It's hard to pick one part of this song as a favorite.....unlike the other songs on the album.
here's why....
The song is really just a variation on a theme introduced by Danny and then Justin- (what an awesome, rolling, bassline....Danny first starts out with that tribal beat played softly and then Justin slides in with this arabesque bass riff that everybody takes turns playing off of..)
But if i had to pick a part.....
When Adam comes in with that chimey, delay-drenched arpeggio, before Maynard enters the song.
Although my favorite bits always seem to change with each listen.
I always imagine myself riding a camel in the empty quarter of the Arabian desert at twilight, with that wonderful color of blue you get at sunset.
That's one image that I enjoy when I listen to the album.
I happen to like that whole verse, how maynards "sun:moon" orientated verse is backed by the bends of the bass and guitar, it just sounds so eery,beautiful,creepy but so apropriate.
I dont know exactly the minutes when it is, cuz I have no way of listening to the song right now, but its right when the guitar starts to kick in with a cool riff. That part is awsome!
I love the part when maynard comes in and says, "and in my darkest moment, feeble and weakened." i love how the other instruments just kind of die down for that part (even though i love the instrumental aspect of the song) and maynard comes in with that strange voice and the slight delay. i get chills when i listen to it. the solo kicks ass too. its so simple but totaly powerful and overwhelming. its amazing when you look at how the song begins and how it ends. now thats a progession.
I love the last verse. It's so chilling to sing along and ''let the words spill through'' and really feel the music ''pass right through''. When I listen to it i feel ''Capable of all that's imagined and all concievable.'' The music ties with the whole feeling of the vocals it's beautiful, it really is.
__________________ Knock knock.
--Who's there?
Fuck you
it's hard to pick a part cuz the song really comes together as a whole, this song is all abt the feel ...
anyway literally i like these parts if i must pick
"The moon tells me a secret" - my confidant
the way he sings it and sighing with "my confidant" always gets me
"As full and bright as I am
This light is not my own and
A million light reflections pass over me"
followed by this part when the guitar kicks in
beauitful
(bass riff changes which subtly intensifies the music)
And as I pull my head out I am without one doubt
Don't wanna be down here feeding my narcissism.
I must crucify the ego before it's far too late
I pray the light lifts me out
Before I pine away.
This may sound weird and it's a little bit hard to point out, but right around 7:30 Danny starts going crazy on the drums, expanding that tribal beat out big time, while Adam just goes off on the guitar, they keep building and building that, then all of the sudden the drums stop and Adam plays a totally different riff, like a single measure or about 2 seconds later Danny busts right back in with a totally different beat. That silently part followed by Danny suddenly jamming it out is just cool to me for some reason. Also, the rest of the song after that has Danny really messing around with the traditional hi-hat tapping idea, doing all kinds of crazy shit with it. Like he'll tap the hi-hat for a measure, then fill for a measure, then tap the hi-hat, and then tap in between sporadically. It's really neato.
Lyrically, I like the lines "And leave behind this place so/Negative and blind and cynical." The first time I heard was just one of those times that makes me realize how far ahead this band is. When other lyricists are weaing big muscle shirts and gelled hair and yelling about how people are too mean to them and "it's society's fault" cliches, Tool are questioning themselves intelligently and trying to do something positive with their messages. That's so uplifiting. These lines give me goosebumps.
It's great how like each person so far has mentioned a different part. Goes to show that when Tool makes an 11-minute song, they don't just make a 3-minute song with an unnessecary instrumental like some bands. They make an 11-MINUTE SONG.
__________________ "You donated to an animal cruelty organization in the middle of a hurricane. Fuck you."
I couldn't help but comment on my favorite part of reflection... I'm unsure exactly but I would have to pin it down to a few options. First the part after the first two versus, where Danny starts getting nasty on the drums and Adem comes in tearing it up...Second I might have to point out Maynards final "before we pine away" to end the song.
As I saw someone posted earlier my opinion does tend to change with each listening. Either way the song is an amazing intermediate piece of one of my favorite parts of the disk, the Disposition-Reflection-Triad trio, which I call one song essentially and Tool always seems to play them as such. Well it's been fun sharing an opinion, I'm full of them so there will be more to come.
__________________ This light is not my own,
Dan (prydopen)
The song on the whole is awesome, but the part that really gets me is "The moon tells me a secret, My confidant.." The "my confidant part is beautifal...Spiral out
I really like the vocals that kick in at about 1:30ish. That is some of the most creative use of vocals in music I've ever heard. I would like to see if Maynard does THAT live, more than that 30 second yell in the Grudge. That's not that hard, I can do that. But whatever the hell is going on here, is beyond my musical reconing.
i think the pinnacle is when the guitars/drums slow down and mjk voice becomes clearest. more imperticularly the line "crusify the ego before its far to late & leave this place so negative, and blind and cynical & u will come to find we r all one mind"
Originally posted by Macrame The line "Without her we are lifeless satellites drifting"
It's just so beautiful, creepy, mysterious, and original. I'm just so in love with that line ... and I don't know why.
Weird, I just read this post and the same line came from my headphones...creepy indeed.
I'll pick as my favorite from 6 mins when the guitar's coming to 7 mins "before I pine awayyyyyyy..."-part. Hard to pick anything specific though...Hell of a song!
There are several parts of the song that I enjoy:
- The intro, with just Danny's drums
- When the effect comes in at 1:35
- "It's calling me..."/"Before I pine away..."
