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Forty Six & 2
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| "Forty Six & 2" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Promotional single by Tool | ||||
| from the album Ænima | ||||
| Released | 1997 | |||
| Genre | Alternative metal | |||
| Length | 6:03 | |||
| Label | Freeworld | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers |
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| Tool singles chronology | ||||
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| Audio sample | ||||
Sample of "Forty Six & 2". | ||||
"Forty Six & 2" is a song by American rock band Tool. It was released as a promotional single from their second studio album, Ænima (1996).
Title and theme
[edit]A popular belief is that the song title refers to an idea first conceived by Drunvalo Melchizedek concerning the possibility of reaching a state of evolution at which the body would have two more than the normal 46 total chromosomes and leave a disharmonious state.[1][2] The premise is humans would deviate from the current state of human DNA which contains 44 autosomes and two sex chromosomes. The next step of evolution would likely result in human DNA being reorganized into 46 autosomes and two sex chromosomes, according to Melchizedek.
Additionally, it may refer to the desire to experience change through the "shadow", an idea that represents the parts of one's psyche and identity that one hates, fears and represses; this exists as a recurring theme in the work of Carl Jung.[3]
Composition
[edit]Considered an "alt-metal anthem",[4] the song is mostly in 4
4 time with some sections of 7
8 in between. In the intro, Danny Carey plays four measures of 7
8 on his ride cymbal over the rest of the band playing in 4
4, and they all meet up on the downbeat of the 5th measure in 4
4. During the bridge there are three measures of 7
8 followed by one measure of 4
4. During a particular quad fill, the drums are in 3
8, the guitar plays one measure of 9
8 followed by one in 5
8 all while the bass keeps time in 7
8.[5] Most of the song is written in D Phrygian dominant scale,[6] also known as the fifth mode of the G harmonic minor scale.
Legacy
[edit]In March 2023, Rolling Stone ranked "Forty Six & 2" at No. 53 on their "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time" list.[7]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Forty Six & 2" | 6:03 |
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[8] | 152 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[9] | 22 |
References
[edit]- ^ Cross, Alan. "Tool" Archived October 21, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. The Ongoing History of New Music. Corus Radio. September 30, 2001. "At our current level, according to this dude, our chromosomal composition can be expressed as “44 & 2" That’s a disharmonic state of consciousness, we need to add those two new chromosomes, hence '46&2.'"
- ^ Lewis Goldberg (June 1, 2006). "Finnegans Shake". New Times Broward-Palm Beach. Archived from the original on September 16, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
- ^ The Tool FAQ, G36.
- ^ Adams, Gregory (June 4, 2024). "TOOL in London: See epic photos of O2 show". Revolver. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ^ "Danny's drumming methods? [Archive] - the Tool Page: Opinion".
- ^ "Is 'Forty Six & 2' the Best Tool Song of All Time?".
- ^ "The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. March 13, 2023. Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ "Tool ARIA chart history (to August 2025)". ARIA. Retrieved August 27, 2025 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
- ^ "Tool Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
Forty Six & 2
View on GrokipediaBackground and Development
Album Context
Following the success of their debut album Undertow in 1993, Tool transitioned to recording their second studio album, Ænima, marking a significant evolution in the band's sound and lineup. Original bassist Paul D'Amour departed during the production process in 1995 due to creative differences, leading to his replacement by Justin Chancellor, who brought a more fluid and intricate style to the rhythm section.[3] This change occurred after initial tracking sessions, allowing Chancellor to contribute to the majority of the album's bass parts and helping shape Tool's increasingly progressive and experimental direction.[4] Ænima was recorded over 1995 and 1996 at Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood, California, and The Hook in North Hollywood, California, with the band self-producing alongside David Bottrill, who also served as engineer. The sessions reflected Tool's growing ambition, blending heavy riffs with extended instrumental passages and introspective lyrics. The album explores overarching themes of personal growth, societal critique, and spirituality, drawing from frontman Maynard James Keenan's experiences with self-examination and cultural disillusionment.[5] Within this framework, "Forty Six & 2" appears as the sixth track on the standard edition, serving as a pivotal piece that embodies the record's introspective core. Ænima was released on September 17, 1996, through Zoo Entertainment, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 and selling nearly 150,000 copies in its first week.[6] It achieved triple platinum certification from the RIAA on March 4, 2003, underscoring its lasting commercial impact.[7]Songwriting Process
