I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
What was it like to see
The face of your own stability
Suddenly look away
Leaving you with the dead and hopeless?
Eleven and she was gone
Eleven is when we waved good-bye
Eleven is standing still (waiting for me)
Waiting for me to free him
By coming home
Moving me with a sound
Opening me within a gesture
Drawing me down and in (showing me where it all began)
Showing me where it all began
Eleven
He was too scarred to realize
You were the voice that's been calling me back home
Under a dead Ohio sky
Eleven has been and will be waiting
Defending his light and wondering
Where the hell have I been?
Sleeping, lost and numb, I'm
So glad that I have found you
I am wide awake and heading home
I wish that I could see you
Turn and run to play
Dreams are fading
Carry my ancient soul, carry me into the light
Aim your body heavenly
Enduring a memory
I'll come to your light
Hold your light
Hold your light where I can see it
High
Hold your light, eleven
Lead me through each gentle step by step
By inch by loaded memory
I'll move to heal
As soon as pain allows so we can
Reunite and both move on together
Hold your light, eleven
Lead me through each gentle step by step
By inch by loaded memory until
One and one are one, eleven
So glow, child, glow
I'm heading back home
The face of your own stability
Suddenly look away
Leaving you with the dead and hopeless?
Eleven and she was gone
Eleven is when we waved good-bye
Eleven is standing still (waiting for me)
Waiting for me to free him
By coming home
Moving me with a sound
Opening me within a gesture
Drawing me down and in (showing me where it all began)
Showing me where it all began
Eleven
He was too scarred to realize
You were the voice that's been calling me back home
Under a dead Ohio sky
Eleven has been and will be waiting
Defending his light and wondering
Where the hell have I been?
Sleeping, lost and numb, I'm
So glad that I have found you
I am wide awake and heading home
I wish that I could see you
Turn and run to play
Dreams are fading
Carry my ancient soul, carry me into the light
Aim your body heavenly
Enduring a memory
I'll come to your light
Hold your light
Hold your light where I can see it
High
Hold your light, eleven
Lead me through each gentle step by step
By inch by loaded memory
I'll move to heal
As soon as pain allows so we can
Reunite and both move on together
Hold your light, eleven
Lead me through each gentle step by step
By inch by loaded memory until
One and one are one, eleven
So glow, child, glow
I'm heading back home
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Finally, 10 years later, some clarification from the band!
If you listen to A Perfect Circle's "Judith" and more importantly, Tool's new "10,000 days (Wings for Marie Part 2)", most is explained.
His mothers name was Judith Marie Keenan. in Judith, Maynard sings 'fuck your god, he's the one that left you broken down and paralyzed'. In 10,000 days, he sings '10,000 days in the fire is long enough, you're going home', 'Judith Marie, unconditional one'.
Judith Marie suffered for 10,000 days, perhaps from a stroke that left her paralyzed? She died on 18 June 2003. Maynard was born on 17 April 1964, so he was 39.2. 10,000 days is 27.4 years. 39.2 - 27.4 = 11.8. He was 11 years old when it happened.
Like Jimmy, the track 10,000 days also refers to "holding the light" and the light leading you home. In this track, the light is her gift of guidance and faith in him. Home is heaven.
Therefore I think Jimmy is about Maynard losing his mother as he knew her. He was young and depended on her. "The face of your own stability". He talks to/of himself (jimmy, eleven) in third person as he is no longer the innocent child he was prior to this event. Half way through the song, "So glad that I have found you" is Jimmy realising that he himself is lost, not her. The person he knew is still with him in the form of the gift of guidance (the light or "loaded memory") she has instilled in him, and he goes on to use it to lead a successful life. "I am wide awake and headed home". There's an ongoing theme in Tool about pain being necessary to advance, and life being that step (best example is Parabol). "Heading home" means living his life, moving forward towards the afterlife. "as soon as pain allows" means as soon as he has learned the lessons of life. "So we can reunite, and both move on together". Maybe the song is about them reuniting back to the state of happy memories, when they become "one" in the afterlife. There's also an ongoing theme of collective consciousness through much of Tools work.
