for the life of me I cant wrap my head around the double negative

[Zarathustra]

Ok not looking for a song explanation. Not asking if it's about alcoholism or religion bit answer me this.

the line "why can't we not be sober", what exactly does that mean. I've been thinking about it and after 10 years of listening to this I started to question what I though it meant.

I always thought it meant " Can't we just stay intoxicated" but thinking about it, it could be paraphrased as "why can't we just stay sober".

Anyway what is yall's take on this.

Is the singer wishing for sobriety or wishing he could just stay "not sober" ?

[Bogart]

There was a nice radio interview posted with Adam Jones discussing this song. From what I remember, he says the song is questioning why can't we use drugs, why can't we enlighten ourselves. I tried to find it for you, but had no luck.

[Zarathustra]

That's what I thought, thanks.

It seems like the person in the song is asking "why can't I stay drunk without destroying everything in my life"

[jevons]

QOUTE
the line "why can't we not be sober", what exactly does that mean. I've been thinking about it and after 10 years of listening to this I started to question what I though it meant.

I always thought it meant " Can't we just stay intoxicated" but thinking about it, it could be paraphrased as "why can't we just stay sober".

END KWOOTE


here's the cold, chilly, frigid truth. Are you ready? You've waited a long time for this, so i'm building suspense...










Why is it impossible for us to be the way we are when we're drunk (i.e. super-dooper creative and at the peak of intellectual capacity {somehow}) when we're sober? Why can't i stay sober and be as good.

Double negative: Why can't we not be sober? OR Why do i have to inebriate myself?
The double negative implies confusion, creativity and an almost half-classical voice. The character has studied, and is expressing his thoughts in an esoteric fashion. So it's disgust with the self, the way things have to be for him/her to be what he/she has to be, in order to be themselves and therefore truly comfortable with their life. It's actually less confusing the way Maynard wrote it.

The artist knows why he drinks: because he's better at what he does, say, sculpting fucked up sculptures when he's drunk. This does not sit well with him, so he's confused, maybe even scared.

Adam Jones quote: If they get addicted, then that's their problem.

Hope i helped,
jack

[jevons]

What ^^^said about adiction fucking up lives plays a part, as well.

[BlueTape]

why cant we not be sober=why cant we be drunk
(why cant we drink forever)

the real question is how can you be sober? how can you NOT be drunk?

[jevons]

It's a question of the purpose.

[tomisatool]

I don't know if I'm stating the obvious here, but this song is not about the drink. It's a double negative, basing it's original lyrics (CAD Version) around a much more obvious bash on religion...

Three videos; first: C.A.D version of Sober, second: Sober pro shoot (cool actually) and three (this will make you all want to die)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKW5sxz8bM4 (Sober, CAD version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw3FTiWRXF8 (Sober, Pro shoot)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAulwX0wCOY (Fuck covers of Tool)

[jevons]

Ever heard of people getting drunk on power? Perhaps there's a double entendre?

Thanks, though. And i really mean it.
Could you explain Hop on Pop next?

I'd never seen that CAD thing before, i knew of the band, but all i'd seen is an interview with little Jimmy Keenan.
The Stained cover made me want to cry, cry bullets from my gun. Cleansing bullets, good bullets.
No one should cover tool like that.

thanks.

[hobblegobble]

someone please explain Hop on Pop...I still don't get it..it's driving me nuts...Jevs?

[seb_135]

I don't really feel like dying after Staind's version. Only vocal is a little bit crappy. But I suppose that if someone's "interpreting" Tool's song they shouldn't look and act exactly like members of Tool... whatever, that's not the point.

If about double negative. I don't pretend to be knowing what MJK wanted to say, but it's supposed not to be "what it mean", but "what it mean to me". Don't let ourselves interprete it one way - it'll ruin everyhing. A little bit closer to the matter :-).

