Lyrics for Eulogy as interpreted by implode

Eulogy Lyrics
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

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

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

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

Standing above the crowd,
He had a voice so strong and loud and I
Swallowed his façade '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

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

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

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

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

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

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HurricaneJoker
02-08-2005

Rated 0 
Ok, K4la, tell me this... If it's soooo obvious. The lyrics:
1."Not all martyrs see divinity, but at least you tried" Jesus did see divinity, this person did not.
2."Ranting and pointing his finger at everything but his heart" This implies hypocracy... a human trait.
3."You've claimed all this time that you would die for me. Why, then, are you so suprised to hear your own eulogy?" Jesus knew he would die, this person was suprised... suggesting perhaps an assasination.
Another point is that throughout this song present tense is used in reference to himelf, others, and this individual(s). Just my opinion... but it's certainly (like all of Maynards poetry) not obvious.

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TREXOR
02-17-2005

Rated 0 
yes, the tuffted titmouse is a real animal.

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Tuggingarhythm
03-05-2005

Rated 0 
for all of you who insist it's about jesus: that would make maynard a moron. jesus wanted to die, was not surprised to hear his own eulogy. it would be a little contradictory. and i don't believe maynard is a moron.

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Mothmanavidity01
03-14-2005

Rated 0 
I would actually say it is about suicide from all the different aspects. I am closer to saying it is about him (Maynard) killing off his own egotistical side. It seems like he just finding out he disagrees with alot of his old bullshit. When he is talking about swollowing his facade, I think he means living up to his own high standards. He is more saying that he created his own high standard for himself to live up to. It makes more sense when you look at the line "You claimed all this time you would die for me" changing it to "I"..."I claimed all this time that I would die for me," and then "why then am I so suprised when I hear, my own eulogy," is him saying why is he so suprised that he overcame this negative aspect to himself. I also would say that goodbye represents 2 things, him saying goodbye to this conceited side to himself, and goodbye to all the fans who are about to witness his own rebirth in his song writing. Which makes perfect sense considering the fact it is track 2 on the album in which they wrote waaaaaayyyyy better songs. The meaning makes more sense when you understand his writing style on his earlier stuff. Oh yeah, I have no clue if this has already been stated, so sorry if it has.

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Assassin163
03-18-2005

Rated 0 
you all need to invest in reading the album art the song is a eulogy to bill hicks the dead liberal comedian i gaurntee it

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sdrawkcab
03-20-2005

Rated 0 
Jesus said good things but the point is he wasnt saying anything new new he was in an arrogant fit... the playing out of the type of supreme arrogance which jesus bled of is what this song is about

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drakette
03-21-2005

Rated 0 
This song came off to me as a song about human nature, using Jesus' death as an example, only it is told by his peers. Not everyone around him truly believed in him (i.e. Judas) but many followed him anyway. It sounds like this song is told from thier point of view. These people followed him because it's human nature to crave leadership (" I Swallowed his façade 'cause I'm so Eager to identify"), but when the sh*t hit the fan, they turned on him, secure in the fact that he had predicted this and it is not their fault ("You told us how you weren't afraid to die Well then, so long ") After giving him the empty praise any eulogy deserves ("He had a voice that was strong and loud", "You took a stand on every little thing"), the guilt of not standing up for him begins to set in. Its human nature again under the strain of guilt to lash out angrily and point blame, to make ourselves feel better.
He claimed he was so perfect. He claimed he was the son of god. They expected no less of him, and he better deliver. He better die for them, just as he said he would, he had to or he'd be a liar and would contradict everything he preached. And as hard as it might have been to swallow, they wanted to believe in him. They wanted a savior. But he had to prove it to them. The line "why then are you so surprised...?" is contested a lot on this forum, but I think its more subjective, not so literal. I'm sure he was in pain , both physically and emotionally, not truly "surprised" but again its just a way of shifting the blame for the horrific incident.
Every emotion expressed in this piece is exactly how I would expect someone in thier situation to react. I agree that this song is not just about Jesus, but reflects human nature and the desire to believe in something, to be lead by something or someone. Martyrs fullfill this need for us. And whether or not they are right or wrong, its not important, just that they give us something to hope for, to trust as truth.
This song also reminds me of the uglier side of our culture, the two-facedness we all have. The side that brings others down to your level, again to make you feel adequate. I'm sure we've all been nice to someone's face, then as soon as they were gone, talked crap about them ("He had a lot of nothing to say", "Like I care at all") It is ironic to think that one of the most culturaly revered humans to walk the planet probobly dealt with the same treatment we would give an unliked manager or boss.
To me, this song is pointing out how much we've failed to evolve as a culture, and that maybe its time to. Whether you believe Christ is the Savior or not, he makes the classic martyr and his story shows us the side of ourselves that we do not often like to confront. Going right along with the theme of the album, change and growth. Aenima, 46 + 2, even Hooker with a Penis all to me touch on how we should evolve as a culture, and change these "backstabbing" ways.

phew ok so this song really spoke to me. which i think was their whole point anyway.

