God's Gift

[lacroixja]

To those of whom say they didn't feel anything while listening to the title track of this cd, 10,000 Days, or felt as if they were let down I feel much sadness for you, but I am sure that after reading this you shall feel the what many others have felt including me.

10,000 has to be one of the most overwhelming and emotional songs that Tool has ever comed out with; it seems almost as if Maynard went into his journal or diary and took pieces out of it to write this CD, as well as this song. For those of you who are unaware of this, Maynard's mother suffered a stroke and was bound to a wheelchair for 27 years, which comes out to 10,000 days. "10,000 days in the fire is long enough. You're going home..." this translates to 10,000 days living with this impairment is long enough, you're going home to see your maker, God.

Throughout this song Maynard is singing about his mother, at one point he sings, "Shake you're fist at the gates saying, 'I've come home now... GIVE ME MY WINGS!" Judith Marie lived a wonderful life, one where she found Jesus Christ and instilled her beliefs upon her children. It is obvious that Maynard has followed the same path as well. "Ohh, what are they gonna do when the lights go down, WIthout you to guide them all to Zion?" For those of you who don't know where Zion is a quick search in the bible will show you it is part of Jerusalem. I am not going to go into great detail with other songs, but if you search you will see many biblical remarks.

The main point Maynard is getting to is that his mother has spent 27 years of hell on earth, and when she passes away it will be a blessing to her, for she is an angel, Maynard's angel. The next time you listen to this song listen to it while reading the lyrics, then read the lyrics without music and I guarantee you will feel the song. "Should you see your maker's face tonight look him in the eye, look him in the eye and tell him I never lived a lie, I never took a life but surely saved one, Hallejullah, it's time for you to bring me home." If that doesn't make you become emotional in itself then there is no hope.

[TheEulogyOfMe]

Do you think the people who disagree with you will adjust their mind-frame and start to percieve correctly? I don't think that's how it works. But valiant effort though.

[blair's man sausage]

GIVE ME MY WINGS!" Judith Marie lived a wonderful life, one where she found Jesus Christ and instilled her beliefs upon her children. It is obvious that Maynard has followed the same path as well. .

yes we all know mjk has found jesus, that's why i'm an xtian too...?...or is it to?

yes, too

[paraflux]

It is obvious that Maynard has followed the same path as well.
I dont know if you are joking about this or if you really, really, really think this.

[Mr. Fetus]

High is the way, but our eyes are upon the ground.
You are the light and the way
They'll only read about
I only pray Heaven knows when to lift you out
10,000 days in the fire is long enough your going home....

This song is probably brought me to tears more than any Tool has done before. i absolutly love it.

[sweatyturtle19]

I'm trying to figure out if this song is Maynard being angry that his mother had so much faith, or finally coming to terms with it and accepting her beliefs for what they were.

I need to see the actual lyrics before I know for sure, I'm just basing this off of what I've actually heard.

[win]

yes we all know mjk has found jesus...


no we don't. I don't believe that for an instance. When you come the type of philosophic conclusions that MJK has, as evident in many songs from opiate to eulogy to third eye to fuck almost all of them, it is next to impossible to 'find jesus again'. I mean the science of the issue doesn't change. the bottom line is that I think this is a bad interpretation. I know that interpretations are subjuctive, but there is always something the author or artist is trying to convey and I think this is a poor understanding of it. MJK has often taken the perspective of religion truth in many songs to make other points (often through sarcasm:opiate eulogy). Here I better understand this as MJK's coming to terms with his mother's religiosity- not his own. If you look at Jimmy and especially judith from APC you see an utter disbelief in his mother's devotion even in her position. It seems more likely, noting his earlier convictions, that this song is his about him accepting his mother's religiosity not any longer as an opiate, but her interpretation of life and death. He still condemns those 'ignorant fibbers in the congregation, gather around spewing sympathy' but that judith is not 'the masses' her pure heart and passion god, I think he interprates more in a Kierkeggardian way. Granted I can't as noone can read MJK's mind, but his appreciation for post structuralism and agnosticism, I think are apparent upon reading and listening. As such, he is granting the possibility that there MAY be a god (but more as a philosophic possibility as opposed to truth). In this way I see this as more a song of his mother's hope in life for an after life after her '10000 days in the fire' as a cry for hope and him saying 'if you are right, tell him that you were a genuine and good person' It is more about his mother's theological preperation for death and her hope for closure. MJK has not found jesus. I guess its just an opinion but I hope many others wouldn't disagree

[sweatyturtle19]

Yeah that's kind of what I was debating in my earlier post...if this song was about Maynard finally coming to accept his mother's beliefs for what they are. It seems almost that way, doesn't it?

[win]

Yeah that's kind of what I was debating in my earlier post...if this song was about Maynard finally coming to accept his mother's beliefs for what they are. It seems almost that way, doesn't it?
agreed. granted there is always ambiguity, but thats what I get from it

[anfisechka]

I don't think there's any reason to believe Maynard accepted his mother's beliefs as true -- however he saw the underlying spiritual pursuit, something I think everyone can agree he's interested in. He saw her as an honest, truthful person who used their faith in the right ways (love, perseverance, etc.), not a misguided attempt to instill morality in people. He is willing to accept her Christianity as a valid spiritual path -- not THE valid spiritual path.

