TOOL - PUSHIT (Double Listen - Ænima & Salival versions) | COUPLE REACTION
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- Metal reactions channel. Brad and Alena react to "Pushit" (double listen - Ænima & Salival versions) by Tool.
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Well done, Brad and Alena. Great discussion and I admire your commitment in this one!
This is a long, loooong post, breaking CZcams etiquette, so please feel free to save yourselves and stop reading here.
But I thought I’d share my interpretation of this song. I’ll try in vain to be keep it succinct.
It is often useful to look at Maynard’s lyrics as a story, as he very often uses storytelling forms and techniques.
In this case, for clarity, I’ll depict the relationship as one between male and female, with the singer/protagonist being the male character. As you mentioned, this means it is only one perspective, one side of the story, and thus filled with unreliability, projection and justification.
It reads to me as a Shakespearean Tragedy, and that is the lens with which I'll explore it.
And, of course, this is just one interpretation.
So…
into the rabbit hole!
#
I think “the gap” is metaphorically the abyss. It is a place where all control is lost, which is terrifying to the protagonist. Yet it is also the source of the thrill in their venomous relationship - to come so close to that kind of danger, it is their shared addiction… and it will ultimately be the cause of their tragic but inevitable end.
This is foreshadowed to us, softly, at the song’s beginning.
We are then thrown into the story, exposed to the seesawing nature of the protagonist’s mind.
He will choke until he swallows - submission, resignation, masochism, acceptance of his place in this relationship.
But his thoughts turn immediately on that word. His wrath is just under the surface, waiting to erupt. Now he imagines choking her - this infant, being her infant mind - a violent and shocking metaphor, though it is just fantasy here.
Then a moment of reflection. The protagonist turns the blame inward. How much of what he sees in this person, of what he hates in them, is simply a reflection of his own flaws and weaknesses? Who is he to condemn her?
This violent, manic depressant relationship continues, with him encouraging her drama “rest your finger on my trigger,” while simultaneously threatening her of the consequences “You’d better take care not to make me enter.”
They flirt with the gap. Flirt with the abyss. The thrill is all encompassing. The chaos intoxicating. The addiction is an endless, destructive spiral. He plummets again. He has let her push him into the abyss again…
Then, at the bottom once more, a moment of stillness. The protagonist has a realisation. He must never fall into the abyss again; he must never return here. His mind is set. He is never going to see this place again.
And then we come to the final act.
The test the protagonist was preparing for arrives. The moment foreshadowed at the beginning of it all. She tries to pull him back in to the same spiral. She begs him, as has happened so many times before.
But he resists. He cannot go down this path again. He WILL not. The gap appears before him once more. He sees it. And it terrifies him…
Only an ultimatum remains. A final attempt to escape and avoid the tragic destiny that will befall them both, if he fails. (I must here say that this phrase sung by Maynard is one of my favourite moments in any Tool song. So emotive and powerful, and a beautiful piece of poetic phrasing.)
“If when I say, “I might fade like a sigh if I stay.”
You minimise my movement anyway.
I must persuade you another way…”
His dilemma is final and clear. If his words, his warning that he will fade if he stays, is not enough to persuade her. If she tries to minimise his movement despite his words, tries to push him back forcefully. Then he must take action to persuade her.
His words fail. The prophecy tragically unfolds exactly as he foresaw it.
The gap is before him. Her hands on his back. His survival takes over. His terror at falling again makes him act…
We have already glimpsed his violent mind at the beginning of it all. His imagining of choking this infant.
Thus we witness the horrifying and violent end, the inevitable conclusion to this Shakespearean Tragedy, accompanied by his final words to her.
“Remember I will always love you,
As I claw your f%#king throat away,
It’ll end no other way,
It’ll end no other way...”
#
If you got this far, Brad and Alena (and anyone), you have my gratitude and appreciation. No one should expect their words to be read, especially here of all places and in such large quantity! Keep up the good work and I look forward to watching the rest of your Tool journey unfold.
Foti.
