The Best Tool Song

When attempting to choose the best song of any band, one must consider multiple categories. For example, there are some songs which might have the best lyrical insight, the best ensemble sound, or even the most emotional experience. With Tool, there are quite a few songs which would take the top spot in all those categories.

For lyrics, I would choose Lateralus. With the concept of birth and growth, learning, thinking, opening up to new experiences, being lost and confused, and still “being a human”, it is one of the most insightful songs Maynard has written. Consider the verse, whose syllables are sung out in a fibonacci sequence.

(1) Black
(1) then
(2) white are
(3) all I see
(5) in my infancy
(8) red and yellow then came to be
(5) reaching out to me
(3) lets me see

It seems that the more I analyze Tool songs, the more I realize there are no other bands who put as much time and effort into constructing so many elements of sound, rhythm, lyrics, and philosophy into their music. Best of all, the way they blend it does not come off pretentious or nagging as one would imagine. It’s just really cool.

Lateralus would be a consideration for the best Tool song ever, especially since the chorus is played out in successive measures of 9/8, 8/8, and 7/8 time. Yeah, you can say it all adds up to 4/4, but try to sit down at a drum set and count that out! The passion is there too, driving the rich bass and drum section along with Maynard’s powerful voice and Adam’s grinding guitar sound into a 8 minute + odyssey. It still does not top Wings For Marie.

The main theme in this song is apparent to most Tool fans. It’s a loving eulogy for Maynard’s mother. Although he has been to a large extent anti-religious and atheist in his musical career, the lyrics in this song show that he is hopeful of his mother’s entrance into heaven. In fact, Marie is an angel who deserves to “come home” more than anyone else, and he himself only wishes that she can put in the good word for him so that he too can be saved.

It is one of the most passionate and loving songs the band has written and the lyrics only add to the musical element. From the beginning, the bass line sets the pace for the entire song and you can hear the bass drum as a pulse with metronomic precision for the next ten minutes. The rhythm is in fact very cool, and the spoken and sung words almost sound like a chant that dances around the beat.

The song starts out steadily and softly in 4/4 with a crescendo into the middle climactic event. Here, Maynard describes Marie’s ascent into heaven. The moment when she demands her wings, the band drives into a fury of thick and rich sound that my ears have never experienced before.

With a crash, the rhythm shifts instantly into 6/4 and the bass line is sailing. Drums are not too sporadic, just a slight variation of the preceding beat; you’ll have a hard time not rocking back and forth at this point. For the next three minutes or so, there’s a digression from the strict and focused style of the beginning. Danny sounds like his arms and legs have dislocated but the tempo always holds still. By 8 minutes, they kick back into a solid beat which shifts into another 5/4 section. Here, the bass, drums, and guitar all move against one another in counterpoint, which gives the song plenty of motion.

By the time Maynard is done screaming, the light and energy has died. The ending of the song is soft and dark. He has lost communication with his mother and he is peacefully praying that she oversee his ascent into heaven as well. Wings For Marie goes above and beyond in terms of musical expression and art form. When I listen to this song, I can close my eyes and still envision a music video simply through the emotion and energy that the band exhibits. This is the best Tool song as of now, and hopefully, the music only gets better from here.