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Old 05-06-2003, 05:56 PM   #1
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Undertow: as a whole

Intolerance

This song is about how life has basically grown boring. It is basically to this album what a prelude is to a book. "I don't want to be hostile, I don't want to be dismal, but I don't want to rot in an apathetic existance either." He doesn't want to resort to becoming one of the boring everyday lawyers of life. He considers the populus the enemy because they restrict the way others want to live, he feels they are morons. He wants something to make his life interesting, worth living. "See, I want to believe you, and I want to trust, and I want to have faith to put away the dagger." Is basically him regreting and reveling in the fact that he couldn't break down his walls and end up like everyone else. "But you lie, cheat, and steal, and yet, I tolerate you." is him saying that they don't follow their own rules and he's accepted and lived with it. But, not anymore. "Veil of virtue hung to hide your method, while I smile and laugh and dance, and sing your praise and glory." He feels like he is being to forced to do things that the government gets away with. Why should you follow laws if the lawmakers don't follow them themselves?" This reminds me of Jerk Off - "Consequences dictate, our course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught." Here, he repeats the idea before - "Shroud of virtue hung to mask your stigma, as I smile and laugh and dance, and sing your glory" Except this time, he's saying that he knows that their power is hiding all thier faults yet goes with it. "You lie, cheat, and steal, how can I tolerate you." He knows that they are hypocrites and doesn't think that he should be obligated to follow their laws anymore if they won't. "Our guilt, our blame, I've been far too sympathetic, our blood, our fault, I've been far too sympathetic." He's basically saying that he's through with it all. He'll do what he wants when he wants and not live a regimented life. "I am not innocent, you are not innocent, noone is innocent." is basically making the example that no one follows the rules anyways. "I will no longer tolerate you" Here, he declares that he is free. He'll do as he pleases. "Even if I must go down beside you." - He will take the punishment for going against the system if it will help knock it down. He'll do this, because regardless of laws, "Noone is innocent."

Prison Sex

This song is him reflecting on his childhood. It talks about how he was abused. This is mainly another prologue type song, except in flash back form. "It took so long to remember just what happened." is basically him coming to truth with what happened to him as a child. "I was so young and vestal then," is him almost aking "why?" He was young, innocent, and pure. It wasn't his fault. "You know it hurt me, but I'm breathing so I guess I'm still alive," is anger towards his (step) father. "Even if signs seem to tell me otherwise." is an implication that he is still very hurt from the whole thing. "I've got my hands bound, my head down, my eyes closed, and my throat wide open," I am going to assume that this is just a graphic reference to a beating he recieved. But, this could also be a tie-in to religion. "Do unto others what has been done to you". Basically, his (step)father was having a shitty time of things and took out his frustration on an easy target. "I'm treading water, I need to sleep a while." is him recolecting on the avoidance he had to do. "My lamb and martyr, you look so precious, won't you come a bit closer, close enough so I can smell you." That, I believe is supposed to be something that his (step)father said to him, probably exaggerated, to lure him close. "I need you to feel this, I can't stand to burn too long," his father doesn't want to still be angry; he wants to get it over with. "Released in this sodomy, for one sweet moment I am whole." This is him, younger, doing drugs his first time to escape everything. Revenge - "Do unto you now what has been done to me. You're breathing so I guess you're still alive, even if signs seem to tell me otherwise, won't you come just a bit closer, close enough so I can smell you," somewhat ironic. He repays his (step)father for what he did to him as a child as an adult. "I need you to feel this, I need this to make me whole." He's saying that he needs this revenge to feel complete. "There's release in this sodomy, for I am your witness that, blood and flesh can be trusted, and only this one holy medium brings me piece of mind." I believe this is him saying that there is release in the pain. Release fr the (step)father, so he won't have to feel guilty anymore. And, release for him because he won't have to be haunted by the memories. "Got your hands bound, your head down, your eyes closed, you look so precious now." is him reenacting what happened to him upon his (step)father. "I have found some kind of temporary sanity in this, shit, blood, and cum on my hands." All the violence, drugs, and pain he has used/endured has finally as a whole brouth him peace of mind. He's become a monster that he feared when he was a child - "I've come round full circle." But, he decides that it is too late and finishes his revenge. "My lamb and martyr, this will be over soon, you look so precious."

