Tool: The Patient Meaning
The Patient Lyrics
Startling the fearful.
Is this a test?
It has to be
Otherwise I can't go on
Draining patience
Drain vitality
This paranoid, paralyzed vampire act's a little old
But I'm still right here
Giving blood,...
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This song is most definitely not about religion. Maynard is singing about a loved one or at least the representation of one.
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the majority of Maynard's lyrics are so ambiguous that they are open to several meanings and this one's no different but here's a view no-ones mentioned so far. Since the word patient itself has two meanings, perhaps he is using lyrics about being a doctor and despite the difficulties of it continue on because of the spiritual reward he feels from helping people.
'a groan of tedium escapes me, startling the fearful.'
the Dr releases a groan of tedium about his work, patients around him are 'startled' and suspect bad news.
'Draining patience. drain vitality.
'this paranoid, paralyzed vampire act's a little old.'
he is drained of life and energy and refers to himself as a vampire because of his nocturnal life in work.
'But I'm still right here, giving blood and keeping faith.'
giving blood may mean he is giving his own life over to what he does or he is giving blood or 'life' to other people.
Both choruses also could be interpreted in this way too. Like I said though, I suspect it has more than one meaning -
I believe it to be a song about hope. Hope that there's more to life and what we're going through now is worth the pain. "I certainly would've walked away" means if there were no rewards to reap, no loving embraces, he would've committed suicide.
I'm not sure why, but this song has always seemed to be about not taking one's own life.
"A groan of tedium escapes me,
Startling the fearful."
-He got sick of the tedium of life, startling the fearful thought of suicide.
"But I'm still right here
Giving blood, keeping faith
And I'm still right here."
-He has persisted and kept his hope in the better parts of life, all the while "giving blood", or suffering.
"Be patient.
I must keep reminding myself of this."
-He must remember to have faith in life.
I found this theme of hope and to live to the fullest to be scattered throughout the CD, such as on the song Lateralus.
"I'm reaching up and reaching out.
I'm reaching for the random or what ever will bewilder me.
And following our will and wind we may just go where no one's been.
We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one's been." -
I understand I am just presenting my own interpretation, but I wish to add it to the plethora of your own, as we all interpret everything through the veil of our own lives. I believe this song is about the path to being a doctor, "The Patient," of course, being the final purpose of this path.
"A groan of tedium escapes me, startling the fearful."
A reference to the tedium of study and learning, accompanied by the patients who fear for their health.
"Is this a test?"
Is the medical education a test? Surely the hardships that go with it are not necessary for practice, but more of a rite of passage into the profession.
"It has to be. otherwise I can't go on.
Draining patience. drain vitality.
This paranoid, paralyzed vampire acts a little old."
Continuation of the earlier theme, I can't really place specific meaning to this.
"But Im still right here, giving blood and keeping faith. and Im still right
Here.
But Im still right here, giving blood and keeping faith. and Im still right
Here."
Faith in your purpose, giving blood being both metaphorical for the giving of life and effort, and perhaps literal.
"Im gonna wait it out"
He is going to keep trying to follow his path
"If there were no rewards to reap,
No loving embrace to see me through this tedious path Ive chosen here,
I certainly would've walked away by now."
If there was no purpose he would've given up by now. The loving embrace of those he has healed, the tedious path the education and training to get there, and the life one has to live as a doctor.
"If there were no desire to heal
The damaged and broken met along this tedious path Ive chosen here,
I certainly would've walked away by now."
Pretty much self-evident meaning in my context. The desire to heal is the only thing that keeps him going.
"I still may. and I still may.
Be patient."
The use of the word patient, in its other meaning and context
"I must keep reminding myself of this..."
He must keep reminding himself of the purpose of this path
"Im gonna wait it out.
Im gonna wait it out.
Gonna wait it out.
Gonna wait it out."
He is going to keep trying.
Although I understand this is only my own interpretation, I have also noticed various other references to medicine, and the medical education in Tool's songs. Particularily the anatomical references to the album art of Lateralus, and the reference on 10,000 Days to the doctor and his patient, to name two. I believe this song is perhaps a tribute to those who struggle through such a difficult path and career, and acknowledgement that the only reason many persevere is only for those they can help.
I invite your own thoughts on my interpretation. -
This I think is about someone who is very sick from a disease and how he's tired of being in a hospital. He's talking about if he had no desire to heal then he would or left the hospital. It may not even be in a hospital. just in generally. He's tired of doing to same thing every day to help and fix he's problem. and if he felt like he didn't what the problem to be fixed he would of stopped the stuff he did everyday to help it. It talks about how he's just gonna do it and wait it out no matter how bad it is.
Clue the name "The Patient" maybe in a hospital. -
In this song, I believe he is referring to someone who is investing too much into one specific "path" in life. This person is beginning to question his now "tedious path", but immediately supresses these thoughts by saying he should just learn to "be patient". I believe the line "this paralyzed, paranoid, vampire act's a little old" refers to religion specifically. In the christian religion, "they" expect you to believe you should be fearful of the disapproval in your actions by a power greater than your own ("paranoid"), you should have no rational thought that isn't directly governed by god or the church("paralyzed"), and that you must worship in order to recieve your "life force"("vampire act").
But that's just me. You'll take from it what you want from it anyways. I know I did. -
I think its probably said through the eyes of his mother Judith during her life.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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The song is about how things don't come quickly or easy, you have to keep goin, you will get there in the end but it takes time and effort. Todays world has made people afraid of effort and long waits
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the cosmic egg...we believe so little and too much>seems to me anyone who has ever been "enhanced" or "awakened" to realize they are alive soon realizes THEY ARE ALIVE AND HUMAN, which is not an easy task...In fact, sometimes life sucks. Especially when choosing some divine way. There always seems to be that-well, I figured it out, why am I still here sense. don't get frustrated. Suicide=back again, wait it out, be patient
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Personally, I am of the belief that this song is about being different than most people, being more intelligent and being more open-minded than most. You'll never truely fit in and will always struggle with society, but there has to be some sort of reward after going through all of this. But at the same time, you still have to have some sort of support and someone to love.
Just my personal interpretation of course, but it works for me and helped me through some hard times. -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Oh and one last thing, when you are in your most "desperate moment fetal and weeping", you better not even have one tiny single cry to God for help. Look at what you speak. I have been in jail and I can tell you that I was alone and when we realize all the things we have and all the things that we take for granted, it is ridiculous. I bet you are in your warm house that your parents pay for on the computer that they bought you, bitching, while your hand is in a bag of cheetos. Listen, there are people in other countries, fuck, right here in this one too, that are being beaten, being abused in other ways, starving, dying of cancer, addicted to drugs, homeless, that can only dream of what you have. And if you think that it is only in the movies, your a sheltered little boy. Look around you. Be thankful, oh shit, I think I might have quoted the bible.--Kate
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To the second poster, "Maynard + loving god = No" isn't exactly correct. If you listen to his commentaries on the APC disc, he clearly believes that there is a caring god out there. He's just extremely opposed to the way that world religions have used belief in that god to cause pain.
And this song very much seems about a person who understands faith and the price that it requires. As a Christian fan of Tool, I relate to this song probably better than any other that Maynard has written. I think it is very much about his struggle to maintain his path when what he believes in is being challenged and he feels too tired to go on.
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