the person i think eulogy is about

[jpmanson]

i think this song is about a fictional character, a religious leader or a cult leader. someone who leads his people, then he contradicts himself.

i have heard people say its about bill hicks and jesus, and i tend to disagree with both of those ideas, the idea that it is about bill hicks seem absurd to me, cause the whole song seems to point at a religious figure. and bill was not that at all. the idea that its about christ does not seem right to me either, i think tool has used christ as a metaphor, but i dont think its about him.

i think that the key to understanding this song lies in the "hidden" verse, the one that comes right after the 4th verse, and before the 5th, which is the abrupt change in the song, the 5th verse starts with "standing above the crowd, he had a voice so strong and loud and i swollowed his facade..."

i think this hidden verse is "im too smart when youre invisible by the bone and the symbol on you, so he bashes his skull through the window overlooking the sea, twilight amber glow, we were amused by this" now, if i am right about what is said there, it would seem that this song is about a religious leader, who uses symbols and religious aids, such as amulets made from bones. i cant think of any religious leader who fits this verse, so i assume that its a fictional one that was made up to get the point across.

i also feel that this song ties in with opiate, with opiate, i lean towards the "agents" interpretation.

[lonely_host]

L. Ron Hubbard

[jpmanson]

are you saying you think its about LRH or are you saying that he fits the verse that i typed?

i could have been totally wrong about what that verse says, thats just what i get out of it, i would like to know what others think is said there.

[lonely_host]

well, apparently adam said it was about him in an interview..and it basically fits him..the stuff about bones could be purely metaphorical..

[Hogpile]

This song, in my opinion IS about Christ in an abstract way. Maynard, from all that I see of his lyrics is somewhat obsessed with Christ/Chritianity/Religon metaphors about Sheep followers looking for easy answers and the folly that ensues from the persuit of other people's ideaology. The majority will always follow the 1 or 2% of the population that have the intellect and voice to mainstream their ideas, no matter what the motives of the individual leading them happen to be.

[lonely_host]

the simple answer is its open to vast interpretation..I don't even know if adam was being serious about L. Ron Hubbard..I just think the music to the song, especially the intro, kicks major ass..

[pacifister]

Maybe it's about L. Ron Hubbard to the band, or even just Danny. To me it's about any loudmouth authority figure. Like many I thought it spoke directly to Jesus, but now I relate it to any authorty in my life. Teachers, public speakers, most of the time my father. Especially when I'm angry with him.

[StinkyFists]

You all make very good points and could very well be completly right. However, I doubt this song is about anyone imparticular but rather is about leadership and societys attitude toward it. Furthermore, I think Jesus is only mentioned as a example of a leader not as the subject. And I find it very hard to beleive that Tool would write a song that repeats "He had a lot of nothin to say," about Bill Hicks who they loved and respected.

Well, these are my veiws. But remember what the song is about is not important. Whats important is what the song means to you.

[Saturn]

I think Maynard wrote it about himself (and maybe a few generic other) . It's a good-humored tool to help him keep his ego in check.

[johno512]

trying to decifer who a tool song is about is like trying to pick your favorite tool song. it just aint going to happen. yeah some people say hubbard, i guess it fits, but so do every other religious (or any other type of) leader out there. its just a song meant to keep our minds open, to teach us to think for ourselves and that sometimes leaders lie, cheat and steal.

[seeker]

i don't think it's about anyone specific. even if there was someone in mind when the lyrics were written, the vague allusions (and specific ones) don't create a concrete image of anyone. the song seems to describes anyone who would use the power of charisma to dominate the weak-willed. whether the charisma is religious, political, or whatever doesn't matter... fact is it's a messed up way to do things, and maybe the song is just encouraging those of us who may be swayed to be very careful. if you think about it, to directly bash someone contradicts the idea that we should think for ourselves; bashing one religion or one person who the band disagrees with says "hey, don't buy into it", which implies that "you should listen to what i say". and that, my friends, is self-referential, and therefore, self-defeating. which is why i believe it's an encouragement to be careful of those charismatic figures. damn politicians and close-minded zealots, especially.

[Well Known]

I think eulogy is about me, actually. i think i'm the second coming of christ. pff. silly me. how could i be that special. or that important. i'm just a number.

[OpiAtE_666]

Originally posted by Saturn
I think Maynard wrote it about himself (and maybe a few generic other) . It's a good-humored tool to help him keep his ego in check.

That's the most original interpretation I've ever heard... I'd say its more likely L. Ron Hubbard, Christ, and anyone else who acts like a martyr, but its definitely a cool idea.

[the reverend]

Im dont think Eulogy is about just one person. Its not that black and white....
I think its probably about a few people and yes, perhaps even himself to a degree, although ive never really thought about that before. But good thought.

