Favorites: “10,000 Days (Wings Pt. II)” by Tool

Music is and always will be one of my passions. As of this writing, I cannot really play an instrument, though guitar is getting easier every day. I find that music is one of the few things in life that can calm me down or allow me to be more creative. If I’m working on digital artwork, I will always have music playing in the background. There are so many possibilities in music — so many variations of notes and beats, that if put together somewhat coherently will form a beautiful song.

If I had to pick my top five favorite songs of all time, the song “10,000 Days (Wings Pt. II)” by progressive metal band Tool would most certainly be on the list — in fact it may be my all time favorite song. The music is haunting and beautifully arranged — even if Tool or the genre they fall in is not your cup of tea, I would recommend listening to this song. It is beautiful. Personally, I am not keen on some of their earlier work, which was riddled with profanity, and would only recommend certain songs.

But music can always be enhanced with lyrics, and this song is no exception. I wager that some of you who read this will not know the context of the lyrics for this song. In short, the lead singer (Maynard James Keenan) was raised in a Baptist household, but was abused sexually by his stepfather, leaving him not only withdrawn and an extremely private individual in real life, but left him with a disdain for religion. At the age of 11, his mother suffered a cerebral aneurysm and became paralyzed. His mother, despite the condition she endured until her death in 2003, remained committed to God and extolled her son to not blame God for her situation. Tool’s 2006 album “10,000 Days” was titled after the amount of time Keenan’s mother had endured paralysis (10,000 Days, or 27 years).

While Keenan does not share the faith of his mother, the lyrics he wrote for the song “10,000 Days” are a window into the struggle he has against God, but also shows the incredible love and admiration he holds for her.

“…Set as I am in my ways and my arrogance
Burden of proof tossed upon the believers
You were my witness
My eyes, my evidence
Judith Marie, unconditional one…”

One hopes that Keenan will someday come to share the faith of his mother in Christ (though I doubt he will), but lines like those are beautiful when placed with the music written by the other band members.

This song speaks to me in more ways than one. On a musical level, the guitar tones and song structure are a major influence on how I pick up and play guitar each day, and the lyrics often make me tear up at the end. My father and mother are perfect examples of Christ-followers, and like Keenan I look up to my parents as examples of the life to live before God.

Here are the lyrics to the song if you want to read them. Again, I would highly recommend listening to the song (fair warning, it’s 11 minutes long), to get the full effect.

Listen to the tales and romanticize
How we follow the path of the hero
Boast about the day when the rivers overrun
How we’ll rise to the height of our halo

Listen to the tales as we all rationalize
Our way into the arms of the savior
Feigning all the trials and the tribulations
None of us have actually been there
Not like you

Ignorant flippants in the congregation
Gather around spewing sympathy
Spare me
None of them can even hold a candle up to you
Blinded by choice, hypocrites won’t see

But enough about the collective Judas
Who could deny you were the one who illuminated
Your little piece of the divine

This little light of mine
a gift you passed unto me
I’m gonna let it shine
To guide you safely on your way
Your way home

What are they gonna’ do when the lights go down
Without you guide them all to Zion
What are they gonna’ do when the rivers overrun
Other than tremble incessantly

High is the way but our eyes are upon the ground
You are the light and the way that they will only read about
I only pray, heaven knows when to lift you out
Ten thousand days in the fire is long enough
You’re going home

You’re the only one who can hold your head up high
Shake your fist at the gates saying:

I’ve come home now
Fetch me the spirit
The son, and the father
Tell them their pillar of faith has ascended
It’s time now, my time now
Give me my, give me my wings

Give me my (x7)
Give me my wings

You are the light and the way
That they will only read about

Set as I am in my ways and my arrogance
Burden of proof tossed upon the believers
You were my witness
My eyes, my evidence
Judith Marie, unconditional one

Daylight dims
Leaving cold fluorescents
Difficult to see you in this light
Please forgive this bold suggestion
Should you see your maker’s face tonight
Look him in the eye
Look him in the eye, and tell him
I never lived a lie, never took a life
But surely saved one, hallelujah
it’s time for you to bring me home

Content

For the first time in about five years, I am honestly content with where I am in life. Of course, I still have goals and dreams, but I’m not rushing anymore.

Since my sophomore year of high school I have done everything I can to be as active as possible — in all the areas I don’t need to focus on, or at least not put so much focus on. Friends, “partying” (my definition of partying is not the stereotypical definition of partying), time on the computer, Facebook, music, graphic design, work, girls, alcohol — get the picture?

I think I’ve learned my lesson. Because the past two nights I’ve stayed home and didn’t have one inkling to involve myself with any of those things. I don’t mean to say that I am now a monk and will be momentarily shaving my head and wearing cool robes. But, I can say that my life in general has slowed down. The activities aren’t as important as the relaxation and contentment one can find.

I love my life. Last year, I couldn’t say that honestly. I have an amazing family, superb friends, a fantastic job, money, a car that works, food on the table, clothes, and most importantly, I’m alive.

Nothing is better than that.

Return of the Jedi…or Blogging…

Hello world.

I blame my friend Josh for implanting the writing bug into my system again. It’s been awhile since I’ve written anything on this. But alas, I do find myself enjoying this old habit.

The past year and a half has been one crazy ride. It’s such a cliche thing to say, and more often than not it’s not a sincere statement — usually it’s an exaggeration to make one seem more “cool.” But in all honesty, it has been crazy. I’ve learned an incredible amount about myself.

I was under the impression from around my sophomore year of high school that my identity as a person was found in my friends, and what we did together. This led me down a path for a period of about four years that I never want to go down again, no matter how much my human nature begs me to.

Don’t get me wrong. I love all of my friends, and I thoroughly enjoy spending time with them. However my identity is not found in them, because truth be told, all of them have the ability and capacity to walk away from me. Friendships are not an eternal connection, nor are they perfect in any way. Like any relationship, they are prone to squabbles, distrust, hurt, or rejection — they can fail for any reason. But, as I went down the rabbit hole into a dream world that I concocted, I kept promising myself that true happiness for me was found in the relationship I was in at the time, and my other friendships. Because I lied to myself, I learned a great lesson, and paid for it.

Thankfully, the God that I believe in is a faithful god, and did not leave me nor forsake me.

Leaving home on March 16th of last year was the worst decision I’ve ever made. Coming back home on June 17 of last year was the best decision I’ve ever made — and I thank God every day that he brought me home. I’m now getting back on the right path, the one that allows for regular, normal friendships like anyone else, but at the same time keeps everything in my life under the lens of God’s perspective.

Do I still screw up? Every day. I will be the first to admit, I am nowhere close to being an example of Christ. I am a profane, hypocritical person who is still struggling to reconcile the choices and habits I’ve gotten into in the past, with my Christian identity. I will sort it out. But I’m still working on it.

God never fails.

What have you learned in the past year?

– Ricky