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For the 1987 EP by Lydia Lunch and Clint Ruin, see Stinkfist (EP).

"Stinkfist"
Single by Tool
From the album Ænima
Single Released	1996
Single Format	Promo CD
Recorded	1996
Genre	Progressive Rock
Song Length	5:09
Record label	Volcano Records
Producer	David Bottrill
Chart positions	* #17 US Mainstream Rock * #19 US Modern Rock
Tool single chronology
"Sober" 1993	"Stinkfist" 1996	"Ænema" 1997

Stinkfist is a song by American progressive rock/metal band Tool. It was the first single and video from their second full-length album, Ænima.

The meaning of this song, as with many Tool songs, is heavily debated. Some people believe it is meant literally, and is about anal fisting (hence all the referencing to penetration).[1]

Another is that it is a statement on the desensitization of our society; that is, we eventually reach a point where nothing shocks us anymore, so that we feel the constant need to be stimulated by something new. "Desensitized to everything/What became of subtlety?" The narrator repeatedly reassures his partner that "This may hurt a little but it's something you'll get used to"[2].

During an interview, Keenan stated that the song is titled after a friend of drummer Danny Carey who "isn't afraid of getting his hands dirty." He also stated that it can be interpreted as being about "fist-fucking" but "if [you] really look at it and really look at us and who we are, [you'll] understand that we go a little deeper than some write-off song about fist-fucking.[3]"

All in all, the key lyrics of the song are: "I don't want It, I just need it." Tool has said this statement can be applied to any sort of addiction.^{[citation needed]}

The video for Stinkfist 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). It focuses on a race of sand people who suck on tubes and swallow nails and wires that apparently hurt them and are ejected from their bodies, after which they are put in jars and treasured. Another race of mutants has entrails that are plugged into a wall. At least one reviewer compared the visuals to the works of H. R. Giger. ^[4]

The video achieved heavy rotation on MTV, although it was shown only with the title “Track #1” instead of "Stinkfist". MTV reasoned that "Stinkfist" is too offensive for public consumption[5]. When introducing the video, VJ Kennedy would sniff her clenched fist dramatically before saying “Track #1.”

↑  The Right Tool for a Video Job from the New York Daily News January 19, 1997. Accessed from [6]

• The unofficial Tool FAQ