Forty Six And 2 by Tool

Album: Aenima (1996)

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The major underlying principles here relate to chromosomes and Jungian theory. Some of the ideas behind this song are based on the teachings of the spiritual explorer Drunvalo Melchizedek. Here's a snip of an interview with him (Leading Edge, 12/95): "There are three totally different kinds of humans on the Earth, meaning that they perceive the One reality in three different ways, interpreted differently. The first kind of human has a chromosome composition of 42+2. They comprise a unity consciousness that does not see anything outside themselves as being separate from themselves. To them, there is only one energy - one life, one beingness that moves everywhere. Anything happening anywhere is within them, as well. They are like cells in the body. They are all connected to a single consciousness that moves through all of them. These are the aboriginals in Australia. There might be a few African tribes left like this. Then, there is our level, comprising 44+2 chromosomes. We are a disharmonic level of consciousness that is used as a steppingstone from the 42+2 level to the next level, 46+2...These two additional chromosomes change everything."

According to Melchizedek, our planet is covered with geometrically constructed "morpho genetic grids" that extend from about 60 feet under the Earth's surface to about 60 miles above the Earth, arranged in geometric patterns (see "Sacred Geometry"). Each species has its own grid that supports life and connects the consciousness of its particular species. Before any species can come into existence or make an evolutionary step, a new grid must be completed. When a species becomes extinct, that particular species' grid dissolves.

A new grid was completed in 1989 - the "Christ-consciousness" grid. This grid will allow humans to evolve into our next version. We'll develop two additional chromosomes (which are really "geometrical images" designed to resonate with our specific grid) for a total or 46 + 2.

The main change will be a shift to the "unity consciousness." Every cell in your body has its own consciousness and memory. You, the higher being that occupies your body, make the millions of different consciousnesses in your body work together as one being. How does this relate to this grid? Think of yourself as a cell and the grid as the higher being. We will still have individual consciousness, but will be united in the form of a higher being in order to work as one entity." >>>
Suggestion credit:
Landon - Effingham, IL

Comments: 122

Dude With Cheap Sunglasses from VaI actually think the evolution idea tracks--or rather devolution. He is stepping into his shadow (primate ancestors woth 48 chromosones) and 46 and 2 are just ahead of him because intelligence and emotions can cause you pain, so he'd rather be an ape again; however, he chooses to love and live and die and feel pain in the end.

To me, it means he wants to stop being an ape and embrace being a human, even if it's painful.

That's just my take.
Geneticist4u from StockholmUnfortunately, this idea has many flaws from a genomic standpoint. Most primates have 46+2 chromosomes already. Modern“Human” evolution occurred when 2 of the 48 chromosomes fused together. To assume that adding chromosomes to an existing species equals evolution is spurious.
Kwicherbichenyo from Scranton, PaOne thing I’ve learned from 30+ years of listening to Tool is that all of their songs are written in such a way to be interpreted differently. Much like religion and any text that the followers of that religion interpret it. The Bible, The Quran, etc… Everyone has their own theory on what the text says and means, but only the one who wrote it knows for certain.

If the lyrics speak to you in a certain way then let them, it doesn’t mean they’re wrong if you believe them, just like religion.
Melchizedek from SalemThis song is actually about robots if you think about it.
Kris from Western AustraliaI always saw it as a struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts... forty caliber 6 bullets and 2 options "live or die" and either option is an ascension of some sort, hence the higher state of 46 and 2.adding the double edge to the metaphor.
Missy from MaineThe song is dope!
Mirko from DubrovnikIt sounds to me he is talking not about evolution but birth. Shadow of the womb he is in, and he is about to leave it. He is to be born, but can’t wait. About to Step into the light. He then says what he will do in life to get trough, and finally moment came.
See my shadow changing,
stretching up and over me,
Soften this old armor.. is such a great metaphor.
And he is coming out the other side

Maybe he was thinking too much about his baby when he wrote this
Jessica I. Curtis from CaliforniaFrom AZlyrics.com

The song is based on two ideas: shadow (from the works of Carl Jung) and morpho genetic grids (explained by Drunvalo Melchizedek). Jung explained "shadow" as the part of one's being that one hates and fears. Melchizedek believed that the human body will eventually reach a state when there'll be 48 chromosomes (46 autosomes and 2 sex chromosomes) instead of usual 46 (44 and 2 consequently).
Cameron from WaEverybody shut the hell up, you're critically thinking yourselves in circles.
Anonymous46/2 = Viginti Tres
Druid from MaineShadow can have many connotations. For me, I have to explore my shadow self ....my dark side.. in order to ascend to a higher plain on this realm.
So , when I listen to this song
Understanding chromosomes and being a psychic medium , I have a completely different take on it.
Druid from MaineIn reference to hotel Cali in hell.
Go relearn your numerology pal. And you're way off base....
Manyard understands.
The Veil is very thin now.
The scabs have nothing to do with childhood. You don't understand. You may have an education yet you are not educated. You speak like you are intelligent and yet you possess little knowledge of the things of which you speak.
Why don't you go study physics?? Then say, genetics.
Then, stop speaking and learn to HEAR what is being said.
Everything speaks to you.........
M6-9 from Flagstaff ArizonaThis is my favorite song ever. I won't say why. Thanks
Marshall LentiniBoring no matter which way you slice it.
Don from Long Island NyForget trying to interpret the song !!! Everyone will have a different take on it. Just relax and enjoy the music, no need to psycho analyze it. Try listening to just the instrumental version or watch o’keefe music (very talented) kids version, it’s sounds a million times better than Tools. LOL
Hotel_cali from HellI wanted to add to my previous comment just a couple things. One I missed the where the above explanation points out the Jungian references. I in turn pointed out these same references a Freudian. That was incorrect of me and I would agree that the ideas presented are actually more Jungian than Freudian. Sorry about that. Second I would also like to point out that Maynard being pretty obviously interested in mysticism could be referring to 46 & 2 from the perspective of numerology. 46 being associated with self sustainment and self evolution or the sustainment of self through evolution. 2 being associated with relationships. Even with this ideology being the foundation for the song it doesn't differ in the result that what is being said is, I'm going to change myself, evolve and come into communion with others to a greater extent or even the greatest extent possible. I think it's very interesting that both of these approaches, sacred geometry and numerology come to the same conclusion. It's undeniable that these practices are linked so I guess it shouldn't be surprising. I'm sure there's much more to be learned diving into all that; which I have not done, so I'll stop for now. Big thanks again to the originator of this thread.
Hotel_cali from HellThank you for the insights. I won't try to refute that 46 & 2. Means just what you said in terms of it's orgin or the concept. I do not believe that is the message of the song so much as being a statement about the result being sought. A transformation and elevation to a higher plain. The song is wrote with Freudian references to the shadow self, the presence of the child within us and origin of pain. Lyrics about picking scabs and clearing out what could have been being directed toward dwelling on pain from the past. Failures, traumas, mistakes, missed opportunities. So he talks about what he is struggling with "Picking scabs" (simplified), where he believes it is coming from "my child" (internal), where is the child and path to recovery lead through "my shadow" (The shadow self), how far will he go/how badly does he want this "I want to feel the change consume me" (to any length/ the desire for change is extraordinary) where does he want to end up "46 & 2 just ahead of me" (mental, emotional, spiritual elevation). The rest of the lyrics support or re-state these examples I used. I'm hurting, here's how, here's what I'm going to do, this is how badly I want this, and this is the end result I'm looking for. Thanks again for help with understanding the 46 & 2 concept and I hope my input is helpful also.
AnonymousManyards laughing bc he knew you bitches would argue about it, stop with the in depth interpretations, it’s complex bc you make it that way, listen to the song and you’ll get it.
Yes from Luther MiYou have moved my soul, WHO the F--K are you?
Ronda from UsSimply shedding your skin- change is the only constant in life! We grow, evolve, learn from our mistakes. Moving forward by shedding the skin of our past. Grow into what we are meant to be. Evolve and learn from those mistakes. This is what I hear.
Techdaddy from FloridaAs many have noted here, the song seems to have multiple meanings. The French word entendre (hear or understand) concisely describes this. Many have been exposed to the phrase "double entendre". It is a frequently used concept in creative forms of writing. Also, those that have stated that Tool intends for the song to have multiple meaning are very on point. Just throwing out my 2 cents here. Great discussion.
Crzyking from OhioListening to Tool is a Journey of exploration an exploration of self, present past and future!! People either Love Tool or dont like them no real in between. Just my opinion here Music is heard and enjoyed or You allow it it to take you to places. To appreciate and be a true Tool fan you Must go on The Journey with them open your mind and accompany the songs where they go.
Mr. Love from U.s.Amanda B.

