Tool - Jambi Song Meanings
 Top Rated Interpretation
Zaq
April 4th, 2007 02:49PM
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Take the fist stanza (the feasting sultan part) as it is.
I think the "You" he is talking about is HIMSELF. Just hear me out.
---
"The devil," the bad side of him, the side that writes the "bad songs," was drowning him, taking over. He was sick of all that, so he began writing the "good songs," the Lateralus album, all the hopeful songs.
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"But you changed that all for me
Lifted me up turned me around.
So I would wish it all away."
The good side of him changed all that, his thinking on Lateralus was completely different than songs such as "Eulogy" and "Judith."
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"Prayed like a martyr dusk til dawn
Beg like a hooker all night long"
In this part (yea, BOTH parts), he's talking about HIMSELF. He prayed sometimes, while other times he was sinning and being the opposite of the other side of him.
---
He would wish away the bad part if he could, but nothing could get him to "kneel away his sin," because he doesn't think he would be justified in doing so.
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"So if I could I'd wish it all away
If I thought tomorrow would take you away.
You're my peace of mind, my home, my center
I'm just trying to hold on..."
If Maynard thought that the "bad side" would overtake his "good side," he would rid himself of the "bad side" to save the "good." The good side is his "peace of mind, his home, his CENTER," and he's trying to hold on to that despite all the bullshit that he sees (listen to "Vicarious"). Note that "peace of mind, home, and center" can all be seen as things inside oneself: your "home" is where you are comfortable being inside yourself, the others are fairly obvious.
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"Damn my eyes if they should
Compromise our fulcrum.
Want and need. Divide me then
I might as well be gone."
The things he sees are destroying the good side of him, unbalancing him. The good side of him is trying to open people's eyes to the world around them and the things inside them, and then it is devastated that what he has done so far hasn't made a dent. He needs to do one thing, but wants to do another, and if he can't do both then he might as well not exist.
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"Shine down upon the broken
Shine until the two become one."
He's broken in two, they need to become one. The "benevolent son" needs to fix him and stitch him together, if you will.
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"Divided I'm withering away."
Again, he can't live when he's divided in the afore mentioned way.
---
"Silence legions/leaches, save/say your poison.
Silence leeches/legions, stay out of my way!"
He needs the "leaches" ("Ticks and Leaches" anyone?) to leave him alone so he can do what he needs to do, and he needs his "legions" of fans to leave him alone so he can sort it all out.
I know it's hugely different from the other interpretations,but I think this one makes the most sense. I also think it fits the song and lyrics much better. Give it some thought and consideration.
Thanks,
~Zaq~
anonymous
August 11th, 2006 01:54AM
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This one's about Maynard's son and how even through his music and fame he's worked and "tempted the devil with (his)song" and gotten all these earthly pleasures "(he'd) wish it all away if (he) thought tomorrow they'd take (his son) away"
"shine on forever,shine on benevolent son"
(that's what I think)
anonymous
October 26th, 2006 12:30PM
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It is the name of the genie, but it also is a reference to the poetic meter the lyrics are in, Finnish iambic meter.
Unstressed-stressed-u-s-u-s-u
unstressed-stressed-u-s-u-s
unstressed-stressed-u-s-u-s-u
unstressed-stressed-u-s-u-s
the first verse seems to follow this formula, except all of the lines end with an unstressed syllable and are equal in length.
Also, the Finnish translation of iamb is.....You guessed it, jambi.
