please dont hate this

[Merkaba]

i havent scanned the board for this thought yet, but im convinced that the song the patient is about maynard leaving tool for apc. and i think the patient is adam danny and justin, and in the song maynard is telling them to be patient, because hes not going to leave yet. however, i also think that the song shows maynard kind of hinting to the band that he will leave though

A groan of tedium escapes me (tool is boring maynard)
Startling the fearful (the rest of the Band)

But I'm still right here
Giving blood, keeping faith
And I'm still right here.

^ hes still with them and cares very much about the band, telling them that hes still there, and hasnt given up

Be patient (telling the band to be patient)

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.
Gonna wait it out.

^ he tells them that he would have left if he wasnt gaining anything from the band, but he is, so hes gonna wait it out

And I still may ... (sigh) ... I still may.

^but he still might leave the band


i think the song is pretty self explanatory from the lyrics if you just look at it from this point of view, imagine it from maynards perspective, its almost like a conversation they had that he turned into a song...its really grim and dark to think that maynard (to me) is telling the rest of the band that he might leave them

[seeker]

well, it makes sense... but i'd rather maintain a more personal interpretation of the song. it's more comfortable.

[Macrame]

I don't really think about Maynard leaving the band...that thought scares me.

[XiPHiaS]

He is also talking about being patient and that it will pay off in the end. Maybe Maynard wanted to say that he has tried other things (APC), but still believes in tool. He just needed a break from it...

[neveragain]

Good point, ah the ambiguous Maynard, he's the reason we have threads like this, now that's power.

[XiPHiaS]

BTW: Great 'buddy christ' avatar!

[neveragain]

thank you my friend

[XiPHiaS]

I agree, it meant something personally to me at first too. And it's great, probably what tool wants: interpreted it our own way, so you can really use it to think about things.

But when i read this forum i found out it is very likely that Maynard was inspired by his thougt of leaving the band etc. when he wrote it. Still i like to think about what it means to me, not to maynard when i hear the song...

[ILikeToSaySalsa]

Originally posted by mstajduh
this song is pretty much about anything that one is doing which they face trials and are not sure if they should try to overcome them or just move on without them to another plane.. when I think about this song, it's more of a reminder of life.. manic depression runs in My family and I've contemplated with suicide, but the two reasons why I haven't were because of "loving embraces" and "rewards to reap".. also, when it comes to My job or other things, this is how I see it.. why I should wait things out and see what happens..

I think that's certainly what is intended by Maynard himself, but in what capacity?

Personally, I think the original poster of this thread is on the right track, but for all the wrong reasons (well, that's how I feel). Yes, I think there's some obvious suggestion of leaving (the band, most likely..), but I believe it's not because he's bored with it, but due to the lengthy legal troubles they were having.

Where he states he is "giving blood", I think it could certainly tie in with Ticks and Leeches, in which the Ticks and Leeches (the lawyers, the record company) are sucking his proverbial blood.

The rewards to reap from enduring all these legal battles are that he will make music with Tool again, and he knows this. But it was painful for him to have to wait all this time, in tedium.

[hoogamaphone]

Originally posted by ILikeToSaySalsa
Yes, I think there's some obvious suggestion of leaving (the band, most likely..), but I believe it's not because he's bored with it, but due to the lengthy legal troubles they were having.

I agree with you that this song might be inspired by the frusteration Maynard feels with all the legal bull that he's had to deal with, but I don't think he wants to leave the band.

He says that he's sick of all the crap and he just wants it to end. Then he says "but i'm still here giving blood, keeping faith"
-He hasn't given up yet

"wait it out, be patient"
-He's going to stick with it until the end.

"I must keep reminding myself of this"
-He's trying not to let all the crap make him forget why he was in the band in the first place.

It's so much easier to just apply this song to your own life, and it will mean so much more.

[Faultline]

I have to disagree with your post stating that the song "The Patient" is in any way about MJK. It's a good observation however, I have in my posession a disc that was released only to radio stations when APC dropped their first album. On this disc is an interview with MJK and Billy Howerdel. Maynard confides in the interviewer the approach he takes in writing music. The music he writes with TOOL is more about different ideas, aspects of life and things that they (TOOL) believe in whereas the music he writes with APC is more personal. I would take his words to heart after all he is the mind behind the mayhem.

[Stan_Sancho]

Wow... People pay such close attention to the songs nowadays... I'm glad to see that. I remember the OLD opinion posts... People were... for lack of a better term, retarded. I really like the first poster's interpretation of the song... But I refuse to believe that Maynard would ever leave Tool. He creates a perfect organism with his band members. Plus, I know that when I write things... sometimes it's from odd images I get in my head. There's a chance that there's pretty much no meaning behind this song at all.

[Mister]

although it is quite logical i personally doubt that the lyrics to "the patient" have anything to do with the whole Tool/APC debate......i mean its not like maynard is the messiah and the other members mere disciples in the whole set up; ive read those interviews following the release of "lateralus" where the guys admitted that they were worried maynard might leave tool seeing as APC were enjoying such success.....but there are other interviews where they are collectively at pains to point out that tool is a UNIT, maynard and his voice being another instrument of sorts. you dont see maynard at the front of the stage with the others in a line behind him, playing along to his tune. it would seem a bit too pious for him to be addressing them in such a condescending way, i mean surely they are more comrades than inferiors. i agree with some of the others when they say that the song is about faith and patience, about having the strength of mind to think in terms of the bigger picture and adopt a broad perspective. maynard sings and write lyrics and gets a lot of attention from fans and the media (not to mention blair) but the music complements, builds on and reinforces what he does, giving us the collective effort referred to as "tool". it would be a grave mistake to hoist maynard onto that pedestal as people sometimes have a tendency to do because in the end, as always, he will be pulled down, and all projections become disappointments. "Conquer and devour".

