Disagree. Transmittal is just a noun describing the broadcast. Works fine from the "receiver" perspective. Pretty much means the same thing as "signal"...which you see all the time on consumer end products like satellite receivers for DirecTV, etc.

IMO:

Part vampire
Part warrior
Carnivore and voyeur
Stare at the transmittal # i.e. stare at the death and pain (the headlines)
Sing to the death rattle

But there is a problem. While I am a computer science major, i have taken a couple psychology courses. It is indeed a fact that people tend to interpret what they see/hear with the inclusion of outside influences. So reading, or writing your own, interpretations of the song can possibly be influeced, just because it is really close.

I can't honestly distinguish between the above and "stare at the trans mental, sync to the death rattle", but I do think the above fits more into the context of the song.

Also, I just think the song is amazing. people who think the lyrics lack depth amaze me. In my opinion they are in almost the same exact line as Ænema. But you never see people saying "Ænema sucks, all he is saying is people in LA suck so fuck 'em".

btw, i'm a new poster but a long time tool fan. :P

Ok ok, so the final lyrics are as follows....

Eye on the TV
'Cause tragedy thrills me
Whatever flavor
It happens to be like:
Killed by the husband
Drowned by the ocean
Shot by his own son
She used a poison
In his tea
And kissed him goodbye
That's my kind of story
It's no fun 'til someone dies

Don't look at me like
I am a monster
Frown out your one face
But with the other
Stare like a junkie
Into the TV
Stare like a zombie
While the mother holds her child
Watches him die
Hands to the sky, crying
"Why, oh why?"

'Cause I need to watch things die
From a distance
Vicariously, I live
While the whole world dies
You all need it too, don't lie

Why can't we just admit it?
Why can't we just admit it?
We won't give pause until the blood is flowing
Neither the brave nor bold
Will write us the stories so
We won't give pause until the blood is flowing

I need to watch things die
From a good, safe distance
Vicariously, I live
While the whole world dies
You all feel the same, so
Why can't we just admit it?

Blood like rain come down
Drum on grave and ground

Part vampire
Part warrior
Carnivore and voyeur
Stare at the transmitter
Sing to the death rattle

Lie lie lie lie lie lie lie

Credulous, at best
Your desire to believe in
Angels in the hearts of men
Pull your head on out
Your head believes in... give a listen
Shouldn't have to say it all again
The universe is hostile, so impersonal
Devour to survive, so it is
So it's always been

We all feed
On tragedy
It's like blood to a vampire

Vicariously, I live
While the whole world dies
Much better you than I

Could it be "I own the TV/'Cause tragedy thrills me", perhaps? He owns the television because he is enthralled by what occurs on it.


Just a thought.

I think those are the closest lyrics yet.

I'm still confused by this line. That doesn't sound right. I don't think anyone's got that particular line right yet.

No, they haven't.

I'm hearing it as:

"Pull your head on out your head pi-ece and give a listen."

or maybe?

"Pour your hate on out your head, release and give a listen."

Still hearing a line like these too:

nor right as the stories told.
nor rightest of stories told.
nor brightest of stories told.

Was thinking about this while doing my usual thing at work (read, absolutely nothing) and it probably does work without too much issue. I guess maybe my hangup was more with the notion that transmittal is a much less used word than transmitter. It seems like one would use the word transmission instead of transmittal when referring to something they were viewing/hearing, but that doesn't actually make the word transmittal inaccurate.

I think either word works, transmittal or transmitter. The song refers to both so no big issue there. But from a purely poetic standpoint (if one's attempting to make actual rhymes) transmittal does actually work better with rattle so there ya go.

I originally had that for the lyrics I put down way back on page two, but I think I went back and changed it to "eye on". I do, however, continue to hear the "on" part with a sound that more closely resembles "own". Maynard's usually pretty good about pronouncing "on" without any drawl, and in this case it sounds almost southern if that's the word he's really going for. In fact, the pronounciation sounds almost identical to what he uses a few lines later for "shot by his own son". So I don't know. Truth is both would work as a solid setup for the song.

Really, except for that one section there with the "Pull/pour your head... " line, the lyrics are pretty much nailed down. Even the areas where words are still in question, it seems like each word or phrase being suggested works well enough that it's not worth debating. Of course, if we can get for-certain accuracy, I'm all for doing that.

