I was just wondering. I hear people say that this is one of the worst Tool songs. I personally love this song. I know it's nowhere their best work. But its got the Undertow influence too it, Maynard proves he can still get those high notes and, as a guitar player myself, I love Adam Jones's parts But then again, I don't think there is such a thing as the worst Tool song. Anyone care to elaborate on why they think this is the worst Tool song?

probably because of the singing. when i first heard this song i thought it was ridiculous, but then it really grew on me.

It's so different from Tool's other stuff, you can see why the older fans wouldn't take to it. I personally think it's catchy, groovy and a damn fine tune. Justin shows amazing skill on it too, funky ass.

I love the Pot; I love the singing at the start and the funky bass line. However, I would still say it is the worst song on the album, except of couse Lipan Conjuring, Lost Keys and Viginti Tres. Infact this is not a much of a criticism because I belive 10,000 days is one of the greatest albums.

The only reason why its the worst in my opinion, is that its nothing more than a very good song. Its extremly simple for Tools standards, and lacks much inner meening. I properbly in the end listen to it the most, because in comparison to the others, it is light listening.

the pot is nice, but my least favorite on the album, simply because i like the other songs better

I really like the song, and my girlfriend loves the song. She's by no means a hardcore Tool fan, more of a casual listener by association :)

My guess would be this is one of the most accessible Tool songs, maybe that's why long time listeners dislike it. Due to the fact that something "wrong" is happening here. It's a song everyone can like, OH NOES!!!11!1ONEone

when i first heard it, i thought it's some other guy with a kid voice doin vocals for the song..

It's a badass, straight-forward and rockin' tune. The vocals are fucking intense which is refreshing to hear in the days of generic emo and nu-metal. Tool need the odd balls-out rock tune every now and again.

I have no idea.

Its my favorite tune on the new album.

Lets see. The lyrics are awesome, the bass line is incredible, the whole tune comes together perfectly.

Maynard challenges his fans all the time. Crank this one up as loud as it will go and then tell me it sucks. I dont think so.

Thanks for the insight everyone. That does seem logical, it does have an Undertow feel too it that newer fans may not like. It's by no means my favorite. I just thought this song wasn't getting the credit it deserved.

I dislike it because the lyrics are really bad, and the guitar parts are irritatingly simple.

i think the lyrics are one of the songs strong points, along with the bass line

I agree 100 %. My wife likes this song too. She's also a casual listener, and by no means a TOOL fan. The fact that it is a straight forward rock song is why people are dismissing it. The hardcore TOOL fans enjoy the mystery of the band and it's messages. When a "simple" song which anyone can decipher comes along, they turn their noses up at it. I really love the complicated features of the band and it's music. But, I think that songs like The Pot, Aenima, Vicarious, and Hooker w/ a Penis have their place. Not every song can (or should) be so mysterious and abstract that the fans fill up message boards trying to understand it. You can't spend all of your energy searching for deeper or alternative meanings to life and ignore the issues that are right in front of you.

If you can't appreciate that, then think of it this way: An artist puts out material that is a reflection of what they experience and/or believe. A song that is influenced by ideas of expanding one's mind and achieving a different/higher state of consciousness is naturally going to contain elements of mystery, elusiveness, etc. A song about anger, dissatisfaction, or any other specific emotion is probably going to be more direct.

Enjoy the diversity of their music. Not every song is going to mean the same thing to every person. I'm sure the band has songs that mean more to them than others.

Maybe the vocals at the beginning, but the song is very Undertow-ish.

When I got copy of 10KD, I played this song for people and got kick out of their expressions during the opening vocals. I would have people guess who it was and heard everything from Incubus to Clay Aiken(no shit), a lot of these people obviously are NOT Tool fans. However, most liked it, if only for a moment. Yes it's an accessible song to the masses, but that shouldn't take away from the fact that it's a great-and yes 'simple' by TOOL santards-song. Plus, it sounds amazing live.

the pot is my girlfriends favorite also, but my least favorite on the album, not that i dont like it, i would just prefer to hear the others.

i really dont like it until about midway when it slows down, when that kind of drone sound occurs, everything after that is great but i can just never get into the first part of the song

I actually like this song, but not as much as my girlfriend. I agree, it's very accessable to more casual listeners, and much more straightforward than most of their other songs. It has a dancable feel that causes white people to girate irhythmically--sort of like how Metallica started sounding in the early 90's. Speaking as a longtime listener of Tool, I'm totally fine with them doing a straitforward, catchy song once in a while, so long as they don't turn it into an entire album (like "the black album"). I mean, I'm a musician too, but even I get tired of 11/8 sometimes!

Some of the lyrics are a little rediculous but I think that it lends to the mood of the song

Foot in mouth and head up ass


got lemon juice up in your high eye

Pissed all over my black kettle


Slghtly rediculous but I think its brilliant

this song rocks live

without a doubt, the louder the better

I don't really know...

They must have been high (when they first heard it)...

It iritates me when people think this is a anti pot song when it really has nothing to do with marijuana or drugs at all.

Thats what put me off at first, but getting past this and really listening to the rest of the song pays off.

hearing maynard sing so high at the beginning of this song gave me chills the first time i heard it, i personally really love this song.

because of its simplicity I assume.
It may be too easy to catagorize.

Why should this be the worst Tool song ever? In my opinion, it's one of the best.