Sober

This song is his realizing that religion is not something that can be used to solve problems. "There's a shadow just behind me" is the executioner's axe of sin that is always above his head. "Shrouding every breath I take" is him having to monitor and watch everything he says around people because of what is basically tradition. "Making every promise empty." is a reference to the false promises that the bible gives. "Pointing every finger at me," here, he's basically an outcast, for sinning. "Waiting like a stalking butler" is basically reference towards the way the bible caters everything to you, under false pretenses. "Who upon the finger rests." is him stating that god commited every sin that a mortal ever has. He knows that religion is a very hypocritical thing. "Murder now the path called "must we"." is him deciding that he doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to.
"Just before the son has come, Jesus, won't you fucking whistle, something but the past and done?" Is basically saying that everything that the bible talked about occured thousands of years ago and should be considered irrelevant seeing as it has not evolved. "Why can't we not be sober?" basically asks "Why do we have to use religion as a crutch?". "Sober" means facing reality or depending on yourslef rather than a god. "I just want to start this over." is him almost feeling regret. The ignorance is gone. Ignorace is bliss. When he says "Why can't we drink forever?", the drink is the lies. It was easier to be dependant. "I just want to start things over." is the same as before.The following lines are what he thinks of religion. He is speaking as the embodiment of religion itself - "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." Here, he is resentful towards the bible, god, or the church. He believes all of that about Christianity. "Trust me." is either the words of religion of him saying to disregard religion. It could go either way. "Mother Mary won't you whisper, something but what's past and done." Is, once again, saying that its all over with. "Trust me." is the same scenario this time. "I want what I want." is him wanting freedom, again. He is throwing away all of his chains in order to recieve freedom. Almost everything afore mentioned can be applied to drug use as well, but that would

Bottom

"My compassion is broken now. My will is eroded," is basically him giving up. He's done so much wrong and seems to regret it almost. "And, my desire stolen and it makes me feel ugly." He's lost the urge to do anything. "I'm on my knees and burning." I don't know exactly what to make of this. I think it may be him trying to repent, but feeling like he's done too much or gone to far. "My piss and moans are the fuel that set my head on fire," he is becoming depressed. "So smell my soul burning," he's loosing himself. He's getting more and more depressed and has nothing to look forward to. "I'm broken, looking up to see the enemy," looking at himself, he realizes that he's done things he's never wanted to do. Become something he never wanted to become. "I have swallowed the poison you feed me... but I survive on it," is him resorting to doing high potentcy drugs because he's given up. He has nothing left. "And, it leaves me guilt fed, hatred fed, weakness fed," is how the drug satisies him. It takes him away from the harsh realities of life. "And, I feel ugly, and dead inside," Even though the drugs have made his probelms go away, temporarily, he feels worse everytime the drugs go away. "Shit adds up at the bottom" is him repressing anger and guilt and going further and further in the mess he's created. "You've left me no choice but to go inside and rebuild what's broken." Here, I think he's met someone. Someone who he decides is worth living for. "Too much, too far, too late to lie down now, I must arm myself to fight you." - He's going to need all the help he can get. He uses everything he has, "by making weapons out of my imperfections, it's all I have left." He says that he has to take everything he has to beat this for her (I will assume, once again.), but not for himself. "There's no other choice, I'm shameless, nameless, nothing, and noone now." He forgets about what he had before and is reborn, essentially. "But my soul must be iron for my fear is naked, I'm naked and fearless." He prostrates himself to her and is terrified. But, he readies himself for rejection, hence: "But, my soul must be iron.", so he doesn't mess up again completely if that occurs.
I am going under the assumption that the nest line means she rejects him ("But I'm dead inside.") "You see.. shit adds up, now I'm dead inside." Now, he has another thing to build up inside, to bury with drugs. "Hatred, weakness, and guilt keep me alive at the bottom." The last line is him trying to convince her to stay which is elaborated upon in the next song.