- When the distorted guitar comes in at 7:36
I really enjoy the transition from Disposition into Reflection. It is just so smooth and fluent. Lyric wise, I choose this part:
So crucify the ego before it's far too late
To leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical
And you will come to find that we are all one mind
To me, it was a simple summary of the whole song. Maynard's voice really picked up during this part which gave it this important tone that I found very fascinating.
And as I pull my head out I am without one doubt
Don't wanna be down here feeding my narcissism.
I must crucify the ego before it's far too late
I pray the light lifts me out
Before I pine away.
I like it because it, to me, pretty much says to see the lighter side of the situation instead of always dwelling on the negative (which I tend to do a lot). Yeah, or something like that. Blech - headache. I'll elaborate on it more, later if I remember.
__________________ I drowned my pride, and that life defaults to death was enough to make you stop and fade out...fade out. Hard it is to find anything at all worth holding on to.
It changes frequently, but right now I'd have to go with Maynard's entrance into the song. I'm not even sure exactly what that effect is on his voice, but it gives me chills -- very creepy stuff. :)
My favorite part in "Reflection" is from about 9:30 to 9:40 into the song, when Adam starts bending those notes (before he turnes them into a solo-thingy). It's just amazing.
Originally posted by 3rdeye what part in this song is your favorite, and please dont say all of it . come on and tell about it
YOUVE CLAIMED ALL THIS TIME YOU WOULD DIE FOR ME, THEN WHY ARE YOU SO SURPRISED WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR OWN EULOGY? why do people say they will die for there country then when the time comes they all run scared? why do we have to care if they give up their life? its their choice....screw all of them they are mindless pigs working for the MAN right?? WRONG they are working for their own self destruction!!!! GO BUSH! ha ha yeah fucking right
Hey! I am listening to that on my headphones right now! AFirstly, great thread. Great song to pose the question to.
I would have to say lyrically, I love his first words, "I have come curiously close to the end..." When I first heard it, it was so beautiful - he hit all the right pitches in that Arabian-influenced clause, perfectly, and all synthesized together and just knocked me out. Amazing.
I would say musically, the part I always crave and cherish, is that little "beep" noise that I think may be feedback??? But I am not sure...it's right here: "The moon tells me a secret (BEEP) in confidence..." It happens right on 5:58. I love it because it is so calm before then, with Maynard being so delicate and immersed, and then he says the "moon" line, and then it beeps, almost triggering the most badass part of the song! (for me).
There are the quiet parts of the song, and then there's the part where you really feel Adam's guitar saying "wahhh...wowwww...wahhhh....wowww" but it is not the part that's "crescendoing" or climaxing yet. It's the mid-level part, just in between the calm, quiet parts, and the erupting parts.
There! Sorry it was long. This is a great question...but there may be too many responses by now. Oh well.
Originally posted by Alexandra I would say musically, the part I always crave and cherish, is that little "beep" noise that I think may be feedback??? But I am not sure...it's right here: "The moon tells me a secret (BEEP) in confidence..." It happens right on 5:58. I love it because it is so calm before then, with Maynard being so delicate and immersed, and then he says the "moon" line, and then it beeps, almost triggering the most badass part of the song! (for me).
I love that part too! But just for referance, it's not "in confidence," it's "my confidant." I get Tool lyrics mixed up a lot. I still don't know what he says in some songs. And that "beep" you talked about. On the live version I heard, they replace it with this beautifuly erie/creepy sound. I can't describe it, but it gives me chills every time!!! Download it, you'll see what I mean.
Originally posted by reign3 I love that part too! But just for referance, it's not "in confidence," it's "my confidant." I get Tool lyrics mixed up a lot. I still don't know what he says in some songs. And that "beep" you talked about. On the live version I heard, they replace it with this beautifuly erie/creepy sound. I can't describe it, but it gives me chills every time!!! Download it, you'll see what I mean.
Ah. Thanks for the correction - I know that! Silly me. I will surely investigate the live version, thank you.
*ahem* you're not uh...digging through my posts, are you reign?
I know there's already been a lot of posts here, but I'll voice my opinion none the less.
My favourite part of the song is the final "Pine away", where Marnards voice rings on for longer than usual, and raises a pitch or two. For me this is a brilliant climax to the song, and as a lot of other people have said, I get a slight chill whenever I hear this. Needless to say, I love the whole song.
This is a great thread though, and I'm certainly looking at the song from many different perspectives now. Its good how nearly every part of the song has been pointed out by someone. I totally agree with what SmallWangedMan said, about when tool make a long song, they make a good long song... not just a series of repeats. It really is like a journey.
Keep feeling the music.
Originally posted by All_One_Mind
crucify the ego
before it's far too late
and leave behind this place so
negative and blind and cynical
then you will come to find
that we are all one mind
capable of all thats
imagined and all concievable
let the light touch you
let the words spill through
let them shine right through
bringing our our hope and reason
I have the lyrics to this song written out on the inside of the cupboard doors in my kitchen so that when I have parties and people need a glass they can be inspired.
Quote:
Originally posted by All_One_Mind Well this is my favorite TOOL song period
Moi aussi. The first time I heard this song I cried, I still can not listen to it without shedding a tear. The song expresses the quintessence of my being, and it moves me greatly to hear something so dear to me articulated in such a way.
Best part...
I may find comfort here....
I may find peace within the emptiness...
How pitiful.
It just speaks to me..like in death there is peace...and that we cant find peace within our living bodies is sad.
__________________ Remember I will always love you....
There are so many good parts in ''Relection" . I think that reflection is Tools best song in terms of musical achievment.
I love the opening drum solo ( I think that Danny uses a Timphini if I'm not misaken). One part that I always like is the crossing of Reflection into Triad, just as Reflection fades out Triad fades in.
