Dissociated Thoughts

2/22/22 - Laterally Thinking Musically

I was so exhausted after work yesterday that I fell asleep rather than posting my soundtrack. I will rectify that now and then this evening will post the one for today,
2/22/22

TOOL - "Lateralus"

While I am far from genius, especially of late, Maynard James Keenan of the band TOOL (also of the band, A Perfect Circle) exudes it with his every chord and lyric.

The Song:
"Lateralus" was released in 2001 on the album of the same name. Both the album and song title refer to the ability to think laterally. “Lateralus” is just one of many songs written by Tool that express a deep and connective message or point of view. "Lateralus" is so deep and concentrated that the song structure itself is based on a sequence of numbers known as the “Fibonacci Sequence.” The bass and guitar structure follow the numbers in which some order, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8. The words to the song are also structured similarily: “Black/Then/White are/ all I see/ in my infancy/ red and yellow then came to be,” so that each syllable represents the first six numbers of the sequence. In structuring the music and lyrics as such, Keenan proves the genius of thinking laterally, thereby connecting life to everything imaginable.

The Man Behind the Song:
As per Wikipedia, "Maynard James Keenan is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, actor, and winemaker."
He is best known as the singer and primary lyricist of the rock bands Tool, Puscifer, and A Perfect Circle - and was also a member of the bands Green Jellÿ, Tapeworm, Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty, and TexA.N.S. It was written by one columnist, "James Maynard Keenan is one of very few vocalists to have the mentality and level of thinking he has obtained throughout life...James Maynard Keenan is one of the five geniuses of Tool, and his work should be admired for its insanity and depth."

Lyrics ▼

Lateralus
Tool
Songwriters: Maynard James Keenan, Justin Gunner Chancellor, Daniel Carey, Adam Jones

Black then white are
All I see
In my infancy
Red and yellow then came to be
Reaching out to me
Lets me see

As below so above and beyond I imagine
Drawn beyond the lines of reason
Push the envelope
Watch it bend

Over thinking, over analyzing, separates the body from the mind
Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must
Feed my will to feel my moment
Drawing way outside the lines

Black then white are
All I see
In my infancy
Red and yellow then came to be
Reaching out to me
Lets me see

There is so much more and
Beckons me
To look through to these
Infinite possibilities

As below so above and beyond I imagine
Drawn outside the lines of reason
Push the envelope
Watch it bend

Over thinking, over analyzing, separates the body from the mind
Withering my intuition, leaving opportunities behind

Feed my will to feel this moment
Urging me to cross the line
Reaching out to embrace the random
Reaching out to embrace whatever may come

I embrace my desire to
I embrace my desire to
Feel the rhythm
To feel connected
Enough to step aside and
Weep like a widow
To feel inspired
To fathom the power
To witness the beauty
To bathe in the fountain
To swing on the spiral
To swing on the spiral
To swing on the spiral
Of our divinity and
Still be a human

With my feet upon the ground
I lose myself between the sounds
And open wide to suck it in
I feel it move across my skin
I'm reaching up and reaching out
I'm reaching for the random or
Whatever will bewilder me
Whatever will bewilder me
And following our will and wind
We may just go where no one's been
We'll ride the spiral to the end
And may just go where no one's been

Spiral out, keep going
Spiral out, keep going
Spiral out, keep going
Spiral out, keep going

Have I piqued your interest? Then check out: Parabola   and Forty Six & 2