anonymous March 25th, 2007 08:39PM  
i believe this song is directly bashing dogmatism. Maynard is using Christianity because it is one of the most widely known and (sometimes) dogmatic religions. He doesn't like the fact that people bend over to get screwed for something that they don't even know much about. I believe he is trying (like many tool songs) to get people to THINK about something before just swallowing it. Great song.

anonymous April 3rd, 2007 08:02PM  
Dude.... why try interpreting something that wasn't supposed to be interpreted in the first place? Sure, the song has a meaning, but come on? Why worry about who the song is talking about. They didn't name any names for a reason. They've left the interpreting part to us. The audience. The people buying their music and simultaneously relating to the music in a way that connects them to a band that is able to send out such a strong vibe and feel one hell of a connection just through what the excellent word choice in their lyrics.

anonymous May 10th, 2007 05:56PM  
Wow. Got everything from Curt Cobain to Henry Rollins to L. Ron Hubbard. Even some Jesus slander. Awesome! I'm not knocking the opinions on here, far from it. But why does it have to be just one person that this song is about? Through out human history, we have chosen our icons. This can apply to anyone. For the record, Jesus wasn't desperate for attention. If you're going to talk smack about something, know about it. We, WE made him into what he is today. Not him. I know he was a carpenter but I don't see any 2500 year old billboards he made that say "Please worship me." As some others have put on here, there are no specifics in this song. There rarely are in any Tool songs. It's open for your interpretation. That's what art is about. It makes you see what only you can see. And only what I can see. You can argue that it's about this or that, but then you're only placing yourself in the same B.S. position of most main stream religions. You become divided and miss the point. This is a song that TOOL gave to us for us to listen to and enjoy, and maybe learn something from. So, in my opinion, humble as it is, it's an expression of how silly main stream society is, that a lot of us look for help from those long gone. Look above the ground, look for someone who inspires you. Then again, maybe I'm wrong. In which case I'll end up in a new plain of existence after I die surrounded by angry TOOL fans. Which would be funny.

Djames2 May 14th, 2007 08:42PM  
"He has stated that he takes little to no part in the lyric writing process. Danny and Adam do most of the writing. So all of you who think that Maynard writes all of these songs and thinks he is a mastermind are wrong. Maynard is a genius with the songs he writes. But Maynard himself has state he takes little to no part in this process especially with the music."

sorry sir but I was reading and found this to be quite absurd. first of all you denied that Maynard writes the songs....then you say "Maynard is a genius with the songs he writes." very dumb, my boy. He writes the songs. He's the singer. obviously he does..and its called concerts? and interviews? maybe if youve ever been to one or seen one you would know more about the songs. listen to an interview and youll find him to be supremely intelligent. Its pretty obvious he has crafted all the lyrical masterpieces. youre a fool. and I agree with the dude that said this site was interpretations for what we thought the band meant for the songs to mean, not the "its only what YOU decipher from it yourself. YOU decide." bullshit...

anonymous June 2nd, 2007 06:25PM  
I don't understand how this song could be about Bill Hicks, if he was a friend to the band. That theory really just makes zero sense. Do these lyrics sound like something you would say about a friend?

"Come down, get off your fuckin cross, we need the fuckin space to nail the next fool martyr."

"...he had a lot of nothing to say."

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


Was there anything in Bill Hicks routines about him dying for somebody? I think not. Unless you think this song is about multiple people, I don't see how you could consider Bill Hicks as the subject.

Personally I think L. Ron Hubbard is a good interpretation, ESPECIALLY since a band member said that is what it's about... but I also believe it is about all self-righteous people in general.

Bevik June 6th, 2007 08:34PM  
I doubt that it's about Bill Hicks. Maynard/Tool loved him, why would they write things like:

"He had a lot of nothing to say. "

or

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

or

"Come down.
Get off your fuckin' cross.
We need the fuckin’ space to nail the next fool martyr."

I think this song is just about bashing martyrs in general... I agree that it's closer to L. Ron Hubbard than anything else anyone has said. I also agree with the idea that it's probably mostly about self-righteous people in general.

anonymous June 9th, 2007 11:29PM  
Just did a quick search on google, Simon of Syrene was apparently a man coming home with 3 of his children when jesus was carrying his cross. He was a pagan and the soldiers escorting jesus forced Simon to help him carry the cross after Jesus fell and couldn't get up. That's all I know, elaborate more tonx.

~Dev

anonymous June 14th, 2007 03:41AM  
Sorry, was disconnected mid post. and as for the lines in third eye "came out to watch you play, why are you running away" maybe they wanted to see him and his third eye but hadnt achieved anything thus the lines "fool martyr"

anonymous June 16th, 2007 06:14PM  
I find it interesting that anyone on this forum claim to know exactly what the author is talking about. You can't know, so you don't know.

