but nothing but the ? of judas,
who could deny you were the one who would have made it,
youll have a piece of the divine,

i think that it says

who could deny, you were the one who illuminated my little/ piece of the divine

ignorant fibbers in the congregation,
gather around spewing sympathy,
spare me,
none of them can even hold a candle up to you
blinded by choices hippocrites wont seek,

i think it says ignorance lives within the congregation

this little light of mine, it gives your past unto me,
ill let it shine,
to guide you safely on your way,
your way home

ithink
You were the one who illuminated
My lil' piece of the divine...

This little light of mine
The gift you passed onto me
I'm gonna let it shine
To guide you safely on your way
Your way home...
makes more sence

I know this my first post, so don't rip on me to much. I joined to discuss these lyrics. I've read over the last few pages, and here's what I currently believe to be the lyrics. I'm reposting the whole song since we're on a new page. Figured it would be good to have the reference without haveing to change pages.

Listen to the tales and romanticize
How we follow the path of the hero
Boast about the day when the rivers overrun
How we rise to the height of our halo

Listen to the tales as we all rationalize
Our way into the arms of the Savior
Feigning all the trials and the tribulations
None of us have actually been there
Not like you...

Ignorant fibbers in the congregation
Gather 'round spewing sympathy
Spare me
None of them can even hold a candle up to you
Blinded by choice
Hypocrites won't see

But nothing - Not the collective Judas
Who could deny?
You were the one who illuminated
My idle piece of the divine...

This little light of mine
The gift you passed onto me
I'm going to let it shine
To guide you safely on your way
Your way home...

What are they going to do when the lights go down
Without you to guide them all to Zion?
What are they gonna do when the rivers overrun
Other than tremble incessantly ?

High is the way
But our lives are upon the ground
You were the Light and the Way
That they'll only read about
I only pray Heaven knows
When to lift you out
10,000 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 sayin'
"I have come home now!
Fetch me the spirit, the son and the father
Tell them their pillar of faith has ascended
It's time now, my time now, give me my, give me my wings!"

Give me my
Give me my
Give me my
Give me my
Give me my wings....

You are the Light, the Way
That they will only read about...

Set as I am in my ways and my arrogance
Burning all through, tossed upon the believers
You were my witness, my eyes, my evidence
Judith Marie, unconditional one!

Daylight dims, leaving cold flouresence
Difficult to see you in this light
Please forgive this, bold suggestion
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
Never took a life
But surely saved one
Hallelujah
It's time for you to bring me home...

"My idle piece of the divine..."
"My idle" seems to fit better in context with the song. I listened over and over, saying "My little" "Your Little" and "My idle". I finally concluded on "My Idle". Even if I'm wrong, I think it's definitely saying something about his piece of the divine.

"High is the way
But our lives are upon the ground"
Although listening to I can can go both ways, "eyes" and "lives", "lives" seems to fit better in context with being lifted out of the fire.

"I only pray Heaven knows"
Again, listening to this, I could go both ways. I can see how some of you hear "Allah", but I can also hear an "en" sound at the end. I can't hear the "H" at the beginning, but it's like that with a lot of "H" words in this song. I decided on "Heaven" due to context.

for: but nothing but the ? of judas,

i hear: but nothing but the hands of judas,

From my standpoint it seems more fitting to be hypocrites rather than Hippocrates.

no way, it's totally about the greek father of medicine.

Hey man I've seen people using some damn creative spellings of those two words. Don't rub a hole in your cheek. :)

After hearing this song, I fell in love with Tool all over again. Just... amazing. I heard it before reading the lyrics, and even without realizing the meaning behind it, it's just incredible. But knowing the lyrics now, it's 100X better. Definately my new favourite song.

I'm hearing these parts as:

But enough about the collective Judas.
Who could deny you were the one who illuminated, vital piece of the divide.

...

High is the way, but our lives are upon the ground.
You were the light and the way they'll only read about.
High on and pray about lows, want to lift you out.
Ten thousand days in the fire is long enough, you're going home.

