Tool: All Tool Songs Meaning
All Tool Songs Lyrics
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:Ok everybody, there is one thing that you have forgotten which I'm pretty sure of. Maynard's not a moron, I think we will all agree on that.
Now you must realize this: in most of his songs, we can't really tell who he's talking about (the proof is you are all fighting and arguing on that).
Combine these two things: if Maynard thought it was really important to know
exactly who he's talking about, he would have made it clear.
"But there's nothing really clear in any Tool song!"
Of course there is nothing clear: in almost every case, Maynard's words have more than one interpretation but all interpretations seem to converge towards the same point. He is therefore saying more than one thing at a time, which is brilliant.
Following the same idea, maybe what he wants to make us understand is: "it is not important who I'm talking about"
Now... when he is talking about Jesus Christ...
I think Jesus is so well known that he is most of the time (and this could also be in any - or all - of Maynard's songs) referred to as a general idea.
"Jesus" could be "religion in general"
"Jesus" could be "the one who's trying to sell you bullshit"
"Jesus" could be "the idea in which you believe because you have nothing else you dumb fuck"
etc.
Sometimes he also uses himself to demonstrate that something is disgusting like in crawl away: "he" kills the woman/friend who's leaving him.
Now just try and see... replace the "you" or the "Jesus" in the song by your name or one of your friend's name... It often fits too well... of course, the critic expressed in the song is almost always too strong, but that only makes Maynard's poetry more stunning and willingly or not, it will makes us think about our flaws and flaws of others...
Some examples:
AEnima: Critique of superficial people
"Fuck your tattoos" etc.
"Fret for your figure" etc.
Eulogy: Critique of people who point the finger but themselves and who speak strong and loud over the crowd and who have nothing to say.
Intolerance: Liars, cheats and thieves
Prison Sex: Rapists, Pedophiles, etc.
And many others
N.B. This is just a general interpretation I am sure it doesn't fit for ALL songs... but this should help you understand the songs in your own personal way... and I have another little thing to say... why don't you let words be themselves : let "sex" be "sex", let "blue" be "blue", and "ice" be "ice"... Sex is not a close relationship, love is a great relationship, "blue" is not the blue planet, water or the ocean, "blue" is a color and "ice" is not "your cold cold heart" it is just ice.
"Blue" could mean "sad" and "ice" could be a crystallized drug or something slippery... IF IT FITS WITH THE CONTEXT
When you write an interpretation of a song don't make up a context around second meanings of words or hidden ones. Usually the context is clear and the "hidden" meanings are not so hidden. They are hidden because there are many possibilities of interpretation. You should find it amazing, not brain sucking, this way to write. I think Maynard James Keenan (or whoever it is who writes these songs, if not Keenan..) is nearly a genius.
So don't misinterpret masterpieces or fuck them all up with your twisted minds.
To those who read the entire post: Thank you -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:All Tool songs are about how Maynard never discovered the true meaning of Christmas. When he was a little boy he asked for an Optimus Prime for Christmas but never got one and he grew bitter and to this day, Maynard, refuses to celebrate Christmas or go watch the Transformers movie.
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I think that the tool songs represent a collection of conversations with those in the gay community. It gives voice to their suffering as perceived by Keenan. A lot of them seem to answer the question "What made you the person you are today?" in regards to a persons sexual identity. For those who were not gay but had been sexually assaulted by a homosexual and at some point enjoyed it would be a specific cause of cognitive dissonance within that person. This myriad of emotional disturbances can cause a person to spiral out of control and fall into the dark pit of drug and/or alcohol abuse. This emotional issues can be magnified by being raised in a religious household as many have religious undertones. The song Right in Two is simply a persons take on the world we live in and the hypocrisy it stands for. What I think that the Pot means is that it refers to the corruption of our courts who most likely send as many innocent people to prison as they do guilty people. The innocent however stand an increased chance of being preyed upon by bull homosexuals with appears in other song lyrics. So overall it is a take on the world we live in and the issues that face so many people which is why that Tool music is able to connect with so many people.