Good job to everyone who's been participating in this. I know others are probably thinking we're turning our wheels for nothing here, but I enjoy hashing out lyrics so they can be as accurate as possible. :)

not to kick a dead horse but i think that "transmittal" is better for another reason. The "transmitter" is just the box. the "transmittal" (that which is being transmitted) is the actual carnage and gore the song is refering to. "Transmittal" is a tad bit more specific and has more depth of meaning in this case.

exactly.. how i made sense of it was this:

on the song, "the package" he sings the lyrics "eye on what i came for"


so it would make sense that he'd use the same word usage, because as i've noticed, he has a specific way with lyrical usage. this makes sense. there's a lot more, but i'm gonna stop right here.

lines like these (which i'm not saying are wrong, especially since the majority seems to agree on them):

That's my kind of story
It's no fun 'til someone dies

that doesn't sound like something maynard would write. but maybe he's taking a much different lyrical approach, even though most of these lyrics are similar to what he would have written before.

"Still have the transmitter synced to the death rattle."

Why not? He's not literally talking about himself.

Lyrics remind me of White Noise by Don DeLillo theme-wise

Anyone agree?

There are a few regions of the song that - upon repeated listening - I have slight uncertainties about. In most of these cases, I'm caught between one interpretation or another posted here.
One part in particular that stands out as an unknown is the:
"Pull your 'head' on 'out your head' ..." line. I am having quite a bit of difficulty trying to nail down what is being sung in the song.

I'm also still not certain as to the
"Blood like rain falling/flowing/come down
Drum on/Drowning/Drawn by grave and ground/mound/bound."

Although I initially thought it would be mound, it doesn't really sound that accurate. The word he is singing doesn't quite seem to be "ground" to me either...

It's transmittal. Transmitter doesn't rhyme with rattle. Transmittal does.

And it's "sing", not "sync". This is pretty obvious by the way the next part of the song is Maynard, well,....singing to the death rattle-"la la la la la la lie" etc.

cool lyrics

I'm of course not sure, but I think that each of the "headlines" is combined into one story about a wife, a husband, and a son. After all, in context, this is a televised news program, so "headlines" does not really make sense. Think instead of a newscast. I'm assuming we've all seen a newscast? Guy/Gal tells the story, then gives his own comments, then you (the viewer) in turn have your reaction. So,

killed by the husband,
drowned by the ocean,
shot by his own son,
he used a poison in his tea,
*now* kiss him goodbye.
It's my kind of story

Newscaster in story/"report" mode: Husband kills wife. Son kills father by shooting him and throwing body into the ocean.

Newscaster switches to wrap-up, talking to a co-anchor: Then son commits suicide.

Co-Anchor with clever comment: Now kiss him goodbye (give newscaster smile).

Viewer's reaction: That's my kind of story.

I'm not saying the writer had precisely this in mind, but I think this makes more sense than an attempt at combining unrelated, random headlines.

Oh, and of course, this way everyone in the story dies, ending with the tragic, almost cliche suicide.

Oh, and the 'drowned by the ocean' might be referring to how the wife died. I think this might be more likely, but it's like a bad dangling participle.

ohh....o.k. whatever.

Can't argue with that explicit, well-thought out logic.

Anyone ever asked you a one-word question, "Dinosaurs?"

Correct. They were actually written by Justin, and well ... he's British.

Slightly modified for musical phrasing and verse structures:

Eye on the TV, 'cause tragedy thrills me
Whatever flavor it happens to be, like:
”Killed by the husband”
”Drowned by the ocean”
”Shot by his own son”
”She used a poison in his tea, and kissed him goodbye”
That's my kind of story - it's no fun 'til someone dies

Don't look at me like I am a monster
Frown out your one face, but with the other
Stare like a junkie into the TV
Stare like a zombie while a mother
Holds her child; watches him die
Hands to the sky, crying "Why, oh why?"

'Cause I need to watch things die…from a distance
Vicariously, I live…while the whole world dies
You all need it too, don't lie

Why can't we just admit it?
Why can't we just admit it?
We won't give pause until the blood is flowing
Neither the brave nor bold will write us the stories so
We won't give pause until the blood is flowing

I need to watch things die…from a good, safe distance
Vicariously, I live…while the whole world dies
You all feel the same, so -
Why can't we just admit it?

Blood like rain come down
Drum on grave and ground

Part vampire, part warrior
Carnivore and voyeur
Stare at the transmittal
Sing to the death rattle:
La la la la la la la lie (x4)

Credulous, at best;
Your desire to believe in angels in the hearts of men
Pull your head on out
Your head believes in... give a listen
Shouldn't have to say it all again
The universe is hostile, so impersonal
Devour to survive, so it is - so it's always been

We all feed on tragedy…it's like blood to a vampire

Vicariously, I live while the whole world dies;
Much better you than I

Still not sure on "drum on grave and ground" Almost wonder if it's "drawn on grave and drown" but I can't make it out for sure...