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Death Disco
03-25-2005

Rated 0 
The whole thing is about Hubbard. The "Get off your fucking cross" is to say "You aren't Jesus, you are a fraud,"

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loc4485
04-06-2005

Rated 0 
You should all prolly check out "http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1499613/20050405/tool.jhtml?headlines=true" seems maynard found religion and that tool and APC are gonna have to take a backseat..i heard more news to come in reference to what the future holds for the bands! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

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mdevay
04-11-2005

Rated 0 
This song is a very specific reference to Christ's last words "my God, why have you forsaken me?" This simple statement was for the first beginnings of christianity its first real and only major hurdle: how could Christ, supposedly the son of God as well as his human incarnation, possibly be forsaken if his acsension was gauranteed not only by scripture, but by the fact that he was God on earth and supposedly priveleged to all of God's power? In simpler terms, if he was God, as was claimed, then how could he forsake himself? The only sensible answer was that he was faking it, and if that was true, then everything he preached or taught is rife with hypocrisy and debased by that action. Of course, Tool, in their brilliant way, have made the song not just an exposure of Christ, but of every other leader who would claim the unclaimable as their inspiration. It can be seen and applied definitely in the sense of modern evangelists, as well as any who would presume to make a martyr of themselves for personal gain, hedging on the fact that it won't actually come to their death, as well as any who would claim to know the mind of God.

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mdevay
04-11-2005

Rated 0 
and as an answer to the question of bill hicks, the album is a tribute to him, and if you listen to the mans comedy, you will find that each of the songs on the album (with the exception of a few of the inerludes) is in someway connected or related to themes from his standup. Bill Hicks and Tool got along so famously that he used to open for them on occasion, and is quoted at the beginning of "Third Eye" (the whole "I think drugs have done some good things for us" bit). The entire album is in some way connected with Bill Hicks philosophy and was at least in part inspired by it. Anyone who loves this band and can understand its philosophy would find Bill Hicks right up their alley. On a side note, Bill Hicks produced the comedy group sacred cow productions, which is responsible for such notables as Joe Rogan and Doug Stanhope (man show hosts) as well as the ever entertaining Alex Jones, whose website www.infowars.com gathers evidence of the ways in which we are controlled without our knowledge. The whole concept behind Sacred Cow is to expose the illusion that is what we perceive as reality and to form a new system around the needs and demands of the present situation. And the name Sacred Cow is the result of a rather amusing tale from Bill's standup - but I'll leave the people who read this to figure that one out - a vague hint would be that drugs have done some good things for us.

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mdevay
04-11-2005

Rated 0 
A taste of what follows the first quote from third eye, to whet your interest in Bill Hicks Comedy and Philosophy:
"I think drugs have done some good things for us, I really do, and if you don't believe drugs have done some good things for us, do me a favor. Go home tonight and take all your album all your tapes, all your CDs and burn them. Cause you know what? the musicians who made all that great music that you love and has enhanced your lives throught the years . . . REEEEEAAAAAAAAAL fucking high on drugs. The Beatles were so high they let Ringo sing a few tunes. 'We all live in a yellow submarine . . .' they had to pull Ringo off the ceiling with a fucking rake to sing that song. 'There he is, grab him!! Hook his bell bottom, hook his bell bottom! Look at him scoot! There he is in the corner . . .whats that he's saying, something about living in a yellow tambourine? Ringo! You can come down now, Yoko's gone, we can party again!!' They were really high, they wrote great music, drugs did some positive things for us"

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stanley888
04-12-2005

Rated 0 
best tool song ever - comic book guy

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McChimperson
04-12-2005

Rated 0 
The cross is a symbol for martyrdom and their martyr was using them until something gets fuxx0red and they kill the guy so they can find a new one. Well thats what i got out of it

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wishiwascool
04-18-2005

Rated 0 
i know how stupidly late this is and that it will probably be disrgarded by many but hey, here goes....
mr/ mrs jimmy hoffa, your comments saying that that christians are possibly better off listening to tool seem a tad absurd to me. if thats how you feel then fine, im happy for you for thinking for yourself about the issue. however, i have a few gripes about your argument:
1) ive noticed that there are countless tool fans who have posted on here on other songs and have said tool is one of their favourite bands,/ maynards a genius etc. therefore, that seems to weaken your argument. if a christian or a hindu or whatever religion finds tools music offensive, then its up to them whether they want to continue to listen to it or not, i dont think you shold sway other peoples opinions with a one sided argument. (just realised mines a bit one sided lol)
2) maynards lyrics should NEVER be taken for their face value and their initial meaning because that shows ignorance on the part of the listener
3) this aslo depends on how the MUSIC makes you feel, not just the lyrics that maynard writes and sings, but the music that danny, adam and justin perform for your pleasure.

thank you for taking the time to read my ludicrously long thingy, and apologies to anyone offended by my argument. :)

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slipknots_corey_8
05-05-2005

Rated 0 
u dumb fuckers....the whole aenima album is about Bill Hicks, a great comedian...look him up...

