sober meaning (from a guy who's not sober)

[random_spiral]

i got off work yesterday, and as i cruised out into the country, i popped in undertow. after i got to my spot, i loaded a bowl. after the first bowl (or maybe during) sober came on. i thought of a new way to look at sober (maybe it's already been thought of, but i didn't see it in the sober forum).
during one of the verses of the song, maynard says this:
"I am just a worthless liar.
I am just an imbecile.
I will only complicate you.
Trust in me and fall as well.
I will find a center in you.
I will chew it up and leave,
I will work to elevate you
just enough to bring you down.
Trust me."

i'm fairly sure that the verses are representing the actual substance that's being abused talking. the drug is telling the person all these things. the chorus is saying "why can we not be sober..." like, the drug is telling us all how bad and harmful it can be, yet we (some people) still flock to use them.

during the interlude (when it gets really quiet) and maynard repeats "trust me," i think that is also the drug telling people to trust it and use it.

this is just my stoned take on sober....any thoughts?

[Mr. Zebra]

I think you hit the nail on the head, freind.

I read an interview with Maynard not too long ago where he actually talked about the reason he had written "Sober". Maynard apparently has a freind who's a visual artist. He creates his art based on images he sees in his mind (like most artists). This man began using drugs in order to enhance these "visions" and his ability to find them. Maynard returned after a tour to find that this man could no longer create art if he wasn't high. His "muscle," his "third eye", if you will, had atrophied from underuse. This pissed Maynard off so much that he refused to have anything to do with the process. He wrote "Sober", apparently, almost in mourning, in a way- in anger that someone could so dash their own potential. So yes, presumably the parts of the song you referred to would be from the point of view of the substance being used. Maynard uses P.O.V. shifts pretty frequently in his writing. In "Undertow," it sounds more like it's from the point of view of the addictee.

[pathological2]

Couldn't agree more. "Why can't we not be sober?" For a while, I thought Maynard said, "Why CAN we not be sober?" or Why can't we be sober? But the real lyric actually is saying "why can't we drink?" or "why do we have to be sober?" Changes the meaning quite a bit. So it's not that he doens't want to drink, but he wonders why he can't drink and not cause so much fucking damage (like any addict).

[triad636]

I think you hit the nail on the head, freind.

I read an interview with Maynard not too long ago where he actually talked about the reason he had written "Sober". Maynard apparently has a freind who's a visual artist. He creates his art based on images he sees in his mind (like most artists). This man began using drugs in order to enhance these "visions" and his ability to find them. Maynard returned after a tour to find that this man could no longer create art if he wasn't high. His "muscle," his "third eye", if you will, had atrophied from underuse. This pissed Maynard off so much that he refused to have anything to do with the process. He wrote "Sober", apparently, almost in mourning, in a way- in anger that someone could so dash their own potential. So yes, presumably the parts of the song you referred to would be from the point of view of the substance being used. Maynard uses P.O.V. shifts pretty frequently in his writing. In "Undertow," it sounds more like it's from the point of view of the addictee.

this is a very good find.. i think its true because i know maynard isnt a fan of drugs and this only gives more proof to the matter... you may or may not have seen this quote but i will post it nevertheless..

I think psychedelics play a major part in what we do, but having said that, I feel that if somebody's going to experiment with those things they really need to educate themselves about them. People just taking the chemicals and diving in without having any kind of preparation about what they're about to experience tend to have no frame of reference, so they're missing everything flying by and all these new perspectives. It's just a waste. They reach a little bit of spiritual enlightenment, but they end up going, 'Well, now I need that drug to get back there again.' The trick is to use the drugs once to get there, and maybe spend the next ten years trying to get back there without the drug.

[Nyne]

Maynard was into drugs a bit himself wasn't he? But I think he's off whatever he was on now. Anyways, yeah... this is what I think off when I hear the song. The drug is comforting the user, and slowly is destroys him.

[TheNothingSong]

yeah interesting. i havn't thought of that while listening to the song, i usually think that its about the person on drugs saying to someone (in the verse) - "back off, i can't control what i do.." sort of thing. because people fucked off their head, even just on weed can be really.. shit.

I will find a center in you.
I will chew it up and leave,
I will work to elevate you
just enough to bring you down


reading back..I agree.
fuck. thats some good song right there.

[pathological2]

I would say that it's not the actual substance talking, but the thing inside you that convinces you to take the substance - YOUR DISEASE. Like the disease of addiction, not the actual drug, know what I mean?

[searchforme]

I think you hit the nail on the head, freind.

I read an interview with Maynard not too long ago where he actually talked about the reason he had written "Sober". Maynard apparently has a freind who's a visual artist. He creates his art based on images he sees in his mind (like most artists). This man began using drugs in order to enhance these "visions" and his ability to find them. Maynard returned after a tour to find that this man could no longer create art if he wasn't high. His "muscle," his "third eye", if you will, had atrophied from underuse. This pissed Maynard off so much that he refused to have anything to do with the process. He wrote "Sober", apparently, almost in mourning, in a way- in anger that someone could so dash their own potential. So yes, presumably the parts of the song you referred to would be from the point of view of the substance being used. Maynard uses P.O.V. shifts pretty frequently in his writing. In "Undertow," it sounds more like it's from the point of view of the addictee.

hmmmm, interesting... any links to this interview?

