Just a thought, and I apologize if this has been shot down before (sorry I just don't have the time/patience to read 18 pages):

"see they're turning to run"

someone posted earlier:

"see the dead ain't tourin',
and this wasn't all in my head"

seems to fit with "dead-head chemistry".
sounds close to me (doesn't mean it's right)

So alive
In his way
Like an aborigine
He had me cryin' out....

That's what I hear and sing when I hear that part... anyone else ?

In the Seattle recording I've got, it definitely sounds like "so real" to me.

Heating and then injecting Heroin is sometimes referred to as Needle Spooning.
This act may calm some people down.

"After calming me down with some Orange Slices and some Needle Spooning" is a possible reference to Heroin.

Because the ET was a junkie.....

I'm going to go ahead and stick with fetal spooning, personally.

Then the x-file beings looked like some kind of blue-green JACK SHIT
with isabella rosellini lips and breath that reeked and THEIR WIDGET jumped there in slo-mo, making the sound....

Anybody else hear this?

Re: The spooning business

I dont c why needle spooning would necessarily have to mean heroin. To my mind, needle spooning is simply injecting someone intravenously with any kind of substance - in this case probably sedatives or numbing agents.

Its actually quite a nice and amusing image: first they feed him orange slices for distraction and then they shoot him up with some chemicals.

This is the first time I've been in this particular thread, wanted to see what people are coming up with for lyrics. I hear "fetal". Run down the list of "etal" or "eedle" words (we all seem to be in agreement on that part) and there are only so many things that it could be.
Hyperdimensional beings would provide orange slices like a bad-trip booth worker at a Grateful Dead show? It's funny. Get it? Humor. And so is cuddling up in a fetal spooning position as a method of comforting him. It makes PERFECT SENSE. And, along with so much of the rest of the song, it's fucking hilarious. The song's depth and power aren't hurt by any of the other ridiculous references, why do you have such a problem with "fetal spooning"?
edit: Could it not be both "needle" and "fetal"? The word sounds fucked up.
I just listened to this part and, try as hard as I might, it's really hard to discern the first letter. There are two Maynards blabbering, maybe one says needle (chemical treatment) and the other says fetal (emotional support).

A couple pages back I posted a link to a live mp3 of the "fetal spooning" line. While it's not a strong 'f', there IS an f there.

Also it's not "aboriginee", the "ee" sound at the end of "apparition" that you are hearing is part of the "he" from the next line.

Otherwise, it would be "like an aboriginee had me crying out" which doesn't make much sense. Plus if you listen close enough, you hear the "shh" for appariTION" than you hear a hard g sound from aboriGInee

Is this a serious exchange? In the context of the story, the choice between "apparition" and "Aborigine" (??) is a no-brainer.

I'm deffinatly hearing "see the dead aint tourin" listen to the lower voice in the background too...easier to understand.

Peanuts parents = repeat experience. Find the Poll regarding these lyrics and the truth will be yours.

heres what i got for lyrics.....

Alrighty, then
Picture this if you will.

10 to 2 AM, and
I’m actually eating up an old
box of Krispy Kremes,
at my need-to-know post
just outside Area 51 contemplating
the whole "chosen people" thing
when a flaming, stealth banana split the sky, like, wide open.
I never expected to see it in a place like this.
I do believe I spilled a
diamond sundae
right on my Birkenstocks.
Then the yelping
Holy fucking shit!

Then the X-Files beings,
who were in some kind of blue-gray jet ship
with Isabella Rossellini lips with breath that reeked,
did a wicked jump there
also while making the sound a-banana-da-banana
that's when I opened up my bug-eyes,
my gaping jaw,
and my sweaty lower and upper lip,
and all I could think was,
"I hope my partner here doesn't notice
that I pissed my fuckin' pants."

So alive this way
Like an apparition,
He had me crying out,
"Fuck me
It's gotta be
Deadhead
Chemistry
The blotter got on top of me
Got me seein' E-mother fuckin'-T!"

And after calming me down
with some orange slices
and some fetal spooning,
E.T. revealed to me his singular purpose.
He said, "You are the Chosen One,
the One who will deliver the message.
A message of hope to those who choose to hear it
and a warning to those who do not."
Me. The Chosen One?
They chose me, and I didn't graduate from fuckin' high school.

You'd better...
You'd better...
You'd better...
You'd better listen.

Then he looked right through me
With somniferous almond eyes
Don't even know what that means
Must remember to write it down
This is so real
Like the time he floated away
See, my heart is pounding
'Cause this shit never happens to me

I can't breathe right now!

It was so real,
Like I woke up in Wonderland
Also terrifying
I don't wanna be all alone
When I tell this story
And can anyone tell me why
It was a repeat experience
Will I ever be coming down?
This is so real
Finally, it's my lucky day
See, my heart is racing
'Cause this shit never happens to me

I can't breathe right now!

