Truth from Within: An Analysis of lyrics from Tool

Annabelle Popa Rachel Kravetz Reasearch paper 5/13/14 Truth From Within The art form of the music is being taken for granted in 20th century American culture. Many popular songs contain two dimensional meanings and shallow reasons for it to be created. The progressive mental band Tool goes about making their music and videos in a unique way, ensuring there is a reason for it to be made and putting a strong narrative to communicate dense ideas. They weave together darker themes of abuse with others of hope and love in order to make a statement and have the listener think about the topics introduced as well as find their own meaning within the songs. Tool makes bold statements on 21st century mankind and their obsession with technology, addiction to constant stimulation, lack of compassion and empathy, but then leaves the listener with a final message of hope and search for truth. They depict these themes through their lyrics and visually disturbing videos in order to get a rise out of the viewer to make a clear, memorable, and possibly scarring statement. On April 17, 2006 Tool released their single, “Vicarious”, and was also included in the album 10,000 Days. Suggested by the title, the main theme of this song is based around how people vicariously live through what they watch on the television, or movies. The speaker of the song says, “Much better you than I.” as they watch violence on the screen. These lyrics suggest the person is comforted by the fact that others are dying, while they are permitted to sit in the safety of their home. Maynard James Keenan, the vocalist and one who writes lyrics says through this song that people have a need to 1 watch others die from a distance in order to feel safer, thinking that something is being done about the violence because its shown on the news. If nothing is shown then people are left in the dark, making them afraid and feel like they’re ignorant to what is happening in the world. Either way, whether people see the violence or not, the risk of them being in a violent situation is the same. The exposure just gives the people a false sense of security. The voyeur mentality is perfected through television and humans now want to experience dangerous and exciting events without having to be part of the dangers involved. It’s the same concept as someone saying they love the snow… but only if they’re in the comfort of their own home where there is artificial heat and a pretty window to look through. Computers, televisions, and other kinds of devices are becoming the ‘window’ to another world in which we can experience things without really having to be part of it. In The Journal of Popular Culture Harvey states, “ As Fiske, Hartley, Corcoran, and others have noted, television provides us with a “cultural forum” in which the central political concerns and social issues of the moment can be explored, enacted, manipulated, and resolved symbolically” (St. Clair Harvey). St. Clair Harvey has a point in saying the television is a great way to be used as an alternate reality. Within a show or program issues are raised and solved by the end. They show people how to deal with certain situations and the results from the way it is dealt with. Issues can definitely be explored and manipulated but are not resolved. They are in a controlled environment where there is a director behind the scenes who is calling all the shots, manipulating those who are watching and giving them possibly false information. When something is resolved on television it may give the viewers a feeling of resolution, but matters at hand will only be 2 resolved in the ‘virtual television world’. This false sense of resolution will affect the person in drastic ways, making they rely on this sense of resolution in order to be at peace. Symbols and ideas can only go so far, action needs to be taken in order to actually have an impact on the world and bring about real resolution. Maynard James Keenan, Tool’s vocalist, stated in an interview, “So to me, when you see some movie about someone just doing some horrific deeds, in a way, by watching that movie you have related to express that emotion, or that desire, and therefore you don't need to go deal with it. But the more you repress it, and deny it, the more It's gonna come out somewhere and It's not gonna be pretty when it happens, It's gonna be real when it happens rather than interest.” He is explaining that by entertaining a seemingly harmless interest it can subconsciously start to manifest and force its way out into the conscious, causing someone to act out those actions that have been repressed for so long. Watching violence or any sort of subject on the television will influence the viewer, causing them to act it out instead of, as Harvey stated, feeling resolved. Violence may be a strong example and not as commonly seen, but something like how people interact and treat one another is more prevalent. If a person watched a show containing overly dramatic reality show tv stars who gossip about one another constantly, the person watching it will be influenced and do the same in their own life. The viewer will pick and choose what aspects they like about the show and incorporate them into their own life. This effect of television can go a step further and change the way people perceive life and dramatic events. Canadian