To date, the band has released five studio albums, one EP and one box set. They emerged with a heavy metal sound on their first studio album, Undertow (1993), and became a dominant act in the alternative metal movement with the release of their follow-up album Ćnima in 1996. Their efforts to unify musical experimentation, visual arts, and a message of personal evolution continued with Lateralus (2001) and 10,000 Days (2006), gaining critical acclaim and international commercial success. Their fifth studio album, Fear Inoculum, was released on August 30, 2019, to widespread critical acclaim. Prior to its release, the band had sold more than 13 million albums in the US alone.
Due to Tool's incorporation of visual arts and very long and complex releases, the band is generally described as a style-transcending act and part of progressive rock, psychedelic rock, and art rock. The relationship between the band and today's music industry is ambivalent, at times marked by censorship, and the band's insistence on privacy.
There is a raging debate about whether Tool can be considered "post-metal" or not. However, they surely had a hand in its creation as much as Neurosis. The influential act Isis was heavily influenced by Tool's music, so much that they lifted entire basslines and guitar riffing from Tool and even their iconic snare sound was inspired by Tool's style. Much has been made of both Isis and Tool's sound and influence across the years but one thing is sure, modern post-metal has their fingerprints everywhere and it would not have sounded this way without them. Additionally, Tool actually was aware of and liked Isis' music as they chose Isis as touring partners, a move that brought even more attention to Isis' music.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tool_(band)
Studio albums
Undertow (1993)
Ćnima (1996)
Lateralus (2001)
10,000 Days (2006)
Fear Inoculum (2019)
Opiate
Tool Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What you need is someone strong to guide you
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow
What you need is someone strong to use you
Like me, like me
Like me, like me
If you want to get your soul to heaven
You are broken now, but faith can heal you
Just do everything I tell you to do
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow
What you need is someone strong to guide you
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow
Let me lay my holy hand up, hand upon you
My god's will
Becomes me
When he speaks
He speaks through me
He has needs
Like I do
We both want
To rape you
Jesus Christ
Why don't you come save my life now?
Open my eyes, blind me with your light now
If you want to get your soul to heaven
Trust in me now, don't you judge or question
You are broken now, but faith can heal you
Just do everything I tell you to do
Jesus Christ
Why don't you come save my life now?
Open my eyes, blind me with your light now
Jesus Christ
Why don't you come save my life now?
Open my eyes, blind me with your lies now
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow
Let me lay my holy hand up, hand upon you
My god's will
Becomes me
When he speaks
He speaks through me
He has needs
Like I do
We both want
To rape you
The song "Opiate" by Tool is known for its controversial lyrics and dark themes, and the interpretation of the lyrics is no different. The song starts with the idea that choices have always been a problem for the person being addressed in the lyrics. It then suggests that what the individual needs is someone strong to guide them, someone who can fix them and lead them on the right path. Interestingly, the person addressing the listener throughout the song says "like me" four times, suggesting that they are the one who can be the strong guide the listener needs.
As the song continues, we see the singer asserting that their God's will becomes them, that their God speaks through them, and that they both want to "rape" the listener. This suggests that the singer believes themselves to be a prophet or messenger of God and that they can control and manipulate the listener by using their faith. This is reinforced when the lyrics say that the listener must trust in the singer and do everything they are told.
The final section of the song describes the singer's experiences with friends who have taken drugs and become erratic and unpredictable. The lyrics suggest a disdain for those who use drugs, and it's possible that the entire song is a warning against the dangers of blind faith, much like the dangers of drug addiction.
Overall, "Opiate" is a thought-provoking song that explores themes of control, manipulation, faith, and addiction. It forces the listener to question their own beliefs and be wary of those who claim to have all the answers.
Line by Line Meaning
Choices always were a problem for you
You struggle with making decisions
What you need is someone strong to guide you
You need someone to lead and instruct you
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow
You are ignorant and compliant
Like me
You should follow me
If you want to get your soul to heaven
If you desire salvation
Trust in me now, don't you judge or question
Believe in me without doubt or inquiry
You are broken now, but faith can heal you
You are damaged, but belief in a higher power can restore you
Just do everything I tell you to do
Obedience is required
Let me lay my holy hand upon you
I will bless you
My God's will becomes me
I am a vessel for divine will
When he speaks, he speaks through me
I am God's mouthpiece
He has needs, like I do
God desires things, as do I
We both want to rape you
We both want to control and manipulate you
Jesus Christ, why don't you come save my life now?