Source: http://www.Toolband.Com/news/index.Html
anonymous
February 26th, 2007 12:19PM
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my interpretations is as follows:
It's about himself, his divinity and his connection to the the "one". Verse one, he has it all, his dream has come true, he's accomplished his goal musically. He's overcome the "devil" inside himself, once in love with his dark side. He's overcome the self destructive devil. "But you changed that all for me" I don't believe is a person, not his son or his mother, it's the realization that he is one with the divine the divine is "you". He prayed and begged to receive enlightenment or collective consciousness and through his lyrics cursed and shouted at the "devil" the dark inside him. And then realizes he "got what he wanted all along" it was always there he just had to "see" it. "no price could hold sway or justify my giving away, my center." His center is wholeness/oneness with it all, would give away all of his worldly possessions if he thought they would take that away from him. It's his peace of mind, his home, it's everything without it nothing else matters, and trying to hold onto it is the struggle because of what we see and what is all around us it is hard to hold onto that divine consciousness. "damn my eyes if they should compromise... divide me, then I might as well be gone." if he lets what "seems to be or what he sees" separate him from what he "knows" then it will divide him from the divine and he might as well be gone, for repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift the light of heaven conscious of his fleeting time here. The benevolent son is just metaphor for the divine light shining down upon him, "shine down upon the severed" all of us who are separated from each other and therefore separated from our connectedness our divinity. "Shine on until the two become one" until we realize that we all are one, the collective consciousness. "Divide and whither away." divided we whither and suffer. "Shine down upon the many, light our way, Benevolent sun" show us all the way. "Breathe in union" "So, as one, survive Another day and season" As long as we are separate alls we can do is survive another day, another year. "save your poison" don't project your negativity out onto me save it for yourself. "stay out of my way"
For me this cd is so much more right in your face and personal, not as many hidden messages or interpretations. For ex. Vicarious, it's all right there, no hidden messages there. 10,000 days pretty raw and personal, no way to misinterpret. Same with Right in Two. Just my take on it all.
Namaste
lateralus123
April 25th, 2007 02:48AM
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Guys, amazing interpretations and ideas which I thank you for! I just wanted to add to the part of "legion" stated by Zaq that "legion" maybe referal to demons as from the Bible verse Mark 5:9 "And [Jesus] asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion: for we are many." (King James Version)1
oscarfish16
May 7th, 2007 03:47PM
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Right on Zaq. Also, Jambi was part of the Srivijayan kingdom in modern Indonesia. It was a trading civilization, which means it was wealthy. It was ruled by Sultans. The last Sultan, hiding from Dutch invaders, ruled from a mountainous region. In Sanskrit "sri" means shining and "vijayan" means victory or excellence. He says "shine down" many times, and the song is about his victory over his dark side, or at least his ability to balance it. How does he integrate this stuff into his songs? He is a true lyricist. Simply amazing!
paja713
September 14th, 2007 12:25AM
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It doesn't matter if it's about his mom or his son, because MJK often writes from another persons perspective coming out of their mouth. but I think this song is about living a life you enjoy, but is morally wrong, and someone (maybe close or just random) helps you to see and change your life (but you changed that all for me, lifted me up, turned me around) and how now that you see that your life is great and morally correct, you would wish it all away if you thought tomorrow would take them away. *girly ohhh, or awwww* like when they see puppies, lol.
anonymous
November 3rd, 2007 05:10PM
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It's about anything that is a fulcrum or a "sun" of sorts, and the knowing of its importance/the struggle to maintain a healthy relationship with it.
damn my eyes-your eyes can deceive you, lead you to believe things that are not real based on a shallow interpretation of them.
if wants and needs divide me then I might as well be gone-
the two become one, shine on upon the severed- unifying yourself with the oneness of this reality instead of letting hollow wants and needs divide you or "wither you away"
to me the song is more of a spiritual nature, but can also be interpreted towards his mother or son...which connect as well to the spiritual sense just on a more singular level.
anonymous
November 17th, 2007 11:37AM
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I believe this song to be about how Maynard feels about his mom passing away. I feel that he is saying in the beginning how he had everything; fame, wealth, etc. Then with the passing of his mom he felt as if he lost the only thing he really needed, and would trade anything and everything just to have her. From the passing of his mother, however, he found religion, not being christianity or catholic, but some sort of spiritual meaning to life.
anonymous
February 27th, 2008 11:37PM
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Well, if we can interpret the songs in any way we please, I may as well give you all my interpretation. (Note: this interpretation disconnects the song from the rest of the album, and the band's common themes, and judges it individually).
King Solomon in Ecclesiastes in the Bible explores life basically and concludes that everything is meaningless without God. Solomon has experienced things in life assumed to give pleasure and make life enjoyable; i.e. Money, Women, Wisdom, etc.
The first four lines of the song can imply anyone similar to Solomon (Basically everyone at some time or another). The next four lines are about his love for worldly evils. These works of the "devil" and the "dark side" had kept him blind from God, and now that he has found him, he never wants to "lose his sight" again.