essayist, Robert Fulford, speculates that television does affect and influence the way people see real life events, “Television instructs us that one war looks much like another, one plane crash much like another, we lose our sense of the human 3 meaning of disaster. Mass communication deadens rather than enlivens us” (Fulford). The constant flow of negative information and death makes it a ‘new normal’. Families turn on the news every night to see another murder, another rape, another horrible deed done, but after a while we become numb to these events and after turning off the tv, forget all about them. The lack of expressing emotions then affects our ability to relate to others in their emotions as well; we lose our empathy. Michael Lewis states in the Behavioral and Brain Sciences magazine, issue 25, “Empathy disorders are characterized by impairments in the conception of mental states, expression of emotions, and verbalization of feeling states due to dysfunction in the brain areas that subserve empathy. (Lewis 14)” Paying more attention to our devices and fictional characters on a screen than communicating with others will have negative impacts on human interactions. Cutting back on such interactions will result in decreased expression and verbalizations of emotions. The loss of empathy and human connection is shown briefly in the video of “Vicarious”, directed by Alex Gray, where the thinly veiled skeleton character is focusing on a transparent screen, another being is next to him doing the same. The character takes one small look and doesn’t even acknowledge that the other is standing there. Mindlessly, he goes back to staring at his own screen. Considering Tool uses a lot of progressive ideas, it is a possibility he could be experiencing an ‘out of 4 body’ sensation and is seeing himself. This is so effective because we see he is still too brain dead and numb to even realize what he’s experiencing. Regardless, there is no portrayal of emotion and no exchange between the two. They care more about the empty panel in front of them than each other. Later in the video his ‘second self’, which would be the one experiencing the out of body feeling is transported to a strange 3d world where everything is connected and endless. One being stays in front of the television, dead inside, while the other being transcends to a whole new world and gains new knowledge and understanding. Without this transcendence into knowledge people will remain self absorbed and uninterested in others. This loss of empathy and desperate attempt to appease our desires through technology is caused by the information overload brought about by the 21st century lifestyle of constant stimulation. Constant stimulation causes one to rely on that stimulus, creating an addiction. In Tool’s album Ænima, “Stinkfist” has very explicit themes about sexual overstimulation, but they only serve as a metaphor for the real meaning. With lyrics like, “Constant over 5 stimulation numbs me,” “it's not enough. I need more. Nothing seems to satisfy. I said I don't want it. I just need it. To breathe, To feel, to know I'm alive.” We can easily decipher that it is about addiction or obsession. The speaker feeds off of his addiction and with each dose he grows increasingly tolerant. The next time he feeds the addiction, he will need more, unable to be satisfied or get the desired effect from the amount previously taken. Clinical Psychologist Steve Sussman states, “As tolerance increases, one likely spends more time locating and engaging in an addiction” (Sussman). The addiction becomes the speaker’s crutch and without the stimulus he feels dead and numb, creating a never-ending circle of obsessive consuming until he hits rock bottom and realizes that he’s destroying himself. This can be related to many topics outside of addiction, though using such a theme pinpoints what Maynard is trying to say in his lyrics. At the end of the song it concludes with a realization of the way things are, “Something kinda sad about the way that things have come to be. Desensitized to everything. What became of subtlety?” Finally the song ends with “Turn around and take my hand.” It ends in a hopeful tone, where the fear of not feeling is overcome by being helped by another. The key is to not be constantly stimulated in order to keep the senses functioning properly. Many are reluctant to help or get help because of fear or the feeling of being insecure. Because of concept that empathy and compassion is lacking, people are also reluctant to go to others with their problems. When performing this song live, MJK, the vocalist, would introduce it as it being “about choosing compassion over fear” and the song takes us through the journey of such a mindset. The video of “Stinkfist,” directed by the band’s guitarist, Adam Jones, revolves around two characters who appear to be strange sand covered people. They live off of 6 strange machines and eat nails that become embedded into their stomach. Pieces of their body fall off because of the nails and they store the remnant ‘skin’ in glass jars, treasuring them. The characters move slowly and timidly, they appear to be very paranoid and scared of the unknown, but once they come in contact with one another they react in a gentle manner. The flashing screens and strange machinery give an unsettling feeling of fear but when the two are together the environment