Ænema
Tool Lyrics

Some say the end is near
There are people who predict that the apocalypse is coming soon.

Some say we'll see Armageddon soon
Some believe that the end of the world is imminent.

Certainly hope we will
The singer expresses a desire for the world to end, perhaps out of a dissatisfaction with the state of the world.

I sure could use a vacation from this
The singer is tired of the current state of affairs and wants a break from it.

Bullshit three ring circus
A metaphor for the chaotic nature of modern society, with many competing and confusing elements.

Sideshow of freaks
Another metaphor for society, suggesting that many of its people are strange or unusual.

Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call L.A.
The singer feels trapped and disillusioned with Los Angeles, which he sees as a metaphor for the wider world.

The only way to fix it is to flush it all away
The singer believes that society is beyond repair and must be completely destroyed, with a new system or paradigm taking its place.

Any fucking time, any fucking day
The end of the world could come at any moment, according to the singer.

Learn to swim, see you down in Arizona Bay
The singer advises the listener to learn to swim, perhaps suggesting that a catastrophic flood or tsunami could occur.

Fret for your figure and
The singer lists a number of trivial concerns that society is obsessed with.

Fret for your latte and
Another example of society's fixation on meaningless things, such as coffee.

Fret for your lawsuit and
People are overly litigious, suing each other over petty matters.

Fret for your hairpiece and
Society's obsession with appearance and youthfulness is criticized here.

Fret for your Prozac and
The widespread use of antidepressants speaks to a deeper malaise in society, in the view of the singer.

Fret for your pilot and
A reference to the September 11th terrorist attacks, which involved hijacking airplanes.

Fret for your contract and
The prevalence of legal contracts suggests that people are losing trust in each other and need to rely on written agreements instead.

Fret for your car
Another example of society's materialism and obsession with status symbols.

Some say a comet will fall from the sky
Another end-of-the-world prediction, this time involving a heavenly object.

Followed by meteor showers and tidal waves
These events would likely result in widespread death and destruction.

Followed by fault lines that cannot sit still
The instability of the earth's crust is another ominous sign.

Followed by millions of dumbfounded dipshits
The masses, who are seen as unthinking and easily swayed, would be helpless in the face of these events.

Stupid shit, silly shit, stupid shit
The singer expresses frustration with people's preoccupations with trivial matters.

One great big festering neon distraction
Society is a giant distraction from what is truly important in life.

I've a suggestion to keep you all occupied
The singer offers a solution to this distraction: learning to swim.

'Cause mom's gonna fix it all soon
The singer imagines a caring maternal figure who will make everything better.

Mom's coming 'round to put it back the way it ought to be
Again, the singer longs for a return to a previous, idyllic state of affairs.

Fuck L Ron Hubbard and fuck all his clones
The founder of Scientology is singled out as an object of scorn.

Fuck all those gun-toting hip gangster wannabes
Another category of people that the singer dislikes, suggesting that their macho posturing is a facade.

Fuck retro anything
A rejection of nostalgia and the desire to return to the past.

Fuck your tattoos
The singer rejects what he sees as the superficiality of tattoos and other body modifications.

Fuck all you junkies and
The addict lifestyle is criticized here for its aimlessness and degradation.

Fuck your short memory
People are too forgetful, ignoring the lessons of history and repeating the same mistakes over and over.

Yeah, fuck smiley glad-hands with hidden agendas
The singer mocks politicians and other figures who pretend to be friendly but are actually manipulative and self-serving.

Fuck these dysfunctional insecure actresses
Celebrity culture and the troubling behavior of some famous actors and actresses are criticized here.

I'm praying for rain
The artist is hoping for a cleansing flood, which would wash away the negative aspects of society.

I'm praying for tidal waves
Similar to the above, but on a much larger scale, suggesting that radical change is necessary.

I want to see the ground give way
The singer desires a complete destruction of the current status quo.

I want to watch it all go down
The destruction itself is seen as a spectacle that the singer wants to witness.

Mom, please flush it all away
A return to the idea of a maternal figure who will wash away the problems of society.

Yeah, don't just call me pessimist
The singer is aware that his views might be seen as overly negative or extreme.

Try and read between the lines
The singer challenges the listener to understand the deeper meaning of his words.

And I can't imagine why you wouldn't
The singer is perplexed as to why others don't share his views.

Welcome any change, my friend
In the end, the singer is advocating for change, however drastic it may be.

Bring it down, suck it down, flush it down
A repeated call for a radical destruction of the existing order.