What does Eulogy mean?

Tool: Eulogy Meaning

Tagged: Death [suggest]
Album cover for Eulogy album cover

Song Released: 1998


Eulogy Lyrics

He had a lot to say.
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...

  1. anonymous
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    Aug 18th 2006 !⃝

    It's baltently clear that Maynard and the gang aren't exactly fans of christianity. This song may be a jab at anyone who is "self-rightious", but it is mostly a clear jab at jesus christ. As if somehow jesus is just some crazed lunatic that managed to bamboozle billions of people for centuries after his death. How could you possibly call jesus a "good man" if you think he is a liar? If he really pulled the wool over all our eyes then he was at best a con man.

    Anyway, put the pieces together. It may be about Kurt Cobain or l ron hubbard....But the main jab is so clearly against jesus. And even if it wasn't, it was still a sucker punch at him. As if god is possibly mocked by maynards hatred.

    I am a christian and I have the cd...I skip this song and any other song by tool that are blatent jabs at my faith. Not because they offend me or god but because I choose not to hear them. Go ahead and yell at me. I don't care.

    I have issues with anyone that idolizes any band so much that they literally get angry when someone doesn't like that band to the degree that they do...Calm down skippy...Go get a life!

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  2. anonymous
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    Aug 10th 2006 !⃝

    Maybe it's not specifically about the people that are up on a pedestal, but a commentary on the groups of people who elevate them to martyr status and their futility instead. Just a thought.

  3. keepgoingspiralout
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    Jul 31st 2006 !⃝

    The lyrics of this song are intentionally vague so that the listener can claim it is about whomever they want it to be. Although the lyrics suggest different people, there is and never will be a definate answer short of MJK saying whom it's about.

  4. anonymous
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    Jul 27th 2006 !⃝

    Ok... First of all I won't claim to be an expert on tool. I know enough about the bands I listen to to understand the style of music they write... I will say that I love this song. The first time I heard it I fell in love with the riffs and structure. Then, upon listening to the lyrics, it became one of my favorite tool songs. Now this is coming from a person who uses full metaphors in my own writing... So it could be that I am jumping to a conclusion that the entire song is a metaphor... But this is my belief:
    i believe that 'eulogy' is about someone, anyone, who would put on a face in order to cover up their insecurities. Someone who claims that they do not fear death inorder to get others to fear them. However, as the song progresses and this person actually faces death, they are surprised that people have actually taken them at their words. He dies as a claimed martyr of the people and it is then that the people realize his lies. With this they feel that they are justified even if he wasn't a martyr.
    This song, I feel, is a mockery of those pretending to be untouchable. It could range from hitler's ability to captivate a crowd with his stong speaking voice to someone who lies about their physical abilities inorder to gain respect. These people are frauds. That is what I feel about the song... Believe what I do if you will, but I also encourage you to make the song your own and adapt your own interpretation.

  5. anonymous
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    Jul 10th 2006 !⃝

    this song is about any one with a huge ego. yes, it does sound like jesus, and yes the shoe does fit on the ego part, but...
    i believe it's about L Ron Hubbard (the founder of scientology). Hubbard has a modified crusifix as his scientology symbol and this guys ego is threw the roof.

  6. anonymous
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    Jul 5th 2006 !⃝

    Im Catholic, the origial Christain Church, as history shows. I do not mean to disrespect anyother Christains, but its true. You CAN listen to TooL and still be Christain. And as far as interpretaion, I'm glad people talk about both the Bible and Tool. They both are up for debate and interpretation, as is ANYTHING, even this. We all experiance things differently, so they mean something different to each of us. I like hearing what others think about TooL and their songs. I think if Maynard had a problem with Christainity, he would not have made a bunch of songs about his mother. I think he was surprised that she was such a devout Christain because she was paralized, and if God is the reason for everything, it was His fault and He could have healed her. Anyway, a lot of you have great interpretations, thanks, I find them helpful and interesting.

  7. Anonymity
    click a star to vote
    Jun 29th 2006 !⃝

    Its quite evident that these lyrics can represent and apply to anybody who thinks of themself in the way Eulogy implies. Lets stray away from the "Its about Christianity - it's about Bill Hicks" Look at what the lyrics represent and then look at people who uphold the meaning of the song. It could be anybody, your average Joe, but don't attack a whole body of religon, that's just stupid and ignorant.

