This could be hard to explain, but here goes.....

10,000 Days is Maynard realising that he is just human, all humans are just that. The album is named 10,000 Days as this realisation revolves around Marie's death.

From 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."

This is Maynard talking to the audience at the time of Lateralus, the 'height of our halo' is this spiritual height mentioned during Lateralus. The romanticizing is all thespeculation of God reaching out to people while listening to the album, and they are tales because, lets face it, it is not true.

"Listen to the tales as we all rationalize
Our way into the arms of the savior"

Still listening to these tales, Maynard and the listener rationilizes themselves, and realises that they aren't being lifted to another level of humanity. The saviour is Jesus, Maynard is finally realising that the higher being of humanity could simply be God.


"None of us have actually been there.
Not like you."

None of them have died, she has, and he now realises that he is simply human (as shown in Right In Two), as was Judith. He admits he cannot surpass himself.

"It's time now!
My time now!
Give me my, give me my wings!"

This is him talking to God and Judith in heaven, asking for redmption and forgiveness.


Now, that is the base for the album as a whole, but each song has a different twist.

Vicarious isn't part of this theory, I believe it is just a song about the world, to be taken literally, it is seperated from my ideas on the album.


Jambi is Maynard regretting his past anger and (in a way) sins, particularly in songs like Hooker With A Penis and Third Eye.

"If I could
I would
Wish it away
Wish it away
Wish it all away"

This is him not asking for redemption as he does in 10,000 Days, but him reflecting on what he has said on the Ænima and Lateralus albums, about how he could be wrong.

"Shine on forever
Shine on benevolent son
Shine down upon the broken"

This is him talking to Jesus now (the benevolent son), asking him to keep going and forget about what he has done. "Shine until the two become one" is referring to the people in Schism, who in fact never bridge that gap, because what he said in Lateralus does not work. Maynard's theory to return them to eachother did not work, and he is now asking someone else to help fix it.

Wings For Marie Is just a song about Judith, not about Maynard at all, or God, or Jesus, or the ideas of Ænima or Lateralus, it is just him talking about his mother.

For 10,000 Days (Wings Pt. 2) see above, as I needed to post that first for you to fully grasp what I am trying to say.

The Pot Is Judith talking to Maynard about how he defiled her name, and blaming him for not inheriting her Christian beliefs. The lyrics themselves are pretty self-explanatory (see Intension and Right In Two for a few explanations on the less obvious meaning in The Pot)

Lipan Conjuring is there simply to calm the listener after Judith’s verbal attack on Maynard, and relax themselves and prepare for the amazing and intruiging experience of Rosetta Stoned.

I think that Lost Keys involves Maynard as a boy.

"Look son, you're in a safe place, we want to help you, in whatever way we can. But you need to talk to us, we can't help you otherwise. Now, what's happened? Tell me everything."

You can tell that this doctor is talking to a child of some sort. I don't know what the doctor is asking about, or what has happened, but I have a feeling it is to do with Maynard and his problems as a child (lyrics in Prison Sex, though I don't know the full details). Possibly Maynard experimented with drugs as a teenager (though not at that age, his memory was blurred).

Rosetta Stoned is Maynard pleading to God/Jesus/Marie that he wasn't doing the worst that he could do, the lyrics of Rosetta Stoned are that of a madman, some kind of extreme conspiracy theorist with insane ideas. Maynard is basically "well at least i'm not this guy". Also, the intro sounds the maddest, and mentioned aliens, creatures and Area 51. I believe that the last track of every Tool album (we're using Flood as the last on Undertow here) has a nod towards the next, and I think Faaip De Oiad is a nod to this madman that at the time Maynard though may be right (The Voice Of God is clearly not something you would say to someone you considered crazy).

Intension is an interesting one, I think it is about Maynards life up to the present:

"Pure as we begin
Pure as we come in
Pure as we begin
Pure by will alone"

This is Maynards childhood, where he was under the eye of his mother at all times, pure in the sense of a child being pure, and free of guilt. The 'beginning' is of course life.

"Here we have a stone
Gather, place, erase so
Shelter turned to home"

This stone that Maynard has is the same stone that Judith blames him for 'throwing around' in The Pot. When Maynard acquired this 'stone', he was not so pure. He realised this, and gathered and placed all the stones he could find in one place, and erased them from his memory so that his home was returned again, his purity regained.

"Here we have a stone
Throw to stay the stranger
Swore to crush his bones

Move by will alone"

This is Maynard as he leaves home and starts Tool, the crushing of this strangers bones is the anger that Maynard had with the world on Opiate. He moved by will alone and did what he wanted, sending his messages out on Opiate, Undertow and Ænima.

"Spark becomes a flame
Flame becomes a fire
Forge a blade to slay the stranger
Take whatever we desire"

This is Lateralus now. The wrong-doing and betrayal of his mother that Maynard is doing gets stronger, and what he desires and takes is the former beliefs of Tool fans. A lot of people on these boards have talked about how Lateralus changed their viewpoint on life and shifted their beliefs totally. Their beliefs switched to Maynard's, which is exactly what he wanted at that point.

