Fear Inoculum
Tool Lyrics
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Long overdue
Contagion
I exhale you
Naive
I opened up to you
Venom in mania
Now, contagion
I exhale you
The deceiver says, he says
You belong to me
You don't wanna breathe the light of the others
Fear the light
Fear the breath
Fear the others for eternity
But I hear them now inhale the clarity
Hear the venom, the venom in
What you say inoculated
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity
Exhale, expel
Recast my tale
Read my allegorical elegy
Enumerate
All that I'm to do
Calculating steps away from you
My own
Mitosis
Growing through
Delusion from mania
Exhale, expel
Recast my tale
Weave my allegorical elegy
Forfeit
All control
You poison
You spectacle
Exorcise the spectacle
Exorcise the malady
Exorcise the disparate
Poison for eternity
Purge me and evacuate
The venom and the fear that binds me
Unveil now
Lift away
I see you
Running
Deceiver
Chased away
A long time
Coming
The lyrics of Tool’s song “Fear Inoculum” explore the concept of immunity, both metaphorically and literally. The first line “Immunity, long overdue” sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer exhales and releases the contagion (whatever is causing harm or distress) that has been inside of him. The metaphor of inhaling/exhaling and immunity are present throughout the song. The verse “Venom in mania” is important to understand because it represents the unhealthy or toxic thoughts that the singer has allowed to take root inside his mind.
The next verse explores the idea of fear and control. The deceiver (who/whatever is causing harm) tells the singer that he belongs to him and should fear the light, the breath, and the others for eternity. However, the singer has an epiphany and now hears the truth and clarity. Instead of fearing the light, he inhales it and becomes inoculated from the manipulations of the deceiver. In the chorus, the singer begs for his newfound immunity to be blessed.
The second half of the song deals with the singer taking control and purging the poison and fear that the deceiver has instilled within him. This requires him to forfeit all control and exorcise the malady. He is now able to lift away, see the truth, and chase away the deceiver, which has been a long time coming. The final line is ambiguous, it's not clear whether the singer or the deceiver was the one who is finally chased away after a long time coming.
Line by Line Meaning
Immunity
I have been resistant to your influence
Long overdue
I should have become immune to you a long time ago
Contagion
Your negative traits have spread throughout me
I exhale you
I am trying to get rid of your influence
Naive
I was foolish to open up to you
I opened up to you
I trusted you too much
Venom in mania
Your influence on my mental state has been poisonous
Now, contagion
I exhale you
Even now, your influence is still present but I am trying to get rid of it
The deceiver says, he says
You belong to me
You don't wanna breathe the light of the others
Fear the light
Fear the breath
Fear the others for eternity
But I hear them now inhale the clarity
Hear the venom, the venom in
What you say inoculated
You, the deceiver, have been telling me that I belong to you, so I shouldn't listen to others or their ideas. But now, I realize that their words and influence can help me see things clearly and that what you have been saying has been poisonous to me
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity
May my immunity continue to keep me safe
Exhale, expel
Recast my tale
Read my allegorical elegy
I am trying to get rid of your influence and change my story
Enumerate
All that I'm to do
Calculating steps away from you
My own
Mitosis
Growing through
Delusion from mania
I am making a plan to distance myself from you and grow independently, away from your delusional influence
Forfeit
All control
You poison
You spectacle
I am deciding to give up all control to you, because you have been poisoning me and presenting a false image of reality
Exorcise the spectacle
Exorcise the malady
Exorcise the disparate
Poison for eternity
Purge me and evacuate
The venom and the fear that binds me
I am asking to be freed from your poisonous influence and the fear that has been keeping me tied to you
Unveil now
Lift away
I see you
Running
I see through your deceit and false image and now you are running away from me
Deceiver
Chased away
A long time
Coming
I have been chasing you away for a long time and now I am finally succeeding
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Daniel Carey, Justin Gunner Chancellor, Adam Jones, Maynard James Keenan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Masters Of The Multiverse
LYRICS: Immunity long overdue
Contagion, I exhale you
Naive I opened up to you
Venom in mania
Now, contagion I exhale you
Deceiver says, he says you belong to me
You don't want to breathe the light of the others
Fear the light
Fear the breath
Fear the others for eternity
But I hear them now, inhale the clarity
Hear the venom, the venom in what you say, inoculated
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity
Exhale, expel
Recast my tale
Weave my allegorical elegy
Enumerate
All that I'm to do
Calculating steps away from you
My own mitosis
Growing through delusion from mania
Exhale, expel
Recast my tale, weave my allegorical elegy
Forfeit all control
You poison
You spectacle
Exorcise the spectacle
Exorcise the malady
Exorcise the disparate
Poison for eternity
Purge me and evacuate
The venom and the fear that binds me
Unveil now
Lift away
I see you running
Deceiver chased away
A long time coming
Fletcher Frets
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
Immunity
Long overdue
Contagion
I exhale you
Lying
I opened up to you
Venom in mania
[Bridge 1]
Now, contagion
I exhale you
[Spoken Bridge]
The deceiver says, he says
You belong to me
You don't wanna breathe the light of the others
Fear the light
Fear the breath
Fear the others for eternity
But I hear them now inhale the clarity
Hear the venom, the venom in
What you say inoculated
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity
[Chorus]
Exhale, expel
Recast my tale
Weave my allegorical elegy
[Verse 2]
Enumerate
All that I'm to do
Calculating steps away from you
My own
Mitosis
Growing through
Delusion from mania
[Chorus]
Exhale, expel
Recast my tale
Weave my allegorical elegy
[Post-Chorus]
Forfeit
All control
You poison
You spectacle
[Bridge 2]
Exorcise the spectacle
Exorcise the malady
Exorcise the disparate
Poison for eternity
Purge me and evacuate
The venom and the fear that binds me
[Verse 3]
Unveil now
Lift away
I see you
Running
Deceiver
Chased away
A long time
Coming
Randy Dubin
This song is officially the longest song to ever chart in the Billboard Hot 100. After 13 years, Tool still are making history!
Monja Gyl
its also one of the most boring ……...
Tom McSorley Jr.
@Αγγελική Χατζή Yeah, fur realz lol. The track is awesome. If anything, Descending is slightly boring.
Anthony Woznicki
@Monja Gyl you probably sleep in your hair.
Robert Bouley
Tool just helps me be better; more focused at home, productive at work, and content when alone.
I’m grateful for their existence.
V0rteks
I've had a similar experience man. Funny how subliminal the messaging is until you notice, but when you do, it's like being born all over again. TOOL helps me accept myself. Better or worse.
Parrish Muhoberac
That's awesome, Robert Bouley ... that's always happened to me to. I can MEDITATE to their heaviest songs like "Hooker With A P*nis".
Truth Warrior
A Tool to help purify the soul.
Jessie Tobias
They're music is what keeps me keeping on, when I'm stressed 2 the gills and hanging by a thread
Patrick
I like it because sometimes I need to go within and sort things out.