If you ever paid attention to Maynard or his lyrics, you'd know he has a huge grudge against religion. He's definitely knowledgable about it but to base an entire song around simply a psalm or verse of the bible? Not likely. He's more the type to sing out against religion than to sing its praises.

As for science or religion being the foundation for Tool's lyrics, they are just different ways of understanding how the world works. There is still much we dont know and science is far from having all the answers. Religion is based off of human experience and written by human hands, so it's as one-sided as science. Maynard's a very spiritual person and there are points at which science converges with spirituality, no matter what scientists or religious folk choose to believe. Neither covers the full spectrum of life. They are two sides of a 7 sided die, if you will.

Tool is one of those bands to leave nearly every song open for interpretation and we all love that about them. But to condescendingly call us silly rabbits all while proclaiming you know exactly what he was referring to just makes you look like a fool. Have your opinions, but they are just that. Nothing more nothing less. There are certainly bits of Jungian and Melchizedek ideology in the deeper meaning of the song. You'd be a bigger fool to dismiss that notion.

Otherwise, your speculative knowledge of religion is noted.

Silly plastic bottle.

And Sup Dawg
We have 44 autosomes & 2 sex chromosomes, which is 23 pairs of 2. Our sex chromosomes (X & Y) are lumped in with the rest to give us a total of 46. 46 & 2 would give us a total of 48.
Mike from U.s.a.@david wheatley, absolutely agree, this is a piece of percussion brilliance! beautiful in its complexity.
Toolisthekey from San Diego@Oface, @Will, and a few others whom I couldn’t quite recall the name of thank you for your comments you guys are on the right track definitely added some insight in a way that as was accurate and impressive as it was enlightening.

TO THE REST if you naysayers and such, the very bickering and needless argumentative tone you take in some Callow effort to assert your dominance over others is playing into the very behavior that devolves humanity.

Many leople are right, there is not just one way to do it.
Obviously, so the three truths found here are all open to multiple accurate ways of interpretation.
The problems here are widely due to the “telephone game” effect of human nature, and the failure that occurs from”indoctrination” and the effects of cognitive dissonace.

Maynard IS really that deep, well-studied, and meditative.
Danny Carey IS that well versed in the sacred geometry of Solomans temple, and other freemason related histories.

That combination alone easily points to these meansings behind the lyrics.

Thank you for all who contributed.
Neverman from UsaThis comment is for Amanda B in Chicago.

You're using confirmation bias not deductive reasoning.
Amanda B from ChicagoSilly rabbits. The song has nothing to do with chromosomes. Maynard wrote more songs about religion than he ever did science. It's about the story of Adam and Eve. He's talking about the Devil that was disguised as a serpent, which crawls on his belly...

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

Cursed are you above all livestock
and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.

Psalm 46:2 New International Version (NIV)

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea
David Wheatley from Prince Edward, OntarioDrum solos in songs are not that common but there are some classic songs that include a moment highlighting the drummer. The Forty-six and Two drum solo is even more rare. Usually (Innagadavida, Frankenstein); the rest of the band stops. In Forty-six and Two, the band keeps playing and Danny Carey solos IN TIME with the other guys. I'm a drummer. This song will ALWAYS stand out as a piece of percussion brilliance!
Will from Pensacola , Fl"Join in my
Join in my child
and listen...
Digging through
my old numb shadow"

We all seem to be forgetting that Maynard's son was born around the time this album was being recorded. It's the birth of his son that prompted the re-examining of his life and the change that he had to make to become a good father.To get clean and just change the way he looked at the world so he could properly instruct/raise a well adjusted individual.

"I choose to live and to
Grow, take and give and to
Move, learn and love and to
Cry, kill and die and to
Be paranoid and to
Lie, hate and fear and to
Do what it takes to move through."

As for the Jungian shadow,
"The shadow are all the qualities that are repressed in ourselves, and represent a self diametrically opposite. To put it simply, the shadow is everythign we are not, and do not desire to be." (Thank you Brian from below!)

Maybe, just maybe Maynard never thought he would be a responsible father/son, but found himself having to become this for his son. All good parents go through this, it's just part of life. Now that Maynard has grown, his shadow has changed (shed it's skin). The shadow will always be there and is ever evolving. All we can do is transcend from one point of view to another.