Hi Foti - don't worry about etiquette haha. We appreciate the interest and passion! :)
In any case, it was a good and interesting read. I really liked the links to Shakespearean techniques and structure. I'm [Brad] going to pin it in the hope that others find it too.
Out of curiosity Foti - are you a writer by any chance? If not, you could be ;)
@@BradAlenaMetalReactions wow, thanks Brad, that is super kind of you to do.
I am indeed a writer, thank you for the complement.
I just read your piece called "A Need for Anger, A Path to Peace, A Time to Listen". It was really well written and I agree with many of your views. I especially liked what you did with "fire". Very nicely done!
@@BradAlenaMetalReactions I appreciate you reading that, brotha. Yeah that blog is an exercise in honest writing and some sort of consistency (though I haven't written one for a few weeks!)
That was one of the heavier ones I've written for sure, glad you enjoyed it.
Nice one. Well keep doing your thing! :)
What an interesting take she has. Never saw this song from this angle, under this light. This is why I love watching these reactions.
She always blows me away with her interpretation !🤯
So glad you two decided to do these two versions together. Doing so allows you to understand the dynamic beast that is TOOL. The same song...but so different. And again, your analysis of meaning is fantastic. No matter where you go...you are on your path for this TOOL spiral....the most important thing is this path is to submit and absorb. You will be better off at the end.
Thank you again...peace.
Third eye is almost opened. В ожидании...
I can tell this hits you, Brad, on a spiritual level the same way it does me. The Salival version, particularly, is straight-up meditation music for me. Adam's guitar tone in that one is otherworldly. Thank you for doing both back-to-back!
Never ever heard the "twin" interpretation, that's so interesting! I love hearing all the ways people can interpret Tool, speaks to the power of the band! Many postulate that the band is named Tool because they want the music to serve as a "tool" for people to explore their own minds, through varying interpretations, applications, in different situations, through different lenses. Just interesting, love the reactions and the double feature!
Wow, a woman who can appreciate Tool always impressed me. Not very easy to find. Great connection. It seems like either people get it or not. I've been with Tool since 1991. I hope to see them again.🥁🥁
@@BradAlenaMetalReactions I love to see people discover Tool.
My all time favorite song, both of them. Thank you
Rosetta Stoned (with lyrics obviously). She might be ready for it.
Yes if you do Rosetta Stoned, you have to do the Lost Keys first!! Such a killer experience.
I mean, other than this guys attractive girlfriend....
I think you were right on the “gap” interpretation. It’s like once again noticing the negative space or differences between people. The distance. As for the “infant” lyric...I believe he’s talking about either the other person, referring to their infantile behavior. Or he’s referring to the own infantile behavior in him, and “choking” or killing that behavior in himself. I noticed Bradley barely had his eyes open the whole time. Tool really takes you to that place and I love it that you recognize that place! And Alena’s assessment of the live version being “more hippy” is hilarious because I thought he same things the first time I heard it. Finally, Alena was talking about how the voice is used and how it works with the music. This is a tool staple. In almost all Tool songs you can HEAR in the music what Maynard is saying. The song flow and flow of the music paints a picture of what is being sung about. Some songs it is more obvious. Some not so obvious . I won’t spoil it for her but I’m interested to see if she recognizes it in certain songs in the future!
Another great review! Alena made some very good points for a Tool novice, if you will. First, I think she said something about how Tool songs are not rushed and they take their time with a song. Couldn’t agree more! In fact Adam Jones once said the way they write music, songs, and an album is that it’s not good when it’s done, it’s done when it’s good. That manifests itself in the finished product. Also her comments on the lyrics of their songs, Maynard writes with a specific experience in mind, something personal. But the way he writes leaves it to interpretation to the listener. Great analysis there! As you move on to Lateralus let me think of some suggestions 🤔...ALL OF THEM! 😂
Honestly though, Lateralus is one of those albums that can, and should be, listened to from top to bottom in order. It’s one of the greatest albums of all time. Enjoy!