Crawl Away

This song is a love song, plain and simple. He wants her to stay with him, but feels as if she is slowly drifting away - "You crawled away from me." Its almost as if she found someone else which is what the song makes it seem like. He says that she "Slipped away from me." That sounds alot like she was almost taken away from him. "I tried to keep ahold, but there was nothing I could say." He, there, tries to convince her to choose him, but she declines. "You slid and crept away and there was nothing I could say." Nothing he could say, because she did it behind his back. "So what you're trying to say, is you don't wanna play." This is where she breaks the news to him that she is leaving him. He is confused, angry, and doesn't understand why she did this. "But what you want and what you need, doesn't mean fuck to me." He doesn't care what she needs. He has needs and he places his above hers. Rightfully so, in my opinion. "Because I can see your back is turning. if I could I'd stick the knife in." He can sense her about to leave. If he could bring himself to do it, he'd go to any lengths to keep her to himself. Any lengths. He loves her and hates her at the same time. "This is love, this is my love for you." is him saying that what he is doing is for the love of her. "Get up, now, say you won't go." almost seems to be him talking to her back. Pleading for her not to go.

Swamp Song

This song is about getting yourself into something you don't know about/can't handle. I also think that this song is sung in the 3rd person. I believe he is singing this about himself. I interpret the thing they can't handle as drug use because a typical person will get into drugs, thinking that nothing will become of it, and then they get addicted. After the loss of the girl in Crawl Away, this seem completely plausible. He says "My warning meant nothing, you're dancing in quicksand." The quicksand is completely metaphoric for a type of drug. He's saying that he warned the person to stop using or they'd get addicted, but that person is doing the exact opposite of the warning. They got themselves into more. Instead of staying still in the quicksand and trying to get out of it the right way, the person is dancing and pulling themselves further down. When he says "Why don't you watch where you're wandering? Why don't you watch where you're stumbling?" I think he's just repeating his warning, but in a question form. He tries to make them think about it. Then, he says "You're wading knee deep and going in, and you may never come back again." which basically means that if they don't heed his warning this time, they'll be forever lost to drug addiction. "This bog is thick, and easy to get lost in, when you're a stupid, dumb ass, belligerent fucker." The bog is basically drug use. He's saying that the person doesn't know a thing about what they're getting themselves into and that this course is stupid. Then, he changes his mind - "I hope it sucks you down." He's saying that he's given up on the person. He warned them and warned them, but to no avail. "Wander in and wandering, noone even invited you in, but still you stumble in stumbling, so suffocate, or get out while you can." The person keeps getting into more and more. He's saying that if they don't stop now, then they're doomed. Then, he repeats "I hope it sucks you down". He's basically saying "Whatever. Do what you want. Reap what you've sown."

Undertow

This song is about drug addiction. Its almost part two of swamp song. In the official lyrics that Maynard typed, he says the next line is "I've been struck dumb by a voice that speaks from deep, beneath the cold black water..." but, I don't believe he is telling the truth. It sounds distinctly like "I've been struck dumb by morphine, thats speaks from deep, beneath the cold black water..." I can hear it both ways and I think that is Maynard's intent. The latter, I believe, means that addiction has sprung up again and its become overbearing. "Its twice as clear as heaven, and twice as loud as reason" means that the reasons for not doing the drug have weakend and the addiction has become more powerful, or louder, than those reasons. "Its rich and deep like silt on a river bed, and just as undisturbing..." means that it is going to satisfy his need for the drug (note that I did not say "want"). "The currents mouth below me opens up around me, suggests and beckons all while swallowing, It surrounds and drowns and sweeps me away." I think this is where he does the drug. He has succumbed to addiction and relapsed. "But, I'm so comfortable... Too comfortable.", I think that this is addiction basically saying "Told you so." Then, he says "shut up" a bunch of times, then "You're saturating me, so how could I let this bring me, back to my knees (again, again, again)" He's fighting the addiction. He's trying to convince himself otherwise and realizes how bad of a situation he got himself into. "Under for the third time." is the next line, this is just saying that this'll be the third time he'll fall to addcition, regretfully. Next he says "I've been baptized by your voice, it screams from deep beneath the endless water..." He makes "your voice" sound remarkably like morphine again. "And it's half as high as heaven, and half as clear as reason.." Here, he is saying that its novelty has worn off. Now, its just sustaining him. Again, he says "But I'm so comfortable... Far too comfortable." meaning that he knows that this is unnatural. When he says "Why don't you kill me, I'm weak and numb and insignificant, and I'm back on my knees.", he is saying that he might as well die. There is no hope for him after this. He is addicted and he won't get out this time. If only he had heeded that warning. "Lost in euphoria, I'm back down, I'm in the undertow." There, he is just stating that he is trapped in the addiction. This may be the most important line in the song: "I'm helpless and awake in the undertow, I'll die within your undertow, It seems there's no other way out of this undertow". Here, he is saying that he is conscious of what he has done and knows that it will kill him. At the end, he whispers "Euphoria." This signifies that he lives through the ordeal.