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Philadelphia Eagles
05-20-2005

Rated 0 
Probably written with the religious right in mind. Especially the self-righteous ones, hense "Ranting and pointing his finger, at everything but his heart". But you can find more in this song than just that.

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Bellyfull of Swans
05-23-2005

Rated 0 
mdevay has it nailed down about Hicks....except the part about Bill Hicks being the head of Sacred Cow. That honor is reserved for Kevin Booth, Bills friend since age 13 and the man who introduced Bill to stand-up comedy and who played guitar on some of Bills songs, and also produced alot of Bills work through Sacred Cow Productions. Kevin Booth is the man and we would all be lucky to have a friend in someone who was like the friend Kevin IS to Bill...

www.sacredcow.com

www.infowars.com

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Sully2018
05-25-2005

Rated 0 
The mental image that this song produces in my mind is a preacher at the altar ranting fire and brimstone. I'm definitely not the biggest Tool buff here (or Maynard buff for that matter) but wasn't he raised in a Baptist church? Many preachers try to "Scare" you to salvation by describing how bad hell is going to be and how bad everything that you do is. But you listen and soak in everything he says because you're taught that this is the way to heaven.
"Standing above the crowd,
He had a voice so strong and loud and I
Swallowed his façade '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"
If Maynard was ever at church as a little boy or as an adolescent. This is him looking back and thinking out loud as the preacher is yelling and ranting and telling everyone they're going to hell if they don't change their wicked ways. And young Maynard was probably soaking it all in because he too wanted to go to heaven and in the church scene the pastor is the Patriarchal leader (Hence the term "Father"). I'm gonna tip-toe out on the limb here and say that Maynard is recalling this and is super-pissed at how gullible he was because you get older and realize that Mr. Preacher is just as fallible as any other human and what gives him the right to take Jesus's place on the throne and let people worship him instead. Hence the latter part of the song talking about would you die for me, don't you fucking lie. Then Mr. Preacher dies and the whole church is in a turmoil and Maynard says
Come down
Get off your fucking cross
We need the fucking space to nail the next fool martyr

To ascend you must die
You must be crucified
For our sins and our lies
Goodbye...
So there it is just die and let the next fool martry take your place and continue this cycle. I know you all like to turn Maynard's lyrics into Math equations and the like, but it jumped out and hit me like a brick maybe because I was also raised in Church. You have to stop following religion and follow your own heart. Don't be a fucking Zombie for Christ.

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Soundboy
07-09-2005

Rated 0 
I believe this song is about Jesus. Whoever wrote this song, I am assuming Maynard does want to connect with Christ. Its as if Maynard does believe in Christ he just is angry at somewhere wheter that be a preacher or a hypocitical Christian that did something to him.

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soopadoopaman
07-09-2005

Rated 0 
I think this song is about Jesus's life and death, and there is a part also about the resurection. Maynard says that Christ was a hypocrit in how he lived his life and how he talked.
I think many times Maynard makes a point that he was a Christian at one time.
He says- "No way to recall
What it was that you had said to me,
Like I care at all"
He says me meaning that at one time Christ was a part of Maynard's life and beliefs.
Also when Maynard says-
I
Swallowed his façade '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
He says i swallowed his facade meaning again that at one time Maynard believed in Chirst and what he said.
I think the meaning of hatred for God stems from Christ's death covering all and Maynard believing that it had no personal association with his life. For someone to do something for everyone seems impersonal. This feeling could stem from Maynard's military experience because he saw his fellow country men die for the lives of civilians just like he believes Christ did. He sees the sacrifices that his military companions made as the same as Christ.
When Maynard says "Would you die for me" he is asking Christ if he would die a death and go through the same sufferings, as he has already done for all, specifically for him (Maynard). He desires that personal relationship and feeling from Christ that he doesn't or didn't connect with now or in the past.
The last part of the song:
"To ascend you must die
You must be crucified
For our sins and our lies
Goodbye..."
This is something that only a Christian would believe. He refers to Christ's resurection from the grave after the crucifiction. He also refers to the crucifiction as a death for the sins and lies of people, an atonement.

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AEnema
07-14-2005

Rated 0 
Am I the only one who finds the beginning of the song annoying as fuck? Wait, don't answer that. Shit. I just made a negative comment about a Tool song. Uhhh, uhhh.........this song is perfect. Yes, fucking perfect. I hope that God will forgive me for saying something negative about the force that is Tool.

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b-angle
07-15-2005

Rated 0 
this song isn't bad but I really don't know what it is about and Aenema why dose it matter if god forgives you for one he is not real and for two your going to hell anyway

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pariah919
07-15-2005

Rated 0 
So, you believe that God isn't real, yet, its counterpart (hell) exists?

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lateralus666
07-16-2005

Rated 0 
That has been the first sensible point you have made. Anyway, this song is about Jesus, not Kurt Co-fucking-bain as some of you seem to think!?

The last four lines are pretty perfect, some of the best Maynard has written.

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