You believe me, don't you?
Please believe what I just said!
See them telling children
And this wasn't all in my head.
See, they took me by the hand
And invited me right in.
Then they showed me something
I don't even know where to begin.

Strapped down on my bed
Feet cold, eyes red
I'm out of my head
Am I alive? Am I dead?
Can't remember what they said
God damn, shit the bed

Hey eh
Overwhelmed as one would be, placed in my position.
Such a heavy burden now to be the One
Born to bear and read you all the details of our ending,
To write it down for all the world to see.
But I forgot my pen
Shit the bed again
Typical

Strapped down on my bed
Feet cold and eyes red
I'm out of my head
Am I alive? Am I dead?
Sunkist and Sudafed
Gyroscopes and infrared
Won't help, brain dead
Can't remember what they said
God damn, shit the bed

I can't remember what they said to me
Can't remember what they said to make me out to be a hero
Can't remember what they said
God help me!
Can't remember what they said
Don't know, won't know (x12)
God damn, shit the bed!

Is it just me or does the stanza sound more like this...

""Fuck me, It's gotta be dead-head chemistry
The bottom's gotten on top of me
Got me [seeing/thinking], eat my breath[??????????] so I can see"

Now I doubt it's eat my breath so I can see... But I'm much more sure that it isn't E-Motherfuckin-T... if you listen, you can hear "so I can"... I honestly have just listened to that line over 20 times and I can't hear "E-Motherfuckin-T" as much as I want to. That line has too many syllables to be e motherfuckin t.

Amazing how people hear different things. I hear E-Motherfuckin-T clear as day, but I cannot hear "telling children", "fetal spooning" or "the whole chosen people thing" to save my life.

It's really hard to make out "telling children", I hear no d sound, unless he is shortening it to make it sound better.

Listen to a live version for the latter 2... I'm still trying to figure out what the "telling children" line is (because it makes no sense, it seems contrary to the point of the stanza)

And I'm sorry but I'm 99% sure it's E-motherfucking-T... especially since ET is actually referenced in the song. Once again, listen to a live version

Having thought about thiś long and hard, this must be the answer:

some ORGAN slices and some FEMALE MOONING.

Enough of this! Time to get real!

Any alien abductees out there? Cummon guys, no need to be ashamed! Step forward and enlighten us!
what did they use to calm you down before anal probing? Orange slices and what???

Any aliens out there? We know you live in our midst since MIB. What do you guys use to calm earthlings down? Orange slices and what for fuck's sake?

Please state whether you are a human abductee or an alien abductor. In case of the latter, please state the planet of your origin.

Thanx

no question its, 'male spooning'. Tell me, WHO DOESNT ENJOY A BIT?

I'm more into cuddling

I still think surreal. Given, sometimes it sounds like 'so real', but waking up in Wonderland would be more "surreal" than "so real", imo.

Although i do believe this is not the case, i heard "oatmeal spooning" on first listen. Amusing more than anything.

And if it is Aborigine, thats a second Australian reference i can think of ('kangaroo' in The Pot) *shrugs*

KANGAROO in ThePot is more of "kangaroo court" and not so much Australian...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_court

The "Aborigine" substitution for this line has got to be the most funniest of all versions people seem to hear. Come on guys, laugh a little. It's OK.

As for Australian references, "Kangaroo Court" in the song "The Pot" is a real world term. Just like how a "Hung Jury" is a real life term. But just for further coincidence, you could also argue how the Doctor in "Lost Keys" is also from the "Down Unda" too. <edit>Thanks wearethestories for the link. You replied faster than I could</edit>

But then if you are REALLY SERIOUS about tying all that in, then don't forget about the whole "Dingo ate my baby". Because then that sure ties into "Vicarious" with the mother and dead(dying) child.

And then in "Viginti Tres", the voice is really saying "Bloomin' Onion". Outback Steakhouse anyone? (That was a joke, too. Feel free to laugh.)


Seriously, though, I like short explanation for "surreal" than "so real". I'll have to go back and listen to it.

wait... a dingo ate my baby?

where did that come from (or am I just a stupid)?

Well, since you like Wikipedia so much: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azaria_..._disappearance

It was the famous tagline, supposedly what she said. (I know the character shouted that in the movie.)
If you said "Dingoes ate my baby" in the 80s (Heck, even Seinfeld played on it), everyone would've known what you were talking about.

In retrospect, I didn't think it was so long ago. I thought it was mid-80s or something.

wow i just read this whole thread and some of the interpretations are hilarious.

but props to whoever figured out "you all sound like peanuts parents" because i never would have got that. same with "Uncle Martin" and "L Ron Hubbard Upper Lip"

i still can't tell what he says between "breath that reeked" and "making the sound anabnabnahadsfan" and i'm also curious to find out what exactly a diamond sundae is, because the google search turned up nada.