Pull your HAIR on out your head, the reason, give a listen.

I hear "neither the brave or bold will write us the story (or stories) so"

I want to thank everyone who is taking the time to decode the lyrics. I would be right there with you, but I'm at work.

Thanks again.

What do you think that line means?

I wouldn't mind knowing if we're all listening to different encodes too, anyone care to post some details?

(Alt+3 in Winamp)
Size: 10297994 bytes
Length: 429 seconds
192kbit, 16448 frames
44100Hz Joint Stereo

Another:
Size: 14293543 bytes
Length: 429 seconds
266kbit (VBR), 16424 frames
44100Hz Stereo

I do not hear "hair". I do, however, think it quite likely that what most are interpreting as "pull your head on out" could well be "pull your - out", with the - being some disyllabic word. I haven't really made any headway conceiving of a word to fit though.

Of course, that still leaves the mystery of the word being popularly interpreted as "reason, give a listen" or, alternatively "please, give a listen". I don't really hear either of these words that clearly.

My favourite interpretation posted here was "pull your head on our your headpiece, reason, give a listen..." But to be honest, I don't really hear that either. I'm at a loss as to this line at the moment.

Never sure, but here is my take on it:

Pull your head on out
you'll hear the reason
give a listen

The 'pull your head on out' is a condescending way to phrase 'pull your head out [of the sand/your ass]'. Like if you were talking to a child, telling him not to be afraid.

i've been trying to do this myself, and frankly, i give up.

i'm waiting a few weeks until i can actually read them.

Interesting thought, but why does it have to be just one story? To me, the speaker is just giving examples of stories that someone would be interested in, because of the violence and death. Sounds like a list to me... not details of just one news story. I mean, the list is prefaced with "Whatever flavor it happens to be..." Whatever kind of death it might be... in other words.

I think the lyrics posted by edavis51 is 100% correct.

Here's what I think...

This is what I had before reading any of these posts. The only line I borrowed was the drum on grave and ground - not sure about that. I think I had the rest right..well who knows....

I own the TV, cause tragedy thrills me
Whatever flavor, it happens to be like
Killed by the husband
Drowned by the ocean
Shot by his own son
She used a poison, in his tea
And kissed him goodbye
That's my kind of story
It's never fun till someone dies

Don't look at me like, I am a monster
Frown out your one face, but with the other
Stare like a junkie, into the TV
Stare like a zombie
While the mother, holds her child
Watches him die
Hands to the sky crying
Why oh why?

Cause I need to watch things die, from a distance
Vi - carious - ly - I live, While the whole world dies
You all need it too, don't lie

Why can't we just admit it?
Why can't we just admit it?

We won't give pause until, the blood is flowing
Neither the brave nor bold
The Writers, their stories sold
We won't give pause until, the blood is flowing

I need to watch things die, from a good safe distance
Vi - carious - ly - I live, While the whole world dies
You all feel the same so, why can't we just admit it?

Blood like rain falling down
Drum on grave and ground

Part - vamp - ire
part - war - rior
Car - ni - vore and war - rior
Stare - at - the - trans - mit - ter
sing - to - the - death - rat - tle

La-la-la-la-la-la-la-Lie
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-Lie
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-Lie
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-Lie

Credulous at best, your desire to believe in
Angels in the hearts of men
Pull your head on out-Your head believes in, give a listen
Shouldn't have to say it all again
The universe is hostile, so impersonal
Devour to survive, so it is
So it's always been

We all feed on tragedy
It's like blood to a vampire

Vi - carious - ly - I live, while the whole world dies
Much better you than I

We'll all get them right eventually.

Correction, I would add the line by Fathom: "The Writers, their stories sold" to the lyrics I mentioned above ;p

Well,I've finally gotten my grubby mittens on The Single.
I really didn't beleive in the artwork or the title of the album;until I heard the single .
After that gray moment ocured,(oh yea, thanks Limewire,I always kiss and tell.)
I had to hear the song along with the lyrics.
SO I went through toolband .com to get to toolshed and witnessed the new setup for the first time.That was intersting.Anyways, on to the lyrics!
Thanks for the accurate lyrics(edavis51) and uncanny phrasing,.
It really helped me enjoy the song on a whole new level...

I'm out...RaHa