4 Degrees

This song is about the recovery from the addiction. A rehabalitation center, I assume. This song seems him singing to himself in the 3rd person again. "Get up and free yourself from yourself." basically is him deciding he needs help and checking himself into a rehabilitation center. "Locked up inside you, like the calm beneath castles, is a cavern of treasures that, noone has been to." There, I think he is trying to say that while waiting, against his will, he's had time to think about his life. He's realized that he has the strength to overcome the addiction. "Let's go digging, bring it out to take you back in." is basically eagerness to find more strength and motivation. He's glad that he had the resource that he wasn't aware of. "You won't do what you'd like to do, lay back and let me show you another way." is him realizing that he can't go on the way he was. "I'll kill what you want me to, take what's left and eat it." Is assuring himself that he'll achieve the goals he has set for himself. "Take all or nothing..." is him realizing that he has to take thier help - either he can do everything they say and possibly succed or he can ignore it, and innevitably fail. "Life's just too short to push it away." is the realization that he'll miss his life if he is on drugs the whole time. "Take it all, take it all in, all the way in..." is what he must do, even if he doesn't want to. "Let it go, let it go in." - Most people would group those lines together. I wiill, however, deal with them seperately. "Let it go." is him telling himself to let go of the addiction. "Let it go in" is what he must do to recover. "You won't feel what you'd like to feel, lay back and let me show you another way." is him realizing that this won't be fun or easy. He'd like to feel messed up, under the influence of drugs, but he can't; he has to learn another way. "If you knock me down I'll come back running," If something happens, he'll remain strong. "Knock you down," is basically him singing to the addiction. He's beaten it. "It won't be long now, all the way in, all the way." He'll be out of the rehabilitation center soon. His addiction is conquered. "Take it up higher, 4 degrees warmer" He feels a little better, and doesn't think he needs to depend on the drugs. "Give in now, and let me in, you'll like this in, don't pull it out." The rehab is, dare I say, brainwashing him. In the utopia of a rehab, life seems better without drugs. "It brings us closer than, dying and cancer and crying, come on, you can take it all, just like that." They continue to make him think life is so much better without drugs. He feels lucky that he didn't die and that he wasn't severely affected by the drugs.

Flood

In this song, he is released from rehab - "Here comes the water." tells us that. I am guessing that water is a metaphor for freedom here. "All I knew and all I believed, are crumbling images, that no longer comfort me." is basically saying that rehab wasn't completely honest. The world isn't so easy and fun now that he left a utopia, like rehab. When he says "I scramble to reach higher ground, some order and sanity, or something to comfort me." he basically is in disbelief. The world seems to be overbearing and difficult. He isn't used to having obligations. "So I take what is mine, and hold what is mine, suffocate what is mine, and bury what's mine." is basically him saving what he is. Preserving what rehab has taught him. He is trying to make himself invulnerable. "Soon the water will come, and claim what is mine." is him saying that it is of no use. It doesn't work in the real world. "I must leave it behind, and climb to a new place now." is him disregarding the knowledge he departed from rehab with. He realizes that he'll have to do this on his own. "This ground is not the rock I thought it to be." refers to the same thing. The knowledge that he thought would help doesn't. "Thought I was high, and free, I thought I was there, divine destiny" is another phase of disbelief. He thought he was over addiction. But, as he puts it "I was wrong, this changes everything." Its not over. Its still there, all rehab did was delay it. He is about to fold under the pressure - "The water is rising up on me." He thought that he would be immune to the temptations but then realizes his strength is no match: "thought the sun would come deliver me, but the truth has come to punish me instead." He knows he wasted his time and that his addiction is too extreme. It is innevitable. "The ground is breaking down right under me." - rehab failed and he knows it. The truth he believed was a lie. The final line in the story "Cleanse and purge me in the water.", he succumbs once again and is pulled down into the undertow.