I also find it interesting that the title of the song if Forty Six & 2, not 48. From a literary stand point, I think the "&" is significant, and is a metaphor for evolution (the process of change/becoming better suited to fit your enviroment). The whole album has the same message from start to finish if you listen/think about it... Anyway, just another point of view I guess...
Jg from Joppa, MdOface, who are they?
Sup Dogg from Portland, Bangladeshso humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, so arent we already at 46 and 2? or is 46 and 2 really forty 48 so we still can aquire 2 more chromosomes?
Oface from Chicago, IlWe were unified consciously, now we are broken, hollow, mere shadows of our yesterday, pretty much theories becoming self-fulfilling prophecy, evolved into a gridlock of shadow movement, no consciousness, the jungian theory is what they used to control what "aliens" view as just stupid humans, making fantasy world become reality by using science they discredit publicly but use to manipulate & control others, like they learned from how new religions are formed by the discrediation of the old ones, which is why they created a religion & furthered it, to kill religion period, then try to enlighten the world in its new hollowed state, which backfired when the energy that connects all things in the universe is what gives us consciousness, it evolves us, only proceeds in honor of our free will, our choice.
unfortunetly, they dont know how to progress society without consciousness, without spirit, because we have been reduced down to our animal self
to be controlled, not enlightened, that was done by unraveling our layers of human evolvement to say f--k you to religion not for the
evolvement of our human nature which obviously created democracy, & other ingenius concepts, for the preservation of life, for the advancements
of liberty, pursuit of happiness, which is dictated by them & greedy people, so we pretty much went to a "unified retardation of consciouness" which
why we have extra chromosomes, & why we are all down, empty, spiritually hollowed out. To prove they are not wrong about religion
when belief is a layer out from concrete science, the layer that leads us to new scientific discoveries, the layer they have destroyed in many,
by discrediting it, so they can operate on that layer to control us by their hypocrisy they justify living by as a f--k you to a warped bias view on
only Catholicsm, not because they are serious... f--k nuts who naturally were never selected to have that kind of power by gifts & talents, therefore
they lack the responsibility to use them, but they made it so no one has gifts or talents, nothing is special, just them & all of the credit they
steal from others, all of the great special gifts & genius ideas they steal from people... It is an alternate reality/dimension, so
we are off track & behind schedule, because that energy needed to show all of those douche bags that there is something that connects us all
& it is not them, because of that, they have created one of the biggest f--k ups in the history of man, if we freely choose to learn from that,
we will use this time period, & those responsible as an example for the rest of existence of what not to do when society is the most
advanced it has ever been, progressively regress back to being monkeys...
Mitch from Beach, FlAfter doing a report on Carl Jung for psychology I kinda realized what this song is about, or at least what I think. Well the jungian theory part of it anyway, I haven't read much on the chromosome guy to know fully but I know the general thing with the chromosomes is reaching higher conscious. Alright but anyway, with jungian theory. It sounds like to me he is dealing with what Jung calls a "complex" of dark thoughts which would be represented by the archetype "the shadow." what the complex is is a cluster of denied thoughts, and to get past a complex one must acknowledge these thoughts and then it is turned to help correct your life. The archetype "the shadow" which is representing his complex will appear in dreams and experiences (possibly psychedelics drugs?) and it sounds like he is trying to dig deep into his conscious to find the shadow and figure out what is wrong in the complex so he can except it and move past it (step through his shadow) which would in turn allow him to be free of all his wrong thoughts and step through the shadow and see into the collective unconscious. This would give him that Christ conscious, achieving the forty six and two chromosomes.
Mike from Calgary, AbThe song most definitely has two meanings, it interconnects the biological aspect of human evolution (ie. the title of the song) with the psychological evolution utilizing aspects of Jungian psychology. Maynard talks of the shadow by relating it to our past experiences in life that we have repressed, it lies dormant while at the same time it sheds it skin (metamorphosing into a new form) so it stays hidden by changing its form. It hides in the delusions we create, to overcome this we must welcome the change and look in ourselves to see what memories we cling to. The suggestion is that if you are capable of ridding yourself of the armor that protected you from these painful experiences you not only psyhologically grow but you biologically change, this is an interesting concept because there is scientific evidence that an individuals biology can change as a direct result of life experiences (e.g. several people have been reported to have their eyes change color after an acid trip).
Timmy from Mukilteo, Wathis song was really amazing live. tool is full of depth and perception, both in lyrics and music. this is a great example of that.
Katie from Houston, Tx...There are alot of good points made here, but honestly, I think all artists, not just tool, intend for songs to touch the fans in a different way. Songs may have just one meaning, but if they do, it's usually pretty easy to see! Songs like this one aren't really meant to have just one meaning! And just out of curiosity...does anyone else think that artists get on sites like these and read what fans say?? LOL, just a thought...
Victoria from Minneapolis, MnI've been listening to Tool since I was 12 (I'm 20 now) and their words have helped me through every stage of my life. This last stage of my life has been my spiritual awakening... I've been reading a lot of spiritual books, one of them being titled "You are a spiritual being having a human experience" which is a later part to "Nothing in this book is true but its exactly how things are" (which is kind of 'ironic' that that was the first comment i saw scrolling down to the bottom of the screen). I knew nothing of what this song meant until I came to this page... and it just HAPPENS to be about what i've been studying about... I dont know I just think thats cool. Tool is cool. They got that whole "mind-f--ky" thingy goin on. :) HOORAY FOR INFINATE INTERCONNECTEDNESSSSSSSSS
Matt from Eville, IlI think having a psychedelic experience allows for evolution. Once you have an experience, where mind and body arent connected, i think that's when the most learning can take place. I suggest eating an 8th of shrooms for this.
Gary from Chicago, IlJuno,

What's being said at the begining of the song is:

"Join in my
Join in my child
and listen...
Digging through
my old numb shadow"
David from Boston, MaIn my opinion 46/2 is a combination of evolution,religion,and adiction. Maynard clearly has a strong feeling about religous doctrine,and is well versed in the ways of the addict. Like religion music is open for interpritation,and heres mine. 46/2 refers to the evolution and judgement day of humans,and being a recovering addict,I have witnessed in myself and many others the constant evolution from active addiction into recovery. When trapped in the throws of active addiction you are in a dark place(the shadows of life) The change starts when you go through physical withdrawral which entails alot of pain both physical and mentel,and if you have ever experienced it you know its a judgement day in and of its self. As you start your journy of recovery and live by a 12 step philosophy you start to evolve into a completely differnt person. as you evolve you start to step out of the shadows and into the light,but its a long and painful journey and when you start it it feels like judgement day is coming. Hence 46/2 just ahead of me. So there you have it one mans interpretation of tools 46/2. I know for me The song has a profound meaning,but no matter what your interpretation of the song is no one can deny that it kicks ass!
Angel from Stillwater, NyThis song makes me believe a man found out about himself through his own addictions and drug experiences. "Shadow" is a darkened reflection of a person or object, its opposite is the "colored" mirror image.

Shadow is a darkened outline of the entire body on any surface without humanity doing anything to make it that way, we however created surfaces that can reflect us but we didn't create the ability for us to "reflect." The sun will always create shadow, same with the light the moon gets from the sun. We understand what the cause for the reflection is, light, but science has built theories for what light is and religion has been a reason for the unknown portions science can't fill. Today's world is slowing down with evolutional theories so that religion and science can peel apart layers until more of the truth is filled, part of the human belief is how we judge ourselves, it is all scientific. Religion is a created spiritual science to better understand ourselves.

Humans created God/Gods to judge us so we could use "shadow" to reflect our positive or negative sides, in other words Catholic's judgment is called humans "are created in the image of God." To me this makes me believe we are our own Gods if we are to be the image of God. I'm not Catholic but I search for reason through my own interpretations.

Media shows drug addicts as bad people, God(s) in certain religions could look at human addiction as being sinful, regardless of religion people have there own natural judgment, it's just how far spiritually this judgment leads us. When we judge what we want to do its usually because we have something deep in mind to help influence us, Maynard sings this song, it has some meaning to him, experience leads people there. Man makes theories to learn about themselves, everyone has their piece.

Humans created a Gods judgment; and I believe it began when we questioned our own shadows, the science leading to it goes beyond us and it's an image of ourselves.

The Chinese were said to have created the first lens with a pin-hole through their paper walled homes, it reflected a tree or a shadowed image from outside onto an indoor-wall through the tiny hole. The image was a shadow and it was reflected upside-down. This is thought to be the first created image, like a photograph is to us now. Humans don't need to create shadow, this is why we needed to search for a reason, we are the shadow but we only physically made it with our bodies and not our mind, we however created mirrors to show ourselves in perfect detail, a man made reflecting surface. A comparable surface is water, there are others as well...

