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Old 11-19-2002, 01:39 PM   #1
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here comes the water

Obviosuly we can make a bit of sense of the water image, given the suject of the song, but the whole idea of a father/carer/creator/destroyer puzzles me. How does it fit in with this song? Perhaps the idea is more that there exists something that mst be destroyed, because while it may do something good, it will eventually turn and do damage, and does more harm than good.
just a random thought.
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Old 11-19-2002, 09:16 PM   #2
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In the Water

I definately feel the water and the voluntary submergance into the water by the "creature" towards the end of the video is very important. I need to pop in the Salival DVD and watch it a few more times to elaborate more on my interpretation, but the use of water seems to be a reoccuring theme throughout TOOL. Songs like Aenima, Flood, Undertow, Swamp Song, Prison Sex, and Sweat all seem to have similar themes present - either being held down or struggling in the water (i.e. Undertow, Prison Sex, Swamp Song) or being cleansed by it (Flood - "Cleanse and purge me in the water"), and several others. It's a very interesting and useful metaphor and is definately one of my favorite aspects of Maynard's writing.
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Old 11-20-2002, 07:07 AM   #3
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I think the fat dude is the "father/carer/creator/destroyer".

What's really weird is all those "oddities". Example: the thing that sticks a needle through its eye.
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Old 11-20-2002, 05:54 PM   #4
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I never realized how water is such a recurring theme. Certainly interesting. I wonder what the significance of it all is and if they're all connected...I'm gonna have to do some listening I think.
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Old 11-20-2002, 06:31 PM   #5
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Lachrymology

This is far fetched and I haven't done near enough research to back it up - but from what I've heard and discussed with friends is that the reoccuring water theme may have something to do with lachrymology - or therapy through crying, something the band has some aparent interest in. The water may be symbolic of the tears being shed, especially evident in Undertow and Aenima. Just a thought and I would much appreciate it if someone could help me confirm or deny such theories.
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Old 11-20-2002, 08:05 PM   #6
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I think you are right about the lachrymology thing, that defintly follows. even if it was a hoax of sorts, the idea of tears still fits, because it is both pain and pleasure (i think of pushit)
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Old 11-23-2002, 05:18 PM   #7
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I believe I heard that the lachrymology deal was a joke the band played on everyone...I mean they said the book they read was "The Joyful Guide To Lachrymology" lol...I'm pretty sure it was fake...I DO think that you are right about water being a recurring element that Maynard uses in a lot of his songs. It can represent cleansing or destruction depending on the song.

An interpretation of this video? I have no fucking clue whatsoever. The only thing I can make out is that the video is framed by what looks like a role of film...I guess that suggests Hollywood or California or something...
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Old 11-24-2002, 05:05 PM   #8
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ha, I never really thought about the whole film thing. That's about the only apparent thing in this video. As far as Lachrymology, it was fake as far as there is no such thing....or was no such thing....anyhow, I dont know if it was so much of a joke, but rather an idea.
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Old 11-25-2002, 07:08 AM   #9
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Even if lachrymology was a joke (which it almost surely was), the idea of it remains, because we are discussing it at this moment. Thusly it cleary has some definition to us, and can't be "fake" per say, because we are using a set of charecters together to form a word which expresses an idea that we can all understand. I think it may be just a case of giving a word to a concept which we all know, but can't agree on what to define as. Thusly hoax or not, it's idea, it's context is still usful to us.
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Old 11-25-2002, 03:09 PM   #10
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What I don't get is where LA fits. But hey, Tool's videos aren't what you usually think they'd be. But water IS a reoccuring, but I think this is the only video that uses the water (as the main point).
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Old 11-26-2002, 01:26 PM   #11
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If you wonder where LA originally fits in the song, I believe it has stuff to do with Bill Hicks' Arizona Bay stuff. The whole song is themed over this idea, but taken of course to a much deeper level than the simple comic relief. As for the video, i dont think LA per se had any real importance so it didnt need to be included.

Just some random thoughts - i dont get the fat guy creator thingy either but the moment at which his..child originally awakens has some watery image...like the whole scene is either seen thru or occurs in water. Maybe this signifies that we originally belong to the water, to the vehement, and we need to return to it in order to be cleansed. All throughout the video the figures seem to be rediscovering water - the chainging perspective of their feet as the light bends in the water they stand in, the water that flows on one of the creatures' hands...The bent needle the child uses to drop its dress might mean that people are too fragile (their look is obviously fragile) and need external forces to help them see..okay that doesnt make much sense :)..more to things to say, but i have to go..
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Old 11-27-2002, 02:03 PM   #12
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Ooooh. I get to put some random bill hicks stuff in now. Anyway. On one of his shows which you can download from the internet somewhere, Bill is playing a small "redneck" town and as he goes thru his act people start getting up and leaving . One woman shouts "You suck" to which he becomes incredibly annoyed and starts stomping up and down the stage shouting about how she is "everything that is wrong with this country and should be flushed down the toilet" He goes on with his act and again becomes annoyed whe people start shouting "Freebird" to which he prays to god to "wash these fucking turds from my life. Let it rain for 40 days and forty nights" and something to the effect of drowning everybody.

Even in just this one performance he mentions water a lot and talks about cleansing the earth with a flood. Despite what i have read on many sites i still believe that at least three songs on aenima are about Bill Hicks. They being Eulogy, Aenema and Third Eye. Maybe others too.
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Old 12-02-2002, 01:08 PM   #13
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I dont understand

This video complety boggles me... Whats with the beging and the needles, or hairs....what are they (salival video)...

