Nelson Mandela spent 10,000 days in jail

[moultano]

Don't know if this is the meaning, but there are some things that really fit well. I just happened to be reading Nelson Mandela's autobiography and listening to Tool, when I read this line: "I felt - even at the age of seventy-one - that my life was beginning anew. My ten thousand days of imprisonment were over."

It's probably a stretch, but I thought the coincidence was interesting at least.

[rocco]

Interesting, but - as you stated - probably just a coincidence.

I don't think there's any real debate that this refers to Maynard's mother...but I was think about the number 10,000 in Chinese numerology. Read the Tao Te Ching ("The Tao begat the One, the One begat the Two, the Two begat the Three, the Tree begat the 10,000 things"), or Confucius, and everything is ten thousand this and ten thousand that. It meant, to them, 'infinite', or the myriad of everything.

So 10,000 days, in a generic sense, could just refer to one's whole life of struggle.

[GregoryWohlwend]

i agree rocco, i consider it a taoist reference; if not directly from Taoism, then surely in the same metaphorical vein. In Taoism, i believe "The Ten Thousand Things," refers to the obstructions everyone faces when trying to follow the tao, or "the way." just a thought.

ps. read the "Tao Te Ching," if you want to learn more about it, you can find it in your local bookstore chain and read it in under an hour, but purchase it , you'll want to reread it many times to scratch its surface.

[bellamadia]

I think this has been stated before, but Maynard was born in 1964.... The song Jimmy was about him at age 11, which would be 1975. From the lyrics in Jimmy, it can be assumed that it is about when his mother had a stroke and "left him." His mother died in 2003. That means she had been living with the effects from her stroke for a little over 27 years, which equals 10,000 Days.

[muhaaa]

I think this has been stated before, but Maynard was born in 1964.... The song Jimmy was about him at age 11, which would be 1975. From the lyrics in Jimmy, it can be assumed that it is about when his mother had a stroke and "left him." His mother died in 2003. That means she had been living with the effects from her stroke for a little over 27 years, which equals 10,000 Days.

isn't it too easy...?

but it fits well

[Ashes-TO-Ashes]

The song is about Maynard's mother, Nelson Mandela.

[TopGun]

isn't it too easy...?

but it fits well

It might be a stretch, but personally, I think 10,000 days (Wings for Marie Part 2) is about his Mother since he MENTIONS HER BY HER FUCKING NAME IN THE SONG.

"Judith Marie, unconditional one"



But yeah, you're right... maybe it's too easy... Judith Marie is probably Maynards secret name for Nelson Mandela. (please note the sarcasm in this sentance)


I still can't figure out why there is even any debate about this subject. It's like Tool fans feel there MUST be something more estoteric or hidden about the meaning.


Not this time. Let it go.

[bellamadia]

It might be a stretch, but personally, I think 10,000 days (Wings for Marie Part 2) is about his Mother since he MENTIONS HER BY HER FUCKING NAME IN THE SONG.

"Judith Marie, unconditional one"



But yeah, you're right... maybe it's too easy... Judith Marie is probably Maynards secret name for Nelson Mandela. (please note the sarcasm in this sentance)


I still can't figure out why there is even any debate about this subject. It's like Tool fans feel there MUST be something more estoteric or hidden about the meaning.


Not this time. Let it go.

HA HA Right on!

[emf]

I Agree

[rocco]

It might be a stretch, but personally, I think 10,000 days (Wings for Marie Part 2) is about his Mother since he MENTIONS HER BY HER FUCKING NAME IN THE SONG.

"Judith Marie, unconditional one"



But yeah, you're right... maybe it's too easy... Judith Marie is probably Maynards secret name for Nelson Mandela. (please note the sarcasm in this sentance)


I still can't figure out why there is even any debate about this subject. It's like Tool fans feel there MUST be something more estoteric or hidden about the meaning.


Not this time. Let it go.

I'm not debating that the song is about his mother. But why not title the album "27 Years"? And was it exactly 10,000 days she was afflicted? Possible, but I doubt it. At any rate, a good writer is going to use proper symbols to evoke different emotions. Noting esoteric about that.

[YMM]

Yes the song is about his mother, in the same way that Stinkfist is about anal fisting.

Look past the literal, derive a theme from the story before you.

[Dolophane]

Yes the song is about his mother, in the same way that Stinkfist is about anal fisting.
Well almost...

He mentions his mother by name in the song and the lyrical content describes what happened to her, how he felt, etc. Stinkfist, however, makes no direct reference of "sticking my fist up your ass."

Maynard said that he was trying to be very straightforward with the lyrics on this album as he wanted people to understand what they meant. Of course one can come up with their own definitions, but this isn't Dadaism. Maynard had actual meanings behind the songs that he wanted to get across.

[unfnknblvbl]

I'm not debating that the song is about his mother. But why not title the album "27 Years"? And was it exactly 10,000 days she was afflicted? Possible, but I doubt it. At any rate, a good writer is going to use proper symbols to evoke different emotions. Noting esoteric about that.

Because "27 years" - for whatever reason, doesn't sound nearly as profound as "ten thousand days"
Also, it's highly doubtful that Judith Marie was paralyzed for preceisely that number of days, but it was probably pretty close, and that's what artistic license is all about.
"Ten thousand days in the fire is long enough..." certainly has a better ring to it than "Twenty-seven years, three months and five days in the fire is long enough..." or even "Nine thousand, nine hundred and seventy-six days in the fire is long enough..." doesn't it?

[rocco]

[QUOTE=
"Ten thousand days in the fire is long enough..." certainly has a better ring to it than "Twenty-seven years, three months and five days in the fire is long enough..." or even "Nine thousand, nine hundred and seventy-six days in the fire is long enough..." doesn't it?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that's my point. Why does it have a better ring? I'd argue because we like round numbers, we like squared numbers (100 to the 2nd power), and we larger-than-life images. The Chinese have a history of analyzing this number. I'd not be surprised if the band knew this.

[soberschism]

Yes the song is about his mother, in the same way that Stinkfist is about anal fisting.

Look past the literal, derive a theme from the story before you.



=))

[kaspguy]

isn't it too easy...?

but it fits well


Why does tool always have to be so secretive and hard to figure out?

[Divine_left]

Yes the song is about his mother, in the same way that Stinkfist is about anal fisting.

Look past the literal, derive a theme from the story before you.

Dude, he says "Judith Marie" in the song. It's very obvious that it's a tribute to his mother. I can't see any reason why Maynard would want this song to be interpreted any other way...it's a memorial to his dead mom, plain and simple.

[Prison Sex]

The song is about Maynard's mother, Nelson Mandela.

Haha, I concur!