Shadow can be whatever we want to see it as. It's the unknown beyond our control, in-order to understand it we must look at science some look at possible religions. The image of ourselves, the shadows of the world, we must build it ourselves. Shadow to me is the energy of an object reflected with the energy of another. I'm not nearly scientifically sure of my beliefs but I think light is the energy of the world, heat gives off light and the sun causes the reflecting light to give us shadow. Our eyes are portals to the unknown; mine are in need to learn more.
Ken from Tulsa, OkI have no comment on the meaning of the song just about something that was mentioned on here about MJK isnt religeous as per his lyrics in JUDITH where he says fuk your GOD. . . . if you believe that this means he doesnt believe in God than you are a dumba$$ _shut up and buy_ the APC videos dvd and watch the fuking commentary he tells you exactly what he means. He explains every song except BLUE cause that was a contest video........ I dont own nor have i seen the commentaries for tools videos but i would imagine theres a possibilty he might tell you what FOURTY SIX & 2 is about or at least give you some insight into what he was thinking when it was written:)
Stephen from New Orleans, LaI realize this may not be a popular interpretation, but here we go. We know that Maynard in general has a bit of a problem with the Judeo-Christian faith, but he seems to be well read and therefore has probably read the Bible. The song is obviously about change and as the song progresses, he goes from wallowing and wanting, to choosing. Psalm 46 verse 2 states "Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea". The last lines of the song are "By stepping through my shadow, Coming out the other side. Step into the shadow. Forty six and two are just ahead of me." He has chosen not to fear the massive changes (such as mountains falling into the sea) that he wants for himself. It may be coincidence, but to me, it seems to fit.
John from St. George , UtI believe many of the explainations are in the ball park of correct. But a few haven't even made it to the parking lot yet. The song is obviously about change, also involving recovery from an addiction. Though Maynard is a very briliant human I don't think his message is so deep that we need to hire a scientist to figure it out. As a recovering user- recovery is a mother. But take addiction and science out of the picture for a moment and take the song in its literal word for word message. At a point in our lives we must maturely and spirituly evolve. NOT to be mistaken for "religion". At this point in our lives we are lost, out of controll, ridden with anxiety, with the "Insecure delusions" and are looking for "SOMETHING" to bring us back to "SANITY & SERENITY". I believe it's about becoming a better person through facing and embrasing our "Dark Side" so that we can pass through it and emerge a better person. If you are a "TRUE" Tool fan, then you should be an avid "A.P.C." fan. "Thirteenth Step"- "Gravity" should shed some light. If we truely change ourselve it does not have to be a physical thing. If we fully change/evolve as spiritual beings isn't that also a "Metamorphosis"? As far as the 46 and 2 I believe he is metaphoricaly refering to the theories of change and evolution.
Fall Of You from 25840, WvI think the band had decided to open a new chain of baskin robins called 46 and 2 to show how bad ass they are.
Jono from Christchurch, New ZealandDoes any one know what's being said really quitly at the start of the verses?? Or am i just hearing things????
Chris from Ontario, CanadaI think this song is about nazis "standing in line..." the rest of the song is about the last thoughts a person has before he or she dies while they are waiting to die and they hear those dying around them, and as the shots come closer and closer the person has a near death experience that evolves them into a person with 46 & 2 = 48 chromosomes, which is the next evolutionary step, "do whatever it takes to step through" indeed death is what is required to step through... just my 2 cents yo.
John from Pittsburgh, PaAwsome song. "Do... what it takes to step throught!" just gets me every time.
Frankie from Milwaukee, WiI just thought I'd help clear up the chromosome, Down Syndrome thing. Down Sydrome is caused by what is called a trisomy, three of a chromosome, in this case the 21st chromosome. Additional chromosomes do not necessarily result in cognitive delays or physical impairments, but one additional chromosome will cause problems. It is when this unpaired, keyword, chromosome competes with the existing paired chromosomes to be expressed, resulting in over-expression. Monosomy also causes problems because one chromosome is unpaired. Four or five copies of a chromosome only occur in sex chromosomes. Ukash from Poland stated that some people do have 48 chromosomes, having XXXX or XXYY, but if they had taken a minute to read the actual title of the song they would understand that they do not mean additional sex chromosomes, 46 regular chromosomes, plus the two for sex chromosomes. That is why no one can say this will result in Klinefelter's or similar disorders because they are not talking about additional sex chromosomes, separating the Forty-six from the Two in the song title.
Jab from Gig Harbor, WaMaynard writes his songs for everyone to make their own interpretation. there is no right explanation... but that certainly doesnt rule out misconception. he is most certainly not religious ("f*** your god" ring a bell?). tool never prints the lyrics in the album cover. instead they load you up with trippy sometimes vulgar artwork to enhance your perception. props to all of you for listening to tool and im sure your brain loves you for it.
Nate from Provo, Utin my religon we belive that you lived in a premortal life, we are brought to earth to be tested and to reseive a body, if we pass we go to a paradise that we can only progress in and be come equal (or one) with god, now i know maynard is not morman but to me he's talking about gods plan, 42&2=premortal 44&2= mortal life 46&2= one with god. Isnt that the beuty of art? It dosent have to mean one thing. Go mormans! nate wall provo ut. p.s i dont get your joke ronnie.
John from Kihei, Maui, HiCould it be that the author is explaining the process of building a highway, 40 inches of rock, 6 inches of rough asphalt then two of fine asphalt? All the while withering away in copius amounts of heat produced by heated a.c. and beautiful, nurturing sunshine...wish I could crawl through my shadow...bet its cool in there. :)
Jonathan from Yuba City, Cahey just thought id throw down what i could think of. the song for the most part has a 4/4 backbone. you can't realy tell unless you break it down to 16th's. 16/4= 64 16th notes. 46 64 kinda fishy. the 2 may reffer to a simple understanding of rythm.the shadow he's talking about could have been what created this song.it strikes me odd that the first words are join in my, and the courus is my shadow(join in my shadow). maby everyone els is what he supresses down into his shadow and he just wants us to get into the music at the moment. thats what i think about the meat of the song. i noticed alot of people took a stab at the scab metaphore, the line before it says "shadow's(shadow is) sheding skin. he's not letting it shed by picking the scab. maybe meaning there is no way to break into the shadow of ones self other than time. or maybe you can but its painful. the most important lyrics that i feel are in the song are "listen to my muscel memory, contemplate what i've been clinging to". Not knowing the man personaly i'd have to say he's clinging to music. All and all i like to take as much musical influence from the music of tool as i can. sometimes in some songs the lyrics can give you just as much.
Michael from Clonmel, Irelandvvvvvv Excellent comment.perfect.no need to say any more on this song
Ravirajput from Athani, Indiaforty-six 2, first the number suggests that tool is philosophical, spiritual band- who out there to understand the dark side of a life or u can say other side of a life...the ultimate answer of the universe as given by hitch-hikers guide to galaxy is, 42 i.e beginning and ending number of the title...in scrabble 6 multiply by 9 is 42...where as it is actually 54....six in the middle of the title designates 6 as well as 9 (6 upside down).six has three letters i.e it becomes 666...the number of Satan...hence there remains ultimate answer-42, but what is the ultimate question...that s what he is trying to find it out....believe it or not.
George from Melbourne, AustraliaI am a big fan of an entire album being a whole message, rather then individual songs, though individual songs can contain individual meanings. Aenema is one album, that if you listen to the whole album you really feel the message. I believe the song is about discovering yourself, getting your full potential, growing and changing, perhaps using a metaphor of evolving and chromosone changes. One of the other powerful message tracks on that album is 3rd eye, which says
"Today young men on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one conciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only dream, and we're the imagination of ourselves", which is similiar to what somebody was saying earlier about cells all sharing the same conciousness, but also brings drugs by saying 'Today young men on acid realized that', suggestive of Maynards drug addiction and contemplation of life.
I see no reason why the song cannot by about changing and growing in character, in mind and reaching unmeasured potentials, using evolution as a metaphor perhaps with the missing link in evolution as the missing link and looking for that link inside himself "Digging through My old muscles Looking for a clue." and "I've been wallowing in my own confused ...For a piece to cross me over Or a word to guide me in." Also from 3rd Eye: "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"
Yet the song seems to fairly obviously have drug undertones or at least the album, though having very little knowledge of drugs i won't try to comment, though i don't see why the song can't be about growing..etc and drugs.
But my main point is really just taking the album as a whole, sitting down a listening to it from start to finish and realising that the individual songs are merely exerts from the whole message.
Cullen from Regina, CanadaThis is one of tools best songs in my mind. i have many internet links and documents on the forty six and two theory but if you watch the video in the link bellow it will ultamatly sume everything up for you and what not. TOOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tja6_h4lT6A
Shadows from Eagle, Withis song has nothing to do with evolution. 46 and 2 is the scintific term or 46,xx, 46,xy for the number of chromosomes in a human. 23 pairs of chromosomes and the 2 sex chromosomes. in fact if you have 48 or 24 pairs you are considered an ape and of not bi peddled human entity. Can a person survive with too many or too few chromosomes? Since the chromosomes contain
genes that are needed for our growth and development, it makes sense that we cannot grow
and develop successfully if any chromosomes are missing. Only in the case of the X chromosome is it possible for a person to survive with a missing
chromosome, even though the X chromosome is a fairly large chromosome. Considering that a
normal, healthy male can manage with only one X chromosome (and a Y, of course), it is not
surprising that a woman with only one X chromosome may be able to survive at all.