For me, and I bas it on my personal experiences, it's about a man who don't agree with cruel reality. Don't you remember waking up in the morning after being drunken previous night and feeling like "why it cannot last longer... why I have to go back to this fucked up everyday life". That's my point.

[Zarathustra]

^feel that right now actually >.>

[BlueTape]

well i know its not only about drinking, that much is obvious with any tool song, nothing has only one meaning

it is actually very literal, look at the religion angle

There's a shadow just behind me,
shrouding every breath I take,
making every promise empty,
pointing every finger at me.
Waiting like a stalking butler
who upon the finger rests.
Murder now the path called "must we"
just before the son has come.

guilt trips to not sin follow him everywhere

the next few lines speak for themselves

why cant we not be sober=why cant we be drunk=why cant we sin?

then the church chanting trust me.. trust me.. trust me..

[jevons]

someone please explain Hop on Pop...I still don't get it..it's driving me nuts...Jevs?

Tool is known for their blending of subject matter, so to say ''it's an obvious bash at religion'' is to classify tool with all the other shit bands with songs ''about chicks, cars'' and so on.
Hop on Pop is a book by Dr. Seuss.
Perhaps it's about more than one thing? Perhaps we can drink power and become drunk on it while others drink the poison you give them, making them stupid and believe what you want them to? Maybe there's an artist who only feels creative when he's drunk?
Maybe there is no spoon.


(as Dick Clark always says,)
Stinkfist could just be about fisting....

[jevons]

well i know its not only about drinking, that much is obvious with any tool song, nothing has only one meaning

it is actually very literal, look at the religion angle

There's a shadow just behind me,
shrouding every breath I take,
making every promise empty,
pointing every finger at me.
Waiting like a stalking butler
who upon the finger rests.
Murder now the path called "must we"
just before the son has come.

guilt trips to not sin follow him everywhere

the next few lines speak for themselves

why cant we not be sober=why cant we be drunk=why cant we sin?

then the church chanting trust me.. trust me.. trust me..



Then check out how it fits to the person who is above the organized religion shit; what do they do? Every addiction has similar aspects, the most predominant being an accute weakness for the substance/circumstance.

Religion = addicted to being stupid
substance abuse = addicted to being somewhere else

Can't stupidity be considered a place, if we could be on a higher plane of thinking/being? Is it not then possible that the song is attempting to corral all of these cisrcumstances, show their connection?

or....

Drinking to escape what others hide in, i create something beautiful. This thing discusses what those others hide in, their mannerisms. But i can't recreate it the next morning, i must be drunk, hiding in something, some place just like they do; otherwise i can't see their faces.

That's what's going on.
Tool = 4 men's release
Tool = 1 listeners release
Tool = 1 listener becoming one with thousands of other 1 listeners
Tool = just good tunes

when in your life is there just one thing going on? Doesn't the subtext usually deal with the subject matter? If not, doesn't it relate?

[BlueTape]

Then check out how it fits to the person who is above the organized religion shit; what do they do? Every addiction has similar aspects, the most predominant being an accute weakness for the substance/circumstance.

Religion = addicted to being stupid
substance abuse = addicted to being somewhere else

Can't stupidity be considered a place, if we could be on a higher plane of thinking/being? Is it not then possible that the song is attempting to corral all of these cisrcumstances, show their connection?

or....

Drinking to escape what others hide in, i create something beautiful. This thing discusses what those others hide in, their mannerisms. But i can't recreate it the next morning, i must be drunk, hiding in something, some place just like they do; otherwise i can't see their faces.

That's what's going on.
Tool = 4 men's release
Tool = 1 listeners release
Tool = 1 listener becoming one with thousands of other 1 listeners
Tool = just good tunes

when in your life is there just one thing going on? Doesn't the subtext usually deal with the subject matter? If not, doesn't it relate?

so its a triple, or even quadruple meaning

being drunk
power tripping
religion questioning
religious figures power tripping

idk, it probably has more meanings than that too, its one of those few perfect songs out there