Tool: Eulogy Meaning
Eulogy Lyrics
He had a lot of nothing to say.
We’ll miss him. (2x)
We’re gonna miss him (2x)
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...
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1TOP RATED
misterbob Feb 24th 2006, 18:08 report
First of all, this is just my opinion, based on what I have learned about tool. It could be one hundred percent false because there is so much incorrect information circulating about tool, no doubt I have acquired some of it. Not to mention the fact that the band itself is alleged to enjoy spreading lies about themselves and their music.
On the issue of who writes the song lyrics. Most people I am sure would assume it was just Maynard. But in my opinion, that would be contrary to what he and the band stand for. They are always saying to question authority. So why would Maynard set himself up as the authority in the bands lyric writing rather than share it amongst the whole group? From what I have learned about tool, they believe in synergy, the sum being greater than the individual parts. That doesn't leave room for one person having a monopoly on any one aspect of the band. So it is my opinion that in tool, every member shares in all aspects of the creation of their music. Take for instance the interviews with adam jones where he says that when practices by himself and creates the riffs he wants to present to the band, they are all in standard 4/4 time until he starts to play them with danny, in that instance, danny has some control over how the quitar is played. Make sense? I dunno if I communicate very clearly.
Now for my opinion on what the song actually means. Well, its called "Eulogy." Someone or something died right? If you believe Maynard is genuine in his lyrics and not just trying to make something that he thinks wil grab your interest then you must come to the conclusion that whatever Maynard is singing about is something he is very passionate about. Now this is what I have heard. Before this record was released, a very close friend of the bands had died in a senseless manner and they were all very angry about it. That close friend was the comedian Bill Hicks, whose picture is inside the album cover and whose jokes about drugs enhancing everyones lives are on the record. So, logic tells me that even though the song is written in a general manner and could be seen as being about a lot of different people, Bill Hicks makes the most sense to me. I honestly can't see the band giving half a shit about Kurt Cobain, especially not enough to write a song about him but that's just my opinion. Bill hicks had a lot to say, he was a political comedian.
Ok now assume that it is about bill hicks and they were all good friends. look at the lines where he says we'll miss him, we're gonna miss him. Now why would he say "we" instead of "I". To me that is further evidence that even though Maynard is the singer he is more of just a spokesperson for the entire group, meaning he isn't the only one with a hand in the lyrics and its not just what he cares about that he sings about, he sings for the whole group, its a collective effort. And that is all very congruent with being against authority.
And just one more thing. Just an observation. I think that what you think a song means, is more reflective of who you are rather than what a song is about. A huge Nirvana fan will no doubt think this song is about Kurt. People like music because they relate to it. Whatever your closest relation that song is, is no doubt what you are going to believe the song is about, it shouldnt be any other way.
bob
retrobird2007@aol.com -
2TOP RATED
anonymous Aug 11th 2005, 14:33 report
Well Maynard has said himself its not about Cobain or Jesus or
Christianity in general. He is attacking the "self righteous" in general. -
3TOP RATED
anonymous Dec 27th 2005, 21:25 report
Whoever it was that said Maynard takes little part in writing the lyrics should be forcefully sodomized with a broomstick. Are you an idiot? Maynard writes all the lyrics. I don't know where you heard that he takes little to no part in the lyric writing process, but you should really double check the credibility of that source.
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anonymous Jan 30th, 21:45 report
After I listened to this I thought it was a song against Christianity and how Jesus Christ died for our sins. And I was a little torn being a Christian and loving the song. Im surprised after reading this forum that Im not alone in feeling this way. I am relieved to see that was not the intended meaning for this song. Thanks for all the posts.
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anonymous Jan 29th, 16:10 report
This is ridiculous. It's about Hubbard and his Scientology bull. Read the lyrics and grow a brain. Or don't, and succumb to religions in your idiotic lives.
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anonymous Oct 2nd 2012, 20:54 report
why is everyone beating around the bush? im pretty sure its about Jesus. "You must be crucified....you said you would die for me" obviously Maynard is trying to convey the message that the whole Jesus thing is bullshit. thats what he is saying, nothing else. even if he said that's not it, its because tool says all their songs are up to the listener's interpretation.
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anonymous Sep 12th 2012, 11:46 report
This song is about no person in particular, it is quite simply about the stereotype of 'the loudest asshole in the room' Maynard spent some time in the military, which i imagine was a big inspiration for this song as well.
