Just want to say thanks for watching my crazy reactions! If you enjoy what I do on this channel consider supporting me. 70% of my videos are not monetized. Between setting up the studio daily, filming, editing, thumbnails, and research which all take away from my family, you guys motivate me to put out content daily. Consider buying me a coffee here www.buymeacoffee.com/poloreacts or my Patreon www.patreon.com/poloreacts PEACE!!
I take it back... The second listen was in my car with the volume up and my goodness it was an entirely different experience. Played it 5x on repeat after that. First Metal song I played in my car (felt weird) but I'm hooked.
Cool, Polo! One of these days you'll need to try some Gojira. It's also progressive metal like Tool. From France (in English). Very hard, but thoughtful. Lots of lyrics about the environment and whatnot. A blast to listen to in the car. I highly recommend The Heaviest Matter of the Universe. Keep it up!
Something about blasting it in a car hits differently. Tool is like listening to abstract art and the only band that can get away with getting me to listen to it for 10 straight minutes at a time and love it. Because it really is art. They throw around the word "artist" quite loosely these days...next to none of them are artists, but Tool actually is.
This song will hit you normally, but strongly recommend a system with decent subs. The drums will literally change your heartbeat. Hell the entire album is just amazing that way
This song was played on repeat for three days straight while I quit drinking. At times I sang along, other times I just rolled around on the floor crying, and other times just listened... Intently. The whole process seared my consciousness with resolve, helped me form only negative associations with alcohol for the days ahead. 7 years later I'm still sober, and I'll never forget how this song was a part of that.
As someone who has been increasingly watching your content like George Carlin, Bill Burr, Married With Children, Pink Floyd, etc, you adding TOOL to your journey confirms this channel is right up my alley. Subbed.
Ryan Mustain, I'm with you... I think he may also like Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and to continue the metal journey, Slipknot.
Kia ora hello from Aotearoa new zealand new sub for ya brother the first time i heard these guys the guitarist from my flatmate's band turns up on his bmx bike takes out a cd from his bag and put it on Paul's stereo a wicked one it was opiate it had just been released when it had finished me and Paul were on our bikes riding into town to get copies we had just had a bit of a mind fuck moment and a few years later they played for the first of four times in Auckland Aotearoa new zealand after that first show it was strangely quiet almost silent a few thousand people in silence WHO HAD JUST HAD THEIR MIND'S FUCKED AND WERE TRYING TO REPROGRAM THE MUSICAL CHIP IN THEIR BRAIN'S OR WHAT WAS LEFT OF THEM IT WAS A MUSICAL AND VISUAL MIND FUCK WICKED AWESOME TOTALLY WICKEDLY AWESOME 👍✌️🤘😜
@@bethannprather1462 This song was done with Paul D'Amour as bassist. He quit the band early on, and Justin stepped in as if he had always been there. Their creative process is the trippiest thing, to me. Adam Justin and Danny write the music, finish the instrumental part completely, then turn it over to Maynard, to put words to the song.
To me, the best thing about Tool is that Maynard uses his voice as another instrument in the band. Where most bands/groups showcase the lead singer and the lyrics and the band is more or less there to accentuate the lead singer, Maynard blends his voice into the rest of the instruments and makes just about every song more of an instrumental composition.
That is what most of the metal gods do. Ozzy, Halford, Dio, Lemmy. The voices are part of the composition. The other part is where the instruments can be the voice of the song.
I'd never heard anything by TOOL until I'd subscribed to your channel!!! Just goes to show the power of diverse listening...... I'm a TOOL fan,big time now........Great reactions👍
Same here😂 and I’m just now getting into SOAD too. Yes, I know it’s 2022. I’ve been lost in grunge and Epitaph pop punk since the 90’s. Huge fan of Corey Taylor and Slipnot/Stone Sour though, so I’m not that bad off
The amount of emotion you can pour into singing along to this song is very cathartic. "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me" is such a great lyric to holler out to vent, but this whole song is a performance. You can low key do this with Black by Pearl Jam, because of how personal it is (most of us have had a relationship that has ended despite being so in love with the other person), but Sober is more full on and packed full of raw emotion.
I'm 60 now but I went through that too. Pretty much the same age frame. You have it right, its a battle. You can't lose unless you quit fighting. Never stop fighting for you. The world needs you. You're one of a kind, there is not another just like you.
Maynard didn't have first hand experience with addiction or severe depression and yet he still captures what it feels like perfectly. Guy Gavriel Kay, my favorite author, called it imaginative empathy. When you write from a perspective you're not familiar with
Tool is addictive, One or two listens will get you interested three or four you’ll start to enjoy the taste five or six and just start to crave it , before know it , you will be addicted.
And they are still at it. They released Fear Innoculum after 13 years of no new material and it goes to number one on billboard charts. That speaks volumes about the art and their fan base. Lateralus uses the fibonacci sequence in the song, and is still one of my favorites. 46 and 2 deals with Jung’s concept of doing shadow work in order to evolve. The double entendre and funk of The Pot, which is probably their most reacted to song. Although the live drum cam video of Danny Carey playing Pneuma is up there. The time, effort, attention to detail, passion, and constant time changes make their sound unique and unpredictable. I notice new things in their songs all of the time. A lot of the lyrics are open to interpretation, which creates conversation and contemplation. I think they are right up your alley, and you are in for a ride should you continue down the rabbit hole. You will probably gain a ton of subs, and a lot of engagement as well. Tool fans love to see people going on the journey, because it’s like they get to relive it themselves with the reactor. True artists with many layers. I can’t wait for more. Just make sure you use the bathroom before the song starts. Many of them range 7-10 minutes lol.
