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 Ænima 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)
Ænima (1996)
Lateralus (2001)
10,000 Days (2006)
Fear Inoculum (2019)
Passenger
Tool Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here I lay
(Maynard)
Still and breathless
(Chino)
Just like always
(Maynard)
Still I want some more
(Chino)
Mirrors sideways
(Maynard)
Who cares what's behind
(Chino)
Just like always
(Maynard)
Still your passenger
The chrome buttons, buckles on
Leather surfaces
These and other
Lucky witnesses
(Chino)
Now to calm me
(Maynard)
This time won't you please
Drive faster
Roll the window down
This cool night air is curious
Let the whole world look in
Who cares who sees anything?
I'm your passenger
I'm your passenger
(Chino)
Drop these down
Then put them on me
Nice cool seats there
To cushion your knees
Now to calm me
(Maynard)
Take me around again
(Chino)
Don't pull over
(Maynard)
This time won't you please
Drive faster
Roll the window down
This cool night air is curious
Let the whole world look in
Who cares who sees what tonight?
Roll these misty windows
Down to catch my breath again
Go and go and don't just
Drive me home then back again
(Chino)
Here I lay
Just like always
(Maynard)
Don't let me go
Go, go, go, go
Go, go, go, go
Take me to the end
The lyrics of Tool's song Passenger describe the feeling of being trapped in a situation but still wanting more of it. Maynard seems to be addressing someone, perhaps a driver, as he sings "still your passenger," indicating that he is stuck in this situation with this person. The pair seem to be in a car, as indicated by the "chrome buttons" and "leather surfaces" mentioned in the next verse. Maynard also tells the driver to "drive faster" and "don't pull over," wanting the rush of speed and the cool night air rushing past him. He wants to escape, but at the same time doesn't want the ride to end.
Chino later sings about being calmed by the comfortable seats and cushioned knees, again emphasizing the sense of being trapped but finding some solace in the situation. The repeated phrase "just like always" can be interpreted as a sense of routine or familiarity in this trapped state, as if the characters have gone on this same ride many times before.
Overall, the song Passenger is a hypnotic and introspective piece about being trapped in a situation and struggling with the desire to escape while also finding comfort in the familiar routine. The lyrics cleverly capture this dichotomy and leave it open to interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I lay
I am still and motionless
Still and breathless
I have no movement and am not breathing heavily
Just like always
This is how it always is
Still I want some more
Despite this, I am still inquisitive
Mirrors sideways
The mirrors are turned to the side
Who cares what's behind
It does not matter what is behind me
Still your passenger
I am still riding with you as your passenger
The chrome buttons, buckles on
The shiny buttons and buckles on the seats
Leather surfaces
The surfaces of the seats are made of leather
These and other
These, along with other features
Lucky witnesses
Are fortunate to witness this experience
Now to calm me
Help me relax now
This time won't you please
Drive faster
Please drive faster this time
Roll the window down
This cool night air is curious
Let the whole world look in
Who cares who sees anything?
I'm your passenger
I'm your passenger
Open the window and let the fresh air come in. It does not matter who looks in, as I am just a passenger experiencing this journey with you
Drop these down
Then put them on me
Nice cool seats there
To cushion your knees
Now to calm me
Adjust the seats and place them comfortably against me to help me relax
Take me around again
Don't pull over
Drive me around again and do not stop the car
Roll these misty windows
Down to catch my breath again
Go and go and don't just
Drive me home then back again
Open the foggy windows to help me breathe better. Continue driving and do not just take me home and back again
Don't let me go
Go, go, go, go
Go, go, go, go
Take me to the end
Do not let go of me and continue driving until we reach the end of our journey
Contributed by Cameron G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@xanderm7934
Here I lay
Still and breathless
Just like always
Still, I want some more
Mirrors sideways
Who cares what's behind?
Just like always
Still your passenger
Chrome buttons, buckles and leather surfaces
These and other lucky witnesses
Now to calm me
This time won't you please
Drive faster
Roll the window down this
Cool night air is curious
Let the whole world look in
Who cares who sees anything?
I'm your passenger
I'm your passenger
Drop these down
Then put them on me
Nice, cool seats
There to cushion your knees
Now to calm me
Take me around again
Don't pull over
This time won't you please
Drive faster
Roll the window down this
Cool night air is curious
Let the whole world look in
Who cares who sees what tonight?