Best interpretation if this song I have read/heard.
i find more and more that one of my favorite hobbies is watching a beautiful young woman that has intelligence react to my favorite band “Tool”
Haha thanks Jonathan! :)
If you are moving on to Lateralus now, it's probably best to start at the beginning with "The Grudge." You guys don't have to do all of the songs you pick from the album in order, but lyrically and musically, "The Grudge" marks the change/transition from pre-Lateralus TOOL, and sets the stage thematically for any other songs you do from the album. Plus that ending! 🤯 🤘
22:27. Fucking hell. This mind is so acute, and bold. I absolutely love it. This mind might be correct. After this, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Maynard confirmed this. Abject brilliance.
We're both thoroughly enjoying your own series of comments here! Reading as you progress through the reaction has us belly laughing proper haha! :D:D:D Reads like you're going through your own 5 stages of grief! :D
Brad & Alena Metal Reactions Right on. That’s exactly what I’m doing. Edit. No, I am happy, perplexed, angry, questioning myself, and absolutely having the time of my life.
I love her mind and interpretation of this song. I can see where she's coming from. Not how I interpret the song, but thanks for a refreshing take on it.
Thanks for taking the time to watch! Glad you enjoyed it! :)
I love you guys take freaking amazing heard this in 95
OK I don't think I have heard it put more beautifully ( czcams.com/video/dJ10Wcl_UMA/video.html ) when Alena said Tool likes to take their time and toss all the formulas out the window. Love the way her mind works. This is why I enjoy seeing people listen to Tool and honestly try to experience it because you can always learn a little something or come away with a little different viewpoint. Whether I agree or disagree as long as you can elucidate your view I will give it an honest look. I also agree with Brad that the "Rest your trigger on my finger" is a huge line that sticks out in the song and points towards a conflict in a relationship. Good job guys.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! Looking forward to WAY more Tool!
Stay on the Ænima album for a little longer, I'm interested on her sentiments of H & Third Eye
do this 100%
Great art inspires your imagination to run wild to fill in the perceived gaps your mind creates when you experience it.
I loved hearing your thoughts about this misic. Thank you for posting.
Thank you for your kind words! We loved making this video too! :D
The Grudge!!! Pllllllease!!?? Oh and def loved the reaction !
Holy shit, her take on the lyrics blew my mind! I had to sit down for that. Genius!
Amazing lyrical analysis. After 15 or so years I can still see new angles on Tool. I love the twins in the womb metaphor idea.
By far, my favorite song of theirs. The album version has a special place in my heart. It got me through some very difficult times in my life. Keep kicking ass on these videos. #SpiralOut
Thanks Adrian! Awesome song and glad it and the album helped you so much!
Your background is very symmetrically pleasing for some reason lol. Great job all around guys, look forward to catching up 🍻🍻
Haha thanks Alex! Good to know, although sadly we'll be losing that background later this week as we're moving apartment lol
Dude really, how long have you been waiting to throw that word out there?
38:20. Remember, this is live.
Now for fun you get to watch the live of this version where a fan rushes the stage and Maynard subdues him, continues singing, mounts him, wraps the cord around his neck and uses him to fuel the rest of his performance.
Haha no way! :D:D:D
if you squint it looks like the tool logo above the left sofa pillow
I’ve been anticipating these tracks.....thanks for doing a double reaction.....the depth of your analysis equals the music. 👽
Lateralus is by far my most played album in my collection. It's hard to narrow it down to the songs I would like to get your opinions on. Honestly I would love to have a full album reaction on this one ;).
But if that is not possible I would love to see reactions of the "staples" and maybe 1 or 2 off of my suggested list.
"Staples":
The Grudge
Schism
Parabol/Parabola
Ticks & Leeches
Lateralus
Suggestions (I think both of you would appreciate these and I would love to know your thoughts/feelings on these songs):
The Patient
Disposition
Reflection
Look forward to these reactions!
I'd argue that one should listen to disposition, reflection and triad as one cohesive act.