@@robertmcbeth5864 What a well thought interpretation. “That Sucks “ isn’t a take. Album sales, touring sales, and the cult following praise contradicts your productive and enlightening opinion. Everyone is entitled., but don’t you have a bridge you should be collecting tolls at?
@@toddkelly5985 if was a half assed effort, the album is horrible, coming from a tool fan, it’s garbage They’ve made it into slayer territory, where u just remake the same album over and over again
@@robertmcbeth5864 Like I said before, that’s like your opinion man. You are in the minority there. As a musician, singer/songwriter, psychedelic enthusiast, and researcher of esoteric knowledge, frequency, and sound therapy I find it fascinating. Lookup the secrets of Fear Innoculum on RUclips, then come back and tell me that its half ass. They don’t do anything half ass. They are entering into their 60’s so they aren’t spring chickens anymore, but I know of know other band that puts ass much time, effort, heart, and creativity into their work. Watch that RUclips documentary, and if you still feel the same then more power to you. What purpose does it serve to just shit on it though on RUclips comments with the simple statement “This album sucks “ That’s half ass and very trollish.
Great reaction! I'm one of the millions who regard Toll as the best band of all time. Just a point of clarification, it wasn't the lead singer from Tool (MJK) who was struggling with sobriety, it was a friend of his and the band's who was also a musician that they wrote the song about.
There's a shadow just behind me Shrouding every step I take Making every promise empty Pointing every finger at me Waiting like a stalking butler Who upon the finger rests Murder now the path of must we Just because the son has come Jesus, won't you fucking whistle Something but the past and done? Jesus, won't you fucking whistle Something but the past and done? Why can't we not be sober? Just want to start this over And why can't we drink forever? I just want to start this over I am just a worthless liar I am just an imbecile I will only complicate you Trust in me and fall as well I will find a center in you I will chew it up and leave I will work to elevate you Just enough to bring you down Mother Mary, won't you whisper? Something but what's past and done Mother Mary, won't you whisper? Something but the past and done Why can't we not be sober? I just want to start this over And why can't we sleep forever? I just want to start this over Why? I am just a worthless liar I am just an imbecile I will only complicate you Trust in me and fall as well I will find a center in you I will chew it up and leave Trust me Trust me Trust me Trust me Trust me Why can't we not be sober? I just want to start things over And why can't we sleep forever? I just want to start this over Why? I want what I want I want what I want I want what I want I want what I want Source: LyricFind
As much as you can feel the raw emotion in studio, live is just so much more. It feels almost like you are watching him bleed out in front of you, and you can't do anything about it.
It’s not about the lead singer struggle with sobriety, but a friend of the band… Maynard is a inspiration to anyone that is a hard worker.. Check out Blood to Wine, it’s about Maynards work ethic and his wine vineyard.
Yes, I HAVE been listening to this for decades. This album came out when I was a sophmore in hs and I've loved Tool ever since. This song is extremely dark, but some of their music is very uplifting. You should listen to the album 10,000 Days, especially the title track and Wings for Marie. It's about his mom dying and how she'd lived paralyzed after a stroke for over 10,000 days. He sings, "What have I done to be the son of an angel?" And "Ten thousand days in the fire is long enough, you're going home." After losing my own mom, the album hit even harder.
Man, Wings for Marie and 10,000 days back to back is something special. It's the greatest buildup and release I've ever heard. When that album came out I don't know how many times i listend to those two songs.
I only listen to wings when I need to cry. I went through a similar experience of caring for my ailing mother while I was young and it makes me feel seen.
That's why the names are the way they are! Each album since their inception was a truly life-changing experience! It's great to see fellow TOOL fans in today's experience. Truly a Life Changer!
@@RealKlausSchwab this will sound crazy but the only other lyricist I know that's on this level is Dani Filth from Cradle of Filth. I don't like him as a person but the man can write. It might be hard for you to get into his music, he does really high pitch screams, but read some of his lyrics. He's like an old Gothic poet
I wasn't struggling with with sobriety when I first heard this, I was in a different dark place. This song sinks its claws in you and shakes you to the core. The rage is what I needed to hear.
So by far my favorite band I've been listening to them since I was a sophomore in high school 1996 and I just love watching reaction channels to people listening to tool because it does allow me to go back and re-experience the love I have for this band The emotions that I get from listening to it you know especially at that time in my life Good reaction man Good reaction
I was introduced to Tool way back in highschool when this album was released. Their sound is always evolving but you know Tool when you hear it. You should watch the video for this song.
Totally agree, Charles. I don't know this for sure, but it seems the video was heavily inspired by the work of Brothers Quay. Street of Crocodiles, for instance.
It wasn’t the lead singer that had a problem being sober, it was the bassist Paul D’Amour. Maynard was literally singing Paul’s swan song just before he was booted from the band.
I've read it bunch of times, but I don't know. I feel like Maynard's voice expresses HIS pain and struggles by its desperate and pained tone. I guess he's just a good artist.
People of different backgrounds don't always realize that we can all relate to one another's music,and especially when we dare to truly understand the meaning of a song...Tupac's "Dear Mama" and Type O Negative's "Nettie" are comparable in this nature.They only contrast in musical and lyrical styles.
Tool is one of the best bands of all time. Heard them in the early 2000s after my friend convinced me to watch a music video he found. I have listened to them consistently since then. The most underrated popular metal band imo.
So glad you did this! This song was the first one I heard by Tool and have been hooked ever since, even more so being sober for for 8 years. Thanks for giving them a chance and an honest listening 😊
Thanks for making me feel old “some of you have been listening to this for decades”😂… I played this album everyday for the first 6 months or so it came out. I just felt like Adam (guitar) was playing the kind of stuff I was , as a guitarist, trying to come to, but he did it first and a lot better than what I was doing. Just dig the sound and approach Tool takes to their music.
