The most important Tool song perhaps

[AMF]

In my opinion, this one along with Third Eye and Lateralus comprise the 3 most important songs in Tool's career. Agree?

[swampyfool]

That's a loaded question. How do you define important?

[DON IOTAE]

I kinda get your concept of "most important". Kinda lengthy, it notably took time for the fellas to write and record the song, etc.

I agree.

[EdwardJamesKeenan]

this is my first post in about a month. Define important? I can possibly see a correlation between the meanings of the 3 songs you mention but just what do you mean by important?

[Yondo]

Funny, cause Third Eye and Rosetta Stoned... kinda sound alike.

But I think he means spiritually.

Or LSDically.

[burning bridges]

I have to agree, although for the life of me I don't know why yet.

[AMF]

Spritually and conceptually important to "getting" Tool, I suppose, if you wanted to define it. By you guys already seeing the seeming correlation proves this.

[davelisowski]

I am looking forward to hear it stoned.

Haha. The "jamming" part sounded like a helicoptor in slow motion to me - the drums that is.

As for the OP... if important means deep, then I'd say yes. There are tons of layers to each of these songs (but there are with all of them really). Maybe epic would be a more appropriate term?

[hbynoe]

lateralus and 10,000 days perhaps the most important so far

[wearethestories]

I'll agree (sort of)... it seems to me that Rosetta Stoned is to the whole of 10,000 Days what Third Eye was to the whole of AEnima and Disposition/Reflection/Triad were to the whole of Lateralus

[Q'ayin]

AMF --

I can see what you mean, but there are many contradictory comparisons that I could relate to also...

To poke at your idea, would Merkaba be one of these? Yeah, Third Eye is on Salival, but...

Flood? *poke* ehh... Sweat? *poke*

[savelints8]

I'll agree (sort of)... it seems to me that Rosetta Stoned is to the whole of 10,000 Days what Third Eye was to the whole of AEnima and Disposition/Reflection/Triad were to the whole of Lateralus
That is exactly my perspective on RS. Plus I learned what "somniferous" means. Any song that expands my vocabulary is important to me.

[DON IOTAE]

You can really expand your vocab by listening to REM. wow.

[stevejols]

In my opinion, this one along with Third Eye and Lateralus comprise the 3 most important songs in Tool's career. Agree?
AGREED!

except.... i saw pushit as more important than third eye sorrry!

[#Notion]

I think Third Eye, Lateralus, and Rosetta Stoned are like Tool's 3 milestones. They kind of define what the band is about at that moment in time...

So yes, I would say they are the three most important Tool songs to date

[tbrent21]

I agree with you guys that these songs are the biggest epics. Although not quite as much with you on Third Eye, I mean its long and complex and is full of meaning, but you could make a case for some of the other songs off of Ænima as well, they're all so great and meaningful.

Wings/10000 Days is certainly deep, if we're talking deep. But it seems like more of a departure brought on by unique personal circumstances. I don't see it as essential in "getting" this band.

Rosetta Stoned and Lateralus in particular - these are the standout epics that leave you bewildered, awestruck, getting chills, quite often saying, literally, "Holy fucking shit!"

[swampyfool]

See, I think important has such a loose definition. Opiate (the song) could be considered important because it so perfectly laid the foundation and set the tone for Tool's delivery, intensity and message. Flood could be said to be extremely important in terms of determining direction due to its four minute instrumental opening; an opening who's theme is not reiterated in the lyrical remainder of the track. It certainly laid the way for the prolonged instrumental interludes of Third Eye- the importance of which has been suggested and ratified within this thread- which in turn was the typifying point in an album that showed Tool could incorporate numerous and diverse themes and dynamics into quarter-hour epics; and Disposition/Reflection/Triad, which in turn signified the beginning of songwriting in suites.

The two of these songs helped pave the way for Wings for Marie/10,000 Days, an epic whose extremely, unprecedentedly and directly personal nature is certainly unique among the Tool repertoire; and thus I would argue a very important component of the overall affectation, as well. But of course, it's hard to mention the importance WFM/10KD without mentioning the fact that Jimmy and Judith (though this thread considers only Tool's music, that APC song certainly sheds light on the continuing theme) were equally important in that they acquainted us with the fracturing of relationship between mother and son; and the ensuing, indoctrinal struggle.

