Tool: Eulogy Meaning
Song Released: 1998
Eulogy Lyrics
He had a lot of nothing to say.
We’ll miss him. (2x)
We’re gonna miss him (2x)
So long.
We wish you well.
You told us how you weren’t afraid to die.
Well then, so long.
Don’t cry.
Or feel too down.
Not all martyrs...
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I'm finding the enforcement of the hicks interpretation to be intriguing given that there's no real reason to tie it directly to him. The band had/has a fondness for hicks (i believe that is something they borrowed from michael gira) and the song is quite dismissive. I'm not convinced of that interpretation at all!
so, who is it about then? see, I don't think it's about any one specific person. Sure, it could be about jesus. It could also be about napoleon, hitler, john lennon, jfk or barak obama. I think that trying to tie it to a specific individual is sort of missing the point.
I think that the song is ultimately about demagoguery and the tendency that some humans have to tie their emotions and desires into individuals perceived of as "leaders" that ultimately turn out to either be useless martyrs or horrific oppressors. It's an old story, told many times....
..and while I think the christian imagery is consciously tied into that idea, I don't think it's explicitly about jesus.
Here's an interesting question: if king jesus had actually gained political power, would he have turned into another ideologically driven mass murderer? -
In my opinion, the band is DEFINITELY angry with the person this song is about- ruling out Mr. Hicks. I also believe that it isn't about Jesus, since Maynard doesn't have any beef with him. His problem is/was with 'God'.
Also, to the No. 1 poster who said that Maynard shares the lyric writing with the other band members, HAHAHAHAJAHAHAHAHAHURRDURRHAHAHA!
That's absurd. While I'm sure that the other band members take a small part in writing the vocal melodies (just as Maynard makes a small contribution to the drum, guitar, and bass parts) Maynard certainly writes nearly 100% of the music. Everybody helps with everything a little, but none of them are good enough at the other instruments to have a major say in any of the other band members parts. Really, do you think Maynard knows enough about drums to make more than a basic contribution to Danny's part? Is Danny good enough with a bass to help Justin? If the band worked that way, with everyone doing everything, it would sound like a garage band. Everyone would just dilute the expert's (Danny with drums, Adam with guitar, etc.) genius. -
This song is obviously pointing to more than one thing. The band is saying goodbye to their friend Bill Hicks but is also pointing at a religious leader not necessarily Jesus but a hypocritical religious figure that rambled on about things but then was not willing to back them up with his own actions. I really doubt that it was Jesus because Jesus actually did follow through with everything he said. It was probably about some new religious leader like L. Ron Hubbard just making up a bunch of bull with "a voice that was strong and loud" so that people would follow him but not actually believing it himself.
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What pompous arrogant bastards to tell people off, for interpreting a song, on a song interpretation site. I personally took the song as martyrs in general Jesus being a prime example. People being so 'eager to indentify, with someone above the ground' the whole martyr business again, saying that too be heard and considered you must die. All the evidence clearly points towards Jesus in particular with 'come down get off your fucking corss, we need the fucking space to nail the next fool martyr.' There once was jesus, there will be more, and the song is haunting you with, would you die for others.
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There is a certain negativity to the whole thing that leads me to believe it isn't about Bill Hicks. Self righteousness sounds more accurate and it does make me think of L Ron Hubbard who is most certainly a fake.
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" i think its a bout Kurt cobain from Nirvana... because they were so influenced by them.
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In my opinion, the song could be about anyone who ties to represent themselves as a Christ like figure. This could refer to a lot of people. Jim Jones, L. Ron Hubbard, Adolph Hitler, Charles Manson, Maximilien Robespierre, and many other False Prophets.
The song could also be about Jesus, if the person who wrote it, is hateful towards this person. However the lyrics don't match Jesus. Jesus in the Bible wasn't someone "shouting and pointing their finger at everything, but their heart." Jesus was a Teacher who gave people who asked, life advice. Jesus didn't try to become the center of attention. The great advice and miracles made that person the center of attention. Jesus also didn't brag about dying for anyone. This person knew that would be their fate, as the person told it's disciples at the last supper.
Lastly, Jesus didn't have a "lot of nothing to say." A lot of things Jesus said is still remembered and said to this day. For Example "Thee who have not Sinned, cast the first Stone." Everyone remembers that, among other quotes.