Sobriety is the most scariest thing I have ever encountered. I want what I want! Very insightful Mr. Polo. You jumped in the deep end when you react to Tool. The talent of these fellows is off the charts.
When I first heard this the year it came out, it was the VOICE that got me. Pleading, emotional, aggressive, all in one song. Hooked immediately, a Tool Fool forever. Maynard wasn't the one struggling-it was an artist/poet friend of his. Welcome to the club.
I was hoping you'd get around to this at some point. There's a live version of this from a concert I think in the UK that is just amazing. Seeing the way he sings these lines really drives home the pain and torture written into the lyrics, if you get a chance you should give that a watch sometime.
I was lucky enough to see Tool support Rage Against The Machine at Brixton Academy. When Maynard came out and did his piece in Know Your Enemy it almost made people's ears bleed!
I was 13 when this song came out in '93. I couldn't think of a world without Tool. Both of my brothers love Tool. First time I heard this song I was hooked. Any Tool is amazing...also you need to listen to A Perfect Circle and Puicfer! Lead singer of Tool is in both!
I discovered Tool when this song came out, the video was an MTV Buzzclip, when MTV was mad cool, and I bought the HELL out of that CD and played it a billion times.
Of the old school stuff, this and "Prison Sex" hit hard. I can remember the first time I heard them... friend handed me Undertow to listen to and I went through it... bought the CD that afternoon. One of the greatest bands ever.
I was in my early 20s in the USMC when this came out in the early 1990s. There was nothing remotely like it. It was like album produced by space aliens.
Sober is one of my favorite TOOL songs. It just helps the soul and whenever I feel down and in a dark hole this helps for a good long hard cry. I'm so glad you're getting into them. They're an amazing band! 💜
Stumbled across your channel when i seen your "warpig" video. Love your content man, i haven't listened to Tool in years. You've rekindled my love of their music. Cheers from The Republic of Ireland 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
Metal/Rock has a hard exterior and for the most part, lyrics that a lot of people can relate to. There is a range of emotions it can send you through, sometimes can even be therapeutic.
TOOL is a one of a kind. Geniuses at their craft and way too intelligent for the average listener IF you want to find the meaning. Try out "Aenima" or "46+2"..I think you'd dig it.
Maynard’s lyrics always tell a story. You should listen to Jimmy, Judith (A Perfect Circle), Wings for Marie Pt 1 and Pt 2 and 10,000 days. His Mom, Judith Marie, had an aneurism when he was 11 yrs old and was bound to a wheelchair for the remainder of her life. Lots of his anger comes from this part of his childhood. She was bound to that wheelchair for 10,000 days. Lots of his songs make sense to me after learning about his mother. Pain, pain, pain.
I just found your channel on RUclips and I must say I am a fan. Watching and listening to you experience metal songs for the first time that I have heard a hundred times, is so cool. It reminds me of the feelings I had experiencing these songs for the first time. How powerful they can be. Keep it up man keep it up.
this was not about the lead singer Maynard. its about Layne Staley of Alice in chains who had a heroin addiction that ended up costing him his career and life. had Layne gotten help he would have been one of the biggest stars of all time. his voice was magical. check out Alice in chains would one of the best songs of all time.
It is definitely not about Layne. Maynard had most of this song written in the late 80s w/ previous band. It is about a friend who could only produce art when under the influence
Watch the live… like everyone has said. Also, for albums Ænima and after please listen to them top to toe, first to last with no skipping. That’s how TOOL should be enjoyed… and yes, most people only need them when they are angry. They are also notorious for long songs. Good times. Thanks for being brave enough to go outside your comfort zone & for your honesty. DANNY CAREY - one of the GREATEST drummers of ALL TIME. He has a great video of him performing Pneuma…. You’d probably go nuts over his drum setup. I look forward to more, Polo! You’re doing well & you have great insights.
This band came out when I was 8. They were pretty important for me at that age. They really taught me to think deeply, and outside the box. Really important thing to learn at an early age.
My son's middle name is Keenan after him. The way you can feel his emotion and his intent in every word just hits you so hard. He means everything he says and it gives me goosebumps every single time.
Love Tool, love this song. Stained has a song called “It’s Been Awhile” that is a fantastic listen. Not as hard a song as this, but hits on an emotional level and has great music.
Tool is a band best absorbed by laying in a dark room with quality headphones. It's a trip. I remember when this video came out on MTV (I'm old lol). Watch it in your own time. Their guitarist Adam does a lot of their videos and they're just as trippy as their songs.
So I would make my boyfriend at the time play this song over and over-he played the guitar and would rock OUT playing that beautiful riff…ahhhh memories
my introduction to Tool was wandering drunk into Kagans in NOLA back in... 93? they had the vid going on the big screen and it was a revelation. give Forty Six and 2 a shot. you'll love the guitar work and shifting time throughout. and the lyrics are deep
OMG I LOVE TOOL! They are the epitomy of genuine talented musicians. Maynard is an absolute genius and you have to also listen to his other bands A Perfect Circle and Puscifier. Lyrics are deep and their videos are bad ass. 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Just came from listening to you listen to Laterus... only the second Polo Reacts vid I have seen... misunderstood and thought you hadn't listened to Sober... At the end of your Laterus vid was thinking: Even tho Tool keeps getting better and better... I would love to revisit my first time hearing them, which was just sitting around my first apartment and suddenly Sober popped up on MTV. That vid and song changed music for me. Saw them on the side stage at Lollapalooza that summer... they deserved the main stage but being in that intimate space was thrilling... two of my best music memories. Couldn't find it in a quick scroll, then searched, and aaaaaah.
I mean, they've won several grammies, topped the charts numerous times, and their shows consistently sell out large arenas... I think that plenty of people rate Tool highly.