I think they are saying that the man is similar to god, or he might be god. He gives birth but than he can take it away..

The lyrics talk about the comets and tidal waves. This would be god taking all way. The man drowns the little guy, god killing humans (armageddon, comets etc.) ??? But whats with the contraption he ties himself up with intestines so he wont drown??? This video is to much for my 16 year old mind...Now to the lyrics maybe i should post this some where else. Buit is Maynard made at his mom?

"Mom please flush it all away".
Did he wish he was never born, so she would of flushed him away?

Back to the video as hes saying mom flush it all away you see an embryo of a baby... Than the box is thrown and the baby as I see it is hurt. I dont get all the internal organs and what ever they are showing either. Tool messages are just to hard for my little mind to understand... HELP ME LOL
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Old 12-05-2002, 01:33 PM   #14
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quick explination:

allright,
im at work right now, so i cant get into this shit too deep. but here is my quick explination:

the bald guy deffinetly represents a "godlike" father figure

the little hook turning on the wall almost represents "curiousity" and the will of man to create and destroy things. this hook (consciousness) pulls the cloth off the creature (man).

it is very apparent the bald guy then throws the box around to fuck with the creature.

the creature(s) eventually tie themselves to the things they have created. this only disables the creature from getting away and thus there is a room filled with drowned creatures.

in the end, the creature subsides to the water and all hell brakes loose......you see genes splitting and creatures deforming and multiplying. the one creature even stabs itself in the eye in order to blind itself to what it has seen.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

there is actually a whole lot more i would like to say, but i have to get back to work.

-s p i r a l - o u t - k e e p - g o i n g -
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Old 12-13-2003, 08:50 PM   #15
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Re: here comes the water

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jorram
If you wonder where LA originally fits in the song, I believe it has stuff to do with Bill Hicks' Arizona Bay stuff. The whole song is themed over this idea, but taken of course to a much deeper level than the simple comic relief. As for the video, i dont think LA per se had any real importance so it didnt need to be included.

Just some random thoughts - i dont get the fat guy creator thingy either but the moment at which his..child originally awakens has some watery image...like the whole scene is either seen thru or occurs in water. Maybe this signifies that we originally belong to the water, to the vehement, and we need to return to it in order to be cleansed. All throughout the video the figures seem to be rediscovering water - the chainging perspective of their feet as the light bends in the water they stand in, the water that flows on one of the creatures' hands...The bent needle the child uses to drop its dress might mean that people are too fragile (their look is obviously fragile) and need external forces to help them see..okay that doesnt make much sense :)..more to things to say, but i have to go..
The needle/pin on the wall reminds me very much of the needle/pin that you see on the lower body of the "child" in Prison Sex. They both spin the same way (as for same direction, I'm not getting up to check) and both have something to do with that specific person: one holding legs on and another holding and pulling off a blanket/covering. Just something I noticed.
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Old 12-24-2003, 05:29 PM   #16
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Re: here comes the water

In the beginning things are very dark, you can't see much... so we might assume this is THE beginning. and the first thing you really can make out is the bald man. We'll call the bald man God. the more god walks around the more we are aware of. he then puts his hands on the wall. I don't quite understand what this is. But it could be him creating stuff. Then the screen fades out and we see water spraying out of some sort of hole in a wall. and the water rises up on god's ankles for some reason. this could symbolize the creation of the oceans and a foreshadowing of their purpose of cleaning (washing his feet). the creature wrapped in the blanket would be humanity. God creates humanity and places them in the world or on the table. The cutting of the ropes symbolizes God's gift of free will and choice. God did not restrain us because he allows us to choose what we want to do. But at this point the cloth is still covering humanity. then a hook comes out of the wall. The hook can be curiosity or sin. humanity is drawn to it and uses it to unmask itself. Now with sin humanity sees itself for what it is.
Then there is some kind of mechanical device. we'll get to that later. Suddenly a long tube or intestine comes out of the creature's stomach and flails about in the water a bit. then we see a different creature that appears to be bandaging itself in the same area that the previous creature's intestine jumped out of. Did this creature cut its chord off? Then the creature's chord thrashes about and sprays water everywhere. and the water rises. the water at this point could be our own mistakes and our own actions that drown us in the end. The second creature appears to be unable to stand higher than its water while the first experiments and explores in his. the first creature sees dead and floating corpses. this could be realization that furthering down the path he currently is taking will lead to death. then he puts his hand under a shower of water and it either stings his eyes or causes him to cry. at this point the second creature begins playing in the water. the first creature looks as if he's looking for his chord but he can't find it.
I have no idea what the wall of water with all of the jets shooting out of it are. Despite what he knows seems right the first creature surrenders to his sin by completely submerging himself in the water. For his sins god punishes the creature. from here on it doesn't really make much sense... the creature is falling, then he's drowning, then he's standing by a fountain or something. then he looks through a microscope. and other weird stuff happens.

one of the coolest parts in the video happens now. You see a two headed lizard that appears to want to kill its counterpart, and the creature himself battles his own reflection in the water, like a battle of wills with his conscious. I think that's definitely one of the coolest parts of the video. but it still doesn't really make sense. I can only follow it to a certain point.
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