"Wish it all away" can imply a need for forgiveness for sins and wrongdoings. "Damn my eyes" can represent a willingness to lose physical things to keep spiritual ones. "Shine on benevolent son" can be symbolic of Jesus and the thirst people have for him.
At the end of the song, the "leaches/legions" can imply those of the world, or the devil himself, that want to bring him down or away from God.
anonymous
August 21st, 2008 12:30PM
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This is an interpretation by Morgasmo(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm__8yL1Wdc):
-Jambi
I absolutely love this song, and I think I understand the
meaning pretty well. The first verse is basically just
saying that he's had a good life. King's mountain view, wild dream come true, treasures of flesh never few. He's saying he lives a good life, at least with respect to material possesions. Then he says he'd give it all up to stay with "you". The next verse says "the devil and his had me down". This is trying to say that he got tied up in the "dark side", or that his life had gotten on a track that he wasn't proud of. He says that "you" changed that all for him. Saying that this "you" got him back on the right track, meaning his mother? The third verse seems to be about him "praying" and "begging" to get out of the mess he was in. "Tempted the devil with my song, and got what I wanted all along." It seems like he's saying he found a way out, or maybe that he found happiness (what he wanted all along, though in different forms?), Then he says what I think is the most important line in the whole song, "Dim my eyes if they should compromise or fulcrum want and need. If I need this I might as well be gone." With the first sentence, he's saying he wants to "dim his eyes" if they cause him to "compromise or fulcrum want and need". Basically, he's saying that there's a balance between want and need, and if his eyes (greed) unbalance them, he wants to ignore them to help him stay on track. Then he says "If I need this I might as well be gone." I think he means that if the material possesions become what he needs (instead of "you") then there's no point in living anymore. "Silence legion, save your poison. Silence legion, stay out of my way." Basically, I think he's speaking to the devil and demons saying that he doesn't need them anymore because he's found what's really important to him. The whole song seems to be about being willing to give up all possessions to keep what's really important near you. In this case, I think it's his mother, though that's really up for interpretation as it doesn't seem to be clearly stated.
anonymous
December 10th, 2008 07:41PM
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Ok now I don't know much about the guy and maybe that's a bad thing but personal I think that it makes it easier for me to judge it better. now for the most part I think all of you have it a bit right I do because he is trying to save himself from the "bad side" of himself but I also think that there was some factor to help him see this.
some say his son or his mom. many of you think it's his son because of the line "Shine on benevolent sun/son" personal I think it says sun and not son although I'm not ruling out that it could be his son that did this I'm just saying the line doesn't have anything to do with it. By sun he means his light way as in the line "Light our way" it means his pathway to being the better person or getting the "bad side" away. So his light way could be his son (or his mom) ether way I'm not sure only person that knows for a fact is him and him alone. but I do believe it brings religion into it I think religion is a big part of it. which is what leads some of you to his mom cause his son can't really show him a religion being just a kid. but it seems he's not happy with himself and is begging for forgiveness in this song I'm not much of a holy person or godly and shit but I think that is what it's about.and that is my interpretation.
Thanks for reading
Ian J. Beaty
anonymous
January 2nd, 2009 10:16PM
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Jambi is also an Indonesian province. In the mid 1800's, a sultan was overthrown by the Dutch. Maybe its about the sultan and his love for his land?
anonymous
March 28th, 2009 08:36PM
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Seriously, these interpetations about if its son or sun are absolutely retarded. It is obviously a pun. This song is about his son. The next song is about his mother. Both songs use light imagery to express the light passed between the two.
anonymous
April 29th, 2009 07:38PM
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This is the Christian guy. I forgot to mention that I am interested in any comments or questions you may have. I love philosophy and rhetoric. acarley@nnu.edu
boobah
July 24th, 2009 01:23AM
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I believe this song (along with the rest of 10000 days, especially Rosetta Stoned) is a refute of ALL of the Tool albums up to this point. (INCLUDING Lateralus, despite its positive overtones/undertoWnes)
In the journey for truth and understanding (which happened to get him wealthy but that's not so important) M sank into the depths of philosophical thinking, "Mind Expansion" ie drugs, (devil & his) and by Lateralus, he was up to his neck and close to drowning.
