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 probably not as big a fan as the most of you and I'm sure when i say this, some nerdy deep rooted fan is going to correct me with the same absurd logic as I've seen in past. I simply took it as a lyrical story bashing of what some would consider the antichrist. Hitler. of maybe any future "deemed" anti christ. That's just a thought. Now, which one of you gonna call me an idiot with no true reasoning. Any takers. Before you point your finger remember that I'm the man and you're the man and we are all the fucking man. You all know where the finger goes. hah
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All of you stupid christians are drawing at pathetic straws. There is no doubt what Eulogy is about. Maynard has been repeatedly quoted as a devout anti-christian and this song is about the total absurdity about the jesus myth. You are foolish and misguided, and you religion is empty and one of the great falsehoods of man.
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It's about Sam Kinnison. Seriously. Think about it...
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This song is a Euolgy to the late Bill Hicks,( RIP) The whole album is a tribute to his life
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To set the record straight the following quote is from Maynard James Keenan, this should lay to rest which member of Tool writes most of the lyrics for the band.
"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".
Maynard James Keenan
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/maynard_james_keenan.html
Now I'm not suggesting Maynard writes all the Lyrics either, I'm merely offering up Maynard's own words as too what input two members of the band have. However I'm sure some will misread the quote and beg to differ. But that's OK, all is right with this universe. -
Adam Jones writes no lyrics for the band. Just like Maynard does not write the Guitar parts. In fact Adam Jones has said in interviews that most of the time he has no idea what Maynard is singing about. Eulogy is either based on "Jesus Christ" or some Religious Cult Leader claiming divinity...."Come down get off your F@#king Cross we need some space to nail the next fool Martyr up."
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I'm not trying to offend anyone because that's not what I do, but my interpretation, and please before you go on the defensive realize interpretation is an opinion, really. From what I have witnessed on YouTube and this website as well as many others I am starting to believe this song is about many of you and possibly me for pointing out this. Now I know that many of you are going to point out that he uses the pronoun "Him" a lot and that couldn't reflect a large group or body of people, yet many people define a higher power (greater than oneself) as a "him" or "he" when a higher power would have no need for a gender let alone a pronoun. So isn't it possible that "he" and "him" are referring to the masses, or the individuals who spread hatred towards differences and pick apart the whole? Since so many speak for everyone instead of allowing opinions to be opinions and spew hate and filth towards one another and not being "together" thus separating themselves? I know I'm getting deep but philosophy is kind of my...shtick?
--Song Breakdown--
(MY INTERPRETATION <---will also be referenced later.)
He had a lot to say.
(Many of you have a lot to say because you have opinions and your own beliefs. A lot has been stated on comments constantly.)
He had a lot of nothing to say.
(Most of the hate speech is unnecessary from a logical standpoint. No offense, it just is. There's no point as it will only receive an equally trivial backlash. As well as generalizing a whole group and blaming all Christians or all Tool fans or all Atheists to be not what you want them to be.)
We’ll miss him. (2x)
We’re gonna miss him (2x)
(I care for everyone, and my interpretations of many songs make me believe that the band cares for people, I'm not sure if it has been stated anywhere but Aenima actually makes me think that he cares for people and I know that might be hard to believe. If I remember correctly there is somewhere that they specifically stated that they named the band for the intended purpose to be used to your personal benefit, not theirs, possibly for enlightenment, possibly for awakening, possibly for freedom of thought and self expression or identification and reflection.)
So long.
We wish you well.
You told us how you weren’t afraid to die.
(Many of you have stated your religious beliefs. Christians shouldn't be afraid to die as well as Atheists as the end won't matter for either because you both believe that your end will be the best possible outcome, please state your opinion on this in a constructive manner.)
Well then, so long.
Don’t cry.
Or feel too down.
Not all martyrs see divinity.
But at least you tried.
(A martyr is not only one who dies for their beliefs, they shouldn't cry because they are righteous in their position, they are correct in their faith, beliefs, philosophy (ies), ideas, etc. They are also one who endures great suffering because of said reasons. Many of you suffer from negative emotions, based off how you reacted. Stating that the interpretation is obvious means your mind has closed to the subject. You are no longer open to other's interpretations, but how steadfast in your position are you really? Would you die for it? Many of you are hated for said beliefs/religion and endure suffering because who wants to be hated? If you're Christian you shouldn't want people to go to Hell but yet do you really try? As an Atheist you don't want others to believe in delusions but how much do you really care? These labels are generic and horrible misunderstandings to label, an individual under such is stripping them of their individuality and for an example "If you're a Tool fan and you're Christian, you're an idiot" which is highly unfair and uncalled for, in my eyes you are all individuals in someway. However that doesn't mean you represent your true individuality. <-Later reference. However my pointing out this fact is grouping up many of you as a collective which is unfair and hypocritical to you and I do not mean it in such a manner. I just wish to help you open yourselves up but who am I to say you need to? Thus again hypocritical.)
