker with a Penis on AEnima and The Pot on 10,000 Days. Although u can draw some similarities with the other songs on the album as previous posters have said, its just to give the listener a rest from the main points that MJK is driving at with the other songs.

[]v[edusa]

To me the song is about not giving your blood away anymore. Sometimes society has the ability to get inside you in order to use you to their liking. Hes more or less is getting over that "patient" stage. The Ticks are "working under [his] patience". Him giving blood= losing patience. In Ticks and Leeches, he now has the strength within himself to no longer give his blood away. "Got nothing left to give to you".

[amenorakumo]

It is a very powerful song, powerful emotions.. I always found it was a really nice lead into lateralus. Kind of like that final rinse off and purging before the rest of the album's subsequent "build up"

[miketh74]

I read somewhere that Ticks & Leeches was about the record companies screwing the band out of money (referring to the big court battle they had). That's why they take so long putting out albums because they spend so much time outside the studio perfecting their songs before they actually enter the studio. Not really sure, any thoughts?

[mrskeenan]

ok this is completely unrelated to the subject, well sort of it is about the song. i just got a new puppy and named him "ticks", i struggled with miho and h, but decided on ticks. like i said completed unrelated

[miketh74]

I think this song was designed to take us back to Undertow. It has the same raw emotion as that album. Kind of a break before finishing the rest of Lateralus.

Perfectly fine by me...... :)

[Gæter]

I guess now you need a dog names leeches. or a cat. or mollusk.

[]v[edusa]

I read somewhere that Ticks & Leeches was about the record companies screwing the band out of money (referring to the big court battle they had). That's why they take so long putting out albums because they spend so much time outside the studio perfecting their songs before they actually enter the studio. Not really sure, any thoughts?

yes, but you can connect ticks and leeches to pretty a lot of diffferent people and not just record companies.

“The word 'politics' is derived from the word 'poly' meaning 'many', and the word 'ticks' meaning 'blood sucking parasites'.” Larry Hardiman (or who ever said it first)

[Inner_Eulogy]

yes, but you can connect ticks and leeches to pretty a lot of diffferent people and not just record companies.

“The word 'politics' is derived from the word 'poly' meaning 'many', and the word 'ticks' meaning 'blood sucking parasites'.” Larry Hardiman (or who ever said it first)

Could very well refer to us fans as well.

[miketh74]

Could very well refer to us fans as well.

I thought that Pushit referred to the fans, but I guess it could refer to anyone who drains Maynard mentally.

[dmurf]

You know, oddest thing. I had the song playing on iTunes at school one day (during my prep hour) and I went to salon.com. The Duke was dancing right along, to beat, to the song!! Talk about... amazing.

[miketh74]

Yeah, just the other day, I was thinking the exact same thing; it sounds a lot like their older stuff. It's like Opiate and Lateralus had a one-night stand and gave birth to a deformed genius.

Totally agree...

They broke away from the spiritual side for a split second just to give us a taste of how raw they can get. Could be a big "IN YOUR FACE" to fans claiming Aenima was their last good album. So I could actually see it directed at these "fans" which explains the intense emotion behind it. One more shove left over from Pushit.