Anyway, my main point being that Tool's new work surely confirms "he" is mjk and "she" is jmk.
@xlynx9 Also would like to point out (might be by coincidence) than in the track 10,000 days, when he says "Give me my Wings" , it was at 5:39, given that he was 39 when his mother died, it was like, confirmation or something.
Almost a decade later, I stop by to find my post I forgot all about is upvoted, so I feel obliged to provide citations for my info (in part out of personal desire to avoid reading like a numeracy conspiracy theorist).<br /> <br /> Scroll/search for 18 jun 03 at the following archive of Tool's official site to find notice of Judith's death along with her photo. Retrospectively, it appears the words in the image were straight from Maynard, as "Pillar of faith" later became a lyric. Scroll/search a little further on the same page and you'll find a "Happy Birthday Maynard" on 17 Apr 03!<br /> <br /> web.archive.org/web/20030801074636/http://www.toolband.com/index_frames.html<br /> <br /> Hope we're all still here to enjoy Tool for another decade. 5th album or world ending; which is likelier? =)
oops, seems songmeanings doesn't like this link. You'll need to add a colon after the first http.
@soakedinsoul I Think this is mostly right. However, I think many of the lyrics pertain to him reuniting with his inner child to heal through that trauma that was likely somewhat repressed or unresolved. As an adult he's asking his inner child to remind him what it was like to be a shining innocent youth, help him through the painful memories and rather than repress them, shine through, accept then as reality and heal as an adult while also trying to reincorporate his inner-child. The entire last segment of the song is about exactly that in my opinion.
Ok, first off I wanna say that I never sign into sites like this.... but just reading all the bullshit on here was just pissing me off. Honestly are you people really that dumb? Obviously 90% of you aren't actual tool fans or maybe bought one CD and consider yourself Maynard experts. Yes Maynard has said that his songs are purposely written in a way that could have several meanings and leaves it open for the listener to interpret it the way they want (that's why he never discusses what his songs are about). But come on...... Sept 11th.....guess he sees into the future, Horoscopes, Numerology, The 11 11 time clock crap, and the list goes on and on. I mean some of you morons are talking about his sister (which P.S. doesn't exist since he's an only child), his mom Peggy, Susie, Kathy. Just stop embarrassing yourselves if you don't know the facts about his family, at least the basics like his moms name. Oh yeah I almost forgot besides getting his moms name wrong lots of you got HIS name wrong. HOW THE HELL COULD YOU BE ON THIS SITE AND NOT AT LEAST KNOW THAT HIS BIRTH NAME WASN'T MAYNARD. The songs name is jimmy.........his name is James......hmmmmmm I wonder who the songs about........maybe his dog. Anyway long story short the song has a pretty simple meaning people......just put the pipe down cause it's not doing all of you any good. It's about him as a boy jimmy......his mom became paralyzed when he was 11...he was sent off to his dads when he was 11..........his whole world changed because of what happened to his mom when he was 11............1+1.......11...the end.
Senior "Tool Expert". You said yourself that most of Tool's songs are open to interpretation, but yet, you assume that YOUR interpretation is the right one. How can you type your harsh words of criticism on how everyone has terrible interpretations as you impose your own?
These songs may be open to interpretation, but this is the closest to the CORRECT interpretation I've yet seen here. It's all well and good that as many people as possible relate with an artist's songs in whatever way(s) they see fit, but trust me; the artists do have something specific in mind when they write these songs.
I also never sign in to sites like these but you comment made me laugh so hard I had to sign in to upvote it. 1+1 :D
@bakerbaker90 his mom is named judith
@bakerbaker90 omfg I had to make an account just to reply to you! I laughed so hard
@bakerbaker90 All coincidental interpretations are valid. Tools lyrics are filled with what they call magic, so that it inevitably let´s the listener project its own reality.<br /> <br /> I myself had great insights about myself through the meditation of the lyrics, especially the number 11.