Roll these misty windows
Down to catch my breath and then
Go and go and go just
Drive me home and back again
Here I lay
Just like always
Don't let me
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go
Take me to the edge
@nick_neverknowsbest
Lyrics:
Here I lay
Still and breathless
Just like always
Still, I want some more
Mirrors sideways
Who cares what's behind?
Just like always
Still your passenger
The chrome buttons buckle on leather surfaces
These and other lucky witnesses
Now to calm me
This time won't you please
Drive faster
Roll the windows down this
Cool night air is curious
Let the whole world look in
Who cares who sees anything?
I'm your passenger
I'm your passenger
Drop these down
Then put them on me
Nice cool seats
There to cushion your knees
Now to calm me
Take me around again
Don't pull over
This time won't you please
Drive faster
Roll the windows down this
Cool night air is curious
Let the whole world look in
Who cares who sees what tonight?
Roll these misty windows
Down to catch my breath and then
Go and go and go just
Drive me home and back again
Here I lay
Just like always
Don't let me
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go
Take me to the edge
@5ema55unto
Here I lay, still and breathless
Just like always, still, I want some more
Mirrors sideways, who cares what's behind?
Just like always, still your passenger
Chrome buttons, buckles, and leather surfaces
These and other lucky witnesses
Now to calm me, this time, won't you, please
Drive faster?
[Chorus 1: Maynard James Keenan]
Roll the windows down
This cool night air is curious
Let the whole world look in
Who cares who sees anything?
I'm your passenger
I'm your passenger
[Verse 2: Chino Moreno and Maynard James Keenan]
Drop these down, then put them on me
Nice, cool seats there to cushion your knees
Now to calm me, take me around again
Don't pull over, this time, would you, please
Drive faster?
[Chorus 2: Maynard James Keenan]
Roll the windows down
This cool night air is curious
Let the whole world look in
Who cares who sees what tonight?
Roll these misty windows down
To catch my breath again
And then go and go and go, just drive me
Home then back again
[Outro: Chino Moreno and Maynard James Keenan]
Here I lay just like always
Don't let me go
Take me to the edge
@dons6820
"Having Maynard perform on the record wasn’t something that we planned on doing. We didn’t plan on having any guest on the record. But being a fan of Tool and A Perfect Circle, once Maynard was involved, it was just a magical thing for us. Honestly, when he first started working with us, he wasn’t supposed to sing with us. He was just working on the arrangements, riff structures, time signatures, and things like that. I don’t know if you’re a big fan of Tool’s music, but they’re really mathematical. I’ve been to their rehearsal space, and there’s this big chart that just looks like calculus–the way they write songs, it’s just crazy. It was good to have someone else who has different ways of writing songs, ‘cause everyone has a different way of doing it. He came in and we started working on this one song in particular, and he just grabbed the microphone and started singing along to it, and my jaw just dropped. All of a sudden our band sounded like Tool; it was just crazy. Then, probably two months later, we went in to record the album, and I went in to record the vocals on it, and I just kept hearing his voice, this recurring melody with his voice coming over it. So I called him and asked him if he wanted to come down and sing on the record, and he had no problem with it. Once he came in, I gave him sort of what I wanted the song to be about, and he wrote a couple of ideas down, and the next day he came in with all the lyrics written all out with blank spaces where my lyrics were supposed to be. He’s very professional like that. He wants everything set perfectly, which is the complete opposite to the way that I write, so it was cool. And then I went in and did my vocals over it, and it just seemed that our voices blended together pretty good."
- Chino Moreno, DeftonesWorld
@stevecooper474
Wow thanks for this!
@alexvidivici2061
Thanks a lot, good interview
@carlosbello5019
When I was 17, (20 years ago), I was very deep interested into this two bands. When the White Pony came out and I realized that they had this collaboration together, was mind blowing for me. It was a pre-social networks time, so been amaze was still a possibility.
@simplyhuman3982
And? Fn awesomeness happened. 🍻 to chino and for letting shit happen. Both are very great bands. (I however was disappointed with the newest tool album).
@shannonabbitt1145
Thank you so much for this...I love both Deftones and Maynard...best song for a very long drive by yourself...I was so hoping to catch your show in DC the other night but maybe next year...hopefully everything will get back to the norm...I'm having concert withdrawals badly I'm usually hitting so freakin many in the summer...y'all keep safe...keep it rockin...🖤🤘
@cameronlocklear6970
WARNING: It is incredibly easy to start speeding while this song is playing in the car
@axiithabyss3510
Yes. Yes it is.
@brandonschneider3993
I went 130mph in my car at 3am one night to this song and loved every second of it.
@Tiagomelo22ify
Imagine being your passenger