An appeal for divine intervention
Open my eyes, blind me with your light now
An appeal for enlightenment
I had a friend once, he took some acid
An anecdote about drug use
Now he thinks he's a fire engine
He is delusional
It's okay until he pisses on your lighter
His behavior is bothersome
Kinda smells, kinda cool, kinda funny anyway
There is some humor in the situation
Satan, Satan, Satan, Satan, Satan
An invocation of evil
I had a friend once he took some ecstasy
An anecdote about drug use
Tried to marry me and everyone in the room
He made inappropriate advances
He was sort of loving, kinda caring
He was affectionate, but misguided
Kinda tried to fuck my La-Z-Boy
His behavior was outrageous
It got a bit messy all over the curtains, armchair covers, throw pillows, and carpeting
The situation was chaotic and unclean
I'm getting bored, I'm getting bored
A declaration of disinterest
Lyrics Ā© BMG Rights Management
Written by: Adam Jones, Daniel Carey, Maynard James Keenan, Paul M. D'amour
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joshuasizemore4862
[Part 1: Opiate]
[Intro]
Choices always were a problem for you
What you need is someone strong to guide you
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow
What you need is someone strong to guide you
Like me
Like me
Like me
Like me
[Verse]
If you want to get your soul to heaven
Trust in me now, don't you judge or question
You are broken now, but faith can heal you
Just do everything I tell you to do
[Chorus 1]
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow
What you need is someone strong to guide you
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow
Let me lay my holy hand up, hand upon you
[Post-Chorus]
My God's will
Becomes me
When he speaks
He speaks through me
He has needs
Like I do
We both want
To rape you
[Chorus 2]
Jesus Christ, why don't you come save my life now?
Open my eyes, blind me with your light now
Jesus Christ, why don't you come save my life now?
Open my eyes, blind me with your light now
[Bridge]
If you want to get your soul to heaven
Trust in me, now don't you judge or question
You are broken now, but faith can heal you
Just do everything I tell you to do
[Chorus 2]
Jesus Christ, why don't you come save my life now?
Open my eyes, blind me with your light now
Jesus Christ, why don't you come save my life now?
Open my eyes, blind me with your light now
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow
Let me lay my holy hand up, hand upon you
[Post-Chorus]
My God's will
Becomes me
When he speaks
He speaks through me
He has needs
Like I do
We both want
To rape you
[Part 2: The Gaping Lotus Experience]
[Verse 1]
I had a friend once, he took some acid
Now he thinks he's a fire engine
It's okay until he pisses on your lighter
Kinda smells kinda cool, kinda funny anyway
[Refrain]
Satan, Satan, Satan, Satan, Satan
[Verse 2]
I had a friend once, he took some ecstasy
Tried to marry me and every one in the room
He was sort of loving, kinda caring
Kinda tried to fuck my La-Z boy
It got a bit messy all over the curtains
Arm chair covers, throw pillows, and carpeting
[Outro]
I'm getting bored, I'm getting bored
I'm getting bored, I'm getting bored
I'm getting bored, I'm getting bored
I'm getting bored, I'm getting bored
@duramaxdad
In tears. On opiate Withdrawal.
Iām getting in tears cuz I donāt know what to do
Will u come and save me like I need u to do
This life is what u make it to be
So make your existence something to be
Right in front of all this chaos and prejudice
I want to make my life a heart warming
Experience for you. So come and save me
Like u promised to do. Cuz
Jesus Christ wonāt u save my life
Come into my world
@anonymousposter6671
I remember when this was released, I was in high school...
we were so lucky, Tool. Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Sound Garden, Stone Temple Pilots, etc...
@donnahamilton7850
Alice In Chains
@lxckdffan6901
Korn?
@TheKellbrad
pumpkins
@Vraimorte
Great time to be alive
@KaKKutak
Fucking right. Peak tech without the accountability of camera phones.
@Senseless_ColorZ
No matter how much the music changes it's still Tool no matter what. There's just a feeling that you can't escape when you listen to their music. It's more than just his voice or the beat. There's a deeper feeling that comes along with every track on every album. Tool will forever be one of the greatest groups there ever will be.
@RebelViews420
š½
@Senseless_ColorZ
@@RebelViews420 āš»
@GrimSleepy
Implementing those epic time signatures, meters, beats, and otherworldly tempos seemingly based in Sacred Geometry. Listening to Tool is akin to taking your neural network to the day spa for some pampering.