What really struck me the first time I heard this song on the radio - which was when it came out, I was in college at the time - was just how raw it sounded. Every vocal and instrument sounds like it's recorded directly to mic with minimal to no post processing.
One of my top three bands of all time and my favorite live shows. I have loved every thing they have put out in the last 30 years. Please check out Laturalus! (And everything else) 🔥🖤
Love your reaction video! One of my favorite songs and bands! Your reaction was well said and elegant. Especially how you describe how an elite artist can move you to feel what they were feeling. Thank you!
Tool is by far my favorite band and I feel compelled to watch Tool reaction videos. My favorite from them is "Jerk Off" from their first album, Opiate. One of the most cathartic songs to scream along with.
Fantastic reaction Polo! This is the song that launched Tool into my favorite artist. One quibble is that the song isn't about Maynard himself but a friend of the band. In a sense, this makes the lyrics even more profound since Maynard embodies both the addict and the drug in different verses of the song. Anyway I see you've done a bunch of Tool reactions since, love it brother!
What is true about this song is this: his voice makes you feel the anguish of being an addict. It also makes you feel the anger and anguish of wanting to quit. THIS? This state of being, can be applied to MANY things in life
Just want to say thanks for watching my crazy reactions! If you enjoy what I do on this channel consider supporting me. 70% of my videos are not monetized. Between setting up the studio daily, filming, editing, thumbnails, and research which all take away from my family, you guys motivate me to put out content daily. Consider buying me a coffee here www.buymeacoffee.com/poloreacts or my Patreon www.patreon.com/poloreacts PEACE!!
I take it back... The second listen was in my car with the volume up and my goodness it was an entirely different experience. Played it 5x on repeat after that. First Metal song I played in my car (felt weird) but I'm hooked.
You should also check out the live version of it
One of a kind performance by Maynard
Cool, Polo! One of these days you'll need to try some Gojira. It's also progressive metal like Tool. From France (in English). Very hard, but thoughtful. Lots of lyrics about the environment and whatnot. A blast to listen to in the car. I highly recommend The Heaviest Matter of the Universe. Keep it up!
Something about blasting it in a car hits differently. Tool is like listening to abstract art and the only band that can get away with getting me to listen to it for 10 straight minutes at a time and love it. Because it really is art. They throw around the word "artist" quite loosely these days...next to none of them are artists, but Tool actually is.
Try Tool Parabol / Paranbola , it's almost a religious experience.
This song will hit you normally, but strongly recommend a system with decent subs. The drums will literally change your heartbeat. Hell the entire album is just amazing that way
"The worst part of hearing TOOL for the first time is you can never hear TOOL for the first time ever again."
Now THAT could not even be more true!!!!
I was listening to Tool for the first time 21 years ago and never stopped listening to it. Would love to have this feeling again.
Just a reason to look forward to Alzheimer’s.
Lmao.
@@bensimon2886 It's been 30 for me. 👍
The truest statement ever typed
This song was played on repeat for three days straight while I quit drinking. At times I sang along, other times I just rolled around on the floor crying, and other times just listened... Intently. The whole process seared my consciousness with resolve, helped me form only negative associations with alcohol for the days ahead. 7 years later I'm still sober, and I'll never forget how this song was a part of that.
This song and My Darling Dopamine by Days N Daze always kick me in the gut when I'm at the bottom of a bottle.
Top tier comment 👏
I've never touched alcohol. Don't care for it. Your comment gave me goosebumps and for what it's worth, I'm proud of you.
You're awesome, man. Great job.
Patting you on the back...Great job, STAY 💪
As someone who has been increasingly watching your content like George Carlin, Bill Burr, Married With Children, Pink Floyd, etc, you adding TOOL to your journey confirms this channel is right up my alley. Subbed.
Ryan Mustain, I'm with you... I think he may also like Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and to continue the metal journey, Slipknot.
Kia ora hello from Aotearoa new zealand new sub for ya brother the first time i heard these guys the guitarist from my flatmate's band turns up on his bmx bike takes out a cd from his bag and put it on Paul's stereo a wicked one it was opiate it had just been released when it had finished me and Paul were on our bikes riding into town to get copies we had just had a bit of a mind fuck moment and a few years later they played for the first of four times in Auckland Aotearoa new zealand after that first show it was strangely quiet almost silent a few thousand people in silence WHO HAD JUST HAD THEIR MIND'S FUCKED AND WERE TRYING TO REPROGRAM THE MUSICAL CHIP IN THEIR BRAIN'S OR WHAT WAS LEFT OF THEM IT WAS A MUSICAL AND VISUAL MIND FUCK WICKED AWESOME TOTALLY WICKEDLY AWESOME 👍✌️🤘😜
Just found cuz of this tool one and yeah sounds...fucking great man! What I'm trying to say is...yeah agreed sounds like great taste
I have been listing to Tool since they arrived on the scene. Always been a big fan
Bill Hicks
Just a heads up, you’re going to love the drums in every Tool song.
Hell yeah. That AND the bass lines in their songs are friggin awesome
Carey is a beast
Danny Carey is a GOD. Watch his drum cam on "Pneuma." (Danny and I are the same age, born the same month and year.)
@@bethannprather1462 This song was done with Paul D'Amour as bassist. He quit the band early on, and Justin stepped in as if he had always been there. Their creative process is the trippiest thing, to me. Adam Justin and Danny write the music, finish the instrumental part completely, then turn it over to Maynard, to put words to the song.
@@King_Barney that's what I've heard. Very opposite from how 99% of music is composed. And probably why they are so distinct in sound
To me, the best thing about Tool is that Maynard uses his voice as another instrument in the band. Where most bands/groups showcase the lead singer and the lyrics and the band is more or less there to accentuate the lead singer, Maynard blends his voice into the rest of the instruments and makes just about every song more of an instrumental composition.