  8. mzombie33
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    Jun 8th 2006 !⃝

    To me the lyrics of this song are meant to be taken quite literally. I believe that the song is about the bands percieved eventual downfall of Christianity. Tool has never been shy about expressing their disdain for organized religion (i.e. Opiate) and with this song they are expressing their disdain for Christianity and the judgements and the demands that are often associated with some aspects of this religion.

  9. anonymous
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    Jun 7th 2006 !⃝

    Actually no. This song is quite indeed about the death of Tool's good friend Bill Hicks who died during the recording of Aenima.

  10. CleanDave
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    Jun 5th 2006 !⃝

    I wanted to read interpretations, but instead I heard a bunch of bitching. The Basis of this song was Bill Hicks, but the meaning is basically refering to any martyr of any kind.

  11. anonymous
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    Jun 2nd 2006 !⃝

    I feel really sad about all the people bashing christianity here. Everybody's entitled to their own opinion, and christians are no better than anyone else in the world. By not believing in any sort of religion you claim to be noncomformist, however being a Christian doesn't mean you can't be nonconformist.

    Since when do christians not have an opinion of their own? One of the things that I like so much about Chritianity is that it leaves lots of space for one's own interpretation of things. It's not like I meekly do everything the Bible tells me to do. When I don't agree with something, I will not live up to whatever it says. Not believing doesn't necessarily mean you're a 'logical' person and vice versa.

    And there's absolutely nothing wrong with not believing. To each his own. I myself have turned to Christianity only recently, and when I met my girlfriend I wasn't a Chritian yet.

    Show a little understanding and respect here, people. To both parties. And Eulogy is a fuckin'awesome song!!

  12. anonymous
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    May 18th 2006 !⃝

    I believe Eulogy is about a comedian Bill Hicks, who I believe was an influence on Maynard and Tool. All throughout the song he talks about him, if you listen really good. It says "standing above the crowd, hearing his voice that was stong and loud, will miss him". It has nothing to do at all with Hitler, although it might seem like it does. Another thing is that I believe Bill Hicks died right before they did that album of cancer in 1994, and being an inspiration to them, they decided to write a song about him. See when it says martyr in the song, Maynard is saying he was basically a martyr, becuase he spoke what he believed in his comedy routine. Maynard is metaphorically speaking in most of the song anyway, basically saying that Bill Hicks was great in what he has done for comedy and was martyr-like, because obviously he got through to Maynard. Another thing is when Bill Hicks was performing his stand-up comedy he was well known for his misanthropic rants and his hatred of consumerism, which describes why Maynard always describe him as having a voice that was strong and loud. Bill Hicks also had a lot to say about the world and the happenings in the world, but would also use a lot of toilet humor. This is from the part in the song where it says he had a lot to say, he had a lot of nothing to say. Bill Hicks did also talk about God a lot, and I believe he might of been an atheist, because he joked about christians a lot. Maynard did a marvelous job describing Bill Hicks life in one song. Just look up facts about Bill Hicks, and read along to the lyrics of the song and you'll know what I mean

  13. anonymous
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    May 1st 2006 !⃝

    I think you are all morons for wasting your time on this.
    the song is amazing, I have my own view on this song and on all tool songs and that's why I love tool so much, there isent a whole lot of information, its not all out in front of you like your reading a book, your left guessing you can put in who you want or what.
    ( I know I'm being a hipocrite ) get off your computer, go outside. Do something good with your life before your a old geezer and before you die cause when you do you won't remember what great things you done and nobody else will
    goodnight

    and people don't be dissing religions
    i myself think its all bullshit
    everyone should have their own religion

  14. SMRT
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    May 1st 2006 !⃝

    By going against Christianity, which is what this country is based on, you are a nonconformist, and that's good because Tool says so...

    You Tool fans just keep getting smarter and smarter.

    j5w2k9@hotmail.com

  15. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 26th 2006 !⃝

    Tool is all about thinking for yourself and almost being a nonconformist. By leaving their songs wide open to interpretations, people can decide for themselves what the songs mean. This is just what I think and I have not heard Maynard himself say this.

    I also think he uses songs that could strongly incorporate Jesus Christ because this country was founded on Christianity. By being against it, you are a nonconformist.




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