ramanujan3

I dont really have a solid interpretation, but ...

When deciphering lyrics it's important to consider Maynard's frame of mind.
And since the album delineates a timeframe of his conceptual activity,
there is likely to be similarity amongst the ideas of the songs.
Several posts consider this, but often lean toward personal thoughts.
It's a positive experience to interpret art in one's own way,
only the interpretation may not be in line with the mind of the artist.

That said.
i'm organizing views of "Part of me" in with maynards mindset during other "Opiate" songs to see what that might suggest:


Sweat
If this one's about reincarnation, it might suggest the earlier posted interpretation that "part of me" is about the body. Here, the body acts as a vessel thats separate from the spirit. The body on it's own cant judge, speak, leave, or hurt the spirit, but is rather used by the spirit. Knowing this, maynard can abuse it, sacrifice its pain for spiritual gain. even let it die a little to evolve spiritual from life-to-life.
I actually think "sweat" though is more about the feeling of familiarity of experiences. Simple things that we share such as "sweating" and "breathing" sound like basic physical processes, but really suggest commonality in cognitive experience as human beings. This suggest less about "part of me". May be the common feeling of control others or parts of yourself. But thats a stretch.

Hush
Obviously, Maynard is just pointing out individual freedom. He can do whatever the hell he pleases and joke about it too.
If "part of me" is intended with the same attitude, then perhaps he's jokingly badgering a case where freedom is pretty weak. Someone or some of piece of himself that is too weak to think for itself (judge), and to express itself (speak), and is dependent (can't leave), and powerless (can't hurt me).
If 'you' refers to another person, it's probably ridicule.
If 'you' refers to a part of his spirit, he may be dealng with a weak aspect of himself - that he can control, that he shouldn't fear, and that he wants to change by "sacrificing" it, "killing" it and giving up that part of himself.

Cold and Ugly
This song seems to be the inherent distance between people. "Penetrate her" is obviously a clever zeugma, but it's the emotional that's importation here.
Since this is about a relationship, it can only suggests something, if the same is assumed about "part of me." To me, this would mean he's ridiculing one of his relationships and provoking the other person to step it up. The two have become so close, and now this person has become predictable to maynard: "i know you better than i know myself". This person doesn't express their own opinion (judge/speak), and is depedent (can't leave) and powerless (can't hurt). Maynard just uses them. But now he's provoking them - saying "it's time" they make "a sacrifice." This is along the lines of the "marriage" post earlier.

Jerk-off and Opiate
Ridicule of living by religious doctrine for morality and for choices.
Basically, belief destroys freedom.

This implies "part of me" is about people being pawns. Pawns of religion or of other people. They're used and sacrificed by others who know who to use them. Taking God as the speaker here though is a bit of stretch i think here - mainly because of the line "i know you better than i know myself." presumably god knows himself pretty well.

Reading the live show post about the girl in the cage makes me think that maynard might be suggesting his relation to the audience here. Audience members esp. groupies, and people who analyze songs he writes, are just "part of" what he's created. They're there for him to use and sacrifice. It's a "hooker with a penis" concept. This one is doubtful, but i think it might please the man, i.e. maynard.