That is what most of the metal gods do. Ozzy, Halford, Dio, Lemmy. The voices are part of the composition. The other part is where the instruments can be the voice of the song.
All of their music is composed first. Maynard writes the lyrics last making them flow with the song.
Maynard has said his voice is just part of the band and without the others there would be no tool.
I'd never heard anything by TOOL until I'd subscribed to your channel!!! Just goes to show the power of diverse listening...... I'm a TOOL fan,big time now........Great reactions👍
welcome to the TOOL army. Spiral out!
Enjoy the journey!!✌🏾
Always happy to welcome another willing to listen. 🤟rock on spiral out, keep going!
Same here😂 and I’m just now getting into SOAD too. Yes, I know it’s 2022. I’ve been lost in grunge and Epitaph pop punk since the 90’s. Huge fan of Corey Taylor and Slipnot/Stone Sour though, so I’m not that bad off
Welcome! Enjoy the ride.
When MJK screams "WHYYY can we not be sober..." i break, brings tears to my eyes. You can feel the pain in his voice.🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
“He has this tone in his voice that makes him sound at ‘his wits end’.”
Beautifully said. 🤘
Yeah that was really well put for us Tool fans.
This is the first tool song I ever heard and I fell in love with them instantly
Same here. A friend of mine showed me the song and that's how he introduced me to this band. I thank him every time I can.
As a metal head who has been battling depression and self hate since i was 14, (im now 33) songs like this are what keep me going.
If you haven't listened to Rollins Band the End of the Silence album helped me threw a lot of tough time's
The amount of emotion you can pour into singing along to this song is very cathartic. "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me" is such a great lyric to holler out to vent, but this whole song is a performance. You can low key do this with Black by Pearl Jam, because of how personal it is (most of us have had a relationship that has ended despite being so in love with the other person), but Sober is more full on and packed full of raw emotion.
@@thejanitorssweeps5883 amen , great recommendation ❤
Same boat. I'm in a good head space now but this hits so hard when in the depths of depression.
I'm 60 now but I went through that too. Pretty much the same age frame. You have it right, its a battle. You can't lose unless you quit fighting. Never stop fighting for you. The world needs you. You're one of a kind, there is not another just like you.
You should hear "A Perfect Circle"...
Its THIS, but more radio. And NOTHING less for the lyrics and the songs!
3 libras❤
Maynard didn't have first hand experience with addiction or severe depression and yet he still captures what it feels like perfectly. Guy Gavriel Kay, my favorite author, called it imaginative empathy. When you write from a perspective you're not familiar with
Holy shit, absolutely ESSENTIAL literary reference.
Kay is an amazing but often overlooked writer. Cheers :)
I've ever known one other person who read Guy Gavriel Kay, and she was the one who introduced his books to me.
He was very very young when he wrote these lyrics. Makes you think.
I would be so interested in hearing Maynard talk about what he has experimented with, but he has always been so ambiguous about it in interviews
To be fair, Tool is it's own genre. No one compares.
*its (and I agree they are)
For real it's a unique sound .
Tool is addictive, One or two listens will get you interested three or four you’ll start to enjoy the taste five or six and just start to crave it , before know it , you will be addicted.
Really? Years ago, I heard "The Pot" and was instantly hooked! Been a fan of this superb band ever since. Enjoy the music!
And they are still at it. They released Fear Innoculum after 13 years of no new material and it goes to number one on billboard charts. That speaks volumes about the art and their fan base. Lateralus uses the fibonacci sequence in the song, and is still one of my favorites. 46 and 2 deals with Jung’s concept of doing shadow work in order to evolve. The double entendre and funk of The Pot, which is probably their most reacted to song. Although the live drum cam video of Danny Carey playing Pneuma is up there. The time, effort, attention to detail, passion, and constant time changes make their sound unique and unpredictable. I notice new things in their songs all of the time. A lot of the lyrics are open to interpretation, which creates conversation and contemplation. I think they are right up your alley, and you are in for a ride should you continue down the rabbit hole. You will probably gain a ton of subs, and a lot of engagement as well. Tool fans love to see people going on the journey, because it’s like they get to relive it themselves with the reactor. True artists with many layers. I can’t wait for more. Just make sure you use the bathroom before the song starts. Many of them range 7-10 minutes lol.
That album sucks
@@robertmcbeth5864 What a well thought interpretation. “That Sucks “ isn’t a take. Album sales, touring sales, and the cult following praise contradicts your productive and enlightening opinion. Everyone is entitled., but don’t you have a bridge you should be collecting tolls at?
@@toddkelly5985 if was a half assed effort, the album is horrible, coming from a tool fan, it’s garbage
They’ve made it into slayer territory, where u just remake the same album over and over again
@@robertmcbeth5864 Like I said before, that’s like your opinion man. You are in the minority there. As a musician, singer/songwriter, psychedelic enthusiast, and researcher of esoteric knowledge, frequency, and sound therapy I find it fascinating. Lookup the secrets of Fear Innoculum on RUclips, then come back and tell me that its half ass. They don’t do anything half ass. They are entering into their 60’s so they aren’t spring chickens anymore, but I know of know other band that puts ass much time, effort, heart, and creativity into their work. Watch that RUclips documentary, and if you still feel the same then more power to you. What purpose does it serve to just shit on it though on RUclips comments with the simple statement “This album sucks “ That’s half ass and very trollish.
@@robertmcbeth5864 deep take there bruv...
Great reaction! I'm one of the millions who regard Toll as the best band of all time. Just a point of clarification, it wasn't the lead singer from Tool (MJK) who was struggling with sobriety, it was a friend of his and the band's who was also a musician that they wrote the song about.