Furthermore, those of you that are trying to pin this on Christianity, or say that he's talking about Jesus, need to read the Bible a little closer. Jesus himself warns about "false prophets" that would attempt to deceive us. Look at Jim Baker. Look at most of these television evangelists. Look at Hitler. Any one of these public figures are prime candidates for who Tool is singing about, thought it's LIKELY that the meaning is loose enough to encompass all of them.

And I know I'm wasting my time here, but I feel like I have to say it. For the idiot that said, "if you listen to Tool, you aren't a Christian" and "Christianity is gay", I'm amazed at how you can make such blanket statements, especially without backing them up. Next time you make a statement like that, why don't you think about what you're saying so you don't have a plethera of annoyed bloggers calling you what you are...a total and complete idiot.

anonymous June 22nd, 2007 03:04PM  
Have any of you bothered to read Tool's Book of interpretations?????

(Here's the address to view it: [http://www.vanillacircus.net/book/tool_book.pdf]

anonymous June 27th, 2007 12:39PM  
Ok dudes, I am a christian and I am great Tool fan. Tools songs can mean whatever I want them to mean. Maynard's songs are soo bad out that I would never want to listen to anything else. The way in which I interpret Eulogy is that its against any self righteousness and anyone that puts themself on a cross for others to pity them. The cross is a symbol nothing more! To think this song is about Jesus doesn't make sense to me because in the story of Jesus He rises from the dead and saves the people that crucified Him. Duh?

adrian_garcia July 5th, 2007 06:47AM  
I find this song to be about the self-righteous in general, but increasingly identifiable with Jesus... particularly in the lines.

'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 one that died for our sins, kind of a funny thought him listening to his own eulogy (which comments on the story of his resurrection).

'Come down.
Get off your fuckin' cross.
We need the fuckin’ space to nail the next fool martyr.'

This could still be applied to any self-righteous person, but I feel it more specific to Jesus Christ.

Me being personally.

To the one that said that this sight is about discussing the exact meaning as to the song-writer/s had when they wrote a song, I think you'd better read a dictionary... Here, I'll save you the trouble: 'http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/interpretation'

None of us are the ones that wrote it so we simply can't know.

anonymous August 2nd, 2007 11:44PM  
I've figured out some things about the different views of the song. The people who think it is about Jesus are only people who seem to hate him. The ones who seem to really know any facts about Tool and also the most responses I've seen on all the sights suggest that it is Bill Hicks. The song is, like most tool songs, fully and intentionally open for interpretations. Adam once said in a guitar world interview that he told a fan who said lateralus was about The Passion of the Christ that he was right even tho that movie did not come out till some considerable time after the albums release. They want us all to have our own views and to think for ourselves. On the other hand, Maynard had to have some basis for written such a powerful piece of work. So what I do believe is this. The song is not about Jesus (sorry wanna-be anti-christs) Maynard said on stage, and you can even get a crappy recording on Limewire I think, something to the extent that organized religions were defacing the good ideals that Buddah, JESUS, and ect. shared about humanity. This inclusion of Jesus' name suggests that Maynard respects what Jesus taught, that he thinks what the churches have made out of it is the problem. Also, with the release of 10,000 Days we see songs like "Right in Two" that seem to have some divinity in them. The albums title is of course dedicated to his mother, a Christian woman, the title comes from the rounded time she got cancer till the time she died. Maynards beef lies with the people who have corrupted the religion, not Jesus. From there, I have no idea what the song is about for him. Being a Christian I see it as the people who condemned Jesus, who were his supposed followers, but were so willing to forget his words in order to have their sins washed away. He was loud we don't care what he said he was fun to listen to and knowing he can free us from our sins lets go ahead and send him to die. I know this view doesn't fit the whole song, but that's just it, it doesn't have too, its my opinion and what I feel in my heart. I really don't think Maynard is talking about Jesus and the most likely purpose was to desribe L. Ron Hubbard or Bill Hicks.

anonymous August 3rd, 2007 04:59AM  
Eulogy is a song that seems to be about someone who is/was very self righteous without any justification, and regardless of what the song means to the band, the lyrics get their power through personal interpretation if they only had meaning to the band, no matter how great the lyrics seemed to them, they will only have any power if they have personal meaning for the listener. So chill, the band does have an answer to this question, but being Tool, we will never know what they mean by it, so just sit back, crank it up and let yourself be engulfed by it, don’t quibble it only retracts from the real importance of music, personal enjoyment and the discovery. =I

anonymous August 10th, 2007 01:05PM  
Here's what I see as funny.

To me, Tool's distaste for organized religion stems from it's "my way or the highway (to Hell)" slant. This is reflected in their music. The ambiguity is intentional, and the possibility for multiple interpretations is purposefully engineered into each song.

So all people here who are saying "the answer is obvious" are essentially saying exactly what MJK loathes - "my way, or the highway".

