The song is *most definitely* about L. Ron Hubbard. "He had a lot of nothing to say", "When you hear your own Eulogy". The first refers to his writings being rubbish in Maynard's opinion, the second refers to LRH's and Scientologists in generals belief in reincarnation, and a somewhat Platonic concept of the soul, similar to the Christian myth, without any unmoved mover rubbish.

This Song Rocks! I like that part where Maynard went "You Could Be The One Who Saves Me From My Own Existance" which is heard at 4:34 throughout the whole entire song! Plus I Got their whole discography of all albums which includes:
Undertow (1993)
Ænima (1996)
Salival (2000)
Lateralus (2001)
10,000 Days (2006) (Their Latest F*cking Release)

So, The Whole entire discography was awesome. TOOL ROCKS!

Song was released in 1996.

this song is abot george bush bcus he si a really bad person

I may be really off here and the lyrics don't directly lead to this, but I took the parts like "we'll miss him" to be sarcastic and other lyrics as well, and came down to the lyrics could infact be about Hitler. Not sure why, but when I heard the song that was one of my conclusions. I usually try and find the less obvious meaning of a song, because often times, the meaning can be hidden and not so obvious infact. He became a martyr for his own believers to some degree but I am not taking the lyrics so literally here. Get off your fucking cross makes sense cause his believers look at him as a god. Hubbard and Jesus are the ones that everyone assumes are what the songs about, and perhaps thats correct. But I also believe an artist writes song lyrics to allow the listener to find their own meaning for the song. He seems angry as he sings the song, I imagined this person he was singing about to have been a dark sould & spirit. Hitler may not be at all the first person one thinks about when they read the lyrics or listen to the song, however it certainly poses a more interesting perspective. Again, I tend to be the type to come up with my own meaning for a song, and I could care less, it's true meaning cause I believe as I just said, that's it's written for the listeners own interpretation, that's why lyrics often have layers.

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Now, I didn't really had the time or patience to look at all the other comments and see if this perspective had been proposed by someone. For me, the song is all about Maynard himself, and in the end, about us, the people who revere him as "someone above the crowd". The major theme of the song, as far as I can tell, is posthumous glory. But I'll explain my view shortly. First stanza:

«He had a lot to say
He had a lot of nothing to say
We'll miss him
We'll miss him
We're gonna miss him
We're gonna miss him»

Clearly this is the perspective he has on what people will think about him after his death. Note that the verbal tense is past - He had a lot to say. The verse "He had a lot of nothing to say" is a way of him to poke fun at what he says and writes, meaning that it's important, while not being. Second stanza:

«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 see divinity
But at least you tried»

Again, the view people have of him and his art after his death, his art as martyrdom and a way of "seeing divinity".

«Standing above the crowd,
He had a voice that was strong and loud
We'll miss him
We'll miss him
Ranting and pointing his finger
At everything but his heart
We'll miss him
We'll miss him
We're gonna miss him
We're gonna miss him»

"Standing above the crowd, he had a voice that was strong and loud" - for me, an obvious image of him onstage but also a metaphor for someone who thinks is better than the rest of the people, a bit like a Nietzsche character some of you may know. The verses "Ranting and pointing his finger, at everything but his heart" is an obvious reference to Maynard and his art. We always hear him pointing his finger at everyone, God, warmongers, but how many times do you hear him doing self-criticism? Well, here it is. By saying "at everything but his heart" he means that the people who listen to his music will never see his true self, his heart, will never know him.

«No way to recall
What it was that you had said to me,
Like I care at all»

«But it was so loud
You sure could yell
You took a stand on every little thing
And so loud»

These two are obviously a way to poke fun at us, fans of his music, like his followers or the followers of any other man like Jesus, misunderstand him. "No way to recall, What it was that you had said to me, Like I care at all" show this. This is someone who despite knowing his heart doesn't really cares to understand the message underneath the surface. "But it was so loud, You sure could yell, You took a stand on every little thing, And so loud" - this is another critic to the people who like his music, but don't understand it. It's not metal, Tool does not need a label. In this stanza he's clearly being ironic, criticizing someone who doesn't hear his words, his message, but just follows him because he takes a stand on things and because he speaks "loud".

«Standing above the crowd,
He had a voice so strong and loud and I
Swallowed his facade 'cause 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»

The criticism towards some of us fans continues. "I swallowed his facade 'cause I'm so eager to identify with" - meaning I follow Maynard because I just can't think for myself. Again people, he doesn't care if you listen to Tool or not, just think for yourself. The last four verses, ending on "Someone who would die for me" is clearly his opinion that people see him and his art as some kind of martyrdom, and while he's making music, he's dying for us.