There's a shadow just behind me
Shrouding every step I take
Making every promise empty
Pointing every finger at me
Waiting like a stalking butler
Who upon the finger rests
Murder now the path of must we
Just because the son has come
Jesus, won't you fucking whistle
Something but the past and done?
Jesus, won't you fucking whistle
Something but the past and done?
Why can't we not be sober?
Just want to start this over
And why can't we drink forever?
I just want to start this over
I am just a worthless liar
I am just an imbecile
I will only complicate you
Trust in me and fall as well
I will find a center in you
I will chew it up and leave
I will work to elevate you
Just enough to bring you down
Mother Mary, won't you whisper?
Something but what's past and done
Mother Mary, won't you whisper?
Something but the past and done
Why can't we not be sober?
I just want to start this over
And why can't we sleep forever?
I just want to start this over
Why?
I am just a worthless liar
I am just an imbecile
I will only complicate you
Trust in me and fall as well
I will find a center in you
I will chew it up and leave
Trust me
Trust me
Trust me
Trust me
Trust me
Why can't we not be sober?
I just want to start things over
And why can't we sleep forever?
I just want to start this over
Why?
I want what I want
I want what I want
I want what I want
I want what I want
Source: LyricFind
Dude, the live version epice! Truly a great piece of art. Maynard embodies this song in only the way he could.
There is not a version of this song that is not epic.
I was about to make this same comment.
He should absolutely watch the live version. Only Maynard can wear a pink onesie and still be badass
As much as you can feel the raw emotion in studio, live is just so much more. It feels almost like you are watching him bleed out in front of you, and you can't do anything about it.
genau. Live ist besser. 1993, glaube ich. Pink Pop Festival?
It’s not about the lead singer struggle with sobriety, but a friend of the band… Maynard is a inspiration to anyone that is a hard worker..
Check out Blood to Wine, it’s about Maynards work ethic and his wine vineyard.
Was looking for this.
Yep. Hopefully polo sees this 👍
He was an excellent soldier in the US Army Infantry also
Yes, I HAVE been listening to this for decades. This album came out when I was a sophmore in hs and I've loved Tool ever since. This song is extremely dark, but some of their music is very uplifting. You should listen to the album 10,000 Days, especially the title track and Wings for Marie. It's about his mom dying and how she'd lived paralyzed after a stroke for over 10,000 days. He sings, "What have I done to be the son of an angel?" And "Ten thousand days in the fire is long enough, you're going home." After losing my own mom, the album hit even harder.
Man, Wings for Marie and 10,000 days back to back is something special. It's the greatest buildup and release I've ever heard. When that album came out I don't know how many times i listend to those two songs.
At the end of Part 2 - tears... every damn time.
I only listen to wings when I need to cry. I went through a similar experience of caring for my ailing mother while I was young and it makes me feel seen.
"10,000 Days/Wings For Marie" is just, as music goes, literally awesome. Tool is the best.
Yes, yes and YES! 💜 I'm an older Tool fan. The albums 'Undertow' and 'AEnema' hold a special place in my heart -x-
Oh same here, they came out a dark time in my life, this is one of the tracks that helped me through
Tool - Parabol/Parabola!!!!!! Must be played together.
That's why the names are the way they are! Each album since their inception was a truly life-changing experience! It's great to see fellow TOOL fans in today's experience. Truly a Life Changer!
"Waiting like a stalking butler" is one of the best lyrics ever written. And I'm not a major TOOL fan either. Just brilliant.
💯%. Maybe one of the best lyricists on earth. Every song has layers to it.
@@RealKlausSchwab this will sound crazy but the only other lyricist I know that's on this level is Dani Filth from Cradle of Filth. I don't like him as a person but the man can write. It might be hard for you to get into his music, he does really high pitch screams, but read some of his lyrics. He's like an old Gothic poet
@@atheist101 Not crazy at all! Agreed.
“Turn around and take my hand” from Stinkfist may have it beat…Just sayin
@@atheist101 Adam Duritz from Counting Crows is another one that is a wordsmith. Not metal, but if you like metaphorical lyrics, he's up there.
I wasn't struggling with with sobriety when I first heard this, I was in a different dark place. This song sinks its claws in you and shakes you to the core. The rage is what I needed to hear.
So by far my favorite band I've been listening to them since I was a sophomore in high school 1996 and I just love watching reaction channels to people listening to tool because it does allow me to go back and re-experience the love I have for this band The emotions that I get from listening to it you know especially at that time in my life Good reaction man Good reaction
Its even more incredible live. Its an out of body experience
I've seen them 3 times. One time, I was lucky enough to see them perform No Quarter. Just got goosebumps typing this. lololol
I was introduced to Tool way back in highschool when this album was released. Their sound is always evolving but you know Tool when you hear it. You should watch the video for this song.
Its just a distraction. As are almost all of the videos. They often have no visual correlation to the songs or lyrics themselves
Wish I'd bought the album in 93. All I had was Sober on a cruddy VHS lol
Totally agree, Charles. I don't know this for sure, but it seems the video was heavily inspired by the work of Brothers Quay. Street of Crocodiles, for instance.
I still have nightmares because of this video, lol
Welcome 🤘
It wasn’t the lead singer that had a problem being sober, it was the bassist Paul D’Amour. Maynard was literally singing Paul’s swan song just before he was booted from the band.
I've read it bunch of times, but I don't know. I feel like Maynard's voice expresses HIS pain and struggles by its desperate and pained tone. I guess he's just a good artist.
maynard used to play this song before tool was created
Sober was an extremely early song it was written long before this album
People of different backgrounds don't always realize that we can all relate to one another's music,and especially when we dare to truly understand the meaning of a song...Tupac's "Dear Mama" and Type O Negative's "Nettie" are comparable in this nature.They only contrast in musical and lyrical styles.