Here are the latest with only a few minor changes.


10,000 DAYS (WINGS PT 2)

Listen to the tales and romanticize
How we follow the path of the hero
Boast about the day when the rivers overrun
How we rise to the height of our halo

Listen to the tales as we all rationalize
Our way into the arms of the savior
Fading all the trials and the tribulations
None of us have actually been there
Not like you

Ignorant fibbers in the congregation
Gather around spewing sympathy, spare me
None of them can even hold a candle up to you
Blinded by choices hypocrites won't see

But, enough about the collective Judas
Who could deny you were the one who illuminated
Your little piece of the divine
This little light of mine
The gifts you passed onto me
I'll let it shine to guide you safely on your way
Your way home

What are they gonna do when the lights go down
Without you to guide them home to Zion
What are they going to do when the rivers overrun
Other than tremble incessantly
High as a wave I’ll rise on up off the ground
You were the light and the way they’ll only read about
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 fists at the gates sayin’
I have come home now
Fetch me the Spirit, the Son, and the Father
Tell them their pillar of faith has ascended
It's time now! My time now!
Give me my, give me my wings!

Give me my (x5)
Give me my wings!
You are a light, a way
That they will only read about

Set as I am in my ways and my arrogance
Burden of proof tossed upon the believers
You were my witness, my eyes, my evidence
Judith Marie, unconditional one!

Daylight dims leaving cold fluorescence
Difficult to see you in this light
Please forgive this bold suggestion
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
Never took a life
But surely saved one
Hallelujah, its time for you to bring me home

Not much more to say, but I'll add my comments anyway...this song takes music to a new level. The breadth and finesse of the composition, coupled with the emotion of the lyrics and the song's remarkably delicate execution, serve to remind me why I should feel privileged to be alive. *applauds Tool*

What they gonna do when the lights go down,
Without you to guide them home to Zion?
What[1] they gonna do when the river's overrun,
Other than tremble incessantly?
High is the way[2], but our lives[3] are up on[4] the ground.
You were the light and the way they[5] only read about.
I only pray heaven knows when to lift you out.
Ten thousand days in the fire is long enough.
You're going home.

1 Sounds kinda like "When...," doesn't it? Probably supposed to be "What...," but when you've got a take in the moment, you use it.
2 Listened intensely for "wave." So not there.
3 Listened intensely for "eyes." Again, so not there.
4 Again, no "off."
5 Not "they'll." Definitely present tense.

in this line "Daylight dims leaving cold fluorescence" i think is should be "Daylight dims leaving cold fluorescents" as in hospital lights where he might be sitting next to his mother as she dies telling her all of this. thats how i see it anyways this is all one big goodbye as he is sitting next to his mother on her death bed holding her hand in a hospital or someplace similar.

edit : also in the line "Burden of proof tossed upon the believers" i also here UNbelievers

I don't know if I agree, but that is definitely a legitimate interpretation.

Ok, heres mine, changed bits are in caps and brackets for bits i wasn't sure of:

10,000 DAYS (WINGS PT 2)

Listen to the tales and romanticize
How we follow the path of the hero
Boast about the day when the rivers overrun
How we rise to the height of our halo

Listen to the tales as we all rationalize
Our way into the arms of the savior
FAINING all the trials and the tribulations
None of us have actually been there
Not like you

Ignorant FLIPPANCE in the congregation
Gather around spewing sympathy, spare me
None of them can even hold a candle up to you
Blinded by choices hypocrites won't see

But, nothing but the collective Judas'
Who could deny you were the one WOULD HAVE DONATED
Your little piece of the divine
This little light of mine
The gifts you passed onto me
I'll [be your shepard] to guide you safely on your way
Your way home

Oh, What are they gonna do when the lights go down
Without you to guide them home to Zion
What are they going to do when the rivers overrun
Other than tremble incessantly
High IS OUR WAY, BUT OUR LIVES ARE UPON THE GROUND
You were the light and the way they’ll only read about
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 fists at the gates sayin’:
"I have come home now
Fetch me the Spirit, the Son, and the Father
Tell them their pillar of faith has ascended
It's time now! My time now!
Give me my, give me my wings!"