[paraflux]

Yeah that's kind of what I was debating in my earlier post...if this song was about Maynard finally coming to accept his mother's beliefs for what they are. It seems almost that way, doesn't it?
Guys, why cant this just be a man respecting his mother's life and thoughts, and giving her the goodbye that she would have wanted? He doesnt have to agree with her. I've done plenty of things for my mother that I didnt agree with, but just because I respected her for birthing me.

[sweatyturtle19]

No, I'm not saying he agreed with her. I'm saying that he finally came to realize that he should at least respect her beliefs for what they are, despite not really agreeing with them himself.

Of course I don't believe that Maynard accepted Christian doctrine as true just because his mom did...

[urthworm13]

religiosity

is this a real word

[Pillar of faith]

THIS IS HOW I INTERPRET THE TRACK....

Listen to the tales and romanticize,
How we follow the path of the hero.
(the preaching of following in Jesus' footsteps)

Boast about the day when the rivers overrun.
How we rise to the height of our halo.
(the preaching of the appocolyps and how christians will be saved)

Listen to the tales as we all rationalize
Our way into the arms of the savior,
(the preaching of leading a good christian life in order to see Jesus at the end)

Fading all the trials and the tribulations,
None of us have actually been there,
Not like you.
(the preaching of the glory of Jesus' crucifiction opposed to the human anguish he felt)

Ignorant fibbers in the congregation,
Gather around spewing sympathy,
Spare me.
(pretty self explanitary)

None of them can even hold a candle up to you.
Blinded by choices, hypocrites won't seek.
(his mother is forced to have a strong faith and seek comfort in God, the congregation have a choice to believe)

But, enough about the collective Judas.
(the church/congregation... Judas as you all know was the one who betrayed Jesus)

Who could deny you were the one who
would have made it,
You'll have a piece of the divine.

This little light of mine, the gift you passed on to me;
I'll let it shine, to guide you safely on your way,
Your way home ...

I THINK AT THIS POINT MJK STARTS REFERRING TO JESUS.... it makes no sense to be talking about his Mum this way.

Oh, what are they going to do when the lights go down
Without you to guide them all to Zion?
(another reference to the apocolyps and Jesus not leading the hypocrites of the church to heaven...refer to the bible)

What are they going to do when the rivers overrun
Other than tremble incessantly?
(as above)

High is the way, but I'll rise on up off the ground.
You are the light and the way, they'll only read about.
(reference to Jesus [I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIGHT, FOLLOW ME AND YOU SHALL KNOW THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN...] the bible is the only physical evidence the church has of their God.

BACK TO TALKING ABOUT HIS MUM

I only pray, Heaven knows when to lift you out.
Ten thousand days in the fire is long enough, you're going home.

You're the only one who can hold your head up high
shake your fist at the gates saying
Im come come home now

fetch me the spirit the son and the father
tell them their pillar of faith has ascended
its time now
my time now

give me my
give me my wings

THIS IS ONE INCREDIBLY POWERFUL SONG.... A MASTERPIECE WHICH WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY.
Thanks Maynard.

[blair's man sausage]

no we don't. I don't believe that for an instance. When you come the type of philosophic conclusions that MJK has, as evident in many songs from opiate to eulogy to third eye to fuck almost all of them, it is next to impossible to 'find jesus again'. I mean the science of the issue doesn't change. the bottom line is that I think this is a bad interpretation. I know that interpretations are subjuctive, but there is always something the author or artist is trying to convey and I think this is a poor understanding of it. MJK has often taken the perspective of religion truth in many songs to make other points (often through sarcasm:opiate eulogy). Here I better understand this as MJK's coming to terms with his mother's religiosity- not his own. If you look at Jimmy and especially judith from APC you see an utter disbelief in his mother's devotion even in her position. It seems more likely, noting his earlier convictions, that this song is his about him accepting his mother's religiosity not any longer as an opiate, but her interpretation of life and death. He still condemns those 'ignorant fibbers in the congregation, gather around spewing sympathy' but that judith is not 'the masses' her pure heart and passion god, I think he interprates more in a Kierkeggardian way. Granted I can't as noone can read MJK's mind, but his appreciation for post structuralism and agnosticism, I think are apparent upon reading and listening. As such, he is granting the possibility that there MAY be a god (but more as a philosophic possibility as opposed to truth). In this way I see this as more a song of his mother's hope in life for an after life after her '10000 days in the fire' as a cry for hope and him saying 'if you are right, tell him that you were a genuine and good person' It is more about his mother's theological preperation for death and her hope for closure. MJK has not found jesus. I guess its just an opinion but I hope many others wouldn't disagree

you have no idea what's gone on in tool land the past couple of years do you?

hint 1: april fools