@bakerbaker90 <br /> Yes and THANK YOU for the asinine ,no correlation in the slightest to the lyrics in order to fit the meaning they propose. <br /> If you have PTSD this song puts words to a path that you are placed within and on I had been unable to find a way to even begin to formulate an association/connection for those in my life that did not have PTSD to relate too for a truer understanding of the depth you are forever changed. (At least for me and my interpertation regarding myself and by using the lyrics / words to associate a meaning in my life.) Some of the “meanings” on this site make you wonder if someone is trolling or maybe is poor sarcasm
@bakerbaker90 Considering how angry you are I'm willing to bet most of Tool's lyrics go over your head! The band is heavily into things like sacred geometry, synchronicity, Timothy Leary, questioning everything, etc it strikes me as very ignorant that you think there's no possible way 11 in this song has a double meaning and just write it off as "time clock crap". It's called synchronicity and it's not a coincedence that Rosetta Stoned is 11:11 long.<br /> <br /> Your interpretation isn't wrong but it's a shame you feel the need to get angry at people who see more meaning in the song than simply "he's singing about being 11". Do you think the world would be a better place if everyone treated you like garbage because you don't believe in synchronicity?<br /> <br /> I'll end with a Bill Hicks quote that feels appropriate. <br /> Bill Hicks, "Shut up and smoke that"<br /> Angry guy smokes weed and chills out, "Oh sorry I was taking life seriously."<br /> *A
@bakerbaker90 Hahaha right on, epic rant dude.
@bakerbaker90 that stuff is correct except Jimmy left for Michigan when he was 13. He lived in Ohio for a while after Judy's paralysis. But I think the age of 11 is the traumatic moment he is singing about.
@bakerbaker90
Actually everyone here is basically correct and on the right track. It does have to do with 9/11, numerology, his mother, 1+1, all of it actually.<br /> <br /> 11 represents duality. We're missing the mother aspect of our souls because we are separated from nature which is why everything is going to reset. So we're just 1 missing the other 1, 11. You have to heal the trauma from not having the mother aspect. This is both spiritual and literal for Maynard obviously.<br /> <br /> 1 & 1 is 1, 11<br /> <br /> "The 2 shall become one."<br /> <br /> 9/11 had to do with destroying the 2 pillars that hold up the world. It was a symbolic representation of that. It's Masonic. They are tearing down this world so they can build a new one. Creating chaos so they can make order out of chaos. A new world order.<br /> <br /> i.redd.it/7lq2y95k21h11.jpg<br /> <br /> i.redd.it/8fzr6chmz0g11.png<br /> <br /> i.redd.it/f4hyili511h11.jpg<br /> <br /> i.redd.it/yn0q4hmtq0g11.png
@bakerbaker90 <br /> <br /> Just wanted to say. THIS.<br /> <br /> I signed in w/o reading the comments below. Only because of your post. You have saved me a lot of time.<br /> <br /> Amazing song. I'd put the maynard/judith story songs like this.<br /> <br /> Prison Sex, Jimmy, Judith, Wings Suite<br /> <br /> I could even argue the Jambi may be a part. Could be.<br /> <br /> Anyway. Nice work provoking my morning bullshitting. <br /> <br /> -B
@bakerbaker90 <br /> Chill out And take jimmy pipe out ur mouth this song is About how baker took james Maynard's and justin chanchelorts cook totaling 11.1" dick in his mouth back stage in 2007 in his home town ,so angry and accusing while providing no facts other than why wasn't ur skull I crushed in the pit@a pantera concert until I realized u were not there but at a new kids concert and didn't listen to tool or grow a set until the tribal tat dball rage and fohawk listen buddy before u point that finger u should know im the fucking man n put that finger up ur fagot tanning bed wifebeater wearing n Definitely woman beating ass carry on everyone n if u were in the pit's u know who this clown is come see me baker baker either represents ur stutter or ur own families inability to remember
@bakerbaker90 i see youre right but jesus this is just a fun little site where people talk about song meanings<br />
The song is about spiritual growth, as achieved through overcoming painful events that have been put into Maynard's life path.