"Give me my (x5)
Give me my wings!"

YOU WERE THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN THEY ALL READ ABOUT

Set as I am in my ways and my arrogance
Burden of proof tossed upon the believers

(I got "burning the rooftops of all the believers", but this probably makes more sense)

You were my witness, my eyes, my evidence
Judith Marie, unconditional one!

{Pt 1 Reprise}
Daylight dims leaving cold fluorescence
Difficult to see you in this light
Please forgive this bold suggestion
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
Never took a life
But surely saved one.
Hallelujah, its time for you to bring me home"

Terrible. Please refer to my post above, only you may change "my lil piece..." to "my idle piece" if you so wish...

I hear 'High is the way but our eyes are upon the ground'

I've been listening to it some more and I agree with "But enough about the collective Judas"

I agree. I also heard (for the part above in caps) "you were the light of heaven they'll only read about"

I think it's High as a wave, but I'll rise UP ON the ground.
......
I only pray HEAVEN knows when to lift you out
......
What do you think?

You're missing a syllable...

It's "feigning" all the trials and the tribulations... as in, making a false display of those same struggles...sheez, we gotta get that updated quickly, it makes the whole toolshed community look like ignorant morons

"Judith Marie, unconditional one..."

I believe it is "Judith Marie, her condition won."

No way chrysanthemum....i think you've got to let the obvious choice win this round

You're probably right, but it sure sounds like "her condition won" to me. Plus it more sense than "unconditional one." Her condition won: she died.

And it's definitely "But enough about the collective Judas..." making reference to the congregation being one unified face of betrayal and fallacy

i have given in to what rockstarchad just said, although i was reluctant at first, the more i think about it "judas" does make as much (or more?) sense than "judith" there.. but i still hold that the line chrysanthemum mentioned is "unconditional warmth".. just makes more sense to me, but maybe it's just cause i'm a momma's boy. :P

new account old one was hijacked by friend so no newbie comments already =P
anyway, i agree with "allah knows when to lift you out", I know it may contradict some of the imagery and what not, but from a purely audible level I have to agree with allah.

My first post as well, but here is what I think the lyrics are, and how they're supposed to be spaced...





Listen to the tales and romanticize
How we follow the path of the hero
Boast about the day when the rivers overrun
How we rise to the height of our halo

Listen to the tales as we all rationalize
Our way into the arms of the savior
Feigning all the trials and the tribulations
None of us have actually been there
Not like you...

Ignorant flippants in the congregation
Gather 'round spewing sympathy
Spare me
None of them can even hold a candle up to you
Blinded by choices
Hypocrites won't see

But nothing but the collective judas
Who could deny?
You were the one who illuminated
My little piece of the divine...

This little light of mine it gives your past unto me
I'm going to let it shine
To guide you safely on your way
Your way home...

What are they going to do when the lights go down
Without you to guide them all to zion?
What are they gonna do when the rivers overrun
Other than tremble incessantly?

High is the way
But our eyes are upon the ground
You were the light and the way that they will only read about
I only pray heaven knows when to lift you out
10,000 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 sayin'
"I have come home now!
Fetch me the spirit, the son and the father
Tell them their pillar of faith has ascended
It's time now
My time now
Give me my
Give me my wings!"

Give me my
Give me my
Give me my
Give me my
Give me my
Give me my wings....

You are the light, a way that they will only read about...

Set as I am in my ways and my arrogance
Burden of proof tossed on non-believers
You were my witness, my eyes, my evidence
Judith Marie, her condition won!

Daylight dims leaving cold flouresence
Difficult to see you in this light
Please forgive this, bold suggestion
Should you see your maker's face tonight
Look him in the eye, look him in the eye, tell him
"I never lived a lie, never took a life, but surely saved one
Hallelujah
It's time for you to bring me home"

Best song ever. The "shake your fist...I've come home now" stanza is amazing.