Standing above the crowd,
He had a voice that was strong and loud.
(We're all here posting because we want to offer opinions, throw slander, have our interpretations be heard, enlighten others, prove others wrong which is very prideful and distasteful [sadly an opinion that generalizes the intentions of people and I apologize.] or we're here to see what we can find out about what we all have in common, this amazing song. Our voices are being heard, strong and loud because we are steadfast in our positions, we are closed off to other's points of view [most of us] although I don't necessarily consider myself closed minded but I probably am. [<-Another later reference.] From “MY INTERPRETATION” being capitalized I wanted to show emphasis, believing that you would misinterpret my intentions of this and capital letters have been correlated to yelling in emails, the internet, chat rooms, and forums. Trying to make it strong and loud so nobody misunderstand my intentions as I would not want that, but believing you would not get the meaning of interpretation has me propping myself up on a soapbox, let it be known that I do not think I am better than any of you, I just wanted to make myself clear and I am not looking down on the intellect of others. Many others have also used capital letters, harsh language, insults, and emphasis; making each of us, the ability to have a voice that is strong and loud.)
We’ll miss him. (2x)
Ranting and pointing his finger
(I may seem like I am pointing my finger at all of you because in my interpretation this is about all of us. My finger pointing is not to ridicule, insult, nor harm. It is just a mere observation. I’m quite upset with myself for even doing this but my intention is to help [which may also be a reason for the martyr reference, because I am highly upset with all the negativity we have towards one another because I want us all to get along and share in life the positive] and even referring to myself as a martyr is distasteful and saddening, but I know this “martyr” won’t reach divinity because the insecurity I have at even calling myself that and the backlash it should receive, but please understand that not all martyrs are religious, some are for belief structures. No offense meant in my reiteration of the definition of martyr.)
At everything but his heart.
(This is why I feel that I may be the only one that should be mentioned in this interpretation and I am highly puzzled at myself perhaps even upset. I’m pointing the blame at everyone when in reality it might be just me! Because of my interpretation I have included all of you which might be wholly unfair and disrespectful.)
We’ll miss him. (2x)
We’re gonna miss him (2x)
(This repetition may be the band including them into my interpretation, and unfortunately right about now I’m puzzled, then again my breakdown might be breaking everything down in the wrong parts as the song is a whole, one big piece of artwork and not the individual lines should be dissected and torn asunder. Perhaps through my interpretation they are referring to me, they will miss me because they never knew me but that is so egotistical I’m perturbed that I even thought it. Or another point of view could be that all of you will miss each other and the recognition each has give to the others? I’m unsure but maybe that if ‘him’ and ‘he’ are referring to all of us in my interpretation, maybe the band will miss all of us? Through our enlightenment [or death] through their music, they will have missed what we were like prior [this is also my favorite because it includes all of us in a positive manner which I believe is one of the sole purposes of the music, to bring us together] and that we have changed because of the music. Also it could also be ourselves saying we will miss the part of us who has the gall to stand up and state our beliefs. I know if this conversation would come up face to face with someone else I would more than likely sit idly by and say hardly anything but I would want to say so much but I am insecure, I don’t want ridicule and it makes me a hypocrite because if I believe in what I do I should be able to stand for it.)
No way to recall
What it was that you had said to me,
Like I care at all.
(How many of you are going to honestly read what I have wrote? If I were stating this on a stage how many would listen? I think this reflects on us in a positive and negative manner. On one hand, having no way to recall the negative comments that people state is a great thing, as you are unlikely to care about the negativity and will remember the positive. On the other hand, the positive will stay with you only if you take it to heart, if you truly care about nothing then you will retain nothing. If you care, you remember and it stays with you and hopefully it betters you, even if others disagree with it because it is a part of you.)
But it was so loud.
You sure could yell.
You took a stand on every little thing
And so loud.
