Huh. I just thought about this one. I don't necessarily believe that the "Ess" sound on the end of this lyric rules out "Jambi" or "Jambie" (phoenetically). The history of the Indonesian province of Jambi shows us that during the initial phases of Dutch colonization, the province was divided between the Dutch invaders and the indigenous people along a river. In effect, Jambi was divided into two Jambi's. Since Maynard is referencing division as a central theme in this song, maybe he is saying "Jambies." I'm not convinced about this, in fact I don't really believe that it is true. I just love the fact that this band is so cerebral and clever that lyrical interpretation can be either a history lesson about a corner of the world of which I've never heard . . . or a walk down memory lane with Paul Reubens.
Fuckin' Kick Ass.

Oh, thank you, oh omnipotent one, for taking the time to descend from heaven to deliver unto us- the infidels unworthy of your attentions, let alone your explanations- the gospel of MJK!

Fuck sake, dude, I almost don't want the benefit of your vocal analysis programs if I have to sit through another condescendingly arrogant diatribe telling us how great you are and how insufferable we all are.

Wow, you're quite well spoken aren't you? Kudos..

Well I don't think of myself as omnipotent nor did I descend from anywhere and I don't think of anyone anywhere as infidels. But you know what, I went to all of the trouble of trying to figure it out for my own personal satisfaction and curiosity because part of the whole experience to me of a new Tool album is trying to decipher the lyrics and by having 5 different versions of Jambi to listen to, it became quite clear to me that there is a singular sound that he's singing and it's the "im" sound.

I just thought I'd share that with everyone but in no way did I mean to be condescending nor do I look down on anyone here although the way I worded some of it may have sounded that way and in an effort not to offend anyone here, I'll edit my post to remove those disparaging comments.

So, to end this as nicely as possibe although I'm a little taken aback by your whole response, so in the immortal words of Bill Cosby, have a coke and a smile and STFU! :)

Hey, SunBurN. I was overemphasising my case in order to make a point. I don't think your an ass, thanks for sharing, just tone down the rhetoric a bit and we're chill. Really, thanks for sharing your thoughts after your in-depth analysis and giving dorks like me something to read and think about for awhile.

That's cool, you actually made me rethink about how the way I worded things was offensive to the people who feel strongly about what they think nard is signing, and the message his lyrics in the context of the song are conveying to them. So thanks for calling me on that because honestly, upon going back to reread what I wrote, I needed it. No hard feelings. :)

For what it is worth, I will second the notion that "damn my eyes" is an expression. I have heard it many times and even form other people. It is an archaic term.

Basically, the effect of "damn my eyes" and "dim my eyes" are the same. "Damn/dim my eyes if I should compromise the fulcrum" I think all of us agree that damning or dimming ones' eyes is probably a bad thing. Essentially, "allow something bad to happen to me should I fail to find a balance between wants and needs."

As was stated before, Manard does get breathy and difficult to understand when he is singing passionately (yelling) and we will not ever know for sure until the official lyrics - if ever - are released. Until then, do what works for you.

I honestly think he varies from line to line. I swear, listening to the first time that section goes round, that he says "damn my eyes (then) Jambi eyes (then) dim my eyes"

Listenin to it over and over again, there definetly seems to me to be a definite "d" sound at the begining of the first line, and undoubtalbe "j" sound at the begining of the second. Now i know its all to do with how its sung, but i find it too clear to be anydiferent. I find it can't be "dim my eyes" for that bit, as its a hard 'a' sound, where as on third time i hear a softer "i" sound. Also the "dim my eyes" on the last line makes more sense with the following lines.
So thats my reasoning, by no reason totally bullet proof (heh :p fire away) but das how i hear it. Though my ears may different to some...

i seriously think that if you hear this differently from what's written above, you got another copy of this album with different words. and that's possible. there is a theme of duality throughout this. maybe there are two "stereoscopic" versions of this album. me and McRoggles have one album, and those who do not have the "J" sound on the second verse have the parallel version. these are not the only lyrics in great debate. perhaps that's what they invisioned with their "dual release." maybe...............

That I guess is possible, but that doesn't explain what I hear on four different LIVE versions of Jambi..which is Dim my eyes x3.