Will you? Will you now?
Would you die for me?
Don't you fucking lie

Now the voice of us, fans, and all the people who judge him. The verse "Would you die for me?" could be a metaphor for saying "are you willing to sacrifice yourself for you art?".
«Don't you step out of line
Don't you step out of line
Don't you step out of line
Don't you fucking lie»

"Don't you step out of line" is for me a clear reference to the pressure a person in his position sometimes encounters, not being allowed by his followers, like any other martyr, to step out of the line. It reminds me of those sacrifices some cultures would do by throwing some of their people into volcanoes, for the good of everyone.

«You've claimed all this time that you would die for me
Why then are you so surprised when you hear your own eulogy?»

The first verse is the voice of one of his followers, saying that he's claimed for so long that he would die, now he cannot fail. "Why then are you so surprised when you hear your own eulogy?" is pure irony. Maynard wrote the song about himself, and called it Eulogy. Like he was expecting this album (Aenima) would be his death as an artist.

«You had a lot to say
You had a lot of nothing to say

Come down
Get off your fucking cross
We need the fucking space to nail the next fool martyr»

Again, the undermining of this message on the first two verses by his "followers". Like martyrdom consumers, we ask him now he's done to "come down", "get off" his fucking "cross". "We need the fucking space to nail the next fool martyr" or "now you're done please piss off because we're in need of revering someone else.

«To ascend you must die
You must be crucified
For our sins and our lies
Goodbye...»

The same from above. "To ascend you must die" is the clearest reference to posthumous death. It means that only after his death most people will regard him as an unique artist. "You must be crucified, For our sins and our lies" being you must life your life and suffer for us, in order to become a great person in this world. As I said before, this is all my perspective on the song, but I hope people understand it. Think for yourself. Love.

Goodbye






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Okay let me just start by saying Pineal11 is semi right about the no meaning thing. In my opinion, the greatest works of art, whether that me music, drawing, literature, or what have you, is that it is thought provoking. Take this song for instance, differant point of views and opinions leading to multiple interpretations. Which in turn leads to discussions about the "meaning", which forces the listener to think for themself, and find out what they truly believe is the meaning behind the lyrics. If anything it could all be a masterplan to make sure Tool fans remain free thinkers, and people that realize they have a brain and should use it. With that said onto my thoughts on the song.

I think that it is trying to point out the hypocrasy(sp?) of most martyrs. It is a Eulogy being told by a person who bought into everything. It sounded good, it was loud, like it was something that should be heard by the masses. Spoken with confidence and passion, and like most people, they were eager to indentify with someone. To feel a part of something, but was unwilling or unprepared to do it themself, and at the first sign of another with even the slightest similarity in belief doing it for them, they were sucked right in.

Now it's being sung looking back, so there is that latent hostility, as the person had come to terms with the hypocrasy of everything. So they feel betrayed, hence the sarcastic "We'll miss him". Upon "swallowing the facade" they had a front row seat to the show, and began to notice how this person really wasn't anything special. He was a normal human just like everyone else, he just had alot to say, but at the same time nothing, because it was hypocrytical, and completely bias.

This person was becoming a martyr for personal reasons, to be respected, or looked up to, as in " wow they are willing to die for there beliefs and to save us, willing to make the ultimate sacrifice."

So when it goes "Will you? Will you now? Would you die for me? Don't you fucking lie" The person giving the Eulogy has noticed the martyr isn't dying for anyone but himself. This then gives the speaker a jaded point of view on martyrdom. "Not all martyrs see divinity, but at least you tried," because a martyr dying not for others but as a lie, to put up a facade to get others to believe you are dying for them, to try and cheat your way into whatever divine resting place is your preferance will most likly lead to the opposite.

In the end saying to them what had probably been preached as if it was spoken in a mocking way, when you've heard someone say the same thing over and over again and not follow through, you just had enough of it, yeah yeah to ascend you must die, yadda yadda yeah crucifiued, yep our sins our lies, not yours your not a human like we are uh huh you know what goodbye, good riddance. Fed up with everything.


Or in a shorter other possibility, someone who has lost there faith speaking angrily about the martyr that died for something they don't believe to be real. Someone suffering so unnessasarily(sp?) possibly the way he could have seen his mothers suffering, he did write Judith with APC, and with Wings and 10,000 days, all very religous songs dealing with his mother the last two definitly the first two maybe. but yeah i'm done sorry about the novel of a comment I just love tool and can talk for hours.

I'd rather dedicate this song to the memory of these people:
Farrah Fawcett (1947-2009)
Bill Hicks (1961-1994)
My Grampa John (1929-1988)
and of course My Grampa George (d.1993)


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anyone else think that the intro could be morse code?