This is an opinion obviously, but I am very close to sure on Swamp Song and Undertow. I am in the process of picking apart AEnima. When done, it'll be at www.chaoticabyss.com
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Old 05-06-2003, 06:04 PM   #2
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not bad not bad at all...

so the album as a whole is basically getting rid of your inner demons.. and to find your self first...

then Ænima is about society and finding it faults... and maybe proposing how to reach the next step....

.....which is Lateralus the whole communication idea this is the way we go to the next level by communicating letting go of our pety hatred and crucifying our egos...

which leads to the next album.... or maybe im just full of shit....






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Old 05-07-2003, 02:32 AM   #3
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Yes.

Thats what I was thinking. I have a feelingt that opiate is somewhat irrelevant in this scenario bacause it was such an early album. They hadn't evolved so far musically at that point. Maybe its there for basic background info. I was having the same ideas about AEnima though, I'm in the middle of H...
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Old 05-15-2003, 10:26 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally posted by revolver_7
not bad not bad at all...

so the album as a whole is basically getting rid of your inner demons.. and to find your self first...


makes a lot of sense.
actually, it kinda seems that it's a very natural progression what tool has made in their albums. undertow (the person), aenema (the society), and lateralus (far beyond). in crescendo.

i've always seen also a decreasing recurrence to sex. most of the times i reffer undertow to some, i add "but, watch out, its quite sick", thinking mostly in the ideas portrayed in prison sex and 4 degrees; not because i'm an uptight person, it's just because the first time i heard it and thought about it, the theme and the way of managing it hit me hard.
i really believe it's the more specific-sex related album. the songs in aenema that have a sexual reference are totally metaphoric, always implying social critiscism or mass reaction (stinkfist on consumism; pushit could faced in a personal [maynard's] context, but hell that's another story)
maybe, because as you say, undertow it's about fighting demons and sex is a big issue in everybody's life, whether if it is played sick or not.
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Old 05-17-2003, 08:15 AM   #5
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It could posibly be the beholder's addiction of sorts. Mine, was, ans somewhat still is drugs. Yours may be sex, I don't know... I think that it is supposed to mold to fit people's lives.
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Old 05-17-2003, 09:25 PM   #6
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what is it?

Quote:
Originally posted by DisgracedEffigy
It could posibly be the beholder's addiction of sorts. Mine, was, ans somewhat still is drugs. Yours may be sex, I don't know... I think that it is supposed to mold to fit people's lives.
;) yeah

i always think about that.
is it tool's *amazing* empathy on undertow and other albums?
it is tool's use of universal values and psychological wild cards?

it is our need of love and understanding?
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Old 05-18-2003, 04:57 AM   #7
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Re: what is it?

Quote:

it is tool's use of universal values and psychological wild cards?
Well put. I just may be. Or, we could be making something big out of something simple, but I doubt it.
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Old 05-21-2003, 06:05 PM   #8
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Re: Undertow: as a whole

My thoughts....

1.) intolerence-
What it's obviously about- Maynards time distaste for the military. (i.e.) The years of his life spent at West Point, interviews where he comments negatively on the military as not applying to him, military code of honor "I will not lie cheat or steal or tolerate those who do"
Deeper meaning- Betrayal, unity of all things in life (no one is innocent), standing up for yourself, seeing things as they really are.

2.) Prison sex-
Obvious- Child abuse, not implying maynard was abused as a child, but, the song demonstrates the horrors of sexual abuse. An interivew maynard mentions that child abuse some how fits into this song.
Deeper Meaning- Fucking christianity the way it fucked you over. Song starts with christianity forceing itself upon him, ends with him forceing himself upon his precious looking lamb and marytr. Child abuse and sexual abuse serves as a metaphor for the way chrisitanity fucks with your head starting from a young age.