(I do take a stand on every little thing and I’m pretty sure we all do because we care, if we didn’t care we wouldn’t say anything and move along. Not sure if anyone has truly yelled on here because, after all, it is text. However, perhaps in our minds, the strength of our belief is yelling at us to say something, in our minds the emotion becomes dominant and logic is pushed aside making our beliefs come through, no matter the topic. Then again perhaps our logic is what has led us to our beliefs, but when thinking logically and emotionally the two are separate, logic would calmly discuss while emotion would yell or use the power that emotion can have to win an argument, but if you combined the two your effect on others would be profound and your stand would mean more to you and others, making your voice loud as the belief or idea would spread. Ideas are beautiful and very dangerous things. Another way to take this is that this song is in the past tense, stating that what has been said may be no longer being said, such as after we all post this will we continue to implement our belief or will we lose touch with ourselves, this could also point to the fact that we’ll miss him, the person we were if but for a brief moment to say what we believed in.)
Standing above the crowd,
He had a voice so strong and loud and I
Swallowed his facade because I’m so
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.
(If one person follows another specifically for the reason that they have a voice and not thinking for themselves is disturbed. To follow one just because they are above the crowd, having their opinion laid out in front of you doesn’t mean you should follow them to the ends of the Earth. It could be fraudulent or it could be a complete and utter drivel that you are putting stock of belief into because you are desperate for that connection, desperate to be connected to others yet we are well off alone as well. This may be somewhat of a tangent but I hope it helps get the point across. If I believed that I was destined for a purpose or that someone else was my savior, I’d believe in it even if nobody else did. If it was truly what I believed I wouldn’t be skeptical and cower from non-believers or I wouldn’t point the finger at them telling them that they are wrong, it is simply what I believe and I do not need that connection, maybe that is what they are trying to convey. Maybe it is not to bring us together but to make us establish ourselves as individuals! Oh how complex my mind can be sometimes, now I’m even unsure of what to believe in! Now I feel complete hypocrisy but I will continue.[probably a lot of nothing to say])
Will you?
Will you now?
Would you die for me?
Don’t you fuckin’ lie.
(Saying that I truly care for your well being may seem like a bold statement, but I do. However, [and this gets to me] I would probably not die for you in order to help you discover yourself, so that you could live enlightened, or to be a better person, or to accept others, or to respect, or anything that I believe you to not do. Even stating that I think you are any of these things is unacceptable judgment of who you are as an individual and hypocritical. I could never be a true martyr for my belief. Perhaps I believe it is not you who says certain things but what you have been instructed to believe and wish for you to think for yourself truly think for yourself. Feel and think of what you believe in, not just think it nor just feel it but do both. Then it is true belief. He changes from “him” and “he” to “you”, which makes it more personal, at least for me. Since we all interpret differently. When he starts saying you, it feels like he’s calling me out, calling my bluff. If I were to switch my opinions or beliefs from being called out then I am a liar.)
Don’t you step out of line. (3x)
Don’t you fuckin’ lie.
You’ve claimed all this time that you would die for me.
Why then are you so surprised when you hear your own eulogy?
(To hear be surprised to hear one’s own eulogy means that they are startled or taken aback by the reassurance or acknowledgment that they will ultimately die. Perhaps the band is speaking to the fans in general, regardless of religion or belief and I will get to this in further in a moment.)
You had a lot to say.
You had a lot of nothing to say.
(You have a lot to say what you believe in, as do I obviously from this lengthy TL:DR post of an interpretation. It may in fact be insulting to the band that I am interpreting it. This all may be my mindless drivel to so many but I felt the need to say it, propping myself up on that pedestal because I am so boorish as to think that you need to hear what I have to say. :( )
Come down.
Get off your fuckin cross.
We need the fuckin’ space to nail the next fool martyr.
(Now that I am being modest prior to this and stating that all of you don’t need to hear what I have to say, these lines come next. Calling me a fool for not “sticking with my guns” in a sense. Face it, if we were so into our beliefs we would endure such a painful execution as crucifixions. We’re not martyrs yet we will cram what we believe so much in into other’s faces when it isn’t really needed, they either believe you or with you or they don’t. Wow, so basically this entire interpretation may actually be completely useless. Maybe that was the whole point; that our beliefs are unnecessary to bring up because if other’s believe in it, you’re just reiterating, if they don’t and are steadfast enough in their beliefs and not fickle with it, they will never listen. My mind is blown. I highly doubt it but it may even be possible that everything they put out may in fact be drivel but it is teaching us to think for ourselves. Although I highly doubt that mind numbing nonsense would cause a lot of fans to find their own interpretations.)
To ascend you must die.
You must be crucified
For our sins and our lies.
Goodbye...
I have nothing to say about this part as I am completely blown away by where my thoughts are going. It’s been a wonderful trip feeling this wonderful song so deep down that I was inclined to interpret it however meaningless and trivial my interpretation was or is to others.