In discovering we are of "one mind" he came close to losing his self. Not his individuality per se (I don't even know what that means) but his humanity, his "Jimmy". Perhaps the final days with his mom is what "Lifted & Turned him 'round."
But Damn his eyes for having learned already, and now it's within his beliefs but he wants to wish that understanding away.
Ignorance is Bliss.
He Prayed like a Martyr (found new beliefs), Begged like a hooker (sold records), and tempted the devil (got a bunch of us Tool marks taking drugs, listening to the music and finding the same new beliefs) and (all at NIGHT by the way, the dark depths of the human mind) got everything he wanted.
Benevolent Sun is the opposite of the wandering night depths of mind, Benevolent Sun is the surface, what you can see and trust, and doesn't tempt you to think deeply. (because you can drown)
Plus his deepened understanding and his self have gotten so far apart that they are divided, maybe Benevolent Sun Bliss can reunite them.
Legion is both the Jung collective that takes away from self, as well as us Tool marks that spit the beliefs M. no longer wants to believe back at him like poison. (so we should really just shut up and stay out of his way)
He just wants to be him again, to survive as one,
It's a new day and season. (This isn't Ænima or Lateralus anymore.)
Ignorance is Bliss?
boobah
July 27th, 2009 06:24AM
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I am going to see Tool perform tonight, so I listened to a lot of it last night and began rethinking my Jambi Interpretation. Mostly the same but a few changes. It's not Good vs. Bad, I don't believe, and I know longer believe its Deep vs. Surface. Now I am thinking the balance/divide is between Rock-Star Maynard and Human Being Jimmy. They've grown further apart over the years (previous albums) but As 10000 days was more of a personal album for James, He is trying to get the two back into one again.
anonymous
August 29th, 2009 02:16AM
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he has nearly got it. scientist have researched and tested on frog embryo's using light. they would beam light through a salamander embryo into a frog embryo, this would radically alter the frog's dna and it would be born a salamander, grow as a salamander and have little salamander babies. the same is true for our dna, the starlight comming off the sun provides energy for all living life on our planet. now that we have enterd the dark rift the sun's energy has altered, in doing so it will alter our dna. he wants the benevolent sun to shine on us and alter our dna to 46 chromosomes and 2 autosomes. right now our dna is 44 and 2 it is an imperfect helix and causes chaos in ourselfs we inturn think we are divided and feel abadoned. 46 and 2 is a more harmonious state of existence and we will then realize that we were never divided.
anonymous
November 26th, 2009 11:45PM
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I think I've got Jambi pretty much down.
Over all, It's another trubute to his mother. The beginning compares MJK to a sultan in the sense that he has most everything he wants. Money, success, ect., but he is missing his mother, Judith Marie Keenen. He would rather have her than his success.
He continues to say that he was writing music from the "dark side" that would eventually do him in, but Judith saved him from all that and led to him writing more positive songs.
Later MJK says that while she was praying and begging to God, he was doing the devil's work with his music. So, as I said, his mother saves him and he owes all he has to her.
The end goes into quite a few metaphors. He compares Judith to a healing sun that "lights our way" and should "Shine on" (sounds like another famous prog tribute to me. Pink Floyd reference, anyone?). The "legions" may be legions of devils as someone mentioned before.
inspiredtool
December 7th, 2009 01:04AM
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I saw one entry where a person actually mentioned researching the word Jambi. Open your eyes a little more people. Jambi City is in Indonesia. It is a city within a province by the same name. It coincidently or not happens to be where the 7.0 aftershock of the great tsunami earthquake occured. Thats all I'm gonna write here. Take everything else and incorporate it with a GOOD look at Jambi Indonesia. Wikipedia, youtube, google etc. Happy hunting.
anonymous
December 14th, 2009 04:26PM
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I believe that tool made a love song in this. This is my personal opinion but lets look at it:
They say he "had what he wanted all along". But then someone, for sake of argument a woman, changed him. Now, anyone in love has known what that's like, even just a first girlfriend type love. They want to be a better person:
"If I could I'd wish it all away
If I thought tomorrow, would take you away"
email me to discuss this at randomkidb@rochester.rr.com
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