anonymous November 25th, 2005 02:33PM  

I think it is his faith in a close loved one while he was on the right track with the worship of someone and seeing no benefit from their worship or keeping faith in that person.

tool9386 November 29th, 2005 05:06PM  

I think the great thing about Tool, especially on "Lateralus" is that his songs can have different meanings to different people.

I myself believe he is waiting for someone he loves.

anonymous January 2nd, 2006 01:32AM  

I believe this song can be interpreted in a lot of different ways but to me it's always seemed like a song about hope. A song about not giving up.

"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"
From this I've gotten that if he didn't have any desire to heal those that have been hurt or are hurt around him he would have quit. Help other to help yourself.

I realize this isn't the best interpretation and I could have elaborated but I have to go so I'll keep it short and hope it's at least a little clear as to what I meant.

wardo January 11th, 2006 03:44PM  

To the second poster, "Maynard + loving god = No" isn't exactly correct. If you listen to his commentaries on the APC disc, he clearly believes that there is a caring god out there. He's just extremely opposed to the way that world religions have used belief in that god to cause pain.

And this song very much seems about a person who understands faith and the price that it requires. As a Christian fan of Tool, I relate to this song probably better than any other that Maynard has written. I think it is very much about his struggle to maintain his path when what he believes in is being challenged and he feels too tired to go on.

infinitepaths January 22nd, 2006 01:13AM  

If Maynard was not open to the fact that there might be a God, then he would sing," God sucks, he really really sucks" but he is not, he sings of hope in Lateralus, anger in all, but open to all possibilities always. In his songs that seem angry and downing of God, they are misunderstood, he speaks against the people that follow and the religion itself, damn, any organizied religion is actually spoke against in the bible itself. Religion is a foundation that you live by so that you feel that you have a purpose and are working in a direction rather than not having any direction. If we knew how and exactly why we were here, then there would be no reason for disscussion. let them follow what they want, it is their faith. Whether they follow a dream, so be it. maybe we are all wrong and they are right, but you know what, we have all fallin' short of perfect, so do not point your finger with hate, have some respect for your "reflection". "What is this but my reflection? Who am I to judge and strike you down?" Get angry, but do not persecute. --Kate

infinitepaths January 22nd, 2006 01:30AM  

Oh and one last thing, when you are in your most "desperate moment fetal and weeping", you better not even have one tiny single cry to God for help. Look at what you speak. I have been in jail and I can tell you that I was alone and when we realize all the things we have and all the things that we take for granted, it is ridiculous. I bet you are in your warm house that your parents pay for on the computer that they bought you, bitching, while your hand is in a bag of cheetos. Listen, there are people in other countries, fuck, right here in this one too, that are being beaten, being abused in other ways, starving, dying of cancer, addicted to drugs, homeless, that can only dream of what you have. And if you think that it is only in the movies, your a sheltered little boy. Look around you. Be thankful, oh shit, I think I might have quoted the bible.--Kate

RestlessSeaOfThought January 28th, 2006 11:44PM  

To me, it's about waiting out the the bad times, depression in particular.

NOTE: THIS IS WHAT THE SONG MEANS TO ME, so if you have a different view or disagree thAts fine, just don't get angry about it
--------
"Is this a test?
It has to be. otherwise I can’t go on."
You will be tested constantly throughout life, and if you know your going to be tested you can prepare and be ready.

"Draining patience. drain vitality.
This paranoid, paralyzed vampire act’s a little old."
The vampire he speaks of seems to be the draining power of negative feelings that one sometime can't turn back or even keep at bay. Being unhappy drains a person both physically and mentally. The act being old refers to him being tired of constanly being drained and losing his will, but it powerless to stop it.

"But I’m still right here, giving blood and keeping faith. and I’m still right
Here."
The blood he is giving might be his will to go on. His happiness, mental strength, or emotions.

"I'm gonna wait it out.

If there were no rewards to reap"
But he doesn't give up since he knows there is a reward for all that he is goign through. Since he will reap the benfits of his suffering he continues to wait through it.

"No loving embrace to see me through this tedious path I’ve chosen here,
I certainly would’ve walked away by now."
The loving embrace that allows him to pull through could be friends, the band, his fans, anyone who is out to help and guide him.

"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."
His frinds that are urgin him on may be 'damaged and broken' in a very similar way to him. He feels encouraged by the fact that he is not alone in his suffering.