The songwriting for "Forty Six & 2" emerged from Tool's collaborative jam sessions in 1995, where guitarist Adam Jones and drummer Danny Carey laid the foundation with the track's initial riff and rhythmic structure. These sessions, part of the broader Ænima album development, involved the band experimenting with musical ideas through extended improvisations, building layers upon core elements like Jones's guitar motifs and Carey's polyrhythmic patterns.[3][8] Vocalist Maynard James Keenan integrated the lyrics following conceptual discussions among the band, drawing from his personal fascination with esoteric philosophy to explore themes of transformation. Bassist Justin Chancellor, who joined Tool in late 1995 after Paul D'Amour's departure, contributed key bass lines that enhanced the song's dynamic tension and groove, re-recording parts for several tracks including this one during the transition.[9][3] The iterative recording process at studios like Ocean Way in Hollywood and The Hook in North Hollywood featured multiple takes to capture the song's shifting intensities, from introspective builds to explosive crescendos. Influenced by the band members' individual experiences—such as Keenan's immersion in philosophical texts—the track was finalized by mid-1996, aligning with the completion of Ænima's production ahead of its September release.[3][9]Themes and Inspiration
Evolutionary Theory
The evolutionary theory inspiring the song "Forty Six & 2" stems from the New Age teachings of Drunvalo Melchizedek, as detailed in his book The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life, Volume 2 (2000), which compiles concepts from his earlier workshops conducted between 1985 and 1994.[10] In this framework, human development progresses through distinct stages of consciousness linked to chromosomal configurations, forming a pseudoscientific model of genetic and spiritual evolution.[11] Melchizedek posits three primary levels of human consciousness, each characterized by increasing chromosome counts that reflect morphogenetic fields shaping species form, evolution, and lifespan. The initial stage consists of beings with 42 + 2 chromosomes, embodying a unity consciousness where individuals perceive no separation from the external world. Current humanity occupies the intermediate stage with 44 + 2 chromosomes (comprising 22 autosomal pairs plus 2 sex chromosomes), having transitioned approximately 200,000 years ago from the prior form. The anticipated next phase involves evolving to 46 + 2 chromosomes, enabling a higher state of awareness through the integration of suppressed "low-life" or shadow elements of the psyche, which Melchizedek describes as essential for transcending duality and achieving Christ-like consciousness.[1][11] Tool's frontman Maynard James Keenan drew on this theory as a metaphor for personal growth and self-transformation, interpreting the chromosomal shift as symbolic of confronting and assimilating one's darker aspects to reach elevated consciousness. The song's title, "Forty Six & 2," serves as shorthand for this pivotal 46 + 2 configuration, representing the threshold to the 48-chromosome state (46 autosomal + 2 sex chromosomes). This adoption of Melchizedek's ideas was first publicly referenced by the band in interviews surrounding the release of their 1996 album Ænima, where Keenan discussed the song's themes of evolutionary and spiritual progression.[1][12]Jungian Influences
The shadow archetype, a central concept in Carl Jung's analytical psychology, refers to the unconscious aspects of the personality that the conscious ego does not identify with, often comprising repressed ideas, weaknesses, desires, and instincts considered inferior or unacceptable. Jung described the shadow as "the thing a person has no wish to be," emphasizing that its integration is essential for individuation—the process of becoming a whole, self-realized individual—requiring confrontation with these darker elements to achieve psychological balance.[13] In "Forty Six & 2," Tool adapts this Jungian framework to explore personal evolution through the integration of the shadow self, using imagery of shedding skin and transformation to symbolize ego death and rebirth. The lyrics depict a struggle with inner turmoil—"My shadow's shedding skin / I've been picking scabs again"—representing the painful yet necessary confrontation with repressed aspects of the psyche, much like Jung's alchemical metaphors of purification and renewal in works such as Psychology and Alchemy, where the nigredo stage involves dissolving the ego to reveal hidden potentials.[1] Maynard James Keenan's immersion in Jung's writings prior to Ænima's creation shaped the album's emphasis on introspection and self-confrontation, as reflected in contemporary band discussions highlighting psychological depth.[14] This influence extends across Tool's discography, where recurring motifs of inner exploration and transcendence, such as in tracks from Lateralus, mirror Jungian themes of shadow work and wholeness without delving into explicit lyrical exegesis.[15] The song's chromosome evolution serves briefly as a physical metaphor for this psychic shift, underscoring the band's fusion of biological and psychological growth.[1]Musical Composition
Structure and Instrumentation