Of course, importance could also be defined by the amount of gravity and power delivered by a given lyric in a given track. Along these lines, Eulogy must be considered for "Come down! Get off your fuckin' cross! They need the fuckin' space to nail the next fool martyr!" And so must be Undertow for "Why don't you kill me, I am weak and numb and insignificant!" (No matter what the official lyrics say, I always hear "I am weak and HUMAN- insignificant," and it gives me wicked chills that make the prying scars around my third eye throb with the memory.) And many other songs could and should be considered important for their equally powerful/emotional/transcendental declarations, though I suppose that this level of importance is widely subjective.

But what about songs like AEnima, The Patient and Jambi, whose rhythmic intracies display the formidable progression of Tool's ability to test the limits of time signatures through juxtaposed contradiction and overlapping incongruities? And what of tracks like Pushit or H. that use Maynard's considerable range, stamina and breath control to illustrate so vivdly the emotion attached to the sentiments expressed? And what of songs like Hooker with a Penis or Vicariouis that so scathingly decry the methods and manifestations of the entertainment industry? And on that note, what about Sober? That song was without question the one that truly gained Tool their exposure; and that exposure is what gave Tool the freedom to create art outside the influence of the parasitic industry that they use to disseminate their efforts. Both song and video began their widespread legacy and inspired enough awe within the listening and watching audiences that Tool was granted a level of artistic autonomy that illudes most musicians until they've been making platinum albums for a decade.

I could go on, as there are so many Tool songs that could be considered important for one reason or another- or even for multiple reasons (many of the songs that I mentioned above could be considered important for more reasons than I've given them credit for, here). I guess that to me, Tool is a huge puzzle; and each track is a piece; and each piece has its own significance and context; and the meanings of the pieces are interconnected: and this interconnected nature allows a bigger picture to emerge; but the picture will change significantly if the contexts are reordered; and that leads me to the conclusion that each track holds an equal, if diverse, importance. I know, it's kinda wishy-washy, and I bet some of you are thinking that this is a cop out- but it's not. I really think that the universal importance of each addition to the lexicon is why this band is so unbelievably compelling.

All that said, I would have to agree that Rosetta Stoned, Third Eye and Lateralus are very moving, and perhaps a good primer to understanding much of Tool's direction. I still am not willing to consider any grouping to be more important than any other, though . . .

[AMF]

See, I think important has such a loose definition. Opiate (the song) could be considered important because it so perfectly laid the foundation and set the tone for Tool's delivery, intensity and message. Flood could be said to be extremely important in terms of determining direction due to its four minute instrumental opening; an opening who's theme is not reiterated in the lyrical remainder of the track. It certainly laid the way for the prolonged instrumental interludes of Third Eye- the importance of which has been suggested and ratified within this thread- which in turn was the typifying point in an album that showed Tool could incorporate numerous and diverse themes and dynamics into quarter-hour epics; and Disposition/Reflection/Triad, which in turn signified the beginning of songwriting in suites.

The two of these songs helped pave the way for Wings for Marie/10,000 Days, an epic whose extremely, unprecedentedly and directly personal nature is certainly unique among the Tool repertoire; and thus I would argue a very important component of the overall affectation, as well. But of course, it's hard to mention the importance WFM/10KD without mentioning the fact that Jimmy and Judith (though this thread considers only Tool's music, that APC song certainly sheds light on the continuing theme) were equally important in that they acquainted us with the fracturing of relationship between mother and son; and the ensuing, indoctrinal struggle.

Of course, importance could also be defined by the amount of gravity and power delivered by a given lyric in a given track. Along these lines, Eulogy must be considered for "Come down! Get off your fuckin' cross! They need the fuckin' space to nail the next fool martyr!" And so must be Undertow for "Why don't you kill me, I am weak and numb and insignificant!" (No matter what the official lyrics say, I always hear "I am weak and HUMAN- insignificant," and it gives me wicked chills that make the prying scars around my third eye throb with the memory.) And many other songs could and should be considered important for their equally powerful/emotional/transcendental declarations, though I suppose that this level of importance is widely subjective.

But what about songs like AEnima, The Patient and Jambi, whose rhythmic intracies display the formidable progression of Tool's ability to test the limits of time signatures through juxtaposed contradiction and overlapping incongruities? And what of tracks like Pushit or H. that use Maynard's considerable range, stamina and breath control to illustrate so vivdly the emotion attached to the sentiments expressed? And what of songs like Hooker with a Penis or Vicariouis that so scathingly decry the methods and manifestations of the entertainment industry? And on that note, what about Sober? That song was without question the one that truly gained Tool their exposure; and that exposure is what gave Tool the freedom to create art outside the influence of the parasitic industry that they use to disseminate their efforts. Both song and video began their widespread legacy and inspired enough awe within the listening and watching audiences that Tool was granted a level of artistic autonomy that illudes most musicians until they've been making platinum albums for a decade.