Tool is one of the best bands of all time. Heard them in the early 2000s after my friend convinced me to watch a music video he found. I have listened to them consistently since then. The most underrated popular metal band imo.
So glad you did this! This song was the first one I heard by Tool and have been hooked ever since, even more so being sober for for 8 years. Thanks for giving them a chance and an honest listening 😊
Thanks for making me feel old “some of you have been listening to this for decades”😂… I played this album everyday for the first 6 months or so it came out. I just felt like Adam (guitar) was playing the kind of stuff I was , as a guitarist, trying to come to, but he did it first and a lot better than what I was doing. Just dig the sound and approach Tool takes to their music.
WE DIDNT COME HERE TO BE ATTACKED
Sobriety is the most scariest thing I have ever encountered. I want what I want!
Very insightful Mr. Polo. You jumped in the deep end when you react to Tool. The talent of these fellows is off the charts.
i love what you said at the end. The lead singer of Tool, Maynard, said in an interview "If i can't heal from my music, how can you? "
So many great Tool songs all with deep meanings. Doing a deep dive in to them will not disappoint you.
"is this your brain on tool?" - jello biafra, parabola m/v dvd commentary
@@soth1sol DK!! 🤘💯🙌🙌
doesnt he hate fans like that tho?
When I first heard this the year it came out, it was the VOICE that got me. Pleading, emotional, aggressive, all in one song. Hooked immediately, a Tool Fool forever. Maynard wasn't the one struggling-it was an artist/poet friend of his. Welcome to the club.
I was hoping you'd get around to this at some point. There's a live version of this from a concert I think in the UK that is just amazing. Seeing the way he sings these lines really drives home the pain and torture written into the lyrics, if you get a chance you should give that a watch sometime.
Is it the live version from Hungary???I believe it was uploaded by FotherMucker..great live version and its probably 1 of the best on RUclips
ruclips.net/video/ORxcVXbI69A/видео.html
@@rayromero815 I was actually thinking of this one from the 1993 Reading Festival ruclips.net/video/u7lweNCCwS0/видео.html
@@Not_Ferrari that's also great
I was lucky enough to see Tool support Rage Against The Machine at Brixton Academy. When Maynard came out and did his piece in Know Your Enemy it almost made people's ears bleed!
The live version of this is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!
I’ve seen them twice in concert. Those were my favorite ones . Love them
I was 13 when this song came out in '93. I couldn't think of a world without Tool. Both of my brothers love Tool. First time I heard this song I was hooked. Any Tool is amazing...also you need to listen to A Perfect Circle and Puicfer! Lead singer of Tool is in both!
And Carina Round's voice complements MJK perfectly in Puscifer.
I discovered Tool when this song came out, the video was an MTV Buzzclip, when MTV was mad cool, and I bought the HELL out of that CD and played it a billion times.
Of the old school stuff, this and "Prison Sex" hit hard. I can remember the first time I heard them... friend handed me Undertow to listen to and I went through it... bought the CD that afternoon. One of the greatest bands ever.
I love Prison Sex. Maynard's delivery is unmatched. I was blown away.
Glad you picked this as your first tool song! Luv it!
I was in my early 20s in the USMC when this came out in the early 1990s. There was nothing remotely like it. It was like album produced by space aliens.
Sober is one of my favorite TOOL songs. It just helps the soul and whenever I feel down and in a dark hole this helps for a good long hard cry. I'm so glad you're getting into them. They're an amazing band! 💜
Greatest band ever! Danny Carey is such a badass on drums. His nickname is the octopus. 🐙
I love that you have found TOOL!! Welcome to spiraling out!! Nothing compares! 🤘🏻
This is the song that got me hooked on TOOL!!Keep up the great reactions!
Stumbled across your channel when i seen your "warpig" video. Love your content man, i haven't listened to Tool in years. You've rekindled my love of their music. Cheers from The Republic of Ireland 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
Metal/Rock has a hard exterior and for the most part, lyrics that a lot of people can relate to. There is a range of emotions it can send you through, sometimes can even be therapeutic.
I remember when I first heard that intro on the radio so many years ago. I asked my mom to turn it up and was so quiet, instantly hooked. XD
TOOL is a one of a kind. Geniuses at their craft and way too intelligent for the average listener IF you want to find the meaning. Try out "Aenima" or "46+2"..I think you'd dig it.
46+2 is amazing
Thank You for doing this particular reaction
Maynard’s lyrics always tell a story. You should listen to Jimmy, Judith (A Perfect Circle), Wings for Marie Pt 1 and Pt 2 and 10,000 days. His Mom, Judith Marie, had an aneurism when he was 11 yrs old and was bound to a wheelchair for the remainder of her life. Lots of his anger comes from this part of his childhood. She was bound to that wheelchair for 10,000 days. Lots of his songs make sense to me after learning about his mother. Pain, pain, pain.
I just found your channel on RUclips and I must say I am a fan. Watching and listening to you experience metal songs for the first time that I have heard a hundred times, is so cool. It reminds me of the feelings I had experiencing these songs for the first time. How powerful they can be. Keep it up man keep it up.
this was not about the lead singer Maynard. its about Layne Staley of Alice in chains who had a heroin addiction that ended up costing him his career and life. had Layne gotten help he would have been one of the biggest stars of all time. his voice was magical. check out Alice in chains would one of the best songs of all time.
It is definitely not about Layne. Maynard had most of this song written in the late 80s w/ previous band. It is about a friend who could only produce art when under the influence
You don't find Tool. Tool finds you.
I grew up staying up late to watch MTV after midnight and that's when we heard tool! And they just get better!