"If there were no rewards to reap"
So his knowledge of light at the end of the tunnel and that he has help allows him to pull through his despair despite its unceasing grip upon him.

anonymous January 29th, 2006 02:58PM  

I think that all music is preceived differently by all people... a song can mean totaly different things with different people.. So personaly I think this song is about waiting for his death.. because he is tired of the life he has chosen "This tedious path I've chosen here".. He may think this life is difficult because its a test.. Its testing him for something that wil come later.. He refuses to beleive that life is tough for no good reason "Is this a test? It has to be Otherwise I can't go on"... but he chooses to "wait it out".. "be patient" don't walk away from it, just wait for it to end.. I think... well that's what the song means to me..

AllenTehAwesome February 20th, 2006 11:30PM  

Personally, I am of the belief that this song is about being different than most people, being more intelligent and being more open-minded than most. You'll never truely fit in and will always struggle with society, but there has to be some sort of reward after going through all of this. But at the same time, you still have to have some sort of support and someone to love.

Just my personal interpretation of course, but it works for me and helped me through some hard times.

oogodmitch March 29th, 2006 02:33AM  

the cosmic egg...we believe so little and too much>seems to me anyone who has ever been "enhanced" or "awakened" to realize they are alive soon realizes THEY ARE ALIVE AND HUMAN, which is not an easy task...In fact, sometimes life sucks. Especially when choosing some divine way. There always seems to be that-well, I figured it out, why am I still here sense. don't get frustrated. Suicide=back again, wait it out, be patient

anonymous April 25th, 2006 04:11PM  

The song is about how things don't come quickly or easy, you have to keep goin, you will get there in the end but it takes time and effort. Todays world has made people afraid of effort and long waits

anonymous May 17th, 2006 09:27AM  

I think its probably said through the eyes of his mother Judith during her life.

narduzzi1120 May 30th, 2006 01:26AM  

I think "The Patient" is about meaning of life, and waiting for the answer. "A groan of tedium escapes me, startelling the fearful." Tedium means boredom. So he's saying that people around him are afraid to think beyond reality and consider the greater meaning. When he questions the meaning of life (a groan of tedium), the narrow minded people surrounding him don't understand and are "startelled". They don't understand that there has to be more to life.

"Is this a test? It has to be." Hes saying that there has to be more to life, something beyond what we see as reality. And if this is it, then that sucks.

The same connection can be made with the rest of the song. If you dissagree with this, be gentle, I'm only 14 and this is just how the song speaks to me.

anonymous July 28th, 2006 10:11PM  

In this song, I believe he is referring to someone who is investing too much into one specific "path" in life. This person is beginning to question his now "tedious path", but immediately supresses these thoughts by saying he should just learn to "be patient". I believe the line "this paralyzed, paranoid, vampire act's a little old" refers to religion specifically. In the christian religion, "they" expect you to believe you should be fearful of the disapproval in your actions by a power greater than your own ("paranoid"), you should have no rational thought that isn't directly governed by god or the church("paralyzed"), and that you must worship in order to recieve your "life force"("vampire act").
But that's just me. You'll take from it what you want from it anyways. I know I did.

anonymous February 17th, 2007 02:52PM  

This I think is about someone who is very sick from a disease and how he's tired of being in a hospital. He's talking about if he had no desire to heal then he would or left the hospital. It may not even be in a hospital. just in generally. He's tired of doing to same thing every day to help and fix he's problem. and if he felt like he didn't what the problem to be fixed he would of stopped the stuff he did everyday to help it. It talks about how he's just gonna do it and wait it out no matter how bad it is.
Clue the name "The Patient" maybe in a hospital.

karnak_69 March 11th, 2007 06:31AM  

I understand I am just presenting my own interpretation, but I wish to add it to the plethora of your own, as we all interpret everything through the veil of our own lives. I believe this song is about the path to being a doctor, "The Patient," of course, being the final purpose of this path.

"A groan of tedium escapes me, startling the fearful."
A reference to the tedium of study and learning, accompanied by the patients who fear for their health.

"Is this a test?"
Is the medical education a test? Surely the hardships that go with it are not necessary for practice, but more of a rite of passage into the profession.