My interpretation is definitely along the relationship angle. I feel like I finally understood the "infant" lyric while watching you break this down. Any relationship needs care and love and attention to flourish and grow... much like an infant... yes? So "choke this infant here before me" is basically a way of saying that we have done our best to care for this relationship but its not working, we need to stop trying to save it, its time to let it go. I think we have all experienced the incredibly intense push and pull of trying to disentangle yourself from a person you love when the relationship stops working.
Definitely. Also, in the Salival version, Maynard adds the words "my dear". Every word he writes is intentional, so I think this lends itself even more to the relationship interpretation. And rather than say "pushit on me" he says "you're pushing and we're shoving, and I'm pushing, and you're shoving". Seems to me like with some time and space he grew to better understand his own role in the breakup, and not simply point the finger at the other person.
Absolutely. Maynard is obviously quite the introspective and self-aware type. And a perfectionist. It seems to be in character for him to want to update the song as his own understanding of the situation grew. Luckily for us he's in a band with three other extremely talented perfectionists, so they went right along with him :)
The pillow at the back looks like the CD cover of 10, 000 Days. :D Nice reaction/analysis!
Haha thanks Jaynash! Appreciate you taking the time to give us positive feedback :)
It’s more emotional. Drums, guitar, and bass have more feeling. The words stay the same...kind of. But it’s more musical than the original. Music speaks to the soul. That’s really all it’s about.
26:36. Damn. This young human really lives outside the box. It is magnificent.
I wish you guys would have done a few more songs from Undertow. It's easier to see how they have begun to evolve on Ænema. By the time you get to 10,000 days you really see the evolution more clearly. I feel like it's too late to go back and you have to keep pushing forward. When you get to Lateralus, promise me that you will do Parabol/Parabola reaction together as one song.
I don't know if it was thanks to one of the comments I wrote to you before, but I expected this from you! so thank you very much Personally I love both versions, it is interesting what they do, sure of all aspects of this topic, they selected the most "vulnerable". As for the drums of the east, it is called Tabla. I understand that in this concert they invite Aloke Dutta, great tabla player from india and Maestro de Tabla from Danny Carey. Another thing I have to say is pay more attention to the genius behind the percussion, the way the songs are metrically constructed, Danny Carey is a genius behind all of this. Another aspect is the atmosphere that Justin (bass) generates. It is tremendous. As for the lyrics of this song, I feel more as if it were a part of the "shadow" (which incidentally on this album stands out a lot, influenced by the psychoanalyst Carl Jung according to many believe) speaking with its divine or human aspect, call it as you like. Both are a plenary part of the unit, it is like the Ying and the Yang, both are an intrinsic part of themselves. Both maintain an active movement and establish balance in this "dance". BUT when both repel and are not accepted, both lose their balance and tend to cancel. (You already know how this physical property of sound that when facing two sound sources with exactly the same frequency, cancel each other and stop emitting sound) The opposite of balance is fear, the opposite of fear is love. Balance and love go hand in hand, if love is altered a little and becomes excessive, it immediately stops being so. I appreciate your vision and attention with this beautiful work of art. Keep up with Aenima! It would be great to see them advance together listening to more of Tool. I also suggest listening to other bands such as: Magma, King Crimson, Genesis (old things), Ozric Tentacles, Los Jaivas (Song, "The mighty death" icon band from my country, Chile ), Congress, Diogenes, Inche Kay Che, Panoptico, Monttrio, Marillion ... There is so much more, thank you!
After your first reaction to the studio version, I thought you were insightful. All you need now is to flip it inward.
Alena deserve Right in two... really like your Tool reaction
The twin paradigm is one of the most interesting interpretations I've ever heard of this song. This is also a top 5 Tool song for me. While ultimately I believe it to be wrong, it has incredible value and "wrongness" is an incredibly arrogant stance to take so thus I take it very seriously and it has increased the depth of the song for me.
Thanks Colin, glad you enjoyed it as much as we did!
you should check out no quarter cover before moving on to anything in Lateralus or later
The infant before me....I always believe his was talking about his mind because I always saw some tool pictures with the fetus inside the head
A really good Tool song is just like properly pleasing a woman, it takes time to do it right.