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I think that the tool songs represent a collection of conversations with those in the gay community. It gives voice to their suffering as perceived by Keenan. A lot of them seem to answer the question "What made you the person you are today?" in regards to a persons sexual identity. For those who were not gay but had been sexually assaulted by a homosexual and at some point enjoyed it would be a specific cause of cognitive dissonance within that person. This myriad of emotional disturbances can cause a person to spiral out of control and fall into the dark pit of drug and/or alcohol abuse. This emotional issues can be magnified by being raised in a religious household as many have religious undertones. The song Right in Two is simply a persons take on the world we live in and the hypocrisy it stands for.
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just like the song third eye which in mythological belief meaning your minds eye accordingly everyone has a third eye they r either blind in it or it hasn't been open yet. Saying that anyone who this unexplainable knowledge that they cant remember where it came from and u feel like u don't belong n ur own body then u will probably understand every lyric of tool songs ur third eye is wide open!
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I think you All are Tool's............
Just listen ..., Rock out and get what you want out of the music....it can be listened to,dissected and the lyrics viewed under a microscope, ect.., ect......
PEOPLE, It's all up to your own imagination(interpretation) to see and hear and feel the song the way YOU see and FEEL it.
That's what's great about Tool, Take a song you like and take meaning from it (good or bad) and apply it to yourself!
Enuff Said, I'm out for some 46 & 2 just ahead of me !!!
:-))) -
All songs can be interpreted as many diff ways as there are diff ppl listenin',.. Is all about individual perspective
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I have loved tool every since I heard the cd undertow it was love at first hear. I've never put any post or whatever you call this (what I'm typing) on the internet. This all started because I was bored. I was just wondering if anyone had ever put anything like what I'm about to type on the internet or just thought it. like I said I was bored, so I started looking around on the internet and I ended up looking at what other regular people like me thought what the lyrics in tool songs meant (there are a lot of posts). and I noticed something that I had never really thought of before, tool leaves a lot to interpretation in most of their songs. and one of the comments posted got me to thinking. could tool leave a lot to interpretation for the purpose of sales. I am not as big as fan as others I guess, I don't know hardly anything about the members, until tonight I only knew one members name. but supposedly the members of tool are all highly intelligent people. and don't get me wrong I am not putting them down at all. They are an extremely talented band. The vocals the writing the music all of it is amazing. but to get on with it. could the members of tool, before they released anthing, got together with each other or perhaps record executives and came up with and idea to sell more cd's, singles, t-shirts, ect., like an angle or something. after I started on this way of thinking I noticed that I seached for meaning in every tool song that I ever listended to. I think that is tool's intention is to get us thinking. I don't think that is any secret, but for what reason. Sales or our benefit. now that I read over this it sounds like a conspiracy theory and who cares for what reason TOOL KICKS ASS and that's all that matters. oh well nevermind lol.
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This is my interpretation for the Current Live Setlist which is basically the same as it was in 2007.
I will probably be a little wordy, so dismiss at your own leisure. Also, I'm not looking to argue but if you believe I am stupid or silly, let me know. I can take it. Also, I am new to these forums so if this has been said before then the same applies, dismiss, tell me I'm stupid or silly, and let me know this is old news.
I was admittedly a few years late in the "Interpreting 10000 days game". I wasn't fond of The Pot or Jambi or Vicarious when they FIRST came on the radio and I had been into other genres of music for awhile so I didn't even buy the album till like 6 months ago. But I rode along with Undertow, Aenima, and Lateralus as they happened.
I will get to the current tour, I promise. But I think There is a reason the setlist is just about the same. (a good Tool Fan isn't a good Tool fan unless he/she is trying to read into EVERYTHING)
We all know 10000 days is the story of Maynard James's mother Judith Marie, who passed away after some unimaginably major suffering for 27 years. We all know Maynard used to question her faith. And We can tell from the song 10000 days that he was finally inspired by her ceaseless faith in her final days.
I am thinking,further than that, that the Parabola/Lateralus/Reflection philosophy of Maynard's encountered a major fallacy when it came to Judith Marie. Being a “celebrate-this-chance-to-be-a-spiral-swinging-divine-DNA-part-of-the-collective-mind-happy-to-be-alive-human-being” isn't very helpful advice to someone in her condition.
