Tool – The Patient

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A groan of tedium escapes me,
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, keeping faith
And I'm still right here.

Wait it out,
Gonna wait it out,
Be patient (wait it out).

If there were no rewards to reap,
No loving embrace to see me through
This tedious path I've chosen here,
I certainly would've walked away by now.
Gonna wait it out.

If there were no desire to heal
The damaged and broken met along
This tedious path I've chosen here
I certainly would've walked away by now.

And I still may, (sigh), I still may.

Be patient.
I must keep reminding myself of this.

And if there were no rewards to reap,
No loving embrace to see me through
This tedious path I've chosen here,
I certainly would've walked away by now.
And I still may.

Gonna wait it out.

Send "The Patient" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Everlong

Track duration: 05:34

"The Patient" as written by Justin Chancellor, Maynard James Keenan, Adam Jones, Daniel Carey

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


The Patient song meanings
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199 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:to me its about the belief of that life isjust the first phase of everything , but also mentions there are some things which can help you pass the time , but certain things make you want to give up on waiting , and a way to cope in this phase patients is key to getting by without completely losing yourself along the way.
    (a summed up meaning to the whole song dont feel like getting into deep detail )
    Flag Ninjaguy6on January 04, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me this song has always reminded me of relationships I've had, being committed to something but every now and then there would be a doubt in my mind, waiting for a change in the person to make the doubt go away.
    Flag IStillMayon December 05, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I've often thought life wasn't worth living. The few good times aren't worth all the bad ones... But whenever I think about how I'd prefer not to be alive I end up thinking "well, if I haven't committed suicide by now I'm not going to".

    I dunno, just a though. But it could have something to do with it?
    Flag LolaStoneon November 27, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think a lot of the meanings here are better than mine, but when I really started to listen to this song I thought it was about procrastination.
    Flag carrotmageon September 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Vampires are a metaphor for evil/The-Devil/temptation. The song is about patience in riding out temptation or things that sap you; wait it out to get your reward. Patience here is a double meaning, where you are the patient, the one who is sick like a hospitalised man. But the patient also has to be patient in the sense of enduring hardship with time and resolve.
    Flag Nick256on August 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:i think this song is about his mother and longing for spiritual unification:
    he fears to lose her but he believes that the pain is an illusion but he can't escape the situation and the only way, is to be patient(patient also resembles his mother) as the path of spiritual unification that he has chosen can only be achieved through patience.

    if he had known already that their is going to be no healing through this path he would have totally broken down a long time ago

    mother and spiritual unification have a common meaning as every mother loves her child and the unification with god is gaining that love again and being loved

    but to go through this he has to be patient and not lose himself in emotions
    Flagged grungeboyon May 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think this song is about his mother and longing for spiritual unification:
    he fears to lose her but he believes that the pain is an illusion but he can't escape the situation and the only way, is to be patient(patient also resembles his mother) as the path of spiritual unification that he has chosen can only be achieved through patience.

    if he had known already that their is going to be no healing through this path he would have totally broken down a long time ago

    mother and spiritual unification have a common meaning as every mother loves her child and the unification with god is gaining that love again and being loved

    but to go through this he has to be patient and not lose himself in emotions
    Flag grungeboyon May 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:The first comment stated that Maynard said during a concert that the song is about vampires that you encounter during life. In the Satanic Bible, these vampires are mentioned. The sixth Satanic Statement says "Satan represents responsibility tothe responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires!" This is referring to the people in your life who basically mope around in sadness, pity, wahtever, and complain about their problems in life and expect you to listen and offer help or to hear them out. If this is what the song is about, then it is saying not to waste your time helping someone or being with them through any type of healing/helping process if you are nont getting anything out of it... very unlikely, but its a thought
    Flag ccshnitzon November 29, 2011   Link
  • +4
    General Comment:I kind of think this track is about the artistic process, especially in terms of creating for a wider audience. Maynard has said he wants the music to help people heal, or introspect or soul-search. The process of creating music and sharing it is draining, but it's because of his "desire to heal the damaged and broken met along" that he continues to do it in this manner.
    Flag prettyhowtownon September 11, 2011   Link
    • 2 Replies
  • 0
    General Comment:Very special song this one. I think it is someone who is going through some shit at the moment and he is starting to lose his faith in God.
    Flag frooshieon September 07, 2011   Link

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