A person with only one sex chromosome, an X, will be a female with Turner syndrome,
perhaps the mildest of all the chromosome abnormalities. We describe her chromosomes
as 45,X (meaning that each cell contains 45 chromosomes, including one X chromosome).
Even with Turner syndrome, most pregnancies will not continue to term but will end in
a miscarriage - only some will survive. The symptoms of Turner syndrome are quite
significant for those who have to live with them.

A person with only one Y chromsome (45,Y) could not survive or be born alive. The X
chromsome ahs important genes on it that would be completely missing in such a person.

As to why it is harmful to have an extra chromosome, this is harder to understand. If
chromosomes are good, wouldn't additional chromosomes be even better? The answer is no,
they would not. The genes on the chromosomes are needed in exactly the correct amount in
order to work correctly. (As with medicine, you need the right dose!)

Many genes cause the cell to make proteins of various kinds, and these are needed in the
correct amounts. Some genes function by instructing other genes to turn on and off at the
right moment, and these instructions need to be precise, accurate and sensitive. Having an
extra chromosome is like having a business with too many managers or a family with too
many parents or a car with two drivers or a country with two presidents, perhaps giving
contradictory instructions.

The smallest of all the chromosomes is chromosome 21. A person who has, not two but three
copies of chromosome 21 has Down syndrome, a well-known form of mental retardation.

Are people ever found with other extra chromosomes besides chromosome 21? Hardly ever.
Those babies who are born with extra copies of larger chromosomes may not survive for
long; they have many different health problems and birth defects.

Once again, the exception is the sex chromosomes. It is possible for males to survive with
two Y chromosomes (47, XYY instead of 46, XY). It is also possible to survive with an
extra X chromosome - 47, XXX females (triple-X syndrome) and 47, XXY males (Klinefelter
syndrome). in this new light i think we can rule out the fact of evolution. personaly it is ultimatley about the truth in soul searching and finding ones inner shadow and truths. carl jung states the meaning a ones shadow. it the dumping ground of opressed thoughts and feelings that one can not think or believe. look at the lyrics, maynard is talking about stepping in to his shadow and soul then coming back out in to reality and in to the body of that which is holding his soul and shadow. hence the lyrics "See my shadow changing,
Stretching up and over me.
Soften this old armor.
Hoping I can clear the way
By stepping through my shadow,
Coming out the other side.
Step into the shadow.
Forty six and two are just ahead of me." he is steping out of his shadow and soul and coming in to his body of which is holding him (46 and 2, the human body) it all has to do with the unconsious and the jungian philosophy. the lyric "For a piece to cross me over
Or a word to guide me in.
I wanna feel the changes coming down.
I wanna know what I've been hiding in pseudoscience there can be a word or phrase to enter in to the unconsious through a relaxed state of hipnosis and find what is holding you back. there is where he or his real self the unwanted thoughts are. he is confronting his shadow. well that is my opinion at best everyone is entitled to their opinion. always look at all possible outlooks before speaking. dont be ignorant.bordom is no way to live but might of just done that with this passage.
Don from Bc, MiThis song reminds me of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. In fact, I did a paper on it once. Evolution is what the song says to me, but not physical. In the Allegory of the Cave, for those not familiar, prisoners were kept in a cave with a big tarp-like hide blocking out the light. All they knew was shadows on this barrier so that was their reality. When they were finally released, a new and amazing 3-d reality was revealed. We do so much stupid s**t that hurts us and keeps us from seeing or believing that there is so much more than we are able or willing to accept. In fact, anyone who is content with their understanding of reality might as well be already dead in my opinion. There are few Tool songs that don't have meanings on multiple levels, and this is no exception, but the Allegory fits these lyrics flawlessly.
Jen from Phx, AzAppreciate all coments! Very good points made. Obviously all these intrepretations means Maynard did a creat job in creating powerful lyrics for many listeners.
Matt from Auburn, Waoh ya and i should mention that i just read an article about well a few different things but also about how we have evolved simultaneously and instantly a couple of times which explains the "missing link" in darwin's theory and in about 4 years from next month another shift will accur as our entire galaxy completes one revolution. somone mentioned the merkaba on this forum so i will add: there is an interesting theory that relates to the aticle mentioned that energy of a higher or fourth dimmension (not spiritual but actual speculative energy) also theorized by quantum physicists and quantum physics it's self (see the movie: "What The Bleep do We Know") is given off from the tectonic plates as well as the rest of the galaxy and when the tectonic plates last shifted it resulted in an instant human evolution from the "ape man" to full on human. and many scientists speculate that the same energy will flow to us when the galaxy completes its cycle on dec. 21st 2012 which is also the date that all predictions by nostradomus and the chinese and everyone else STOP.(http://www.december212012.com/articles/general_information/The_Shift_in_Human_Consciousness.htm)
Matt from Auburn, WaOK I WANT THIS TO BE THE "BE ALL END ALL"

in my opinion tool has been a tool for everyone on this forum. whether or not intended we try to understand the song's meaning and being so metaphorical and vague with just a few phrases that we can all interpret audibly. when we try to understand the song's meaning tudaaaahhhh!!!!! we have just learned to interpret and think for our selves!! and the fact that most of the songs/albums have very deep resonant undertones of very complex and very driven messages laced within them only drives us further down the rabbit hole. may we all meet again after the great shift in human cauntiousness 12/21/12
Joe from Edmonton, CanadaWell your right in the sence that the baselines are similar but as for tool riping them off is so wrong. First of all Home was not released untill 1999 on the album Scenes From a Memory where as 46 & 2 was released in 1996 on Aenima. So if it was released 3 years earlier how could it be ripped off unless they have discovered time travel.
Brendan from Hobart, Australiathe bassline of forty-six & two is ripped off in dream theater's "home"
Spring from Fort Worth, Tx46+2= Cold Fushion on the table of elements.
Joe from Edmonton, CanadaHeres some food for though. Anyone who is a Doom fan should be able to hear the similarities of the music from the first level of doom and this song. The fact that humans have 23 pairs of Chromosomes (46) and the Beasts in doom have 24 pairs (46 & 2) leads me to belive that this song is a tribute to one of the greatest games ever made.
Mike from Columbus, OhOutside of the title of the song, I don't think the song is about evolution as much as it is about trying to figure out why we do the things we do and move past that and improve. The "muscle memory" is just what it says, the more we repeat things they become second nature and our bodies move almost automatically. This is really evident in sports and is why you see pro golfers or most others for that matter take 20 practice swings before they hit the ball because their trying to get the motion to where it becomes second nature and they're not consciously controlling the action. The "picking scabs" metaphor I believe refers to doing the things that hurt us but we still feel compelled to do as if we have no control to stop it. The last stanza that sticks out is "I choose to live and to Grow, take and give and to Move, learn and love and to
Cry, kill and die and to Be paranoid and to
Lie, hate and fear and to Do what it takes to move through". This feeds back into the muscle memory meaning about the point of view of the singer trying to state that he is in control of these actions but at the same time wants to know what compels him to do the things he does. Again knowing the bands intelligence I can see the title referring to the whole evolutionary process but I just don't see that in the lyrics. But as Denis Miller states so eloquently, "But, than again, I could be wrong". Still awesome music anyway you look at it.
Joshua from Ocean City, NjReligion is control and i believe that maynard seeks the answers to life through himself because religion is part of society and as human beings who live in this society we become blinde by it we go by others ideas otherthoughts i believe that in maynards art he is stating that the truth lie within.
Kt from Greenwitch, Ohactually.....(jay) if you have one MORE chromosome you have downsyndrome....not one less....so in theory...the more chromosomes you have the more retarded you are.....
but this is a nice theory
Head from Berlin, Germanyaccording to crowley the shadow is the dark sideof your personality and 46 is 2 dna streams each measuring 23 so plus 2 is the amount we need to evolve.