Watch the live… like everyone has said. Also, for albums Ænima and after please listen to them top to toe, first to last with no skipping. That’s how TOOL should be enjoyed… and yes, most people only need them when they are angry. They are also notorious for long songs. Good times. Thanks for being brave enough to go outside your comfort zone & for your honesty. DANNY CAREY - one of the GREATEST drummers of ALL TIME. He has a great video of him performing Pneuma…. You’d probably go nuts over his drum setup. I look forward to more, Polo! You’re doing well & you have great insights.
DC is thee greatest as far as I can tell
100%...start to finish a journey thru the albums.
Polo, I love your reactions, and I'm so HAPPY you get to explore TOOL! Stay well and safe.
"
try "46 and 2" OR "Pnuema
aenima (i think its a reference to Jung's philosophy on the mind's "shadow")
Watching a person hear this song for the first time never gets old. The video back when it came out was inane.
love Tool! Nice reaction!
This band came out when I was 8. They were pretty important for me at that age. They really taught me to think deeply, and outside the box. Really important thing to learn at an early age.
If you liked the drums I suggest Pneuma …Danny Carey video ✌️❤️
The live view of Danny playing is amazing. He has a metronome in his head!!
@@thomperkins absolutely, I just put that up without looking for the link. Excellent video!✌️❤️
ruclips.net/video/X8S6qet59vA/видео.html Review this guy.
My son's middle name is Keenan after him. The way you can feel his emotion and his intent in every word just hits you so hard. He means everything he says and it gives me goosebumps every single time.
Love Tool, love this song. Stained has a song called “It’s Been Awhile” that is a fantastic listen. Not as hard a song as this, but hits on an emotional level and has great music.
Finally he did tool the is one of my favorite band the lead singer in tool is also the singer in a perfect circle
Tool is a band best absorbed by laying in a dark room with quality headphones. It's a trip. I remember when this video came out on MTV (I'm old lol). Watch it in your own time. Their guitarist Adam does a lot of their videos and they're just as trippy as their songs.
Yup the sober video got me started me on tool as well.
So I would make my boyfriend at the time play this song over and over-he played the guitar and would rock OUT playing that beautiful riff…ahhhh memories
Greatest band ever. TOOL Army will come to your channel. They do not have a bad song. Glad you did the album version before the live video.
my introduction to Tool was wandering drunk into Kagans in NOLA back in... 93? they had the vid going on the big screen and it was a revelation.
give Forty Six and 2 a shot. you'll love the guitar work and shifting time throughout. and the lyrics are deep
OMG I LOVE TOOL! They are the epitomy of genuine talented musicians. Maynard is an absolute genius and you have to also listen to his other bands A Perfect Circle and Puscifier. Lyrics are deep and their videos are bad ass. 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Just came from listening to you listen to Laterus... only the second Polo Reacts vid I have seen... misunderstood and thought you hadn't listened to Sober... At the end of your Laterus vid was thinking: Even tho Tool keeps getting better and better... I would love to revisit my first time hearing them, which was just sitting around my first apartment and suddenly Sober popped up on MTV. That vid and song changed music for me. Saw them on the side stage at Lollapalooza that summer... they deserved the main stage but being in that intimate space was thrilling... two of my best music memories.
Couldn't find it in a quick scroll, then searched, and aaaaaah.
Tool is one of the most UNDERRATED bands on the Planet! They are magnificent!
I mean, they've won several grammies, topped the charts numerous times, and their shows consistently sell out large arenas... I think that plenty of people rate Tool highly.
What really struck me the first time I heard this song on the radio - which was when it came out, I was in college at the time - was just how raw it sounded. Every vocal and instrument sounds like it's recorded directly to mic with minimal to no post processing.
Man, you NEED to watch one of the live versions of this. It is so much more everything. Watching Maynard perform this is something else. . .
This song is important to me because it shows how two parts of personality can't always reconcile, and you know the destructive part never truly dies.
Give the channel some love! Thanks for the review!
I love Tool. So powerful. I’m enjoying most songs you listen to because I like every genre.
Good music is good music.
Classic Tool song. Plenary more you should check out like 46&2 and 7empest
And Tool has birthed another fan, welcome brother we have jackets spiral out ✌️
One of my top three bands of all time and my favorite live shows. I have loved every thing they have put out in the last 30 years. Please check out Laturalus! (And everything else) 🔥🖤
Love your reaction video! One of my favorite songs and bands! Your reaction was well said and elegant. Especially how you describe how an elite artist can move you to feel what they were feeling. Thank you!
Like a few people have suggested, please check out the live version. Absolutely incredible!!!
Tool is by far my favorite band and I feel compelled to watch Tool reaction videos. My favorite from them is "Jerk Off" from their first album, Opiate. One of the most cathartic songs to scream along with.
💯💯💯
Fantastic reaction Polo! This is the song that launched Tool into my favorite artist.
One quibble is that the song isn't about Maynard himself but a friend of the band. In a sense, this makes the lyrics even more profound since Maynard embodies both the addict and the drug in different verses of the song.
Anyway I see you've done a bunch of Tool reactions since, love it brother!
What is true about this song is this: his voice makes you feel the anguish of being an addict. It also makes you feel the anger and anguish of wanting to quit. THIS? This state of being, can be applied to MANY things in life
I'm not the only one that gets mesmerized by the perpetual motion thing in the background right?
I'm so here for hip hop people delving into metal, I love it.
Always listen with lyrics! A must with any Tool songs. They will blow your mind.
When you see him sing it live. The performance is awesomeness
9:22 “I also love the drums in this.” That gets my vote for Most understated comment ever.
That kinetic sculpture you have in the background is mesmerizing
This song just builds and builds. It releases something primal in me.
I’m gonna need that perpetual motion machine in the background for every Tool song now
What makes this work is the swing rhythm. So damn clever.
After almost 30 yrs this song is still so amazing. I'm so glad I was around and in my 20's then. I'm 54 now