(maybe you can already see where I'm going)
I think 10000 days in its entirety is a retraction and a refutal of Lateralus and Aenima.
Her Faith though, proved FAR more powerful. I'm not saying he adopted Christianity, I don't think he did but it's possible, but I do believe he abandoned the Lateralus Philosophy. On to the concert's playlist: I will try to be as scatterbrained as I can.
Jambi I have read many interpretations of, most involving son, and there may well be documentation of an interview where he said it was about his son. But is it really like Maynard to just tell us what a song is about? I'll try to stay brief, but I think it's MAINLY about the divide between Maynard (the rock star, the icon, the guy who thinks deep and writes lyrics that millions of people look to for inspiration) and Jimmy (the regular guy, the son, the father, the same as the rest of us people) I think by Lateralus, Maynard had become so deep (“up to the neck”) in finding a personal philosophy that he nearly drowned. His final days with his mother (and the previously mentioned shattering of Laterus Enlightenment) made him realize he was rrrrrrrrrrrrreal fuckin' close to losing his Jimmy. [side note, I think it's possible that the title, besides referring to the iambic meter, indeed refers to PeeWee's genie, and was chosen because it shares the first three letters with James and there's already a song called Jimmy]
Well now he wants to wish away Lateralus and Aenima [another side note, he grew back his Undertow Mohawk. And in the album photo, his Bald “Aenima/Lateralus” self is a reflection in the mirror, BEHIND Him]
Well He doesn't WANT to be deep anymore. He wants the Benevolent Sun to shine on the SURFACE of everything, and He would like Maynard and Jimmy to become one again. (they kinda need each other.)
Oh, and yeah The Legion is US. Us people who say, “You changed my life man!”, “You are like the new Jesus!”, “You got it all figured out!”, “Thank You!”, Those 'affirmations' are now poisonous to him.
Okay, I won't do the whole setlist, but the important parts. The opening, the middle and the end. (the rest probably were the other bandmember's choices anyway)
Rosetta Stoned is Nothing More than a Mockery of Lateralus. It will take way less explanation to say that He is comparing Tool to the Grateful Dead (they have a Legion following them around on tour), He saying that he figured out something Epic and Enlightening (Lateralus Philosophy) while he was on drugs, but the only real result (after Mom passed) was a bed full of shit. He now wonders why he's a hero. And the one true answer that he has found is, that in the quest for truth or enlightenment, there is only ONE answer: We Don't Know, and We Won't Know.
Flood follows Rosetta Stoned, the mockery of Lateralus, with its message, [...insert EVERY SINGLE LINE of the song Flood HERE...]
Now Lateralus is in the setlist probably because it is one of the favorites of The Legion, or Maynard got outvoted by the other guys to include it, but he'll be damned if they're going to end with that song. SO dress it up as a pop hit with some more lasers and a guest drummer, Put most of the focus on Adam, Justin, Doctor Octopus, er, Danny, and said Guest Drummer and get everyone cheering for their “enlightening song” (and its “oh how fantastic it is to be a human” message) But the set cannot end with that poison.
So Comes Vicarious. It gets a Great pop from the crowd, it was a hit, it was like one of the best guitar songs of all time or something, But MOST OF ALL It says CLEARLY that humanity sucks. We're still bloodthirsty savages, just admit it. I have a mohawk again. And end the show on that.
Same essential setlist as last time. But I don't think the Benevolent Sun is bringing Maynard and Jimmy back together. Maynard is stuck with Tool and the Legion. It's been two years, and maybe nothing is getting better. Jimmy needs to get off the poisonous stage before he withers. (I'd also like to add, And this probably is NOT relevant, that Adam, Justin, and Danny wore All White. Maynard was in black)
Besides, Puscifer is less deep and more fun. Same with the wine.
That's everything I have to say concerning the setlist and the current tour but on this, (again, I'm very possibly stupid and/or silly and that's cool but I like to be pretentious so I will add..)