But this kind of back forth stuff is going to go on until the official lyrics are released over at toolband.com so I'm done trying to convince anybody. I feel good about what I think it is and that's all that counts to me until I know officially for sure.

It's tiring trying to argue with people who have no fucking idea isn't it?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GTDvTYYexKg

DIM three times people, live at coachella

Only thing I can find on "Jambi" is an english mispelling on the province Djambi in Indonesia

The difference between "damn" and "dim" is almost nil depending on the way it is pronounced, so I don't think we'll really know until the real lyrics are posted.

On the album, however, the second one is DEFINATELY "jambi", there is no doubt about it. Live, it's hard to tell, but on that one clip he may not say it.

Great video!! You got closer than we were able to. I think you did a remarkable job holding that camera relatively still. I know what it was like 40 feet behind you, so props to you, dude. I think it's "Jambi" eyes every time. We'll find out soon enough.

I have a video from Coachella also, that I took, and I do not hear dim 3 times. In yours or mine or any others that I have heard.

I hear:

Damn my eyes
Jambi eyes
Dim my eyes


These lyrics are obviously totally subjective. Why we all still feel the need to debate this is weird, but I guess we all think we're right.

i hear damn my eyes jambi eyes damn my eyes

I got home from the pub last night (early this morning) and i got my ipod out, put the headphones in and lay in bed selected 10 000 days and cranked the volume up. I was lsitening to jambi, and it occured to me that its "DAMN my eyes" all 3 times. sorry dudes and dudettes but i am gonna have to insist that i'mr right and not in an arrogant way, its what i am hearing and have heard since i got the album. sorry

no, honestly it is a common phrase

a common phrase no one other than you it seems has ever heard of...
(nows the bit where people jump down my throat saying "i know it, cram it up you...")

I've heard the words "Damn my eyes" before (or read them, and not on this thread), but I wouldn't callit "a common phrase." However, the point seems moot when you consider that Maynard's lyrics tend to incorporate common phrases, like "Do unto others, waht has been done to you;" and uncommon phrases, like "I have found some kind of temporary sanity in this: shit, blood and cum on my hands."

when you see it live you'll know it's "jam-bye"...it's unmistakable

its DIM you fucking ***gots, jesus fuck whats wrong with your ears!? ever heard of something called headphones?!?! you can hear and decipher MUCH better with them, take these things on and you'll hear DIM! D I M

jambi eyes.... my GOD people push that button on your head, seriously.

now comeon rip me apart bitches!

i guess being in germany you have seen the live show multiple times since that is the only country they're playing in...

fucking a, read post one above yours, i've seen 2 shows in 3 days and there is no fucking doubt in my mind what he says...

facsist

*waves finger*

jam-bye... hehe of course.... well uhm.... now dont be that ridiculous and say something like facsist, generalizing bastard what you are. Because of dumbfucks like you (and your flock is wide) our nation is forced to act like the last whore "because we have soooo bad history" Fucking shithead take a look at your country and you'll find things in there much worse than ours.


... and for the record. its DIM.

getting flustered adolf? i was fucking kidding about the facsist statement cause you asked to be ripped apart so i thought that at least was a comical way to go about said ripping...

now don't get your panties in a bunch cause you've yet to see them they will be in .de soon, that is of course unless the berlin wall goes back up...

now back to the thread, I also agree that the whole time the lyric was dim, but what mjk says live kinda overrules your interpretation, unless you wrote the lyrics for him then i respectfully step aside

so just do it, step aside.

too bad your avatar obviously is NOT representing you.

you left - me right

who's walking on the right side?

wtf are you talking about? i usually walk in the center or backwards...

you are the lyrical genius behind tool?

*bows down*

all i'm saying is: at the shows i was at on wed. in philly and last night in nyc, mjk swept all doubt under the rug regarding this lyric...it's un-fucking-mistakable live...

what it means (don't know) or however silly you think it is fine...live he says "jam-bye" simple as that there is no arguing this point...sorry...now where are you walking again?