3.) Sober-
Obvious- Song about drinking and alcoholism. Maynard mentions in an interview he knew a guy who could only be artistic when he was royally smashed, and he some how influenced this song.
Deeper- Themes of feeling imcompetent, of wanting to stop thinking entirely (why cant we not be sober, I just want to start things over), desperation in the form of turning to religon (mother mary wont you wisper something but the past and done) and finding nothing new.

4.) Bottum-
Obvious- Song about feeling empty, feeling nothing inside, feeling like your at the bottum. Feeding on hatred and weakness, hanging on by your last threads. Feeling life building up on you, shit adds up at the bottum.
Deeper- Runs along the same military theme, military breaks your compassion, erodes your will, fuels you with hatred and what maynard sees as weakness. Note the use of the words weapons and enemy, useing his imprefections implies theres an idea of perfection being forced upon him.

5.) Crawl Away-
Obvious- Anger at someone leaving you. Selfishness, and loseing someone.
Deeper- ???? recommend searching thourgh interviews and looking at the lyrics to Ted Nugent's Stranglehold (Got you in a strangle hold baby, get up get up get up)

6.) Swamp Song-
Obvious- Drug abuse, playing with danger, maynards distaste for those who abuse drugs. He notes in interviews that he has done drugs and they work well for him artistically, but you never get the sense that maynard is a drug addict himself.
Deeper- bill hicks does numerous peices on how drugs are not to blame for the stupid actions people do while on drugs, that only stupid people do stupid shit while on drugs or not. This song conveys that anger at people who cant handle their shit and make those responsible drug users look bad.

7.)Undertow-
Obvious/Deeper- Drug addiction, feeling comfortable when you get it, hateing yourself for needing it.

8.)4 degrees-
Obvious/Deeper??- Aside from the obvious anal sex that the song describes, this one puzzles me, Maynard says in an interview how the song is about willingly accepting something entirely, with anal sex as being the metaphor (anus is 4 degrees warmer than the vagina). Back to the military and west point, i've heard rumors the name for new comers is 4 degrees, not sure if thats true. anal sex and military? maynard claims their were numerous gay people at west point, and that he even had a contract relationship with a lesbian as a way for both of them to claim they were straight (even though maynard is actually straight for the most part).

9.)Flood-
see my ("in-depth") interpretation of flood in the forum under the songs name.

10.)Disgustupatied- My cd has a big scratch and that track doesnt play, thats what I get for leaving in my car on the floor where everyone steps on it.

Anyways, thats my 10 minate run down after lots of listening to this album while very stoned, and reading interviews online, and hearing different things from different people, thats what I always thought all the songs meant, but take it or leave it, maynard never really tells what his shit means, thats what keeps people searching for anwsers, and finding out shit about themselves in the process. I suggest reading philosophy books too, Opiate comes directly from a Marx (I think it was marx) qoute that "Religon is the Opiate of the masses" so philosophy has played a part in all their songs since square one. Happy searching kids, hope you achieve Tool nirvana so to speak.
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Old 05-31-2003, 11:58 AM   #9
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i dont agree with you on prison sex. I think you got a little carried away with it being about his step father.
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Old 06-07-2003, 11:32 PM   #10
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Re: Re: Undertow: as a whole

Quote:
Originally posted by SatresThirdEye
Child abuse and sexual abuse serves as a metaphor for the way chrisitanity fucks with your head starting from a young age.
Thats not so metaphorical these days is it?

HA HA! Sorry couldnt resist.

Just read the quote on the Opinon Homepage.
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Old 06-18-2003, 07:01 PM   #11
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Re: Yes.

Quote:
Originally posted by DisgracedEffigy
Thats what I was thinking. I have a feelingt that opiate is somewhat irrelevant in this scenario bacause it was such an early album. They hadn't evolved so far musically at that point. Maybe its there for basic background info.


Sort of. I think it was Adam who referred to Opiate as "basically a collection of our heaviest songs". So it's not an "album" per se. No flowing theme neccesarily. Just an intro, or a "demo" even.
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Old 07-01-2003, 07:58 AM   #12
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I'm with Disgraced on the title track, Undertow, being about addiction. What follows for me is that since the whole album is called Undertow, then the whole album is about aspects of drug addiction as well. This is a very dark album -- the message for me is that drugs cause death by drowning.