This song would better describe the Anti-Christ, whoever that might be.
And this is coming from someone who isn't into Institutionalized Religions of any kind. -
People's meanings to songs as THEY hear them are like people's opinions, and opinions are like assholes, everyone has one and they all stink!
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Wikipedia says that this song is about Bill Hicks. I however don't see how this could be about him, because I've read so many times that Tool liked and respected Bill Hicks. Whoever this song is about can't be someone who was liked by Tool. Some of the lyrics do fit to Hicks (:Standing above the crowd,
He had a voice that was strong and loud.
We’ll miss him.), but then again lyrics like:
"Come down.
Get off your fuckin cross.
We need the fuckin’ space to nail the next fool martyr."
suggest strongly that the song is about someone who turned out to be fake in the end. I don't really know who Tool were thinking when writing this song, but to me It's about religious leaders. -
To me its a funny song in a dark funny way, making fun of bigmouthed, opinionated narcissists.
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Hands down about Lafayette Ron Hubbard. Do the research
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The music "divide" itself in 3 parts of interpration:
First: Somebody talking about Jesus (even the effect in voice and the pronoum is different) "He had a lot..."
Second: Somebody talking TO Jesus. "at least you tried..."
Thirt: (and most important) well, the focus of the lyric is the way that we "humans" see our divinitys, our martyrs, its all about OUR selfish.
(sorry about this "bad" english...im brazillian) -
In my opinon the song is "about" Bill Hicks but I've found that Tool will often bury many meanings in their songs.
I think the song was supposed to be about Bill, Jesus and your personal hero just to illustrate that certain tropes re-appear over and over again as a consequence of the structure of human society.
Whether the person is worth being lauded is based entirely on how your nervous system has decided the world "really is".
A Neo-Nazi could easily turn this into a song about Hitler.
With a flexible enough mind you could make it "about" Lee Harvey Oswald. -
I think on the surface you could relate the lyrics to Bill Hicks because of the albumn artwork and dedication. However I think it is more about being disillusioned with people who want to espouse grand ideas and "take a stand on every little thing". But in the end they "have a lot of nothing to say". At first he doesn't really blame them he is sort of sad for them, they fell short of being a "martyr" but "at least they tried".
It is like he admires them because because he too is disillusioned. He wants to find others who feel the same way.
"Eager to identify with
Someone above the ground,
Someone who seemed to feel the same,
Someone prepared to lead the way, with
Someone who would die for me."
He wants to belong to a movement of some description to put his feelings into action. He is hardcore about his beliefs.
However when it comes to putting these big ideas into action the person spouting their ideas falls short. They claim that they would die for the cause, or that they are truly dedicated, but it obviously doesn't happen. Then he becomes disillusioned with this little revolution that he wanted to join. This leads him to realise there are plenty of people who want to set themselves up as philosphers, offer answers and lead revolutions who just aren't dedicated.
This being the surface level of the lyrics it is really an attack at all those wannabe's in the 90's. It ties in with themes in "Hooker with a Penis" and "Aenima". These are the fake, bullshit people parading around, judging everything and offering nothing. Those people who are more hardcore than thou within subcultures, who want to exclude others because they don't meet their standards, even though the subculture is judged by the mainstream. "Hooker" was all about that kid pointing the finger at him for being a sell out. "Aenima" being all about the LA scenesters fretting about their tattoos and lattes, hoping they all get washed away.
Which gets to the truly ironic part when people post meanings saying everyone is wrong and insulting others about their interpretation of Tool lyrics. There is a whole lot on the album about being sick of fake people, scenesters, those more hardcore than thou.
I dig the song and spin it into lessons about William Wordsworth and being disillusioned with the Enlightenment after the Reign of Terror. I suppose in the end it's just my interpretation then and no one will know if it is correct, I don't even care if it is. I like it. -
I beleive the song is about hearing your own eulogy....Hence the name. It could also be about Jesus sinse it does talk about getting off your cross. Maybe it's a combination of both! Like when jesus had his moment of doubt on the cross, and it was like he heard his own eulogy. But what do I know? I never read the damned bible, and I don't plan on ever doing so!
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