[Jebus]

I kind of agree with Saturn, when they say it's about maynard. However, i've always thought it was more about... I dunno exactly how to say it, but 'crazed fans' comes close.

I'll try to explain it. Imagine that you were so invloved, or believed in tool (or maynard in paticular) so much, that you would follow them religiously or blindly (exactly what tool doesn't want) Imagine then, that in some way, tool betrayed you (I don't know exatcly how, just bear with me). Then the lyrics in eulogy were how you felt about maynard.

In this context, it's kind of like a warning from the band, and another message to not follow anyone blindly (including them).

I know it's kind of weird and twisted, but just listen to the song, and imagine the lyrics are about maynard. I'm not trying to say this is right (I doubt it is) and i can't quote any lines to support it. It's just an idea.

[Mr.Unpronouned]

I think that there are so many famous/infamous individuals throughout history that you can fit many people into this song's description. LRH, Jesus, and even Hitler are some people that i can fit in there, but then other parts of the song totally or partially go against them.

[A53DON3]

i believe jebus is on to something...
when trying to find the literal meaning of this song i get lost...i can relate it to some events and some people in the history of my life in only some of the verse...but ive come to the conclusion we as tool fans can only really assume what it means...unless the songwriters themselves devulge the secret well never know for sure...
im an artist myself...i draw alot...i work at a club also...sometimes during the night i find the time to draw...while working the door on a slow night i sometimes choose to draw some of the people waiting for drinks...they sometimes leave the bar area or move from the position they were in when i began the sketch...so i lose the chance to finish a drawing of an actual persons face...the drawing is left only detailing, say the top half of the face...instead of moving on to a new drawing ill finish the face with someone elses chin, somebodys nose etc...when finished i have a purely fictional character drawing composed of elemants from many different people...this creative process can be used in writing lyrics...and interpeting them..............................

[illusion33]

Originally posted by pacifister
Maybe it's about L. Ron Hubbard to the band, or even just Danny. To me it's about any loudmouth authority figure. Like many I thought it spoke directly to Jesus, but now I relate it to any authorty in my life. Teachers, public speakers, most of the time my father. Especially when I'm angry with him.


I agree with you slightly, i do think it is about authority figures in church. You know the ones that fill the peoples heads with ideas about how life should be lived, and instead of people questioning what is being said, they live their lives that way and think other people who live their lives any other way is absurd.

[ckm]

OK, poke any holes in this you wish...

...but if he knows that this person (the subject of the song) "hears his own eulogy" could it really be anyone but himself?

[tetsuo]

Originally posted by ckm
OK, poke any holes in this you wish...

...but if he knows that this person (the subject of the song) "hears his own eulogy" could it really be anyone but himself?

I posted a separate thread about this earlier, but since no one replied i'll post it here. I think eulogy is about tinothy leary fo rseveral reasons, he fits the theme of the song just like everyone else that people mention, but also because he died in 1996, the same year that aenima came out and shortly before he died he had a mock funeral where he in fact heard his own eulogy.

[jpmanson]

Originally posted by tetsuo


I posted a separate thread about this earlier, but since no one replied i'll post it here. I think eulogy is about tinothy leary fo rseveral reasons, he fits the theme of the song just like everyone else that people mention, but also because he died in 1996, the same year that aenima came out and shortly before he died he had a mock funeral where he in fact heard his own eulogy.

that is an interesting thought there, but did leary really fit all the points mentioned in the lyrics?

i dont know, im drunk at the moment, ill think about this idea tomorrow some time..

[ckm]

Great point. I assumed that to hear your own eulogy you must be dead already. I did not consider that it could be read when you are still alive.

The good doctor certainly had more than "nothing to say" in MJK's view. And he certainly never talked very loud. But maybe his death (greatest internet "event" ever?) inspired MJK to reflect on the transitory nature of our existence, thus inspiring the song.

Of course, being drugged up on your death bed is certainly the way to go, but why all the cocaine? If I'm stuck in bed I'll stick with the hallucinogens and depressants...

[Cryptoanarchist]

I think the most convincing part suggesting its jesus is
"Come down.
Get off your fuckin cross.
We need the fuckin space to nail the next fool martyr."
But then i think they could just be using Jesus to symbolize religion (or other ways to manipulate people) in general.

The point about not folloing tool blindly is a good one. I sometimes find the music to be so powerful/logical that I have to remind myself of that.

He did also have a go at LRH in Ænema.