.....and it's definitely fetal spooning imho

WOW. When did the "peanuts parents" line get deciphered?

I knew it wasn't "all of a sudden the peanuts dance", and the weird thing is, I was already thinking about the Peanuts cartoon! I thought he said something about "the Peanuts dance", referring to that funny dance the characters all do. But "peanuts parents" makes total sense, and sounds pretty accurate.

I only had to draw attention to the aussie thing cos i am one :(
Lol its all good, i know the whole Kangaroo court thingo...but it had to come from somewhere.

Maybe Tool is trying to tell us theyre coming to Oz? :p

It's definitely "See the dead ain't tourin'" like N-Run and some people have said before, that's what I hear.

sorry... I was born in '85... dating yourself, aren't you?








I jest...

I believe this was the first post on this thread to interpret the lyric mistaken as the (ridiculous) "they're telling children" line. I believe this is exactly right, its "SEE THE DEAD AIN'T TOURIN'." Yet another comedic layer to the song.

Can I just say how fucking awesome it was to go and listen to this again and hear it 100% phonetically, and also then think about how it makes perfect sense in the context of the verse.

After all the posts you wade through here, finding a gem like that almost makes it worthwhile.

KUDOS to religion kills or whoever it was that first figured this one out.

Thanks, I think I was the first to hear that interpretation. After listening more I think what I had was almost perfect. To my ears that is. The only line I think is different than what I had was the Peanuts parents/peanuts dance line. I now hear Peanuts parents.

Here is my transcription with that line fixed.


Alrighty then
Picture this if you will

10 to 2 am and actually eating an emptied out box of Krispy Kremes
in my need to know post just outside of area 51
Contemplating the whole chosen people thing
When just then a flaming stealth banana split the sky, like, wide open
I didn't really expect to see it in a place like this
then their reticle put just a diamond sun right on my Birkenstock's, had me yelping
HOLY FUCKING SHIT!

Then the X-file being who looked like some kind of blue-green Jackie Chan
with Isabella Rosellini lips and breath that reeked,
did a wicked jump and in a slow mo made the sound abananadabanana
So then I opened up my bug eyes, my gaping jaw, and my sweaty L. Ron Hubbard upper lip
and all I could think was.
I hope Uncle Martin here doesn't notice that I pissed my fucking pants.

So light in his way
Like an apparition he, had me crying out
Fuck Me!
It's gotta be!
Dead head, chemistry
Blotter got right on top of me
Got me seein'
E motherfuckin' T

And after calming me down with some orange slices and some fetal spooning
ET revealed to me his singular purpose
He said, “You, are the chosen one.”
“The one who'll deliver the message.”
“A message of hope for those who choose to hear it, and a warning for those who do not.”
Me, the chosen one. They chose me, and I didn't graduate from fuckin' high school.

You had better
You had better
You had better
You had better, listen

Then he looked right through me
With somniferous almond eyes
Don't even know what that means
Must remember to write it down
This is so real
Like the time Dave floated away
See my heart is pounding
'cause this shit never happens to me

Can't breath, right now

It was so real
Like I woke up in Wonderland
All sort of terrifying
I don't want to be all alone
when I tell this story
and can anyone tell me why, all of them sound like Peanuts parents
Will I ever be coming down
This is so real
Finally it's my lucky day
See my heart is racing
'cause this shit never happens to me

Can't breath right now

You believe me don't you
Please believe what I just said
See the Dead aint touring
and this wasn't all in my head

See they took me by the hand
and invited me right in
Then they showed me something
I don't even know where to begin

Strapped down, to my bed
feet cold
eyes red
I'm out of my head
Am I alive, am I dead
Can't remember what they said
God damn, shit the bed

Heyyyy.....Heyyyy...Heyyyy....I....iiiii...high... i..iiiii....high....high....ohh ohhhh ohh........

Overwhelmed as one would be
placed in my position
such a heavy, burden now to be, the one
born to bear and read t' you all, the details of our ending
to write it down for all the world to see
but I forgot my pen
shit the bed again
typical


Strapped down to my bed
feet cold
eyes red
I'm out of my head
Am I alive, am I dead
Sunkist, Sudafed
gyroscopes, and infrared
wont help the brain dead
Can't remember what they said
God damn, shit the bed

Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii....cant remember what they said, to me!
Can't remember what they said, to, make, me out, to, be, a hero
can't remember what he said

God(but)...help me
can't remember what he said

Don't know,won't know, don't know, won't know, don't know, won't know, don't know, won't know, don't know, won't know, don't know, won't know, don't know, won't know, don't know, won't know, don't know, won't know, don't know, won't know, don't know, won't know, don't know, won't know

God damn, shit the bed!