the songis about overcoming yourself!!!! and the poetics is just heroin for the enlightened ;)
Jay from West Valley, UtSeriously. 46 and 2 is about becoming a god. He's very religious. I can definately tell that much. For all you tweakers out there... of course this song is going to be about meth! Everything's about meth when your on it. Almost every damn song I listened to while on it was talking straight to me and was about meth in some way, shape, of form. God. It's about opening your damn third eye and growing up a little. Genetics? Maybe in theory... what about symbolism? If you have less then your retarded, and if you have 46 your normal... so if you have the "...and 2" part then you must be something better than we are. What that is is up to you. When you've been really ****** up, and I know most of you have been to listen to Tool, (if you've never done drugs, and you talk about them, your a moron.) so, what do you feel like when you do drugs... a god maybe? I know I did/(do, occasionaly) Your the ****! ... that is until the paranoia kicks in cause you feel guilty for some god awful reason. Just listen to the song... any song that matter. How does it make you feel? Maybe that is what it's all about.
Angela from Sacramento, CaI'm a little confused on this theory of evolution saying that we're going to gain two chromosomes that will completely alter our sense of concisiousness because of the development of this grid. According to many theories of evolution, humans have already had 46 and 2 chromosomes.
When we were apes we had 46 and 2, then as we evolved, two pairs of chromosomes fused together to give us 44 and 2. Today the great apes (excluding humans) still have 46 and 2 chromosomes.
Besides, it is scientifically impossible for a generation to evolve within itself. Natural genetic evolution/mutation (such as our tail bones getting shorter) only happens with each new generation, and once our DNA is created it's done, there's no "mental trick" when it come to evolving; you can't will it to happen just because you want to feel the change consume you.
Dharken from Albany, NyI have read some of the more intricate comments about this song, and I think a majority are reading a lot into the song, although it is an interesting topic. I think the simple concept Tool is trying to make in this song, is the concept of change, or acceptance of our dark side. I state these two ideas for 2 purposes. Metal is about metaphor, 2 items point that out, his shadow (the dark side, or the negative). The other is more simpley stated, change. The whole album is about change. Many albums that are included in the genre are not just one song, the whole album is almost to a concept of an idea, for example Iron Maiden's Seventh Son of the Seventh Son. When it comes to Tool's Aenima throughout the whole album, he speaks of change, and also of understanding. You have to look at the album as a whole. not just the single song you listen to. Other components exist within the album as well, some may run as deep as those mentioned, some on a more personal level that we cannot even hope to understand. Tool I feel is most successful because of the so many levels their music one can relate too.
Cvas from Ridgefield, CtI really think that the explanation given is valid. Even if it is a song involving the heroin addiction, how do you explain the 46 & 2 in that context?
Mike from Los Ageles, CaI think u guys r reading way too much into this. In my oppinion he's talking about his strugle with kicking heroin. It is defenatly an evolutionary process. I have had "friends" that would pick at their skin untill they formed scabs, they would have what looks like holes all over their arms, and would them pick their scabs. I think he has double meanings in most of his songs. I think he's going thru a spiritual change, while at the same time trying to stop using... both very dificult to achieve.
Ryan from K-w, Canada I've read all of these responses and I think that both the geometric aspect and the evolution and the drug aspects are correct.
Many different interpretations are acceptable and I beleive Maynard purposely does this just too screw with everyone.
Blayn from Dallas, TxI've read a lot about this song, but still think it is about meth or being strung out. From experience with drug addiction, people who do drugs as strong as heroin are generally open to do anything. I know Maynard has been an open heroin addict, but so am I. Not sure if any of you know this, but when a person does meth, it produces a chemical called dopamine that is very similar to morphine and binds to the same receptors in your brain. Heroin is converted by the liver into morphine (like all opiates). It is very common for someone who is addicted to heroin to use meth to come off opiates to relieve the intense sickness brought on by heroin withdrawls. This statement is based on years of 1st hand experience with opiate and meth addiction. On another note, this song came out shortly after ice, a very strong and addictive form of meth, became popular. I just don't really understand how the whole chromosome thing fits. A person would never be able to evolve another set of chromosomes in their lifetime. Stuff like that takes thousands of years of evolution. I just don't understand how someone can die and evolve at the same time. To me, this line describes an addict much better than someone who is evolving. "I choose to live and to Grow, take and give and to Move, learn and love and to Cry, kill and die and to Be paranoid and to Lie, hate and fear and to Do what it takes to move through." Sorry my comment is so long....shadow people closing in.
Falkor from Tampa, FlCarl Jung:
The shadow
The shadow is an unconscious complex that is defined as the repressed and suppressed aspects of the conscious self.

There are constructive and destructive types of shadow.

On the destructive side, it often represents everything that the conscious person does not wish to acknowledge within themselves. For instance, someone who identifies as being kind has a shadow that is harsh or unkind. Conversely, an individual who is brutal has a kind shadow. The shadow of persons who are convinced that they are ugly appears to be beautiful.

On the constructive side, the shadow may represent hidden positive influences. Jung points to the story of Moses and Al-Khidr in the 18th Book of the Koran as an example.

Jung emphasized the importance of being aware of shadow material and incorporating it into conscious awareness, lest one project these attributes on others.

The shadow in dreams is often represented by dark figures of the same gender as the dreamer.

