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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Paul D'Amour's eulogy.
Thanks for asking. -
I thought I had an interpretation that was accurate. After reading the other interpretations, many of them were just as plausible. Could it be that each and every one of the contributors can manage to interpret lyrics based on their own set of circumstances and/or beliefs? Could they have been written with just enough latitude so as not to disallow any intelligent interpretation? Probably the most intelligent band in rock - certainly the most intelligent fans.
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Continuing, just because some of the songs are about, and the CD is dedicated to Bill Hicks, that doesn't mean ALL the songs are about him. How about Stinkfist? That MUST be about Hicks, right?!
Jesus is the obvious literal meaning, but how much of Tool seems to be completely literal?
This song, for all we know, could be about Dominoes.
Think about it.
They claim, "30 minutes or it's free." They show up in 31 minutes and 47 seconds... So, are you really going to "die" for me? (pay for my pizza) See how any ridiculous idea COULD work? I suggest everyone switches from, "NO, it's about..." and "Actually, it means..." to "I think it's about..." because YOU DON'T KNOW. -
Tool is anti-religion... we have that down. WE GET IT. "ALL TOOL SONGS MUST BE AGAINST RELIGION!" This is essentially what many of you are saying. Yes, they have a history of making it clear that they are against Christianity, but does that mean ALL of their songs are bashing religion?
Vicarious is about how God doesn't care about anything and we all die.
See, I can take one idea and stretch it across anything else too.
Just because some of their songs are anti-religious, that doesn't mean they ALL are. I'm sure all four of our beloved band members have a lot more on their mind than how much they hate the bible.
Hell, who's to say this song isn't about the band itself?
"He had a lot to say/He had a lot of nothing to say." The bands cryptic songs through the years? Everyone bantering back and forth about their meaning, this would make sense.
The April Fools joke alludes to the false martyr. They claimed to give up the band, when they had no such intentions.
I'm not saying this is what Eulogy is actually about. In fact, I DON'T think it is. I'm just saying, we don't know, we WON'T know. But trying to make every song about bible-bashing is... Ok, I can't think of a word to encompass the stupidity, arrogance, ignorance, and jackass-ish-ness that I want to convey. -
The song really just uses Jesus as an example for all the dumb fucks, like the ones that put down Christianity and think they're better than other people.
If you think you really know tool, you would have noticed that, in some songs, Maynard has a tendency to use examples that he is not criticizing.
Basically this song speaks about how people, despite how hard they try will not gain the recognition they deserve:
"Youve claimed all this time that you would die for me.
Why then are you so surprised when you hear your own eulogy?"
For the dumb athiest fucks that enjoy criticizing tool, religions and other people, Maynard would obviously not criticize a man who is believed to have saved all humanity and absolved them of their sins and eternal torment (Jesus Christ). If you want to speak about something, know what you are speaking about and read that Maynard openly stated that he is not criticizing Jesus or Christianity.
I respect all religions, just not people who criticize others. -
Honestly, it could be about anything....to me it seems a lot of his songs deal with his childhood and his time with his mother spent at church. To me it feels he is talking about his childhood pastor....its just a guess, but you could plug in Jesus there just the same and it works...I mean if you look at it logically there are too many possibilities, but if we understood it emotionally...that is where all true answers lie.
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It's about Shannon Hoon, believe it or not.
Standing above a crowd, he had a voice that was strong and loud? He sure could yell? Listen to some Melon. -
I feel that the song is vague enough to leave it open to -anyone's- interpretation, as with many other Tool songs. The song seems to weave in and out, the lyrics relating to Jesus Christ. I believe that Maynard chose to use this connection of Jesus to the subject of the Eulogy, because of Jesus' widespread recognition as a 'False Prophet'. (That is not to insult any Christians.) The object of the Eulogy is obviously a man who people had very high opinions of, but either was proven as a fake, or known as a fake by the speaker; meaning that he/she could be anyone. Again, that is the beauty of Tool, open interpretation.
This is just my feelings towards the song, I do not claim to be correct. Just to add an extra view to wrap your mind around. -
Contrary to popular belief this song is not about Jesus but merely uses him as analogy. The band has stated in several interviews that this song is about L Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. (thanks, Keith - Phoenix, AZ)
In addition to Jesus, it has also been rumored that this is about Kurt Cobain or Paul D'Amour, the former bass player for Tool.
Lead singer Maynard Keenan has said that this is about the tendencies of people to stand on a soap box and sacrifice themselves in some way. He believes you should make your own decisions.....which could mean lots of people from jesus to bin laden (attention seeking .....people to stand on a soap box and sacrifice themselves in some way. -
If Maynard himself anonymously posted his meaning to his own lyrics of this song, undoubtedly, all of you "deep" Tool fans would blast his opinion if it did not match your own.
And the argumentative Christians here are supposed to be students of Christ and his ways... like name calling in an open forum. So much for true convictions.
~ ? -
This is retarded, look at all of the controversy a meaning of something can cause, enjoy the music in all parts as you hear it, damn
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I was told it was about Bill Hicks dying. Hicks was one of Keenan' closest friends. I also heard the whole album Ænema which eulogy is on is pretty much dedicated to hicks.
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Maynard is just talking about all martyrs in general. The people who when the time is not there say "I would die for you". These people are all over the world they preach on sunday and rap someone on monday. He might be stabbing at hypocrites and how they never open there eyes to what they do. The song isn't about jesus, I don't know why everyone thinks that Maynard writes his songs to bag on jesus or religion. He writes songs about religion because some people have never heard a different opinion than the one of there parents or guardians. I think this song could also go as deep as outrageous Tool fans that say "I would die for Tool". Myself having said that listen to Eulogy and wonder if I really would die for them.
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Ok this is just to the fool who said that if you listen to Tool you're not a Christian or any of that "gay shit." Ok, you are just the type of person that this song is addressing, an angry and closed-minded individual who just rants and yells about shit he doesn't understand. If you think this song is about Jesus, read the gospels. Any of them, canonical or otherwise. They are full of stories, teachings and methods to live in the Kingdom of God (or enlightenment, nirvana, there are several names to this state of being) told by Jesus out of love for humanity. Rarely does Jesus rant angrily as a deconstructionilist or self righteously at things he's pissed off about.
I am a CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN and I consider Tool to be one of the, if not THE most important group in music today. Go educate yourself before making a absolutely moronic claim that is based completely on teen-aged hormonal rage.
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