"Forty Six & 2" runs for a duration of 6:04, providing ample space for its progressive rock arrangement to unfold.[16] The song is composed in the key of D minor, which contributes to its brooding and introspective atmosphere.[17] Its tempo is approximately 160 beats per minute.[18] The structure of "Forty Six & 2" follows a dynamic progression typical of Tool's compositions, beginning with an ambient intro dominated by atmospheric bass and subtle drum pulses that establish a hypnotic foundation. This leads into a verse-chorus-verse format, where the verses build tension through sparse instrumentation before exploding into powerful choruses. A notable bridge introduces polyrhythmic elements, highlighted by an extended drum solo that showcases intricate layering and rhythmic complexity, before resolving into an outro that fades out with ethereal clean guitar tones, evoking a meditative close.[19] Instrumentation plays a pivotal role in the song's depth and intensity. Drummer Danny Carey delivers complex patterns, incorporating odd time signatures such as 5/8, 7/8, 9/8, and 3/8 to infuse the track with a sense of unease and propulsion, particularly evident in the bridge's polyrhythmic explorations.[18] Guitarist Adam Jones employs a talk box for the main riff and detuned riffs in drop D tuning to craft heavy, riff-driven sections that anchor the song's aggressive dynamics.[20] Bassist Justin Chancellor provides a prominent foundation with his driving lines, most iconically the descending bass motif in the intro, which mirrors the lyrical imagery of "shedding skin" and symbolizes metamorphosis.[21] Vocalist Maynard James Keenan layers his performance, transitioning from clean, melodic deliveries in the verses to more aggressive, screamed intensities in the choruses, adding emotional range and reinforcing the song's evolutionary themes without delving into lyrical specifics.[22]Production Techniques
The production of "Forty Six & 2" was led by David Bottrill in collaboration with Tool for the album Ænima, recorded at Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood and The Hook in North Hollywood. Bottrill's methodology focused on capturing an organic, live-room atmosphere by tracking the full band simultaneously, which preserved the natural interplay and energy among the musicians while limiting reliance on digital processing. This approach contributed to the song's immersive, raw sonic character, emphasizing performance authenticity over polished enhancements.[23] Drummer Danny Carey's kit was tuned to emphasize low frequencies, augmented by electronic elements routed through a PA system positioned behind the drums, with close microphones blended into the PA to amplify power and resonance. This setup delivered the track's deep, pulsating low end, particularly in the riff-driven sections. Guitarist Adam Jones employed triple-amp configurations for his parts, achieving layered distortion through amp overload that added tonal depth to the riffs, while processing certain percussion elements via guitar pedals further integrated the instrumentation cohesively.[23][24] Bottrill handled the final mixing in 1996, carefully balancing the song's wide dynamic range to transition seamlessly from introspective, subdued passages to explosive crescendos, ensuring the production highlighted the rhythm section's hypnotic drive and the overall textural contrast without compression artifacts.[23]Release and Commercial Performance
Single Release
"Forty Six & 2" was released in January 1997 as the fourth promotional single from Tool's second studio album Ænima, distributed by Volcano Entertainment (formerly under Zoo Entertainment). The single was issued primarily as a promotional CD featuring the album version of the track, running 6:03 in length, with no B-sides included.[25] Formats were limited to this U.S. promo edition. Promotion emphasized radio play, with the song receiving substantial airtime on alternative and rock stations following its issuance. To further support Ænima sales, Tool incorporated "Forty Six & 2" into their 1997 tour setlists, where it became a staple performance.[26] The single's artwork consisted of abstract, psychologically themed visuals designed by Tool guitarist Adam Jones, consistent with the album's aesthetic.[27]Chart Positions and Sales
Upon its release as a promotional single in 1997, "Forty Six & 2" achieved moderate success on rock radio formats, peaking at number 22 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in December of that year.[28] The track did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 but benefited from strong airplay on alternative rock stations, contributing to the growing popularity of Tool's album Ænima. Internationally, the song saw limited mainstream chart entry. In the digital era, "Forty Six & 2" experienced a significant resurgence following Tool's catalog becoming available on streaming platforms in 2019. The song re-entered the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart, peaking at number 12, driven by increased downloads and streaming activity.[29] This revival also propelled it to number 4 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart during the same period, highlighting the track's enduring appeal among fans.[30] By 2025, "Forty Six & 2" had amassed over 185 million streams on Spotify alone, underscoring its role in sustaining interest in Tool's discography.[31] The song's streaming success has further bolstered Ænima's commercial standing, with the album certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA in 2003 for shipments exceeding 3 million units in the United States.[7] The track's promotional release and radio impact helped drive overall album sales.| Chart (1997) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks (U.S.) | 22 |
| Chart (2019) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Digital Song Sales (U.S.) | 12 |
| Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales (U.S.) | 4 |