isn’t as frightening. The female being inspects the male and caresses his face, their fingers seem to ‘feel’ everything instead of simply touching to establish what is there. The idea of feeling another or the surroundings around is a much more intimate and meaningful thing. Their sand skin is gone, giving the viewer some room for interpretation that ‘their outer layer has gone’ and whatever is left is the genuine being. They are vulnerable and understand the boundaries that come with it. The two are careful with one another and no actions are rushed, giving a sense of stillness within the twitchy frames. The characters are interacting in a genuine way and are yearning to be loved in a slow, soft manner. Then, once their ‘dialogue’ together is over the two are faced with fear and trauma once more. MJK says he has had some strange dreams one where, “I had this overwhelming feeling that the people who put me there wouldn't allow me to leave, and I'd just be alive there with spikes through my arms and legs, so I consciously put my head in the way of one of the spikes to end it all” (Rolling Stone). His fear of being trapped in a hopeless situation is depicted through this video in a unique way. The viewer is able to feel those fears through seeing these characters and how they are living in such a closed in basement like area. They’re reliant upon the machines in the room and cannot leave, hence making death seem like a good way to escape. Instead they are not aware of what is outside and choose to stay in the 7 place that they are familiar with. The theme of being trapped (whether it be physically or mentally stuck within a state) is not only part of Tool’s music but also through Adam’s Jones’ videos. Tool’s next music video for “Aenima” opens with the image of a vast field of large spikes, just what MJK had expressed through his dream. This song is directly about the people Los Angeles and how they “have lost touch with what really matters” (Rolling Stone). Part of him believes that the best way to solve certain issues with people is to completely clean out an area and start over. Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good, similar to the flood in Biblical times. The music video is in the color scheme of blues and blacks with water reflections on the walls, very similar to the themes of the song. The first character to be seen in the video is an overweight white male who looks like the typical political cartoon character of a Wall Street big money man. With lyrics like, Fret for your figure and Fret for your latte and Fret for your lawsuit…” there is a specific crowd he is speaking to. MJK continues with talking about the ‘end times’ 8 and praying for rain in order to wash away L.A. with all of its ‘trash’. He directly compares the people to human feces and says “flush it all away.” The video seems to have a slightly different interpretation to the direct lyrics. In the video there is a small puppet like zombie‐esque creature that is cradled by the wealthy man. The creature seems loved and cared for but is then tossed away into a box and is shaken and thrown around, like trash. The angry tone and frustration in the lyrics of this song could be connected to the strange humanoid character. He could represent someone or something close to MJK or Tool itself. The business man appears to care for the being at first, but then throws it into a box and tosses it, hurting the alien‐like being inside, leaving him to drown in the rising water. The creature is abandoned and thrown away instead of being kept and loved. Something like this could have happened to someone, where they are told they have potential and are supported, but once they are of no use they are thrown out like an object. It is another sign of mankind lacking compassion for others and taking advantage of humans as if they were tools to be used and disposed. MJK says in an interview, “What nature should do next is figure out some way to plug the computer chip into our DNA so we could become re-aware that we are connected, and that we have a compassion and a love for ourselves and what's around us.” This constant theme of being connected and one with everyone is very important to him and Tool’s music, Maynard does not want people and relationships to become tools people use in order to help 9 themselves. Humans need to take the time to really connect with others on a deep emotional level. Maynard uses the idea of a computer chip because that is the way people tend to think in this technological age; they want a quick fix. American society wants instant gratification, to plug in new software and reboot the system in minutes without any hard work. People no longer have the time and patience to truly know and understand another. He was sure to add “a love for ourselves” because if we treat ourselves badly then how can others expect us to treat them any better? A person must be mentally and physically healthy in order to benefit others. Tool’s videos and music are about heavier and traumatic topics in order for the members of the band to use the art form as a creative outlet for their ideas. This action of creating art can be seen as a kind of therapy. The art brings out inner thoughts and once someone realizes their issues they can start to go out and resolve them in order to be cleansed and have hope for healing. Tool promotes the idea of human evolution and ‘betterment’ but that we have reached and age where “it's as if we've just discovered that the earth is round again," the singer says. He means that the modern world is discovering all these new truths that can be scandalous and shocking. The authorities as well as society may not accept them right away and fight the ideas that have come about. Regardless of how people feel in the modern world, eventually these new progressive ideas will be accepted into society and change the world. "Just look at the birth of quantum physics, and alternative medicines and power sources. There's a lot of resistance to that stuff, so things are going to be really chaotic and violent for a while" (Rolling Stone). When people are resistant to new concepts and ideas there is a lot of conflict and Maynard is saying the ideas will triumph in the end despite any resistance. 10 Tool’s song “Third Eye” revolves around a new way of thinking and the resistance but gradual acceptance that comes with change. The name along suggests Buddhist themes with the concept of the third eye. Zhang describes how “In the Chinese language, to open one's third eye is an idiomatic expression, which has a strong media ecological resonance. Metaphorically, it indicates getting rid of hindrances so one's natural, latent potentials can be actualized” (Zhang). The third eye represents consciousness and wisdom. Allowing people to be able to think and decipher truth for themselves, which is a strong belief MJK has. He is against blindly believing in things, whether it is religion, education, politics, or anything. He wants us to always question and dig deeper to find the true meaning, which is strongly shone through his style of creating music and lyrics. In “Third Eye” a being, who, “Grinning wide And comforting me with it's three warm and wild eyes.” appears to the speaker and says, “I've missed you so much Came out to watch you play Why are you running?" This being cares for the speaker and watches over him, while the speaker runs and is too busy to take time and pay attention to the other. Finally, the speaker reaches out, “I stick my hand into his shadow, To pull the pieces from the sand. Which I attempt to reassemble, To see just who I might have been. I do not recognize the vessel, But the eyes seem so familiar.” The speaker finally sees the being, and realizes it may be a part of himself, or at least someone he could have been. Seeing as this song has Buddhist themes we could possibly assume that the other being is a reincarnated or enlightened self who is reaching out to their human or ‘fallen’ counterpart. The eyes of the being are familiar, suggesting they have a similar ‘soul’, because as everyone says, the eyes are the window to the soul. Tool uses common symbols such as the eye to be able to star out with an icon with some meaning already 11 assigned to it. Prof. Kathy Mckee states, “individuals ascribe meaning to signs or symbols encountered in the media in ways that reflect a priori assumptions but which may go beyond those to ascribe new meanings based on mediated or social contexts.”(McKee) Maynard uses these pre-existing ideas of symbols to his advantage and expands past them. Sometimes he builds off of their significance or goes the opposite way in that the original significance is misleading and not how he wants to portray the symbol. In this situation, the symbol of the eye and third eye are expanded and build off of the original conception and meaning. The speaker of “Third Eye” wants to find out the truth and, “Prying open my third eye. So good to see you once again. I thought that you were hiding.” He had to force his eye open, a painful process, but once he opens it then he sees the truth. The speaker is able to see the being for what it truly is and he is at peace, finding out that what he was looking for was with him the whole time. The being talks to the speaker as if he were a child, with authority but also with a kind of compassion, “And you thought that I had run away. Chasing the tail of dogma. I opened my eye and there we were.” The speaker had been too busy chasing outside myths of what people, society, and authorities were telling him instead of searching for the truth himself. He was preoccupied and now that his third eye is open he sees that what others were telling him was a distraction to the actual truth. This could be a message to the listeners of Tool to go stop the monotonous daily struggle and look inside for our own truth. It may not be enjoyable to pry open ‘the third eye’ but after the pain the truth will be revealed. Their songs and videos bring out the horror and violence in a brutally honest way, but behind the image of being a metal band there is a deeper and more meaningful 12 message. The Drummer Danny Carey suggests, “"You can equate our music to childbirth. It's brutal and harsh, but there's still a beautiful thing occurring” (Rolling Stone). Their videos and music use disturbing and shocking themes in order to make a clear and strong point. When something is shocking or takes someone by surprise, it becomes more memorable and even brings out curiosity. If a song is bland and doesn’t appear to have meaning, then nobody will pay any attention to it. By having two sides to their music, the apparent and the underlying, Tool successfully creates an unforgettable experience. 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