We've all established that this song is about hypocricy. The debate now is WHO or WHAT is being hypocritical? Many seem to think this is about Dubya or the US in general, I disagree and here's why:

- This song seems very personal. As someone was directly hypocritical to MJK. Notice he says "you're pissing all over MY black kettle". To me, if this was about the US/Bush, he would've chosen "THE/A black kettle" in order to generalize it more. But MJK makes it sound as if he has been personally offended by this person. In context w/ other songs, could the said hypocrite be someone from his mother's church perhaps?? Hypocricy seems to be aimed at 2 groups most frequently: Politicians and religious people. My vote is for the latter.

- Secondly, Tool and politics? This would be a first and very untypical of them.

So, these are my thoughts. I could be way off, but it seems more reasonable and logical to me. As to all the references in the rest of the song, I don't know. But we all know Tool is highly metaphorical. That's the beauty of their songs, it's up to everyone's own interpretation.

Let me know what you think.

I agree with you. I think the song has to do with lawyers (maybe one particular lawyer with "fatty fingers" haha) that were involved in the record contract fiasco.

A particular lawyer is still a better guess than a politician, imo.

All of Tool's songs are political.

thats seems a little less than true. 10,000 days? Rosseta Stones? Reflection? Lateralus? Disposition? I definitely think a lot of them are subtly poltical, but I think it is atypical for a song to be explicitly political

Fair enough, but ask your self this: what bigger hypocrits are there than politicians?

100 million 'religious' americans that attend church twice a year, have affairs, and don't help the poor.

I dunno I mean hypocracy in a philosophic/religious sense seems (just from everything we know about tool) to be more likely and potentially more significant. But I must at admit I, for some reason, think this song is about a politician. I wish there was some quality deconstruction of this song with some evidence.

Read my whole post. Religious people are extremely hypocritical, and this is coming from a Christian.

These days the two are entwined like mating serpents. I will say the fact it immediately follows 10,000 Days lends credence to it being directed at the "pious."

Thank you. and it's not just these days. Remember way back when....before the supposed separation of Church and State? Those CEOs of the Church *were* the politicians.

The devout, the Vatican, the President, Executives, Lawyers, Priests.....Same picture, different frame. Same behaviors, different names.

When you step back and talk about concepts/situations/people by behaviors or characteristics....you start to see them all intersecting with others. Makes it easier to point the finger at more than one thing at one time.

Ok regardless of the group they belong too, I still think MJK is targeting a specific person, not a group.

he's as guilty as the government

Listen closely, he doesn't say "fatty fingers", he says "muddy fingers". After all, they are eyeballs deep in muddy water.

I too think hes talking to a specific person or group of peopel a lot closer to home than what would be politicians or such