Any of you who know maynard/tool's relationship with Hicks should immediately understand they wouldn't make a song like this about him. AS for Jesus, what with all the religious symbolism tied to him in this song, i can easily see how that's misinterpreted. As for L. Ron, he was an inspiration for this song as Danny Carey plainly stated, but thats it. It's just the idea of the pyschological nature between the sheep and the shephard, when the shephard is an insane militaristic/religious driven shouting asshole. -
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anonymous Aug 3rd 2012, 20:11 report
In my own honest opinion, I believe the song is a "Fuck You!" to L. Ron Hubbard. For example, the lyric "Come down! Get off your fucking cross..." The way I interpret that lyric is by pretty much saying for him to get off of his high horse. He's not God. And when Maynard says "Standing above the crowd, He had a voice that was strong and loud and I, Swallowed his facade cuz 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." I took that as one of Hubbard's followers P.O.V.
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anonymous Mar 28th 2012, 13:31 report
This song is one of my favorites from Tool. It has a lot of meaning to me, and i want to share my opinion about the interpretation about it.. "He had a lot to say, he had a lot of nothing to say we'll mis him". I believe he's talking about someone who he loved, who he was close to, who didnt get to speak their mind to the world.."Obviously when he says "we're going to miss him" he could be talking about society, maybe that someone who passed was famous or did great cause to the world, but personally i believe that he is talking about everyone in his band, and that the person was a friend to all of them. "well so long, we wish you well..You told us how you wern't afraid to die". I believe that he telling the passed person goodbye, and goodluck in the afterlife. that you shouldnt greive or cry because its not like he was afraid of dying. "not all martyrs see divinity, but atleast you tried" Not all believers see the division of heaven and hell, or maybe he wasnt that strong of a believer but atleast he tried..He was a strong and outspoken man, that had a point to prove to the world, and soon it was too late for him to express that.
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anonymous Feb 24th 2012, 05:01 report
to whoever says it only matters what the song means to you. please shut up. me personally , i am fascinated by tool and mainly maynard he's the best hands down! so i want to know exactly what he felt, meant, and belts out of every song.
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olie462 Jan 13th 2012, 03:50 report
This song is written about false prophets, not Jesus in my opinion. It is a diss on evangelists, so-called martyrs, and bullshit leaders, politicians and all. It is about people blindly following someone because they cannot think for themselves so they desperately need to find someone to speak for them, even if they do not believe in it themselves. I am not religious at all but on all accounts of Jesus, he never ranted or raved and always spoke from his heart. This is more dedicated to the people who have twisted his teachings for personal benefit and at the end of the day were not willing to sacrifice themselves for anything that they preached. This goes the same for any religion, political, moral, or ethical stance. It is the ability to brainwash the masses into following you even though you have hidden agendas. At the end of the day, none of these false leaders are prepared to actually die for their beliefs, it was simply a way to gain authority and embelish their ego. I do not believe that Maynard is against religion but instead he is against the way it is used for personal gain, control, and the abolishment of common sense and the ability to think for ourselves, quite possibly the greatest gift we were given.
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anonymous Jan 9th 2012, 01:54 report
The way I feel about the song Eulogy is quite a simple yet forgotten concept within music.
It is true Maynard may not wright a lot of Tool's songs, but he obviously puts the creativity into them with his emotions. Maynard is a very complex man..but so is the rest of the band. Maynard is not what makes up Tool. It is the combined efforts of 4 very talented indaviduals whom share an almost intamite love affair with there art. Eulogy maybe about reinventing ones self. And not over stressing saving too much. Think about it -
anonymous Jan 9th 2012, 01:01 report
Listening to this, it seems that Maynard is addressing humanity. That you shouldn't spend life attempting to force your ideas upon people. Also, don't be so eager to follow the Shepard. Believe in what is true to yourself.
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anonymous Oct 18th 2011, 17:52 report
I guess the drugs have altered my sense of time being he died 6 years after the album came out
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anonymous Sep 24th 2011, 16:51 report
I think this is about People claiming to want to save our souls, and actually their only goal is to get inside our pockets. Just like the Catholic church at the time of Martin Luther. Paying money would'nt save our souls from a purgatory that Probably doesn'nt even exist, but the people paid anyway...
I think it's about someone specific claiming stuff like that, and acting as if he was the second jesus, and boasting about "being a Martyr", but in truth was a coward. (you told us you were'nt afraid to die).
"We'll miss him" is probably irony and deepest sarcasm.