"til one and one are one, eleven.." means 1 and 1 together make 11. In numerology and spirituality 11 is a 'master' number. this means that someone who's life is lead by the number 11 has the opportunity to achieve spiritual mastery and move on from this plane of existence upon death. Maynard is talking about gaining insight into the pain of his past, his childhood. "glow child glow" means that his childhood will lead him back home. Home being the place beyond, the great light.
It's also worth knowing that individuals whose lives are governed by 11 are believed to be spiritual 'messengers'. In many cases they are artists and spiritual leaders.
The general content of the album deals with spiritual growth, for example the song "third eye". Look into what third eye means if you are interested.
i'm not bread...
can't put any truth to it specifically but the feeling i get from the lyrics over tools whole discography is a general darkness and anger to begin with in undertow and opiate with a sense of tension between anger and happiness and an overwhelming feeling of being lost while having such strong direction. lateralus has more of a feel of realisation of contradictions, prime example grudge - whoever's right or wrong holding a grudge helps no one... aenima feels like the flushing out of the darkness within. realising lack of self control and desensitising just leads to wanting more(stinkfist) hating the martyr within (eulogy), stepping thru shadows(46 and 2)- this all makes me think of one realising he's missed seeing the world in a way he used to before he started being so hateful and cynical towards the world. so when i here the song to me it's about being in a state of confusion about the misdirection of ones life philosophies and wanting to reconnect with the view held as a child, that part of yourself was always there holding a light that you denied and he's wanting you to return, now i'm heading 'home' to my own self that i've ignored and repressed for so long, reconnecting, one and one is one, eleven... i don't know maynards life story but my interpretation of jimmy agrees with my own so that's what i think of when i listen to it, but i wasn't 11 so i think of 11 being two halves of a whole number, one and one can be one together in eleven...
i believe this song is about maynards inner child. His real name is James as we all know and Jimmy is sometimes used as a nickname of sorts for james. Think of it as a name people used to call him when he was a kid. anyway something happened when he was 1, either a family member died or moved away (most likely female), and it tormented him. So in the song he talks about coming home to make peace and free his inner child.
Maynard's mom had a cerebral aneurysm when he was 11 (living in Ohio), and two years later, she said he should move to Michigan to live with his father. So yes, the song is most likely about a female - his mother. She's the basis for a lot of Maynard's songs. i.e. "Judith" and "Wings for Marie"
It seems that Maynard is referring to his eleven year-old self in this song (calling him simply "Eleven"). Something was lost in Maynard when his mother experienced her aneurysm: a part of Maynard stopped growing with him and moving on. This is evidenced by the lyrics; "Eleven is standing still,"; and, "Eleven has been and will be waiting."
For whatever reason, Maynard needed to go home to "reunite" with that lost part of him. Perhaps it is the part of him that looked to his mother as his "stability" or just as someone to share mutual care and love for. Eleven may be the part of him thats capable of loving his mother unconditionally: of idolizing and adoring her the way young children tend to; but that post age eleven, he moved on with the realization of his mother's mortality and may have been angered by it. It does seem that he's grown more compassionate and understanding towards her throughout his songs about her over the years. He might be seeking the balance between loving her as a young child does, but accepting her mortality and that what happened was beyond her control. Going home seems like a good place to do so if thats where his mother was.
Just a guess though, as I'll never know exactly how he felt towards his mother before, during or after this song (or any of them for that matter).
Eleven is how old he was when something traumatizing happened...he lived the rest of his life reflecting off of this experience "sleeping, lost, and numb." "Leaving me with the dead and hopeless" his Mother may have been paralyzed from her stroke at this time, maybe. He is hypnotized and "Eleven (Maynard (James "jimmy" as a child)" is guiding Maynard to him to mend the gap, reconnecting with his inner child. Creating closure...
as it turns out your lyrics are aren't quite correct in a few spots, corrections:
opening me with INNER GESTURES I was too SCARRED to realize
Also, if anyone knows the mumbling that starts around 2:50, they should post it, I know it ends in
...memory Hold your light Hold your light Hold your light where I can see
yep
THANK YOU!
Who fucking cares his real name is James Keenan. He added Maynard later as one of his ultra tongue in cheek jokes that only he and his bandmates really get. Once again I hate you all.