According to Jung the human being deals with the reality of the Shadow in four ways: denial, projection, integration and/or transmutation.
Chris from Hu;;, EnglandTOOL are the greatest band that ever live in my opinion. This song for me is one of their best and means alot to me as a drummer and a person. This song is definately about evolution not meth. Research sacred gemotry and the temple of solomon. The song takes on a whole new meaning and experience.
Brad from Gainesville, FlOne thing I noticed when I was listening to this song the other day, is that its running time is 6:04. And, when read backwards is forty-six. The "and 2" is missing...for now anyways.
Jared from O'fallon, MoI just wanted to point out all the dumb people who brought up the point of Down's syndrome and Kleinfelter's syndrome, they obviously came in here to bring it down, but my point is that the only reason these are genetic disorders is because there is not a paired chromosome with the odd one, that is why they have a genetic disorder, not because if you gain more chromosomes than we already have you will be mentally incapable.
Andy from Manchester, EnglandI'm on this site trying to find the words and terms to describe the consciousness that I experience and understand it further, there is a level of consciousness most people are unaware of. You discover it by being open-minded and completely honest with yourself, though it takes much longer to fully understand it. The Jungian concept of the "shadow" is the repressed ideas and thoughts that you possess. Whilst they remain repressed you dont even know that they exist, and cant knowingly act upon them or consider their effects within yourself or someone else.
Melchizadek theory on extra chromosomes is bullsh*t, aborigines have the same number of chromosomes as the rest of us! But it works as a metaphor, since this song and Melchizadek theory are both about the same subject, the process of mental evolution.
Mark from Centreville, VaOkay so I have read all the other facts above and this is what i got for you. Sacred geometry comes into play with the whole evolution idea. of using math and numbers to understand the universe on a small level and then showing how it all comes back to the simple beginings, while still growing evermore complex. if that makes sense. and i understand the whole meth idea also. after takeing meth or coke for an amount of time, especial without sleep one begins to see "shadow people". while i have read up about these i also had a not so fun experience with some meth based xtc (i saw an image of van gogh sitting next to me fishing of my couch). Most of TooL's songs have to do with either expanding what we are capable of or expanding to the next level. I see this song as a man going threw the shadow people (shadows also being a generally 'bad' veiw being all dark and mysterious) phase after having the drug and reflecting that he is growing as and individual, though he is still flawed he tries to cleanse himself of these "scabs". then this person comes to understand that threw this self-cleansing he can the be taken to this new way of living and understanding (the whole 46&2 idea and the flower of life route). That is what i got. it may be right or it may be wrong, but the only one who can tell me for sure is maynard and i have a feeling he wont't. i just ask that you think before you speak, more importantly all those people out there who would put someone down when it is truely they who should be shot, in the foot, twice, dragged behind a car, and then raped by gorrillas, all while hungry and throwing up.
Ryan from Detroit, MiThis is the most ridiculous garbage I have ever read. Not only the misinformation but the bad spelling included. The Down Syndrome and Klinefelter's syndrome simply have one extra chromosome. This extra genetic material causes problems with the way their bodies develop. Do research before you speak. Or better yet don't speak unless you know what you're talking about. This isn't a meth head. Meth doesn't last exactly 48 hours. Atleast one person was right about the opiates. But the term 46 & 2 means the 23(x) sets of chromosomes plus the sex determining last chromosome set, not 48 hours of meth. A (y) chromosome must be present for a male. Then you have Turner Syndrome where the subject is female but lacks the entire or has a partial final (x) chromosome, leaving only 45. Now, to me. This song is exactly about evolution, not meth or any other garbage. "My shadow's shedding skin" (I think is getting rid of the way we live in is our own ignorance), "I wanna know what i've been hiding in my shadow." (not using our entire potential). Then "See my shadow changing, stretching up and over me.
Soften this old armor hoping I can clear the way by stepping through my shadow, coming out the other side, step into the shadow, forty six and two are just ahead of me" Is the final coming of light into a new, aware consciousness where we use are full capabilities.
Monica from Melvindale, MiJust go read the books "The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life" Volumes 1 & 2 written by Drunvalo Melchizadek. These books will explain most of this song and a whole lot of other Tool lyrics. The songs have taken on completely new meaning since reading them, and I am able to connect with them more deeply. I highly recommend picking these books up.
Peter from Ottawa, CanadaWhile the title is certainly a reference to the forty-six and two chromosomes, I somehow doubt the song is intended to be a discourse on Melchizadek's ideas meant to be taken literally. I think it's far more likely that it is used in a metaphorical sense - the song being about the more general themes of change, betterment of self, and the quest for enlightenment.
Jesterbob from Jackson, Tn"digging through my own muscles" meth addicts that are imprisoned may eat their skin in order to get their 'fix' gross but just a thought
Trey from Yukon, OkOK meth is by no mean a cheep drug, it cost more then cocain, and yes I think that this song about evolution. Shedding skin is a form of saying that he is changing similar to a butterfly changing in a cacone. This stands for him becomeing a higher being. Also "I wana feal the canges comeing down, I wana know what I'v been hideing." is also a form of saying he wants to see his untaped potenshal. This is just what I think so dont take it to heart, but if Mynerd did any drugs i would say that it would probebly be herioin, and or opiates.
George from Chicago, Ilof course, but the human anatimy of our brain explains that in our life span we only use up a small percentage of free memory space in our brains, thus inquiring that we do not use our brain to full capacity
George from Chicago, Ilto landon of new jersey.
yes the mental instability of a person is of these disorders, but you are wrong about 48 chromosomes as being downes syndrom 45 and 47 chromosomes has a mental dissorder. what they are trying to tell you here landon is that the mind state of a person grows to a higher being when the 48th chromosome is added. 44 is a aberigines 46 is a self concious creature and has a small brain capacity. 48 has 100 percent mental capacity being able to use all of your brain instead of 10% or 17% as albert einstien could use. Maybe you should look at some sacred geometry landon. Phi. (the fibonic sequence 1:1.618...) is part of nature we as human being with 46 chromosomes have the sacred geometry of phi... a person with 48 chromosomes goes outside the picture of phi and uses a whole nother sequence one we have not iscovered yet. 44-47 chromosomes though all relate to the golden ratio of phi. Take some math classes or look some sacred geometry up its a good 2 years of learning.
Joe from Bh, NjMaynard is a sophisticated person, he's incredibly smart, and I think he's a genius. He's done a lot of research. So don't judge other people's theories about "all this bulls--t about chromosomes". I think it's more likely to be about evolution than about meth. But then again he's given many interviews about drugs, and he's basically pro-choice. It's all guess-work, but I think it's about evolution, the snake comparisons are obvious, and it really does make sense when you think about it.
Josh from New London, MnPersonally, I believe this song is about evolution of some sort, and not meth.
If you haven't noticed, meth is not at all popular among the rich and the famous. Meth is such a widely used drug because it's dirt cheap and teenagers can get a hold of it quite easily. There's a reason why you don't see many high schoolers doing heroin. It's quite exspensive, and not so easy to get ahold of. Plus it's known that Maynard was, if not still is, a heroin addict. After all, they did have a cd titled Opiate and in Weak and Powerless by APC he went so far as to mention white China, which is a type of heroin.

Besides, if you have read many lyrics by Tool than you know that Maynard is not at all straight forward in any of his lyrics. I doubt when he talks about the skin on his arms falling off he's referring to being a meth addict. The part about 46+2 adding up to be 48, like 48 hours of paranoia is just sheer coincidence in my opinion.

But remember, no one's opinion is right or wrong, and the only person who truly knows what this song is about is Maynard himself.
Josh from New London, MnThere are already humans with 44 chromosomes, and 48 chromosomes. People are sometimes born with extra X chromosomes. This is called a genetic disorder. Ever heard of Downe's syndrome, or Kleinfelter's syndrome, or sickle cell anemia? All of those are genetic disorders. That doesn't mean that anyone who has them is some sort of super-human. Someone with Kleinfelter's syndrome is perfectly normal, except they have very small testicles and are sterile. And people with Downe's syndrome are often what some call "retarded". I'm no expert--just a highschool student, and there are several other genetic disorders, and if you want to learn more use a search engine or ask your anatomy or biology teacher.
Danny from Sydney, Australiadamn this song's chorus is powerful
Charnette from Brooklyn, NyI think what Stefano was implying that by having the ampersand there in the title, changes the meaning, from the chromosome Jungian theory to the theory about the song being about someone taking meth. I personally think that Blayn was more correct by saying it's about a person taking meth, but hey, the meaning of a song is what it means to the person listening to it, so basically, we're all correct.
Charnette from Brooklyn, NyOkay, I think that Blayn was right when he said it's about meth. I don't know about all this bulls--t about chromosomes and stuff, I thought that the 46 and two actually reffered to alength of time...
Damian from Canberra, AustraliaCorrect me if I'm wrong, but I always thought Australian Aborigines and African tribesmen had the same number of chromosomes as everyone else. And I'd imagine that it would be pretty easy to determine whether there has been a shift in the average number of chromosomes people have in general by studying archeological records, surely.
Tom from Corvallis, OrThis song is about evolving in some way. Listen to the lyrics and you'll notice Maynard is talking about a snake shedding its skin. IT all makes sense. The "Shadow" must be referring to the snake's old skin.
The whole song is clearly referring to a snake shedding skin, just take some of the lyrics:

"I've been crawling on my belly..."
*Snakes do this a lot.*
"I wanna feel the changes comin' down, i wanna know wha I've been hiding in my shadow."
*What's underneath the old skin.*
"See my shadow changing, stretching up and over me, soften this old armor..."
*The snake is shedding skin, and its stretching up and over it. The old armor *skin* is dissapearing, revealing the softer, new armor *skin*

Im pretty sure he says armor, because of the scales.