You know what? I, for one, am kinda gettin' sick to death of, "I saw them live and it's definitely . . ." and "I've listened to it like 76,294 times and I know that it's . . ." or "I've applied seventeen analysis programs and the lyric is . . ." and the like. No offense intended, but in all of these cases, you are relying on your senses. Senses decieve us every second of every minute of every hour of every day of our interminably short lives. There's no point in wasting all this time bickering about things we cannot be sure of until Maynard decides that we need to know the canon. So let's discuss it and analyze possible meanings rather than thump our chests proclaiming the superiority of our respective Tool acumens. To be hosnest, unless it's something new- or at least something that hasn't been suggested fifty times already- then I really don't want to hear any more of what you guys have heard when you listened to it underwater with a parking meter up your ass and a car battery alligator-clipped to your nipples while blowing your high school english teacher as he summarized "Moby Dick." (I mean why would you need it summarized as you're swallowing it whole? <Rimshot>)

Look, I'm not saying that you shouldn't post anything else about these lyrical disputes, but back it up with thoughts about the song- we already know what you heard and how you heard it. We all know what the disputed portions of the lyrics are, so now let's debate about WHY we think the lyrics that that each one of us has bought into fit the song best.

Pried - I can't wait until the official lyrics come out and one of these guys is going to have to eat his words. I usually don't hold grudges but this is too funny to pass up :)

yes-fucking-sir sir...

except i don't think "b" sounds like "m" or "j" sounds like "d" in this lyrical dispute...however hooked on phonics workeded por be

nobody on this boards eats their words...see all hoax threads to justify this statement...

The only problem is that one of these silly monkeys is gonna be right. I guess that all things in this universe must be in ballance. Some chest-thumping assholes are negated and will feel the need to stop thumping, while some other chest-thumping assholes are validated and will feel the need to thump louder. <sigh>

not into chest thumping...fuck it i don't care about anyone else's interpretation of the lyrics...kinda one of the cool things about tool, very open to symbolic & personal interpretation

i hear dim my eyes x3

Maynard spoke to me in a dream and told me it doesnt matter. Take away from the song what you want so that you benefit from it. No need to bicker and fight over minor details that in the broad perspective mean little to nothing. Whether its 'Dim', 'Damn' or 'Jam' (Mmm Jam...) He actually said that...It doesnt matter because you should experience the album how you want not how anyone tells you to. Free will, insight and foresight...they are gifts and your abusing them. Now im off to do a joint concert with Britney Spear's foetus.

*Disclaimer*
Maynard may or may not have spoken to me in a dream what is important is that there is Jam...and it's sweet.

Use Av Music Morpher and use the Voice Extracting tool to listen to the vocals alone. after doing this about 6-7 times i now firmly believe it is "Damn my eyes/Jam my eyes/Dim my eyes...". This method also clarified some other lyrics in this song and others for me. give it a shot it really helps.

I'm still waiting on an explanation for what "Jambi eyes", "Jam my eyes" and "Jambi-ize" mean and why those meanings are more likely than "damn/dim my eyes".

This is the funniest argument ever.

As I have stated before, I don't buy in, at all, to the idea that Maynard mispronounces "Jambi" (Jom-bee) to come up with "Jam-bye Eyes" or "Jam-bye-ize;" it just seems below his intelect. The only argument I can make for "Jam My Eyes" is that if there is a "J" sound on the second round of "____ my eyes," than it has to be Jam. As far as a meaning is concerned, I am minded of images of a distraught person jamming the bases of his palms into the sockets of his eyes in hopes of mangling the memory of a particulary offensive, disgusting, blasphemous or otherwise unsettling reality. I think that this definition lends some credence to the possibility that this lyric fits. I must add that while I do hear the "J" sound, I'm not convinced that it is anything more than the convergence of an emphatic entry into "Damn/Dim" and the heavy guitar behind it. As for damn vs. dim, I think that both have plausible meanings that fit, and with Maynard's vocal aggressiveness, it's hard to distinguish between the phoenetics that either option imply. For me, "Damn my eyes"x3 is my prefered context.

And I, for one, had some fun with it.

i always thought it was "jambi i've", because he talks a lot about somebody changing his way of life, so in context it sounded to me like

"jambi i've... jambi i've... jambi i have aged, should comprimise a fulcrum, what to need, divide me, then i might as well be gone"