[SadSummerSea]

I'd say if any song was about Maynard taking a break from Tool it would be Schism. Hence the title.

[hbynoe]

well i dont think i agree with you totally but it does have many reservations with regards to Maynard feeling somewhat antagonistic not to just tool but what he does, and i think that he is talking to "us" and not the band per say...my take really

[GoatKing]

I agree on the notion that MJK may potentially leave Tool if he does not get any "rewards to reap", or "loving embrace". I don't see how that refers to APC, however. The quote on this site's homepage (which is now on the page to enter the opinions sections) has evidence of what these rewards and such may be. Maynard wishes that people would benefit from listening to the album and better themselves somehow, or become inspired to do something great. I believe this is the reward maynard is referring to.

If nobody betters themselves from listening to Tool's music, then his work is for nought, and will give up.

[DisgracedEffigy]

Scary bad thought.

[soberwithapenis]

Originally posted by XiPHiaS
I agree, it meant something personally to me at first too. And it's great, probably what tool wants: interpreted it our own way, so you can really use it to think about things.

But when i read this forum i found out it is very likely that Maynard was inspired by his thougt of leaving the band etc. when he wrote it. Still i like to think about what it means to me, not to maynard when i hear the song...

The point is not what it means to Maynard, it matters what it means to yourself. Get out of the song what you want, but leave it at that. Its not meant to be interperated anymore than what you need it for. If you guys really need to interperate into how the song came about and what it actually littarally means, im sorry. But have fun trying. Tool are just fucking with us, making us tools.

Just read the quote on the Opinion Homepage.

[Tantobourne]

If this song were a reflection of the path that a Bodhisattva would have chosen, would these words then be dressed in the langauge of the ego?

What would it be then, to question one's own compassion in light of such a weary path?

To look into oneself when one feels the weight of such a life altering choice and question whether it was the correct one and if, perhaps, the lesser path would have been more fulfilling...

"And 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.
And I still may."

~Though we may walk a lonely path
Do not forget the we walk it not alone.

-Tant

[reedc33]

Originally posted by Tantobourne
If this song were a reflection of the path that a Bodhisattva would have chosen, would these words then be dressed in the langauge of the ego?

Doesn't language automatically fall into the domain of the ego? Those who use words to describe the egoless state always fall short, and usually admit it. Alas, words are all we have, no? I know it's simplistic, but a proper analogy would that of the relationship between a road map and an actual location. Just because you look at a map doesn't mean that you've seen the Grand Canyon.

Anyways, someone sure is cynical here. We all know that this is just us talking about our impressions of the music and words here, right? Nobody really thinks that they know what Maynard meant or what he was going through in his life when he wrote these lyrics, do they? If someone does, truly you deserve to be called an idiot by soberwithapenis.

[Tantobourne]

Originally posted by reedc33
but a proper analogy would that of the relationship between a road map and an actual location. Just because you look at a map doesn't mean that you've seen the Grand Canyon.
I like that analogy....would that mean that although you can conceptualize something, it has no true meaning until you've lived the concept?
Maynard meant or what he was going through in his life when he wrote these lyrics, do they?
hah, what a tempting question to answer...
If someone does, truly you deserve to be called an idiot by soberwithapenis.
...and get hit by his "signature" whiffle ball bat. Which causes me to wonder: If I were to underhand him a rollo, and he swung at it, would the rollo slip through the holes of the bat? Oh...wait, the damned ball has the holes not the bat.. *grin*

-Tant

[reedc33]

Originally posted by Tantobourne
I like that analogy....would that mean that although you can conceptualize something, it has no true meaning until you've lived the concept?


That is the Bodhisattva way. Well, that and devoting yourself to the enlightenment of all humanity.

These proverbial rollos you speak of...? Mmm, lunchtime...

[soberwithapenis]

Originally posted by Tantobourne
I like that analogy....would that mean that although you can conceptualize something, it has no true meaning until you've lived the concept?

hah, what a tempting question to answer...

...and get hit by his "signature" whiffle ball bat. Which causes me to wonder: If I were to underhand him a rollo, and he swung at it, would the rollo slip through the holes of the bat? Oh...wait, the damned ball has the holes not the bat.. *grin*

-Tant

Out of a hundred tries, probably 1 wouldnt. But im intrigued by this game.

Also I am intrigued by what these rollos are turning into.

[Tantobourne]

Originally posted by soberwithapenis
Also I am intrigued by what these rollos are turning into.

meh...just a way to defuse the topic and lighten it up a bit, I guess.

-Tant

[eyemaware]

So I had this thought...

"But I'm still right here
Giving blood, keeping faith
And I'm still right here."

What if blood is a refference to life as opposed to the bodily fluid. Human beings are invovled in a power struggle between each other for the energy that is life, unfortunate that few of the many are actually aware of this. The same energy that is condensed into a slow vibration to create our physical world. What if Maynard is aware of this energy, and like many other people feels himself being drained of it by the negative actions of others? It feels like someone is plotting against you, causes you to '..be paranoid'. By keeping faith, and all that that entails, he finds the strength and energy to continue.