The meaning, or purpose of this music, is to get all of you scrambling your brains for something that doesn't exist. A meaning. Whether or not there was an intended message in this, or any Tool song, none of you will ever know exactly what that intended meaning, message or feeling trying to be conveyed was. All you know, is your experience of this song, tied in with the other experiences of your "life". This song has no purpose. There is no such thing as a purpose, whether it is for this song, or for existence itself. We strive to maintain existence, but there is no purpose for us to do so, no gold at the end of the rainbow. Everything is futile and irrelevant, and that includes me, you, and any feelings or thoughts you have about these songs.

the song does sort of pay homage to bill hicks who had just died but it was written because maynard had a dream where he saw his own death and in a way prepare so to speak. the metaphor of jesus in the end kind of compares his view on the whole thing as we're all just sheep following the next big person who comes forward as the one to follow and when that big person is gone, all the people, like sheep, will just follow the next one that comes along. the song has no real relevance to religion aside from the metaphor. it doesn't bash any religions and doesn't really attack l. ron hubbard's whole thing but just mocked them in a way. in a way it embodies another metaphor, "the mute preaching to the deaf" where a man's mouth is moving, but people don't listen to the message but still just follow the preacher.

i used to think the song was about hitler when i was younger... lol

I think it has to do will bill hicks, maynards friend who died outta cancer (he has nothing to do with message to harry manback)

I think it's about how much people LIE at a deceased person's eulogy....

I think people should know on here that tool's songs have really metaforical meanings. This song is actually about Bill hicks. Hicks was a stand-up comedian that dies of pancriatic cancer a year before Aenema was relesed. Also Hick was MJK mentor at one point in his life. All were good guesses about martyrism but so you all know.

I just realized this song is connected with The Noose from APC :o!!!

one thing i thought of is when it says
"Come down
Get off your fucking cross
We need the fucking space to nail the next fool martyr"
it kind of sounds like maynards saying that people are very judgemental of other peoples thoughts
but i dont know

I think this song is about wanting to identify with someone and the easiest way to do that is through religion, because then your beliefs are formed for you and there isnt any guessing. Pick a martyr and give your life and beliefs to them because it's so much simpler than wondering what comes after death.

its refering to a battle with cancer not suiuside.

sorry the person iw was refering to was Bill Hicks but he died from cancer not drugs.

this song is about a friend of Manard's. who killed himself through drug use. there is a skit of his comidy act at the end of the album right befor "Third Eye". Alot of this album is dedicated to him.

or as someone said earlier and i didn't read their comment

"This song is about suicide. It is not about religion. Maynard often mentions it, however, you have to look at the meaning. "Get off your fucking cross
We need the fucking space to nail the next fool martyr" What we are listening to is the eulogy of a man who committed suicide. "You told us how you weren't afraid to die
Well then, so long" And his suicide had a voice that was so loud it took a stand on everything. Would you die for me? Don't you fucking lie, you can't die for me. -Ranting and pointing his finger at everything but his heart."

I think its about jesus, How he had a message to give us and we listened but didn't all the same, went in one ear out the other, and all the others who've tried to give out the good advice and try and help humanity and failed because no one is listening.... by the way i'm atheist so this is not my religious view of things

What I get from it is:

I think it's about televangelists of sorts (for lack of a better word), using religion to further their own fame, and drawing parallels between them and Jesus, so people would blur the line so to speak, and start to worship them in a way. I think Maynard is saying that, if you compare yourself to Jesus, then you should be prepared to die for your followers, just like he did, and they shouldn't be surprised when they "hear they're own eulogy", because they should be expecting it.

"Get off your fucking cross" I think, refers to them acting almost as victims, saying how much they've sacrificed themselves, in one way or another, to better the lives of others. When in fact, they're reaping the benefits, not anyone else.

Or maybe "we need the fucking space to nail the next fool martyr" refers to a holocaust, of sorts to those people that gain fame and prosperity from essentially selling religion, i.e. they're crucifying the "martyrs" one by one. Because they claim to be martyrs, and draw parallels to Jesus, then they should come to a similar end.

That's my interpretation, amazing song none the less.

What I get from it is:

I think it's about televangelists of sorts (for lack of a better word), using religion to further their own fame, and drawing parallels between them and Jesus, so people would blur the line so to speak, and start to worship them in a way. I think Maynard is saying that, if you compare yourself to Jesus, then you should be prepared to die for your followers, just like he did, and they shouldn't be surprised when they "hear they're own eulogy", because they should be expecting it.

"Get off your fucking cross" I think, refers to them acting almost as victims, saying how much they've sacrificed themselves, in one way or another, to better the lives of others. When in fact, they're reaping the benefits, not anyone else.

Or maybe "we need the fucking space to nail the next fool martyr" refers to a holocaust, of sorts to those people that gain fame and prosperity from essentially selling religion, i.e. they're crucifying the "martyrs" one by one. Because they claim to be martyrs, and draw parallels to Jesus, then they should come to a similar end.

That's my interpretation, amazing song none the less.