I think I got my version of their point out of this song and I think I do have to say it.
I think you do need to hear what I have to say and it’s not a bad thing, it’s important to me because I believe you would benefit from being a better individual, even if you believe you are already “holier than thou” or “more intelligent” I think you could use a fresh point of view. I’m not stating I am better than anyone here. I’m not stating that I will ever be better than those who truly died or were killed for their beliefs. I just think that my two cents are worth it, so be it if it gets me ridiculed. -
i have heard that this song is about l.ron hubby but as with most of their religious songs he neither promotes or detracts from religion he merely condemns thoes who are hypocritical in their religion
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Growing up with Tool, and being turned on to Bill Hicks by Maynard's lyrics on this song and the band's artwork on the Aenima album, it is easy to see that this song is clearly about Bill Hicks. It's been 5 years since the last post, but I know there is someone who is still searching for an answer as to what this song means. Visit billhicks.com.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tffezTtGcew -
duhhh... It's about Jesus Christ, he may have said it's not, but how many artists really commonly tell the world what their songs really mean. Maynard obviously hates God, just listen to his other songs and it will be painfully obvious. Come on, in a Perfect Circles song, Judith, it was about his freekin' mom and he was basically talking down to her because she stayed faithful even throughout her failing health....
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What if Jesus was not the son of God? I think this is the point of view of this song. Yea, Christ's story has been told by many who say they witnessed his power, and in the opinion of many, for this story to spread so fast and for so many to swear by his divinity it is only logical to believe in him so long as you believe those who tell and believe his story. This is not a post to promote believing or not. I love the way Tool uses their words to tread softly among Christians and still be able to have people open up to that idea. The words in the song describe Jesus perfectly, however, of course it could also be anyone else who publically spoke and was crucified, not sure of any other people who claimed such divinity in public and was crucified. I am a Christian, I believe in God and his ability to forgive and so long as all those people's stories are true Jesus was the son of God.
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From my own experience with church...
I used to think this song was about Jesus and, as I am a Christian, I chose to stay away from it, even though I liked it a lot. Now I am quite sure it is about something different.
Recently, after years of doubt, I left Catholic church and turned to protestant faith. In a moment of grief over the all the wrong I had seen in the Catholic church this song came to my mind, after a very long time in which I hadn't listened to it.
It may have lots of meanings, but right now it is an accurate interpretation of my feelings towards a church that promised to lead its people to salvation in heaven, while I felt it was only pushing me further from God.
"Ranting and pointing his finger at everything but his heart..."
It sounds incredibly familiar. Just like the priests to pretended to be rightous, while showing contept towards everyone else because of any signs of spiritual imprefection. This is very wrong, one of the worst forms of evil, pride and guiding the lost souls away from God. In short - Bible says that absolutely everyone is sinful. There is a punishment for sins - death. However, Chirst was pure, with no punishment to be payed, and payed for our sins with his life. We don't have to die (spiritually = hell), because we have died with him symblically when we accepet the sacrifice - nevertheless...
"To ascend you must die" - anyone who claims to be innocent, without the need for this sacrifice of Chirst is a liar. Those who say they have the power to lead to salvation on their own, in any other way, are even worse liars.
"Get of your f* cross, we need the f* space to nail the next fool martyr"
While I would not use this phrasing, many priests I knew were like this, pretending to be like martyrs, to live modestly and suffering for their church. In fact they only wanted to appear innocent, while many lead lives worse than that of the general population, lying, living in luxury, secretly having mistresses and children (which, at least in my country is a known fact about catholic priests in 'celibacy'). Hence the whited sepulcher from the Bible...
"You claimed all this time that you would die for me, why then are you so surprised when you hear your own eulogy".
This is a very personal interpretation, but close to my heart right now. I was promised guidance and I only got disappointment and disgust. My old church is dead for me. The new one helps me grow and may not be perfect, as it consists of imperfect people, but it does not corrupt the words from the Bible, which it would do by saying that it was in fact immaculate, and neither does it in any other way.
I don't claim my interpretation is the same as the universal, intended one, I am, however, fairly sure it was meant to criticize people, hypocrites, and not Christ. Finally, Jesus DID die on the cross, and not only promised to do that. And I still don't claim that all other Tool songs are always kind dealing with Christianity.
Feel free to let me know what you think guys, I'll be checking here.
M. -
It's about billy graham
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Oh come on... It's so about Jesus. Come down, get off your fucking cross, we need that fucking space to nail the next fool Martyr.
Sounds like jesus christ to me :-)
I'd agree
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