As far as Keenan's stance on Jesus, I believe that he is irreverent, not because he reviles him, but because Jesus is so universally revered. If your intent is to tip over sacred cows, is there any "cow" more sacred than Jesus?

The messages in Tool's music are there, waiting to be gleaned from amongst the thorns by the patient listener. But most see only the thorns and are repulsed.

'Eulogy' always struck me as a song about revolution and enlightenment. The follower has opened his eyes. Whereas he used to be a bleating sheep, he has now seen the "shepherd" for what he really is, a manipulator and a deceiver whose aims were self serving. Now, the sheep have turned against him and are determined that he should pay for his abuses. The song has a sarcastic and mocking tone and the references to crucifixion are blatant.

But is he referring specifically to Jesus? I don't believe so. Anyone who has read the Bible knows that Jesus what not self serving at all. He lived very modestly and never demanded monetary tribute from his disciples. Though they believed him to be God incarnate, he often served them. He comforted the sick and touched the untouchables. He ate with sinners and befriended prostitutes.

He too shunned organized religion, and spoke in a way that infuriated the Pharisees to the point that they sought his death. He was accused of blasphemy and of openly defying Jewish law.

His messages were often cryptic, delivered in the form of parables that baffled the know-it-alls. Jesus' parables required careful, patient listening and often could only be interpreted by people coming from a particular point of view.

Sound familiar?

anonymous September 28th, 2007 05:28PM  
It's about the whole christian-martyr philosophy. Why do I need to die to prove something?
But I think they were inspired by Kurt.
Aenima isn't hard to figure out. The lyrics are still pretty raw. Come to think of it; neither is Lateralus or 10 000 days.

Decan October 9th, 2007 04:22PM  
You Know honestly I think that song is about himself, but some thing I've noticed with Aenima (Anima-Enima= 2 words) in general and the general theme of Tool is double meanings which is perhaps one of the many reasons no one will ever have figured out all the Tool songs or perhaps not even a single one. The reasons I think it's about him is just in the sense of the way he describes it as if he where a fan looking up how people make an idol of Maynard when he's just another guy, and once we're done with him we'll find someone else to worship and crucify, That just seems to be the human pattern and in the end it never really makes a difference because no matter what we say we don't make a difference. "He had a lot to say... he had a lot of nothin to say we'll miss him." I suppose on the other side you can go with the obvious view that it's about Jesus, L Ron Hubbard or Hicks.

anonymous November 1st, 2007 09:17PM  
This song is overwhelmingly dark and scathing. It is therefore highly unlikely that it was written about Bill Hicks, a close friend and inspiration to the band.

Whoever it is about, Tool go to great lengths to denounce this person's views:
"he had a lot of nothing to say"
"No way to recall, what it was that you had said to me - like I care at all"

They also attack his personal conduct:
"Ranting and pointing his finger, at everything but his heart"
"Come down, get off your fucking cross, we need the fucking space to nail the next fool martyr"

All evidence indicates that Bill Hicks was a close friend of the band. They respected his philosophy and make multiple references to him and his work throughout the album. As mentioned by other posters, Aenema was based on his concept of Arizona Bay, and he is responsible the quote at the beginning of Third Eye. Tool even invited him to open concerts for them.

Why would they then write such a brutal and dismissive song? There are certainly many superficial elements of the song that seem to fit Hicks; however the overall tone is such a mis-match when you consider their relationship with him that it is hard to believe that he was the subject (unless it started off about him, then morphed into a more general song at which point the negative parts came in).

Who it is about, I have no idea - but Hicks, it is not.

kakarat December 6th, 2007 06:21PM  
Anyone who has read just a little about kaballah and sacred geometry can clearly see that these are the influences in tool's songs. Just look at their album art work..Do some research on just these two topics.Consider who does their art work and research him and you will understand their motive..The fact that we're all discussing it means they've hit their audience upside the head pretty good. Well done. As for Maynard. He's just a front man..The best in the business? No doubt! Yet, a front man none the less. Kaballahists believe that Jesus was a master scholar in the kaballah. He also spoke in metaphor..Perhaps this is what they truly meant with the song. I dunno..Just a thought.

joe kelly December 7th, 2007 03:19PM  
The line that defines this song clearly to me is "dont you step out of line" don't you fuckin lie". It's about how religion (any religion) was made to keep people in line.Also it speaks about how people are so eager to identify with some belief specificaly in relation to god. and how religion plays and takes advantage of that fear of death that we all share . Yes there are references to Jesus(come down off your cross)but I think it's about any organized religion.It could be scientology it could be islam it doesn't matter. Its simply about false prophets and how they have shaped our religious beliefs.And how people fall into line to follow.
You are all sheep! think for yourself!! It is not about Bill Hicks. I don't understand how anyone who listens to this song gets that from it. Beside Hicks and tool were friends. Do you really think they would make a song about a dead friend in which they would say "he had a lot of nothing to say, or call him a fool martyr"?