Just do them all in order. There are no bad TOOL songs. The only debate is which one is your favorite.
Loving your reactions and interpretations, hope you do a few more songs off "Undertow" at some point, there are also some really good live performance videos if you wanted to do more double feature videos.
is it time for Rosetta Stoned yet lol
@@BradAlenaMetalReactions big negative lol sacrilege
@@BradAlenaMetalReactions but when you do do it, I'd have some lyrics handy lol pretty chaotic
Ahhhh it being a song about being birthed makes sense. The screaming THERES NO LOVE IN THIS as he goes from the safety of the womb and the painful pushing and violence (and shit) in the birthing process is too good.
Awww she wants to be a mum I feel like she's French heritage
Funnily enough, I'm probably the one (Brad) who wants kids more! :D
19:34. Don’t tell her what it was about, cuz the two of you may disappear.
Best to finish off Aenima then either go back and do Opiate and Undertow first or forward to Lateralus, 10,000 Days and Fear Inoculum
I want to know what they think of Jerk Off.
We're currently moving forwards through the Tool albums but hopefully we can come back one day. Or maybe someone requests it on Patreon.
I'm was trying to fall asleep to this video, and now Alena has me connecting dots on this "twins" theory of hers.smh I have listened to this song a hundred times and never considered that angle. This is how flat earth got started, pretty sure it's not the correct interpretation, but those dots definitely seem to connect.lol
The extra "drumming" is Aloke Dutta look him up, also liking the different interpretation of the song. I imagine the gap as like you're being pushed to a place of mental breakdown where you think and do irrational things, this song has been a favorite of mine since it came out but it turned into a real life story for me unfortunately. Keep the Tool journey going.
So a couple things;
I personally am torn on whether the vocal deviations are improv or intentional. Theres no denying that they have a reputation for being calculated, but at the same time, a mark of a true musician is to be able to adapt on the fly, and I refuse to believe that tool dont posses that quality (Danny Carey has a ton of experience in tabla and other funk/jazz drumming styles, so theres that). I havent heard another recording of the salival version, so I can neither confirm nor deny if there are variations.
As for the oriental sounds, it makes me wonder when this version was done, ie, were they recording lateralus at the time and got inspiration to re tool (pun not intended) an old classic.
Lastly, I've heard the fear innoculum album is supposed to be a reflection of everything they've ever done, and the beginning guitar rift of the salival version definitely has tones of a slower "descending" from FI, so it was definitely cool to see them incorporate sounds from a non album version song into their magnum opus.
Great analysis though, lateralus is definitely my favorite tool album all the way through, specifically the song lateralus, that will always be my go to when I want to expose someone to tool for the first time
19:00. Wow. This entire interpretation is on a different level. It obviously isn’t that, for us that have listened to it multiple times, still, that is way outside the box.
🤘😎
Please do a double reaction to "Third Eye" Aenima and Salival versions. 👽
I dont think any reaction channel has done that, not that ive seen anyway.
I don't think you get cool very well but it's okay you haven't really don't really into all the catalog yet but it's all good time will tell
You two dont feel anything huh?
We loved this song (and all the Tool songs we've done). I guess we're just not as expressive as other people?
Album version >>>> Salival version.
really?? 14 ads in a 55 min vid??? GREED
Dude you need to expand your music collection most of your videos are from the same three or four band and your women doesn't seem to be that into it.
expand your horizons or loose your chick.
What an incredibly presumptive and cringy thing to say. She's a big girl, she can tell him if she'd like to do something different.
Really. If you had a nano ounce of this guys game and intelligence you wouldn't be where your at now would ya shit guzzler3? Well would ya? Your childish attempt to belittle this man and make him seem less of a person in her eyes is embarrassing and sad. . What did you think you'd swoop in afterwards??? """LOL X INFINITY """ YOU DID, DIDN'T YOU .... LOL