Prison Sex (Tool song)

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"Prison Sex"
Single by Tool
from the album Undertow
Released	1994
Format	Promo CD
Recorded	1992
Genre	Alternative, Progressive rock
Length	4:56
Label	Volcano Records
Producer(s)	Tool/Sylvia Massy
Tool singles chronology
	"Prison Sex" 1993	"Sober" 1993

“Prison Sex” is a song by American progressive rock band Tool. It was the first single and second music video from their first full-length album, Undertow.

Contents 1 Controversy 2 Song Structure 3 Video 4 Interpretations 5 Samples 6 Notes 7 External links

[edit] Controversy

With the release of the 1994 single “Prison Sex” and its music video, directed and created by Adam Jones, MuchMusic called the band into question by deeming the video too graphic and offensive,^[1] later running an episode of its Too Much 4 Much series to discuss the video. MTV stopped airing the “Prison Sex” video after a few viewings — both due to a symbolic dealing with the sensitive subject of child abuse.^[2] Maynard James Keenan, who wrote the lyrics, has been quite clear about his antipathy towards his stepfather during early interviews about the song.^[3]

[edit] Song Structure

Although "Prison Sex" is relatively long - clocking in at 4 minutes and 56 seconds, it pales in comparison to some of Tool's later 10+ minute compositions - it is indicative of their developing sound at the time. The song opens with the rattling and scratching of a low bass string (tuned down to a low B), after which it launches into a guitar line and the main melody. At about the song's midpoint, it changes tempo and begins to slow down, taking on a new melody and bassline. It shortly intensifies for an instrumental, and then gradually dies down with the closing lines. It should be noted that the structure of the song is odd, due to the fact it starts out at a quick pace and eventually decreases in speed, contrary to most upwardly intensifying songs.

[edit] Video

The video for “Prison Sex” was created with stop-motion animation techniques, and was directed by the band's guitarist Adam Jones (who had previous experience in art direction and animation). Prison Sex was removed from the MTV playlist, because its video was deemed "too graphic and offensive". Prison Sex was also nominated for 1995's MTV Music Video Awards’ Best Special Effects category.[1]

The video itself is set in a dimly lit, cube-shaped prison, its walls lined with cabinets resembling those found in a morgue. Its protagonist is a small, battered mechanical doll missing an eye. At the video's beginning, its legs are removed as well. The narrative consists of the doll's adventures through the prison, looking for other "inmates." Periodically, it is pursued and cornered by a tall, menacing figure resembling a "grey alien" (a similar figure appears in a more benign role as the protagonist of Tool's later video, "Ænema)." The Figure subdues and tortures the Doll in various ways, such as removing or damaging various parts of its body or symbolically painting it with a dry brush. Along the way, the Doll encounters a tiny humanoid being - composed of what appears to be either mud or feces - and a mechanical trolley in a jailguard role sporting the spinning face of a baby.

At video's end, the Doll gives into the abuse and paints itself with the brush. The last shot is that of the Doll, turning about in desperation and confusion in its cell. As it pulls back, we see that the cell is in fact one of the many cabinets lining the walls of the prison, as it is slid shut by the alien-like Figure.

The "Prison Sex" video was edited by Ken Andrews.

[edit] Interpretations

While Tool prefers their fans to interpret the lyrical meanings of their songs for themselves, it has been widely accepted that "Prison Sex" largely deals with abuse of any kind and its various effects. The central idea communicated is that chronic abuse leaves a void in a person's psyche. As a means to fill the void, the person may abuse themselves or others around them, feeling the damaging actions to be the norm. While it is implied that sexual or physical abuse is the central topic, this theory can be applied to many of its forms - substance abuse and to an extent religious abuse.

The song is narrated by the abused person in question. The song's opening lines ("It took so long to remember just what happened, I was so young and vestal then") indicate that the abuse has been occurring for quite some time and has left a memory gap. Later, one refrain details the narrator's compulsion to reciprocate the abuse ("I need you to feel this. I need this to make me whole") so to fill the gap left. One stanza - "I have found some kind of temporary sanity in this shit, blood and cum on my hands. I've come round full circle" - indicates the comfort and completion found through his needless destruction.

The video emphasizes the child abuse angle with the continual torture/molestation of the Doll by the Figure. More of the actual prison sexuality theme can be found in the location of the video and the various inmates which inhabit it. The Doll could be seen as the proverbial "new fish," menaced by a hardened convict (the Figure) looking for sexual release. One disturbing shot occurs right before the video's end, when the Figure tenderly holds down the Doll's remaining arm as he molests it.

[edit] Samples

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• The unofficial Tool FAQ