You can't tell me that you like something like Useful Idiot more than this song.

Yes, I consider Useful Idiot as a valuable song. Each Tool song is valuable if you discuss about The Pot being the worst Tool song ever.

I must admit that the reason I thnk most people hated "The Pot" is due to its place after the high emotion of "Wings"...but it is still the best single on the album.I think that even the hardcore fan would be unable to resist saying how good "aenima" or "hooker with a penis" are,so how can they not like the song. The vocals on the intro always indicate to me now the change of tone for the rest of the album.
*Phew*

Yeah I guess its because its a little more accessible musically than some of the others, a bit more traditional in its structure and maybe easier to follow than some of the unusual time signatures and arrangements that we have become familiar with. However, as apparently simplistic as the pot is, no one has really nailed a convincing interpretation of the lyrics yet IMO, so maybe its not as straightforward as everyone thinks... I think its sick anyway.

you have to look a little deeper into the lyrics though i made a post about it like 20 min ago the lyrics are great they have a very political meaning look into it keep digging,most tool songs are like that you have to peel back the outer layer and sink your teeth into the soft underbelly have fun.

well, personally, i know what they were trying to do, and it sounds amazing with my head out of my ass. it helps me dance better, too. ;) but, yeah, i just beat the shit outta anyone who says that the track sucks. worst tool song? probably... i don't know. opiate. yeah.

i refuse to believe in 'best' and 'worst'.
i find it to be a ridiculous measurement of something that needs not to be measured.

for me it's about finding what you can in the music, taking it, and then doing something with it. it's an exploratory experience.
i cringe when i hear things like "worst tool song? probably... i don't know. opiate. yeah."
i'm wondering who you are to say it's the worst song? this song has changed people's lives, i can't name a tool song that hasn't. opiates the worst song? what about hush? what about Rosetta stoned? maynards 'talking' at the start of rosetta stoned had me baffled for a few days. now i've let it in and i love it to death.

comments about best and worst seem to me to be a reflection of ego, it's your ego telling you "this is the best song" or "this is the worst song". don't listen to it. it's not your friend.
just jump in and find what you can, don't be seperate from the music, be enveloped by it and stop wondering about which one your favourite it is.
it's so very unimportant.

oh and also, i didn't get this song at first because it seemed to 'funky' for me.
but i dived in and found myself being very intensely affected by it.
awe inspiring stuff.

ugh. not that i feel i must defend myself, but (just for clarity) the "worst tool song? probably... i don't know. opiate. yeah." was kinda like "if you need a worst or best song ('cause that's what this thread consists of), then here you go, stop picking on "the pot" 'cause your reasoning hurts my head - now, let's move on". and, ummmm... i say "opiate" because it absolutely repeats ad nausea, i can't stand it. it's a little more than 40 seconds of actual music stretched to about 5 minutes and 20 seconds (audioslave is alllll about this shitty tactic - cornell is a joke btw). "swamp song" is actually the worst concerning this sorta stretch, and it sucks, but maybe it was meant as a repeating technique for us to eventually grab something from it (kinda like "third times a charm" - tool might be thinking "something's has just gotta stick by now - it wouldn't be the first time they've done this sorta thing either), alas... that, and no one acts on the messeges of opiate, so it was a very ineffective tune (i guess). please, don't comment on someone's best or worst as if we're wrong no matter what (just for coming up with something specific). people have their reasons. and hey, i appreciate even "off" songs a lot more once delving into their meanings, the "landlord" bit, for instance, destroys and gets me thinking about soooo many things. "all sorta terrifying" but then again "there's no love in fear", right?

oh, and i actually don't fully understand "the pot". i was kinda playing with the lyrics there... WINK! my head is still too far up my ass, i assure you.

p.s. - best/worst is razor thin either way when it comes to tool. everything that tool does has a specific meaning behind it, left open for discussion, and so on. how could you choose one from another? they are masters of their art.

no one says you have to like it, but i can confidently assume that opiate and swampsong are a shitload of peoples favourite songs.
whether you like it or not, there's no need for tools music or tool themselves to be measured and judged. it's just a missfire.

how do you know no one acts on the messages of opiate? you got tracking devices on everyone who's ever heard it?
adam jones once said something about someone saying to him something along the lines of 'wow that song opiate saved my life, i found jesus and things haven't been better'.

anyone else remember that?
or are you all to busy being little judges and missing the point?

yeah thats what i thought you'd say.

Shit dude, Audioslave are pretty rank for sure, but Cornell has done some amazing shit in the past, he will never be a joke IMO. Superunknown is a fucking awesome recording....Once again....IMO. Badmotorfinger too.

^Sorry I didn't mean to change the direction of the thread but I couldnt let that one thru without comment.

steedus, (i'll break it down for you)

the song "opiate" tends to make me ill.
untertow repeats the most
and audioslave sucks ...a lot (esp. cornell)*

...that's all i've said.
so, what's your beef again, man?




"so we cannot seem to reach an end,
crippling our communicatioooooooon"




* sorry, deppo, heh. but, yeah, it's just an opinion.
no hard feelings^ :)

my favorite current Tool song, and subsequently, my favorite song overall. i know long-term, that i'll always go back to Eulogy and Pushit as my 2 favs, but this song was oustanding to me from the get-go, and remains so after many hundreds of listens. maybe my taste differs from other's, but i'm pretty sure that i like what i like, so at least i got that going for me.