"It has to be. otherwise I can't go on.
Draining patience. drain vitality.
This paranoid, paralyzed vampire acts a little old."
Continuation of the earlier theme, I can't really place specific meaning to this.

"But Im still right here, giving blood and keeping faith. and Im still right
Here.
But Im still right here, giving blood and keeping faith. and Im still right
Here."
Faith in your purpose, giving blood being both metaphorical for the giving of life and effort, and perhaps literal.

"Im gonna wait it out"
He is going to keep trying to follow his path

"If there were no rewards to reap,
No loving embrace to see me through this tedious path Ive chosen here,
I certainly would've walked away by now."
If there was no purpose he would've given up by now. The loving embrace of those he has healed, the tedious path the education and training to get there, and the life one has to live as a doctor.

"If there were no desire to heal
The damaged and broken met along this tedious path Ive chosen here,
I certainly would've walked away by now."
Pretty much self-evident meaning in my context. The desire to heal is the only thing that keeps him going.

"I still may. and I still may.
Be patient."
The use of the word patient, in its other meaning and context

"I must keep reminding myself of this..."
He must keep reminding himself of the purpose of this path

"Im gonna wait it out.
Im gonna wait it out.
Gonna wait it out.
Gonna wait it out."
He is going to keep trying.

Although I understand this is only my own interpretation, I have also noticed various other references to medicine, and the medical education in Tool's songs. Particularily the anatomical references to the album art of Lateralus, and the reference on 10,000 Days to the doctor and his patient, to name two. I believe this song is perhaps a tribute to those who struggle through such a difficult path and career, and acknowledgement that the only reason many persevere is only for those they can help.

I invite your own thoughts on my interpretation.

anonymous April 12th, 2007 03:54PM  

the majority of Maynard's lyrics are so ambiguous that they are open to several meanings and this one's no different but here's a view no-ones mentioned so far. Since the word patient itself has two meanings, perhaps he is using lyrics about being a doctor and despite the difficulties of it continue on because of the spiritual reward he feels from helping people.
'a groan of tedium escapes me, startling the fearful.'
the Dr releases a groan of tedium about his work, patients around him are 'startled' and suspect bad news.
'Draining patience. drain vitality.
'this paranoid, paralyzed vampire act's a little old.'
he is drained of life and energy and refers to himself as a vampire because of his nocturnal life in work.
'But I'm still right here, giving blood and keeping faith.'
giving blood may mean he is giving his own life over to what he does or he is giving blood or 'life' to other people.
Both choruses also could be interpreted in this way too. Like I said though, I suspect it has more than one meaning

anonymous April 21st, 2007 01:32PM  

This song is most definitely not about religion. Maynard is singing about a loved one or at least the representation of one.

anonymous May 27th, 2007 10:05AM  

This song has to be one of my favorite songs by Tool. I think that while many Tool songs have multiple meanings, this is one of their more straightforward ones. To me it is about someone who is in love, but the relationship is not what he wants it to be.

He finds himself having to sacrifice -Draining patience
Drain vitality.

But he wants to stay in it and see what happens because of his love for this person-But I'm still right here
Giving blood, keeping faith
And I'm still right here.

He thinks that (he not meaning Maynard, but the person in this song) all the sacrifice is worth it.-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

But even though he feels this love, it is so hard to stick with it and he must keep reminding himself of this.

He says that he still may, but at the end he decides to wait more and everything will be worth it once things are how they should be in his relationship.

anonymous October 6th, 2007 11:18AM  

Monk seems the most correct, though all are correct in their own way, if you listen to "Wings for Marie" and "10000 Days (Wings part 2)," you'll hear the story of Maynards mother and her 10000 day coma, which ended by pulling of the plug...

'The Patient' makes this somewhat obvious...

The Test being her time in the coma.. Having to wait it out.. She's keeping faith.. Though she hasn't really 'chosen the path' in the literal sense, she has fought, what could be a subliminal fight, to live.. Though no-one really knows what one experiences in a coma...
No doubt there are many references to religion like some have said in it, as it is the same way for the Wings songs on "10000 Days"... (shaking her fists at the gates of heaven and saying that she's home now)

actually a lot of this album seems to have some reference to her, or states of Consciousness, or faith as some have said... 'This body, this body holding me, feeling eternal
All this pain is an illusion.' 'Hold on, stay inside
This holy reality, this holy experience.'