You've hit on it here. I'm not sold that the "snake" was heroin, but it was a definite addiction of some sort ... could be alcohol or any number of drugs. Maynard has said H. is the initial of Devo's middle name. It could be dualism - H. for heroin, H. for Devo ... or it could be the positive view -- H. for Devo, what pulled him out of it.
But there definitely was an addiction to something at one point and it definitely was a painful battle to get over. And, yes, he got over it. 46&2 is the link between H. and the Lateralus album, and Jambi is confirmation of what you're saying about H. -- it's an updated look back at H. and those times, as well as being about the spoils of fame and staying grounded.
I love your interpretation and think you're on the spot.
And to the original question: Yes, Maynard has put it in the past and moved on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by A Tad Bit Catatonic
He experimented with it for a period I think (long enough to get withdrawl). Any opioid causes a hell of a withdrawal. I know this primarily because I have an aunt who was convicted of smuggling heroin from Thailand in the 70's (she used it too, but has been clean for 30+ years), has described it all to me in detail. She is very successful these days, financially and otherwise. Sort of like Maynard is, so it can be pulled off. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an advocate.
Like the initial post says, you can find the meaning of the song by comparing/contrasting it with Jambi, and 13th Step (Primarily The Package/Gravity combo, and the journey in between those songs). It is about both drug addiction (and everything else addiction) pulling him down into the "Undertow" (another reference to his "shadow" acting up), and the birth/realization of his son "lifting him back up to the sun/son", and making him want to "choose to live". You listen to 13th Step, you know Maynard has participated in some heavy duty chemical experimentation. This is not an uncommon (albeit cliche) thing for genuine artistic minded, and even intellectual people to do. To explore other facets of themselves, ala "The Doors of Perception".
I will not spare you all a line by line breakdown this time.
H.
What's coming through is alive. - (extreme sense of drug-induced wellbeing)
What's holding up is a mirror. - (reflection on the experience, and/or Devo causing him to think about what he's doing - probably both, maybe even also a "lines on the mirror" metaphore here - triple entendre like in "The Pot")
But what's singing songs is a snake looking to turn this piss to wine. - (again extreme, but false sense of well being induced by opioids/stimulants primarily)
They're both totally void of hate, but killing me just the same. - (H is one of the "both", and this is a Jungian reference to how humans are the only things that have a "shadow", not drugs, but they will kill you just the same)
The snake behind me hisses what my damage could have been. - (he is reflecting on how the "sin" or the addiction could have at worst killed him)
My blood before me begs meopen up my heart again. - (possible double entendre of blood in the syringe, and Devo being his blood, and the profound feelings these things caused him to have)
And I feel this coming over like a storm again. - (possible double entendre of the rush induced by H, and the addiction taking hold)
considerately. - (* sense of drug induced well being eventually leads to addiction, and sustaining more damage or possibly death from use of the drug, I will not repeat this one - it means the same thing every time)
Venomous voice, tempts me, drains me, bleeds me, leaves me cracked and empty. - (withdrawal from opioids is incredibly painful, negatively mind altering, and the shits, literally)
Drags me down like some sweet gravity. - (continued use/addiction causes eventual clinical depression or worse, but sure does feel good while you're doing it)
The snake behind me hisses what my damage could have been.
My blood before me begs me open up my heart again. And I feel this coming over like a storm again. - (already explained these)
I am too connected to you to slip away, to fade away. - (he kicked the use/addiction because of Devo)
Days away I still feel you touching me, changing me, and considerately killing me. - (withdrawal from opioids, again, is a bitch - 2 weeks at least for major symptoms to pass, then maybe 6 more months to up to 2 years for residual side effects to pass)
Without the skin, beneath the storm, under these tears the walls came down. - (he is incredibly strong to kick it, and come out with his humanity intact)
And the snake is drowned and as I look in his eyes, my fear begins to fade recalling all of those times. - (done, clean, will never touch it again, has won the battle with the snake "addiction and/or H", can't believe where he was headed, and what it would have done to himself and his loved ones)
I could have cried then. I should have cried then. And as the walls come down and as I look in your eyes my fear begins to fade recalling all of the times I have died and will die. - (Devo has become his real addiction, and there is something about the collective consciousness and how it relates to father/son going on here, I think)
It's all right. I don't mind. I am too connected to you to slip away, to fade away. Days away I still feel you touching me, changing me, and considerately killing me. - (a bit of a reiteration on the whole experience - he actually misses it some, it felt good at the time, but the overall negative impact and eventual implications the experience had were/are not worth it)
It is heroin I personally believe, but he pulled out of it for good all on his own will (it takes a hell of a strong person to do that, and they are rare). It's about how his experiences with heroin relate to Devo, and vice versa - "he chose to live" (Jambi filled in the pieces for me, as well as 13th Step (especially Gravity) is another part of the puzzle). "The snake" is of course a religious symbol for temptation and sin. I think the lyrics are made purposefully so vague, enigmatic, and cryptically metaphorical to avoid deriving a definitive meaning from. Primarily, because he didn't want things to happen eventually like kids at school telling Devo, "Your dad is/was a heroin addict".