Alrighty then
Picture this if you will

10 to 2 AM
And actually eating up an old box of Krispy Kremes
And my need-to-know pose.
Just outside Area 51
Contemplating the whole chosen people thing
When a flaming stealth banana split the sky like, wide open.
I never expected to see it in a place like this.
I do believe I spilled a diamond sundae
Or something wet on my Birkenstocks
And [you're yelping]
Holy fucking shit

Then the x-file beings who were like
some kind of blue-grey [Jackie Chan]
With Isabella Rossellini lips and breath that reeked
[They're wicked-shot terrorists all while making the sound]
abananadabanana so when I opened up my bug eyes, my gaping jaw and my sweaty L. Ron Hubbard upper lip
And all I could think was
I hope that my partner here doesn't notice
that I pissed my fucking pants

So alive in this way
Like an apparition
You have me crying out
Fuck me
It's got to be
Dead head
Chemistry
The blotter got
On top of me
Got me seeing
E mother-fucking T

And after calming me down with some orange slices
And some fetal spooning
The ET revealed to me his singular purpose
He said you are the chosen one
The one who'll deliver the message
A message of hope for those who chose to hear it
And a warning for those who do not
Me, the chosen one, they chose me
And I didn't graduate from fucking high school

You had better...
You had better...
You had better...
You had better listen

When he looked right through me
With somniferous almond eyes
Don't even know what that means
Must remember to write it down
This is SO REAL
Like the time they floated away
See, my heart is pounding
Cause this shit never happens to me

I can't breathe right now

It was so real
Like I woke up in Wonderland
All sort of terrifying
I don't want to be all alone
When I tell the story
And can anyone tell me why
It was a repeat experience
will I ever be coming down
This is so real
Finally it's my lucky day
See my heart is racing
Cause this shit never happens to me

I can't breathe right now

You believe me don't you
Please believe what I just said
See they're telling the truth
And this wasn't all in my head
See they took me by the hand
And invited me right in
Then they showed me something
I don't even know where to begin

Strapped down to my bed
Feet cold, eyes red
I'm out my head
Am I alive? am I dead?
Can't remember what they said
God damn shit the bed

hey hey

Overwhelmed as one would be placed in my position
Such a heavy burden now to be the one
Born to bear and read to all the details of our ending
To write it down for all the world to see
But I forgot my pen shit the bed again
Typical

Strapped down to my bed
Feet cold and eyes red
I'm out of my head
Am I alive am I dead
Sunkist and Sudafed
Gyroscopes and infrared
won't help the brain dead
Can't remember what they said

God damn shit the bed

I Can't remember what they said to me
Can't remember what they said to make me out to be A HERO
I can't remember what they said
god help me
Can't remember what they said

Don't know, Wont Know (repeated 12 times)

God damn shit the bed

CAN'T BREATH RIGHT NOW!!

lol, that shit is awsome

how come no one has tried the part before the climax "overwhlemed as one would be...."
it seems he's just making up words but. it sounds like he's saying three different things each time, one i hear is like "i live here alone."

God I love this song. Six weeks now and still listen to it at least once a day.

Okay, as I see it, one by one the tough lines here are being cleared up. It took awhile but those with better ears than I came up with the "you all sound like Peanuts parents" and "see the Dead ain't tourin' " and we're that much closer. However, there are just two generally accepted parts that I continue to have a problem with:

1) L. Ron Hubbard upper lip. I just don't get it. Its a derogatory reference right? Why would this guy rip on himself like that? It doesn't fit. He knows he's a high-school dropout and that he fucks up alot (because to shit the bed he admits would be "typical") -- but I don't think he thinks of himself as some kind of fucking Neanderthal.

2) Fetal spooning. I'm on the record saying this is wrong, just because I think its ridiculous and that it would make more sense that this is another kind of food, a la the orange slices. But I absolutely have no alternate explanation whatsoever. To me the fucking thing sounds like "eelspootee". There ya go!!

I agree with your beef on the "L. Ron Hubbard Upper Lip" thing. I mean, of all the ways to reference L. Ron Hubbard, the upper lip seems a bit obscure and ambiguous (not to mention that Tool already said all that was necessary on the topic in AEnima). I even did a Google Images search to take a closer look at the newly imfamous upper mandible, and while good ol' L. Ron is a pretty funny lookin' guy (kinda like Andy Griffith meets Jon Lovitz), there is nothing distinctive about that lip- certainly nothing relevant to the song, in my estimation.

Fetal Spooning works for me, though. When people are a little further down the rabbit hole than they would like to be, they tend to assume the fetal position out of an instinct to revert to within (that instinct is mostly a mental reversion, but the body follows suit). Also, affectionate (or maybe caring?) physical contact can also act as a grounding influence to a person who is not enjoying their contact. So it follows that a person who has assumed the fetal position might be spooned by somebody in attendance (provided that that somebody knows what's going on and gives a shit).