But I'm so comfortable.
Far too comfortable.
Why don't you kill me,
I'm weak and numb and insignificant,
and I'm back on my knees.
lost in euphoria.

Being comfortable and lost in euphoria is being high. He's at a breaking point when his "will is eroded now" (Bottom) and would rather just die than be high.

Intolerance (Not sure on this one, but I think it's about hating yourself when you're using drugs, because you can't help but to lie, cheat, and steal)

Prison Sex (How the cycles of abuse can lead to "some kind of temporary sanity)

Sober (An addict's lament about wanting to get back to the good ol' days - when drugs got you high)

Bottom (Spiritual death one feels right before they are "Shown another way" in 4degrees)

Crawl Away (Similar to Third Eye, how the soul crawls away when you use drugs)

Swamp Song (People will warn others not to get into drugs, but some people are belligerant in response and go anyway)

Undertow (Drugs drag you under, at first it's deep and rich -- then by the third time you go back to getting high it's cold and black.)

4 degrees (I don't understand the significance of the title, but for me it's about being shown another way to live life than drugs. "Take it all or nothing" is saying that if you're looking for an easier, softer way to reduce your drug use, you might as well go back under. I'm going to take a shot at the title that the 4 degrees of life are physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, all of which get colder when you use drugs.)

Flood (This is a post-drug reflection on "Bottom". Realizing that drugs are not the way to live like you had previously thought and "This changes everything." because life is very different when you're under water (getting high) and the contrast shows you that everything you believed is wrong, drugs aren't the "rock you thought it to be")

Disgustipated doesn't really fit and I interpret it separately from the others.

Experiences of mine have related to every single song on this album, with the exception of the abuse part of Prison Sex, as I was not sexually abused.

Last edited by PRNinja23; 07-01-2003 at 08:00 AM..
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Old 07-24-2005, 06:27 AM   #13
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Re: Undertow: as a whole

Here's my oversimplistic overview:

1. Intolerance - I will not tolerate the monster inside. I will give in to him to get rid of him. We both are not innocent. We both play a part in my/our destruction.

2. Prison Sex - a memory, maybe, I don't really know.

3. Sober - The monster inside is a liar and if I trust in him I will surely fall as well. I cannot drink/use without fucking everything up. I'm an addict.

4. Bottom - I've reached another bottom and everything makes sense again. I fucked everything up and I cannot sink any further. I am seeing things in a new light. I have destroyed myself for lies and I see through them now. A part of me is awake but I'm dead inside.

5. Crawl Away - I'm trying to access the third eye reality but the wild one is not playing back. It's pissing me off.

6. Swamp Song - My warning meant nothing and I'm a stupid dumbass belligerent fucker again. I'm stumbling into sure death if I keep going on this way. I need to wake up, but this mother fucker is too damaged.

7. Undertow - This is the theme of the album. The undertow is what is sweeping me away. The monster inside is what is killing me. This song is about the squaring off between (a really good illustration of it). There's one on every CD.

8. 4 Degrees - I'm cold and broken and I'm losing. The squaring off is getting me nowhere. I'm trying to wake the fuck up and free myself. The monster keeps on coming with full force. Just a little warmer, come on (4 degrees- sarcastic to me).

9. Flood - The negativety is too much. I thought I was ok and could start over but I was wrong. The monster was right all this time and the undertow is coming to take me away again. Will I be able to rise after the bottom? That's the question.

10. Disgustipated - no fricking idea.
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Old 10-08-2005, 07:23 AM   #14
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Re: Undertow: as a whole

intolerance - about boats

prison sex - don't drop the soap

sober - i have to stay fucked up to be happy

bottom - worst song on the album

crawl away - actually this is the worst song on the album

swamp song - it's about bobby boucher's mom

4 degrees - really good song, it's about mild orgasms

flood - it's about cocaine becuase everyone wants cocaine and he'll take what is mine because he's a cheap bastard

disgustipated - very fuckt up when tey rote this one. it was good the second time i heard it. it's about

how necessary

it is to listen to amnesiac.

its an attempt at making the album seem deeper at the end with the phon call.
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