[The_MudCrab]

At the beginning of Third Eye, the comdedian the tells the drug joke. Isn't that Bill Hicks? and Bill Hicks is what Eulogy is about if i have my comics straight. The lyrics support my theory. First "standing above a crowd, he had a voice that was strong and loud" comedians stand above a crowd, and this guy yelled. Also, Tool comits a great amout of Eulogy to him, in the Ænema liner notes. and In the song "why then are you so surpised to hear your own Eulogy". Interpret how you will.

But anyway, I just think that the theorys that have to do with religion are wrong.

[Tully]

I think it would be interesting to find out if Eulogy was written before or after Bill Hicks' death. Some have said that the album Ænima was in some way a tribute to Bill. Quite a bit on the album is dedicated to him or reflects his beliefs. So my point being, that with Bill dieing during the making of this album maybe the song was written about him. When you lose someone close to you, you tend to feel alot of emotions including anger, i think perhaps Eulogy is not so much dedicated to Bill as it is about him...... Just a thought

[schismgrudge200]

i think eulogy is written from the point of view of those who cruified christ, i think a lot of maynards work deals with the real jesus christ not the christ backed up by hokey christian argument, but jesus christ, a man of great conciousness and great teachings, really, jesus taught man to entone themselves with the energy around them and try to reach a greater concious state. pretty much the same message as tool, if you want to to, in the alternative track order, i think the album Lateralus can be interurpreted as the story of christ, in terms of a real being and not a fictional biblical character, the alternative track listing being...6,7,5,8,4,9,13,1,12,2,11,3,10, cheack it out, use a program to link soundwave to soundwave, and it'll make sense, trust me

[Aeturnus]

I don't think it's about anyone. I mean think about it for a second. Maynard writes on a considerately high level, in which he aims Tool listeners to look for truth, and to "question authority." To in an essence, not fall to the easiest conclusion. What other way than to make a universal address to the fake people, and haunting idea that one can infact fake the death of his own life? It makes sense for serveral situations, and the only clear answer is that there is no clear answer. My thoughts.

[pushit_kirsty]

its been really quite interesting reading others thoughts on what eulogy means to them, and i have a few ideas myself...
So here goes.
This year i have become quite involved in learning about the inner workings of the Nazi party. You may have heard of a man called Albert Speer, who was one of the most powerful Nazis underneath Hitler, and who was also the only NAzi to admit guilt at the Nuremburg trails... yet he escaped a death sentence. Anyone who knows the way propaganda works will see the refrences to it throughout Eulogy,(standing above the crowd he had voice that was strong and loud) and perhaps this in some way relates to the mass hypnotism of the Nazis to Hitlers final solution??? For Albert SPeer, his trial at Nurmeburg would have been like hearing his own eulogy... it was the final judgement bestowed upon him before that of Jesus (or whoever/ whatever) at his death? Does this make sense... i think i have gone off on a little tangent, but if this needs explaining, feel free to post a reply.

Also, it could be about ourselves, when the wrong thing has been done. And we know we are all in judgement, by whoever, whatever...

Im gonna go take a breather now.

[cradled]

That alternate track order for Lateralus is crap, pure and simple.

I dunno if you guys have read the article that a college professor wrote about a talk he had with Maynard, but he suggested that Maynard and James H. Keenan are two completely different people.

Another possibility.

[Convoy_X]

It's about my boss. It's about my wifes mother. It's about Kirt Cobane to an ex of mine. It's about Rolens to some people. Rithgt now it's about fucked up spelling.

[polarforsker]

Originally posted by Saturn
I think Maynard wrote it about himself (and maybe a few generic other) . It's a good-humored tool to help him keep his ego in check.

i agree, i think it's very likely for MJK to mug himself like that... he has a lot to say, but in the big view his words will never make a difference for everyone; therefore "he had alot of nothing to say". Also Maynards vocal style often is very chanting like a prophet or priest... it would be a fair shot i think!

[Mark D]

I was just listening to the song Mr. Crowley by Ozzy Osbourne and I immediatly thought of the song Eulogy. The part where Maynard say "Why then are you so surprised when you hear your own eulogy?", could describe Aleister Crowley. In the song Mr. Crowley, Ozzy says "Mr. Crowley, did you talk with the dead?", and that makes me think about Eulogy. From afterlife maybe Aleister Crowley could hear his own eulogy. Maybe that is how Maynard meant Eulogy to be about.

[pneuma i]

dude...i think maynard just made this song so we'd all start some big long thread about who it's about...lol

i remember hearing a story a while back about the guy who invented the nobel peace prize and dynamite...when his brother died they got him confused with his brother and wrote up an obituary for the nobel guy instead of his dead brother...so the nobel guy reads his own obituary saying that he created something that killed millions of people thus he created something good (the nobel peace prize) any other big figures that this happened to?