In my eyes, "come down, get off the fucking cross" is someone being arrogant enough to claim that he is like a second jesus, sacrificing himself for the sake of us.
"We need the space to nail the next fool martyr" Is saying to me that there is a whole bunch of such people out there claiming to be like jesus, and the people are getting sick of it. -
anonymous Sep 24th 2011, 15:21 report
First off let me state that I am a christian & no longer listen to Tool or any other secular music once I matured & started understanding the meanings of songs because it all basically goes against Christian beliefs. And I've come to the understanding that Maynard & his band are competely anti-christ. Not sayin that he himsef is the Anti-christ, but that his teachings go against everything Christ stood for. & he clearly does not believe Christ is the Son of God as he states in the intro of one of his songs (cant remember at the moment). So you guys who are claiming youself Christians & say you stil listen to Tool, you really should think twice about what your playing into your subconsciuos. Cause you are contradicting yoursef when listening & singing these songs.
Yea I believe this song can be about many different people being in the spotlight in an influencial situation, but I believe it's more about Christ because He is the most important & contraversial of them all. In Rossetta Stoned he says he was taken & given a message. Now what message might that be? hmm.. Possibly the message he empasizes alot on, that we are a collective consciousness just experiencing itself. But when you say that, you are saying that we pretty much got here on our own & are doing this all on our own. No Christ interceding for us to GOD, NO SON OF GOD. So you can't go through trying to figure out his songs without having that as a central focal point.
Another important fact that shows its more about Christ is that he says "Not all martyrs see divinity". Now why would he be talking about martyrs & divinity while speaking about someone that had nothing to do with martyrs & divinity?
You have to really know you Bible (not necessarily tho, but about spirituality) to really see what these guys are doin in their songs. And its sad to see Christians say its ok to listen to them but hopefully now you guys really see the big picture. -
anonymous Sep 14th 2011, 11:20 report
THE SONG IS ABOUT ALL OF YOU.
no, but really.. after reading through all of these interpretations, listening to tool and studying their lyrics, i'd have to guess and say it's probably more about l. ron hubbard. maybe not. but, who cares? it's about whatever you can apply it to in your life.. that is what tool's music is for (or any music, for that matter). you can use it through your life in order to learn from, and for, yourself.. like a TOOL. -
anonymous Aug 11th 2011, 20:50 report
Ok, here is the actual facts. It's all about me! The song is about me. Maynard and I were close friends long ago. I promised that I would die for him just as I have promised many of you. What can I say? I lied! I saw, that by doing so, it would be a conflict of interest and not truly serve any purpose to myself. I am aware that this maybe a big disappointment with many of you. After seeing how avid Tool fans are I am sure many of you will do anything within your power to crush me. I know it all...... may seem very selfish of me, but such is my nature!
Always here for you,
Ego
P.S. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, please stop by and visit! Like Dick Cheney, I could always use a good stroke. -
anonymous Jul 12th 2011, 17:25 report
This song is Maynard "pulling the card" of every self indulgent, righteously indignant, social and emotional "martyr" he has come across in his public life.
There is no shortage of "leaders" in this world who "rant" and "rave" about morality, ethics and "the right way to live life." Most often, upon further review, one can easily see that these folks are bullshit. Usually hypocrites that fall to the same vices and sin they find so abhorrent when they are in their pulpit.
When Maynard says "We'll miss him." He's tongue in cheek. The eulogy he is talking about is the truth about these people. The truth hurts. -
anonymous Jul 11th 2011, 11:53 report
I'm finding the enforcement of the hicks interpretation to be intriguing given that there's no real reason to tie it directly to him. The band had/has a fondness for hicks (i believe that is something they borrowed from michael gira) and the song is quite dismissive. I'm not convinced of that interpretation at all!
so, who is it about then? see, I don't think it's about any one specific person. Sure, it could be about jesus. It could also be about napoleon, hitler, john lennon, jfk or barak obama. I think that trying to tie it to a specific individual is sort of missing the point.
I think that the song is ultimately about demagoguery and the tendency that some humans have to tie their emotions and desires into individuals perceived of as "leaders" that ultimately turn out to either be useless martyrs or horrific oppressors. It's an old story, told many times....
..and while I think the christian imagery is consciously tied into that idea, I don't think it's explicitly about jesus.
Here's an interesting question: if king jesus had actually gained political power, would he have turned into another ideologically driven mass murderer?
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