Anyway, its all there. I don't know what 46&2 means, maybe Maynard sees human evolution to happen in the same way as a snake shedding skin. Or maybe the biggest snake ever found was 46 ft. and 2 in. long? Probably not, but that'd sure explain things.
Blayn from Dallas, TxPersonally, I've heard all of this before, but I still think the song is about doing meth. Don't know how many of you have ever done it, but lots of things check out. 46 and 2 just ahead of me? Sounds like 48 more hours of no sleep. Meth does make a good person become like a shadow person. Think about it. A meth fiend will do anything to cross over to the otherside. Kill, lie, steal, paranoid? Just listen to it after being strung out for a few days.* Just a thougth.

* I am in no way suggesting anyone do anything illegal. My comments are given as is and I accept no responsibility for what someone does in their recreational time.
Eddie from Dc, DcWhy must a song "be about" something? Sure, Maynard had something in mind when he wrote it. And clearly there are psychological and biological underpinnings to Tool's Forty Six & Two, but isn't the real beauty (power?) of music the fact that each of us takes something a little different from it? Different from, yet applicable to, our individual realities.

For me - and maybe only me - this song uses the Jungian framework to push me to consider the aspects of myself that might cause me or those around me hopelessness, conflict, uncertainty, confusion, fear, jealousy or any infinite progression of descriptors that capture the things I'd rather not "be." They exist within me, and it is only by a hair of hope that they do not become that which defines me to the outside world. To step through MY shadow is to make peace with the things that are part of me, even though society, my upbringing, my gut tell me ought not be there in the first place.
Pablo from New York City, NyTo me this song is about soul searching and going through the past "I'm down digging through my old muscles looking for a clue. I've been crawling on my belly clearing out what could've been." Taking what you learn to evolve, displayed in the chromosome reference "Forty-six and two ahead of me. I choose to live and to grow ..."
Max from New York, NyThey're is a lot of number word play in the song. I've come across people wind up with hell, and evil and a bunch of other s--t. Realistically it's about Jungian (Carl not Emily) metaphysics and human genome evolution. we have 44 chromosomes i believe and Maynard is suggesting our next evolution will give us 46.
Renee from South Lyon, Mithis is really interesting.. because i never knew what forty six & 2 meant in the song(if the jungian theory is what it is talking about) maybe he is implying that we are ignorant and will prbably never know exactly how we were created or how to evolve the shadow being ignorace or being blind to what the truth is.. going to do what it takes to step through... only to be englufed back into where you bagan.. i don't know i guess thats my interpetation of the song
L-j from Pietermaritzburg, South AfricaYes, we can all definitely agree that tool is one of the deepest bands you will ever come across! Maynard is a lyrical genius.
Andrew from Virginia Beach, VaDon't get caught up in the unneccessary details. It's the idea, the metaphor, that counts. He's obviously talking about change of some sort and in fact driving or influencing that change.

Some of you need to find a better hobby I suggest accounting, it's a wonderful field for people who are so caught up in details that they cannot accept the bigger picture.
Kenny from Dewitt, Ny46 and 2 isn't about science, it's math... the word "shadow" is the most common word in the song... it's said 12 times...4+6+2
Tino from Los Angeles, CaJungian theory is not psychology, it's pseudoscience. Two more chromosomes would not make someone more evolved. 45+2 is what is known as Down Syndrome. Maynard, you are singing about evolving towards mental retardation.
Robin from Crap, WvI was told (not saying it's true) that the 46 was H E and 2 was for L L meaning he's talking about hell
Jorge from Venezuela, South AmericaBeliefs are often crippling to the mind, you should try and explore anything and everything. Even if you encounter success with a particular meditation, such as the MERKABA, or ritual magic, once you start to develop your own dogma, your mind is dead. Temporary belief systems, temporary egos, or temporary reality tunnels (one in the same) are the way to go, because belief systems create the kind of complacency where ignorance thrives. This is the way to the true forty six and two state of emotional evolution.
Rm -rf * from Kc, MoLove the song, but the theory is utter garbage:

What must be understood is that genetics is not like a mix-n-match puzzle game, where you "add the head of a lion, the neck of a giraffe, and the wings of a dragonfly..." It is a formula, in which specific genes do very small, specific things. A highly complex (or in some cases, quite simple) system where all those little parts add, subtract, multiply, and divide to, from, into, and out of each other, all to form a sort of massive, intertwined chain-reaction -- A teeny little change at the source, the whole picture shifts and can even collapse. It's a far cry from play-dough.
Ukash from Vratislavia, PolandYou know... it's true that humans have 46 hromosomes, but having two more doesn't mean we'd be more evolved...
- If you're a human with 48 chromosomes, you're a mutant with overloaded sex qualities. it happens when you got the XXXX set or XXXY or even XXYY sometimes.
- If you have 48 chromosomes and you're not a human being, than you're... an average gorilla :) Have a nice life! ;)
Serge from Portland, MeI feel this song talks about changing what you can't. How we wish we could stop but something drives us and we can't control it. By becoming someone else you escape what we are driven to do.
Cok from Dillon, CoThe song is merely about Maynard transforming into something else, something higher then human. 46 refers to the total amout of genes times two, since they are in pairs, and 2 more would make him an evolved species.
Brian from Mayfield Heights, Ohif you listen closely to the beggining, you can hear maynard muttering "join me, join me my child...in digging through this old numb shadow"
Jack from Bloomington, IlThis is the part of the song that grips me:
"I choose to live and to
Grow, take and give and to
Move, learn and love and to
Cry, kill and die and to
Be paranoid and to
Lie, hate and fear and to
Do what it takes to move through."
It is in a way the acceptance of sin. An acceptance of all parts of us equal in order to pass through the gateway and become the higher being we are intended to be. I've seen it time and time again, and a person cannot make themselves not sin. They cannot force it out of them. Because the shadow comes back with its repressed fears, thoughts, and delusions. The only way to purge it out of us is to accept our flawed selves for who we are. It is what it takes to get through.
Ben from Clemmons, Ndoh and from my other post i mean in the scientific origin and not the biblical origin or theory if your that kind of christian . . .
Ben from Clemmons, Ndthis is yet another song beyond wut we can handle. Its a merger of science and spirituality."clash of the titans" if you will. for ages we as humans have been fighting of the correct source of our origins. we cant know because noone was there when it happened. i think its just a quest to find ones physical origin.
Brian from Mayfield Heights, OhThe fact above is quite excellent and enirely accurate. However, it leaves out what alot of the song is about! The Jungian psychology that are mention are the differences between the ego (our consciousnees) and the "shadow". The shadow are all the qualities that are repressed in ourselves, and represent a self diametrically opposite. To put it simply, the shadow is everythign we are not, and do not desire to be. For instance, if an individual had repressed his/her tendencies to steal, for example, those qualities would be part of that individual's shadow, and would occaisionally appear in their dream. They would be annoyed by a thieving individual, since that was a quality they subconciously had rejected. The ties to the chromosomes? When we get to the stage of consciousness 46=2 will provide, are shadows, our egos.. all will become one. The change will come primaril from us "merging" from our shadows, becoming, as Melchezedek puts it, as one cell in a body.. one consciousness. What will we be then? Ask Maynard.
Ronnie from Daly City, Cathis song is obviously about pre-marital masturbation...get it ? "Maynards dick"...?
Zac from Drexel, MoThis is a really bad ass song! I don't get that chromosome thing Landon is talking about. I always just thought it was about how everyday in your life is a different mood. Your never the same the next day. That would be stepping through your shadow and coming out the otherside as a totally different and stronger person than you were.
Lacie from Mt.pleasant, Txread the book... "Nothing in this Book is True, But thats Exactly How Things Are"...
Stefano from Old Bridge, NjThe exact spelling of the title as it appears on the album is with an ampersand: "Forty Six & 2"
(Stefano, Old Bridge/Marlboro, NJ)

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