Yeah, some of those were just alternatives i just wanted to throw out, I'm almost certain about it being flippance/flippants not fibbers though, it just makes so much more sense, same with feigning... sorry about the spelling before on that.

Well, fibbers makes more sense considering the very next line. Also, flippant is an adjective and can't be plural.

And "her condition won"?

C'mon. Like he's going to be triumphantly celebrating that his mother was killed by a stroke?

That is absolutely absurd. If anything, he would be singing about how she overcame her condition and died in peace, nor that her condition beat her.

That's just fucked.

Am I the only one who takes issue with this line at the end:

Daylight dims leaving cold fluorescence

-------------------

I'm pretty sure that at the end of Wings pt 2, it says COOL fluorescence as opposed to COLD fluorescence (the line at the end of Wings Pt 1).

Any thoughts? Kinda makes sense, since cool indicates more of a calming closure than the impending-doom "cold" at the end of Wings for Marie.

Its nitpicky but i think its an important distinction! Anyone else hear "cool" ??

can we make a new rule?

people who don't speak american aren't allowed to try to decipher american vocals.

k, thx.

10000 days

Listen to the tales and romanticize,
How we follow the path of the hero.
Boast about the day when the rivers overrun.
How we raised to the height of our halo.

Listen to the tales as we all rationalize
Our way into the arms of the savior,
Fading [Failing] all the trials and the tribulations,
None of us have actually been there,
Not like you.

Ignorant fibbers [flippant] in the congregation,
Gather around spewing sympathy, spare me.
None of them can even hold a candle up to you.
Blinded by choices, hypocrites won't seek.

But, enough about the collective Judas’,
Who could deny you were the one who would have made it,
You'll have a piece of the divine.
[you were the one who eliminated idle piece of the divine]

This little light of mine it gives your past unto me,
I'll let it shine,
To guide you safely on your way,
Your way home...

What are they going to do when the lights go down
Without you to guide them home to Zion?
What are they going to do when the rivers overrun
Other than tremble incessantly?

High is our way, but our lives are up on the ground.
[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.
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 fists at the gates saying:
"I have come home now!
Fetch me the spirit, the son, and the father
Tell them their pillar of faith has ascended.
It's time now! My time now!
Give me my, give me my wings."

Give me my x5
Give me my wings.

You are my light, a way that they will only read about.

Set as I am in my ways and my arrogance,
Burden of proof tossed upon the believers

You were my witness,
My eyes, my evidence,
Judith Marie, unconditional one.

Daylight dims leaving cold fluorescence.
Difficult to see you in this light.
Please forgive this bold suggestion:
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, never took a life, but surely saved one.
Hallelujah, its time for you to bring me home.

Fair enough point regarding the lyric not meaning that maynard is religious/christian. However, whether or not the holy trinity originated in pagan myth is, in my opinion, irrelevent to the song. It's quite obvious that any references to Christianity are there because, as is shown here and in 'Judith', his mother held onto her Christian beliefs despite how much she suffered. Hence, while other people 'rationalise their way into the arms of the saviour', she deserves her place in heaven more than them. Sorry if I was being obvious.

Also,
Sorry if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but, further to the more obvious references to Christianity with Judas, Zion and the Trinity, I believe that the lyric, "This little light of mine, the gift you passed on to me; I'll let it shine" references a common Christian song with the lyric "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine."

Just in case I need to clarify, though i shouldn't, i myself am not in any way religious, so I'm not twisting stuff.

It's "tossed upon non-believers." Maynard is referring to the fact that atheists are viewed as the aberration in society, not the other way around.

And even though flippant is an adjective, I'd swear that he's saying the plural of it as a noun...

In 10000 days, most people seem to agree that he is saying "the light and the way they'll only read about", but ive had the cd for a few weeks (got lucky, not a pirate) and Im pretty sure he says "You we're alive in a way that they'll only read about." Call me retarted

Hm....sounds plausible, actually, except that "a" sounds like "the."