On the way home from the show, with this on my mind, I listened to The Pot. I only first looked at the lyrics last week, I never liked the song enough to pay attention (I didn't think it was “deep” enough) but The Pot is a 3 way reference (I'm sure this has PROBABLY been said in the forums before, don't care.) (first two, Hypocrist expression and Ganja, Please) The Third reference is Yage/Ayahuasca. The DMT drink. It looks JUST like MUDDY WATER. You brew it in a POT. And you have to squeeze LEMONS into it while you brew it. I think this Song is sung BY 10000 days-Jimmy TO Lateralis-Maynard. -
the point of tool's songs is everyone knows they have plenty of meanings and trying to decipher them is a waste of time. In many interviews maynard states the meaning is not in the lyrics the meaning is in the music so while the rift and the passion tell what they are trying to say the lyrics tell the story, the words he uses he says just come to him when he hears the melody thats why alot of his lyrics are hard to decipher and thats why they use alot of metophors in their songs.they use alot of religion so their songs have many meanings just like life. this is why they are my favorite band because they make you think FOR YOURSELF! now thats inspiring music.
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Tool is brilliant to say the least and I feel like they are one the greatest bands that this world will ever know. Their music has a lot to do with human evolution and possibly prophecy. I agree with the post about the Mayan Aztec date of 2012, but what I want to add is that the most significant prophecies were from Jesus. I find it interesting that it was almost exactly 2000 years ago and also believe Revelation is now. I think 2012 has something to do with WWIII, and I believe Aenima is a message to mankind saying we need to take a good look at ourselves. What's coming through is alive.
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I must give credit to all, A, for having the courage to submit ideas and B, to enjoy this music. It truly is genius and you should feel pride in listening to it and loving it. I watch a lot of Bill Hicks, and watch REAL news every day. This band tackles real issues brilliantly. Technically, I am amazed, lyrically blown away. In my tedious path I have chosen, at least I have discovered those of like mind, or at least those on their way. Tool breaks down Humanity as a species and the hope in it's survival cause case you homeboys (and girls) haven't noticed, things aren't going great (especially for the weak - our brothers), brilliance is suppressed and we don't even realize it. We (humanity, intelligence) are so lucky to be here and so powerful and capable of that's imagined and all conceivable. Look what we have accomplished so far. Push the envelope people, we can all play this game. Embrace your moments, like Yoda says. Everything points to YES. There is so much opportunity we are missing out on. We should have civilizations on Mars by now. The first and greatest step, however, is that we must become selfless (Like Jedi) and we may just go where no ones been. Thank TOOL for the passion they put into our civilization, because not many talk about it. You need courage to speak the truth and cross the line. You always earn respect when you hold onto your integrity. Tool explores the RAW nature of these carbon based units (forms we hold now) watch it bend. ALIVE !
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"NYROCK:
Many bands release a video to go along with a single because it's part of the music business process, so to speak. Tool, however, seem to place a lot of significance on their videos – as much as on the songs and the lyrics. What inspires you?
MAYNARD:
Everything we release with Tool is inspired by our music. It doesn't matter if it is a video or if it's lyrics. The lyrics for "Schism" are nothing more than my interpretation of the music. Adam does most of the work when it comes to videos and he basically does the same as I do with the lyrics. The videos are his visual interpretations of our music.
NYROCK:
Your lyrics are paradoxical and often have an unexpected twist.
MAYNARD:
Everything revolves around the music when it comes to Tool. Music is about listening, the more you play, the more the magic spreads. For me, life is writing and I can do it anywhere. It doesn't matter where I am. I listen. I write. I live. And if you don't live, you have nothing to write about."
From an interview, obviously. -
One thing that has always gotten me thinking is the simple knowledge of human existence itself. Humans have only gained more knowledge and gotten to the point we are at today with science, religion, whatever, through curiosity.
Has anyone ever stopped to think that Maynard could just be playing on our natural inclination towards curiosity in his songs? By telling us he isn't going to tell us what the songs mean, is he just egging us on into looking way too deep into his songs?
Sure they all have meaning attached to them. Whether those meanings were intended by the writer or perceived by the listener, it's there. It just makes me laugh thinking about the possibility of someone writing extremely vague songs, telling everyone he isn't going to reveal their meaning, and just watch as the deliberations and in-fighting proceed. -
Well, all Tool songs are interpreted differently by different people, based on how you hear the song.
Which is the genius of Tool.
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