I could go on, as there are so many Tool songs that could be considered important for one reason or another- or even for multiple reasons (many of the songs that I mentioned above could be considered important for more reasons than I've given them credit for, here). I guess that to me, Tool is a huge puzzle; and each track is a piece; and each piece has its own significance and context; and the meanings of the pieces are interconnected: and this interconnected nature allows a bigger picture to emerge; but the picture will change significantly if the contexts are reordered; and that leads me to the conclusion that each track holds an equal, if diverse, importance. I know, it's kinda wishy-washy, and I bet some of you are thinking that this is a cop out- but it's not. I really think that the universal importance of each addition to the lexicon is why this band is so unbelievably compelling.

All that said, I would have to agree that Rosetta Stoned, Third Eye and Lateralus are very moving, and perhaps a good primer to understanding much of Tool's direction. I still am not willing to consider any grouping to be more important than any other, though . . .

Good post.

[DON IOTAE]

I wanna see the thread where a 3 line post gets a reply like the previous...


;)

[nighthawk]

Perharps are: Opiate, Undertow, Ænima, Lateralus and 10,000 days.

[swampyfool]

I wanna see the thread where a 3 line post gets a reply like the previous...


;)
Well, if you could pack all that into 3 lines . . . Somebody would probably be paying you to write sentiments on the inside of greeting cards . . .

[DON IOTAE]

Precisely my point...

[jonboy]

I think you would have to include stinkfist. that track made many people tool fans

[Yondo]

All three songs rate a 0-3 on the pH scale; very Acidic, with low Bass.

Also, 42nd Post. The secrets of the universr unfold before my eyes.

[rembrandt_q_einstein]

not really... i guess i would have to say sober, schism, and stinkfist when referring to their CAREER... although when considered within the context of their entire CATALOG... i guess those are picks are pretty much right on. when i think career i think of the singles and those three singles probably made them the most money... so basically what im saying is i do agree but yet i dont

[fugitive538]

They really are important in a way, kinda representating Tool's relation to the world.
At the end of Aenima Third Eye is representing the moments of enlightment, the gaining of the knowledge that appears in Lateralus (the album). The Lateralus song is a warning to all the others, a try to share the knowledge, and ironically, Rosetta Stoned is from a messiah's point of view, who tries to enlighten others, but nobody listens to them, noone cares, believes. (though with a hint that he might be wrong.)

So the enlightement - the warning - the surrender.

[swampyfool]

not really... i guess i would have to say sober, schism, and stinkfist when referring to their CAREER... although when considered within the context of their entire CATALOG... i guess those are picks are pretty much right on. when i think career i think of the singles and those three singles probably made them the most money... so basically what im saying is i do agree but yet i dont
I don't think that money should be a deciding factor here.

[swampyfool]

They really are important in a way, kinda representating Tool's relation to the world.
At the end of Aenima Third Eye is representing the moments of enlightment, the gaining of the knowledge that appears in Lateralus (the album). The Lateralus song is a warning to all the others, a try to share the knowledge, and ironically, Rosetta Stoned is from a messiah's point of view, who tries to enlighten others, but nobody listens to them, noone cares, believes. (though with a hint that he might be wrong.)

So the enlightement - the warning - the surrender.
Messiah?
The guy can't even remember what he was born to bare. Even if somebody was willing to listen, he wouldn't even remember what he wanted to tell them- and it would seem that he didn't even understand it.

[rembrandt_q_einstein]

well shit you said career...

[swampyfool]

well shit you said career...
Yeah, but let's try to leave the market analysis to the Republicans. It's a Tool site, let's focus on the art.

[rembrandt_q_einstein]

alright well anyway after thinking about it the three most important songs are flood, 46&2, and lateralus (rosetta stoned comes in just a nose behind lateralus for 4th)

[paraflux]

Look like everyone has different ideas for "important."

Would Lateralus be as good without AEnima having sold so well?

Spiritually speaking from my personal standpoint, the importance is as follows

4 degrees
Reflection
Pushit
46&2
H.
Lateralus

I cant put anything from this album on that list yet