"Pure as we begin
Move by will alone
Leave as we come in
Pure as light, return to one"

This is the summary of his life, step by step. Pure as a child, moves by will alone during the Tool era up to Lateralus, the third line is Lateralus, where he leaves the anger of past Tool albums and 'comes in' to the light a bit more with APC. The final line is 10,000 Days returning to one with his mother.

EDIT: I've also thought about the name of the song, and I think it is Maynards intention to do what he felt was right, but the tension part comes from the pressure Maynard had after Judith's death.


Right In Two is from the perspective of Jesus, talking about Tool and the world during the Lateralus/Aenima era from above.

“Angels on the sideline,
Puzzled and amused.
Why did Father give these humans free will?
Now they're all confused.”

This is all pretty self-explanatory.

“Don't these talking monkeys know that Eden has enough to go around?
Plenty in this holy garden, silly monkeys”


Jesus is referring to them as monkeys because they are ruining what God has given them. This ‘Eden’ IS the Earth, and some of these ‘monkeys’ take more than their fair share.

“Where there's one you're bound to divide it
Right in two”

This is referring to the ‘one’ in Jambi (“when the two become one”) and possibly also the ‘one’ in Parabol (“this one, this form I hold now”), as a double meaning. When the ‘one’ is formed, and these humans die, then God/Jesus must divide the good from the bad, right in two.

From here the rest of the lyrics should explain themselves clearly (and I believe Maynard is saying “cut it all right in two” in the chorus).

Viginti Tres is not part of my theory because, as I have stated, I think that the last track of every Tool album is a nod towards what’s to come. What the voice is saying at 3:23 is still a mystery to me, but there are several ideas, just check the Viginti Tres forum for some of them. What any of them mean I do not know.





That is the end of my interpretation of 10,000 Days. I have an alternate idea on the meaning of the album, but it is unprogressed and is full of holes. Watch this space.

I really like your perspective on The Pot. It helps that song "fit" with the rest of the album; other interpretations, while very comprehensive, leave this song "out of the loop" so to speak.

Nice work looking at the complete Tool collection in your analysis. It shows the change and maturity in individuals (Maynard) as well as groups (Tool, APC) and I like that interpretation. Thanks for your time.

Oh yeah, and incase anyone was wondering, I am not Christian (I'm a Satanist in fact), so any bias towards Maynard returning to his mothers beliefs is non-existent. I am not claiming that what (according to my theory) Maynard thinks/has thought is right or wrong, it is just what I think was going through Maynard James Keenan's head while he was writing this album.

This is probably the best interpretation of 10,000 days I have read. All the songs that I thought were unrelated like the Pot are fitted in to the context of the album very well.

I've been thinking about how Vicarious could fit into my interpretation, and I thought there is another character's perspective coming into play, Satan's.

At no point in Vicarious does the speaker say what is happening is bad. Think about it, it could be the Devil celebrating how he has corrupted the world.





And I've been thinking about the title of Rosetta Stoned. The scripts on the Rosetta Stone say what the Pharaoh has done that is good for the Priest's and people of Egypt. Possibly this is another Faaip De Oiad (Voice Of God) type thing, where Tool call the nutter a genius.

Wow. what a interpretation! one of the best ones ive seen on 10.000 days. it could easily be in this way that maynard have found jesus, its okay of him to chance his point of view on the christianity. it doesn't bother me at all...

hm...i personally think that this interpretation is 0% correct.

but i could be wrong.

Care to elaborate?

you contradict yourself in your own theory...

first you say """Listen to the tales as we all rationalize
Our way into the arms of the savior"

Still listening to these tales, Maynard and the listener rationilizes themselves, and realises that they aren't being lifted to another level of humanity. The saviour is Jesus, Maynard is finally realising that the higher being of humanity could simply be God.


"None of us have actually been there.
Not like you."

None of them have died, she has, and he now realises that he is simply human (as shown in Right In Two), as was Judith. He admits he cannot surpass himself.

"It's time now!
My time now!
Give me my, give me my wings!"

This is him talking to God and Judith in heaven, asking for redmption and forgiveness.""

which is about maynard... then you say ""Wings For Marie Is just a song about Judith, not about Maynard at all, or God, or Jesus, or the ideas of Ænima or Lateralus, it is just him talking about his mother.

For 10,000 Days (Wings Pt. 2) see above, as I needed to post that first for you to fully grasp what I am trying to say."""

so which is it?

and forgive me in not using the quote feature, i'm still new and don't know how...

Its still from Maynard's point of view, talking TO Judith, not talking ABOUT her, like most of the song. The song is still all about her.

"Boast about the day when the rivers overrun." could also be a reference to Aenima

Ill elaborate in one word as to why you are 0% correct.

Thelema

Interesting...but not good enough to conclude 0%, save your further extrapolations, please.

Man, this is what tool have been saying countless times in interviews over their whole career pretty much. "Were only human."