I know there has been a raging debate on this song for years, and alot will probably scoff at this. And I know some of you guys already have this theory. I just thought I would lay it out as concisely as I could. Just my take on it.
Before an early demo performance of H. - one of the first times ever heard by the public - Maynard came out and introduced the song as "Half-empty." The title was later changed to H.
"Without the skin, beneath the storm, under these tears the walls came down. - (he is incredibly strong to kick it, and come out with his humanity intact)" ---- How do you come up with this? How do walls have anything to do with Heroin?
Seems like a case of "the meaning of this song is outside my reality so I'll overlook very obvious incongruencies because they can't exist in my mind."
In this case, "walls" is a metaphor for the way you close yourself off to the world and harden your heart while submerged in addiction.
In this case, "walls" is a metaphor for the way you close yourself off to the world and harden your heart while submerged in addiction.
Or it could've just simply been emotional walls (hurdles) that he had to overcome. Ever know someone that was dealt a lot of painful experiences as a child and grew up to be non-emotional and somewhat detached? It could just be referring to the birth of his son opening up his heart again and the snake being the negativity (and/or negative temptations) and anger he felt that had to overcome, all drugs aside.
__________________ "WITHOUT A LITTLE EVIL, GOOD WOULD NEVER EXIST"
Well I remember reading somewhere that Maynard stated that it wasn't about heroin. The interview also said that Maynard introduced the song at a concert saying something along the lines of "You know in those cartoons how theres an angel and a devil on a characters shoulder. Well sometimes it's not always like that. It may just be two friends giving advice that they think is best for the person, but the person may not know what to do." You certainly could interpret the song being about heroin and overcoming an addiction but I think its a little deeper than that.
As if overcoming an opiate addiction isn't a deep an harrowing experience?
Not all drug-related songs have to be shallow. I don't personally think it has to do with heroin, but my reasoning has nothing to do with how "deep" the song is.
Good point, I know an addiction can be a deep, harrowing experience, but I think it's about a more emotional experience dealing with other people, But then again its just my interpretation.
Good point, I know an addiction can be a deep, harrowing experience, but I think it's about a more emotional experience dealing with other people, But then again its just my interpretation.
Yeah, the emotional experience of his son being born.
__________________ "WITHOUT A LITTLE EVIL, GOOD WOULD NEVER EXIST"
not to say that i don't agree that it could also be about his son, but how would the title H. fit in with is son??? it's obvious with the heroin metaphor, but how does H. describe or allude to his son???
does the h in his name stand for something or is it just H???
Not sure, but he has said prior to playing the song live before asking if anybody had children and dedicated the song to his son....or something along those lines.
__________________ "WITHOUT A LITTLE EVIL, GOOD WOULD NEVER EXIST"
Not sure, but he has said prior to playing the song live before asking if anybody had children and dedicated the song to his son....or something along those lines.
Wait, that's why everyone is saying his son's initial is H.???
No, now that you mention it, I think what he did say in concert or an interview about the song once was "my son's name is Devo H. and that's all I'll say about it"
__________________ "WITHOUT A LITTLE EVIL, GOOD WOULD NEVER EXIST"
Go ask the man yourself, he's said many things about many things. All I know is that is a great double meaning between possibly addiction and the love for his son, both requiring mental and emotional changes within oneself.
__________________ "WITHOUT A LITTLE EVIL, GOOD WOULD NEVER EXIST"
optimistically, yes... scientifically, no... the atoms that make up our bodies are 99.9% empty space... take it as you will... if you consider yourself to be your body, then you are technically mostly empty space... in the scientific 3-D reality of form at least...
optimistically, yes... scientifically, no... the atoms that make up our bodies are 99.9% empty space... take it as you will... if you consider yourself to be your body, then you are technically mostly empty space... in the scientific 3-D reality of form at least...
Yeah, and a tomatoe is technically a fruit but we're speaking relatively here and the way I see it, my body is a solid mass, not empty space.
__________________ "WITHOUT A LITTLE EVIL, GOOD WOULD NEVER EXIST"
it's empty space with the illusion of solidarity given by the fact that electrons act as a force field against one another. Like charges repel, but covalent and ionic bonds neutralize the repulsion to the point of stasis.
it's empty space with the illusion of solidarity given by the fact that electrons act as a force field against one another. Like charges repel, but covalent and ionic bonds neutralize the repulsion to the point of stasis.
Um, yeah thanks but again I was speaking relatively here, not down to nitty gritty of molecules. I took science too as well as watching the science channel a lot in my free time, I'm well aware of the scientific facts.
__________________ "WITHOUT A LITTLE EVIL, GOOD WOULD NEVER EXIST"