[searchforme]

I think psychedelics play a major part in what we do, but having said that, I feel that if somebody's going to experiment with those things they really need to educate themselves about them. People just taking the chemicals and diving in without having any kind of preparation about what they're about to experience tend to have no frame of reference, so they're missing everything flying by and all these new perspectives. It's just a waste. They reach a little bit of spiritual enlightenment, but they end up going, 'Well, now I need that drug to get back there again.' The trick is to use the drugs once to get there, and maybe spend the next ten years trying to get back there without the drug.

i haven't heard that before, but that is brillant

[3dglver]

Maynard was into drugs a bit himself wasn't he? But I think he's off whatever he was on now. Anyways, yeah... this is what I think off when I hear the song. The drug is comforting the user, and slowly is destroys him.

Agreed.

[Naga Royal Guard]

interesting indeed

[Prometheus]

Yes, it is interesting... Brings new light to the "Jesus won't you fucking whistle something but the past and done"
Sounds like this line is from the user's point of view, taking drugs to enhance his creative outlet for originality..

[Dedicated_TOOLfan]

Yes, it is interesting... Brings new light to the "Jesus won't you fucking whistle something but the past and done"
Sounds like this line is from the user's point of view, taking drugs to enhance his creative outlet for originality..

I wonder it this song is coming from expirence from one of the band members....

[the midas touch]

Also, during the music video the main character seems ti ascend, another classic case of MJK suggesting that drugs are one method for transcendence.

[Cooly]

That's a really interesting take and better than a lot of other ones I have heard.

[HelenA]

So yes, presumably the parts of the song you referred to would be from the point of view of the substance being used. Maynard uses P.O.V. shifts pretty frequently in his writing.

Yes - it makes it hard to follow the songs sometimes but it is SO worthwhile.

This is such an interesting idea. I really like the concept that this section:
I am just a worthless liar.
I am just an imbecile.
I will only complicate you.
Trust in me and fall as well.

I will find a center in you.
I will chew it up and leave,
I will work to elevate you
just enough to bring you down.
is from the drug's point of view.

But I still don't get how

Jesus, won't you fucking whistle
something but the past and done?

Why can't we not be sober?
I just want to start this over.
Why can't we drink forever.

I just want to start things over.


Fits in.

[e_tram]

I am sorry to say this, but I think that it is actually about religion. I think that being sober is actually about seeing through the lies of religion. Once you have seen these lies or whatever that makes you lose your beliefs, you can never go back.
I will find a center in you.
I will chew it up and leave,
I will work to elevate you
just enough to bring you down.
I think that this is refering to educating someone. Once they are educated, they will actually see that they were being lied to before.
I think that all the talk Jesus and Mother Mary are about wishing that they could say something that would make then believe again. Something that only they would know.

I think that this whole song is about a persons regret for not being able to put the blinders back on and continue to blindly believe.
I will only complicate you. Trust in me and fall as well.

[Gæter]

I am sorry to say this, but I think that it is actually about religion. I think that being sober is actually about seeing through the lies of religion. Once you have seen these lies or whatever that makes you lose your beliefs, you can never go back.
I will find a center in you.
I will chew it up and leave,
I will work to elevate you
just enough to bring you down.
I think that this is refering to educating someone. Once they are educated, they will actually see that they were being lied to before.
I think that all the talk Jesus and Mother Mary are about wishing that they could say something that would make then believe again. Something that only they would know.

I think that this whole song is about a persons regret for not being able to put the blinders back on and continue to blindly believe.
I will only complicate you. Trust in me and fall as well.

Thats sounds like a pretty ingenious take. It would explain the references to Jesus and Mother Mary.

[conor moore]

thats pretty good but how do you explain the jesus and mother mary parts

[Gæter]

everything we "know" about Jesus or Mother Mary is from historical documents: the past and done. "whistling" might be a way of saying "prove your divine existance" or something along those lines. so: jesus won't you show me your presence, i don't believe your b.s. relgion anymore. just a thought.

[irelandish]

I never actually thought of the song like that ae, i just thought it was him hiding from the world in like a shadow and hes been insulted and mentally scarred, that sorta thing,
But after reading these replies i seem to actually understand it a bit better ae, the song could be on both drugs and religion as both pieces fit the picture ae, but well, what am i to no as im just a 15 or 16 year old just starting to listen to tool ae,

[Angel on the Sideline]

When he sings "Jesus, won't you fucking whistle" I don't believe he's addressing Jesus. I believe he is using the word 'Jesus' the way one might use it when, for example, they're hounding a friend: "Jesus Christ, man, quit hogging the salsa and pass some my way."

I like the perspective random_spiral first offered when starting this thread. I also see a lot of validity in the thought that it's the disease or inner weakness, and not necessarily the drug itself, doing the talking. They both seem to fit to me, so take your pick.

Mr. Zebra, can you provide a link to the interview you read where Maynard talks about the reason he wrote Sober?