I get the feeling that this cd has one message, one message that tool is trying to tell us. Its hard to tell what the message is but tool themselves have said there is a puzzle in this cd. All the songs seem to connect lyrically and musically. everything about them seems connected and has one message, I wish I had to the time to elaborate I am also trying to do as duncang did but its going to take me awhile. I just wanted to know if anyone else gets that feeling that there is a single message in this cd that Tool wants us to know. I have two theroys: 1. There is some kind of lie that we have all been told and believed. 2. Tool is admitting to some kind of God.

I would like to know why everyone keeps throwing Jesus into their analysis... humans were talking about God, Satan, and angels long before Christ came into the picture. That is what helped propel the legend we know today... the role of saviour was there all along in Jewish scripture. Just because Maynard references "Father," do not assume he is talking about JC and the Holy Trinity...

My theory includes both of those ideas. Read it again.

I have been a fan of Tool for about 5 years now and in my mind they just keep getting better and better. Although Tool songs do not get alot of radio time unfortunately, perhaps due to their length or maybe because these corporate stations fear them, I became aware of this band at about the time Lateralus was released ( I guess I'm a late bloomer when it comes to Tool but I'm a huge fan nonetheless) and really started delving into their music.

I loved Opiate and Undertow. I was amazed by Aenima. Lateralus blew me away. But in my opinion, 10,000 days is a work of pure genius. I know alot of people will disagree with this but I think, taken as a whole, 10,000 days is Tool's finest work to date.

The interesting lyrics and religious overtones throughout 10,000 days, coupled with an amazing sound, makes for very thought provoking music. It is a study in human nature that ROCKS!

Vicarious is an indictment on just how de-sensitized to death & violence our society has become. Bombarded by negative, violent images through all types of media, toys, games, etc. we are fascinated with disaster and suffering. I guess thats why so many people watch car races hoping to see a crash or slow down on the highway to get a good look at the aftermath of a bloody accident.

I think Wings for Marie/10,000 days is actually an indictment on God and the church and the hypocrisy of religion. Awesome lyrics in these tracks. Very poetic.
Are we telling God that despite not being perfect and maybe not being a true beleiver that we still deserve to be in Heaven after having gone through all this shit on Earth?

Of course Right in Two is a searing indictment, and rightfully so, on just how screwed up we are as a species. This song hits home like no other and despite references to "Father", we realize that we did this to ourselves.

Lost Keys and Rosetta Stoned are really cool tunes. The Pot and Jambi rock. Tool even threw in a bit of Indian mysticism with Lipan Conjuring. Hell, every song on this CD is great. 10,000 Days kicks some serious ass.

I'm really confused about this whole supposed reconciliation that Maynard has allegedly made with christianity. Is everyone somehow now saying that MJK's April fool's day gag had some truth to it? If you look at Maynard's Myspace page Myspace.com/censorshipisacancer or his puscifer site you see that he still has the same old firebreathing contempt for christianity as he always did. Also, i tend to sense a great deal of sarcasm in most of MJK's lyrics. To me, (wings pt. 2) is about someone finally moving beyond the jesus, christianity myth: "tell them their pillar of faith has ascended." I think Maynard probably laughs when he sees all this speculation by people who seem to think they can understand the dynamics of his relationship with his mother. Is it not just as plausible that he was somehow able to free his mother from christian indoctrination before her death and now is speaking sarcastically to a fake christ character whom she or he has moved beyond.

"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."

Specifically christianity, but as a staple of all organized religions is a centralized historical figure/savior/hero whom we romanticize and tell tales of such as noah and the flood (rivers overruning) and whom we "Listen to the tales (allegories) and rationalize our way into the arms of the savior" by inventing reasons to defy logic/reason and science for the sake of the Jesus myth.

Also, as an aside, I too think this is their best album as they get progressively better. I actually haven't been able to stop listening to or getting bored of this album since it came out! And I think that some people seem to think its trendy/intelligent/feux-intellectual to automatically reject the newest album. So many keep saying that they liked Lateralus and don't like this and then when the next album comes out they'll probably say the same about that in respect to 10,000 days. I realize I'm making an offpoint but I have really noticed this trend amongst Tool fans who seem to think that they are the truest fans if they pretend that Opiate is their favourite album and 10,000 "sucks".....

Maynard has not comnverted to Christianity, he has not softened up, sold out. He has used an unfamiliarily direct set of images, and it has sent a lot of people running for the hills screaming very silly things.
Picture Judith as a microcausm for everyone in the world who flat out refuses to break down their little emotional forts, Dr. Phil putty and all. Unconditional love would state they deserve as much love as anything or anyone else, as well as compassion.
''Let me be, I just want to live my life. I don't want to know these things.'' My wife said that last night, i think i was talking about my growing interest in breathing excercises. My mother used to say the same thing, fucking vehemently.
''Set as I am in all my ways and my arrogance,
with the burden of proof tossed upon the believers.'' This is definately 1st person Maynard.
Let's move on, both in this ridiculous assumption and in this ridiculous reality, even if some choose not to. 22 years to say that, and it comes out on the internet...
sigh